A light, comical approach to biography and history that makes it more palatable for those who find more traditional...
From the creators of Action Philosophers comics comes this first in a series of graphic biographies about American presidents beginning, appropriately, with George Washington.
With the assistance of two kids, a black boy and a white girl, and a muscular turkey who move readers in and out of the historical storyline, Van Lente and Dunlavey cover the whole of Washington’s life, with highlights on his roles as a slave owner, officer in the French and Indian War, commander of the Continental Army in the War for Independence, and first president of the United States. Amid the jokey narrative is solid biographical information about Washington and historical facts about his times. Particularly insightful is the depiction of Washington’s presidency, which readers might be surprised to find had plenty of detractors. The creators reveal that partisan politics has been a part of America from the beginning. The black-and-white art is exaggeratedly cartoonish and fun. Readers who appreciate a goofier approach to history, such as Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales, will enjoy this graphic biography. One unfortunate oversight is the omission of recommendations for age-appropriate further reading.
A light, comical approach to biography and history that makes it more palatable for those who find more traditional approaches hard to swallow. (maps, timeline, glossary, bibliography) (Graphic biography. 8-12)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-239405-7
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Nov. 26, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2017
A change of pace from the typical blood-and-guts approach to the topic, populous enough to sate even the most rabid...
A quick trip through the Mesozoic Era with a paleontologist is all young Ronnie needs to become a dino-maniac.
So desperate is Ronnie to better a dinosaur exam’s failing grade that she’s willing to follow her odd but scholarly neighbor Miss Lernin into a curbside recycling bin—which, thanks to “Science Magic,” leaves the two in the late Triassic. Between meeting plateosaurs on that stop and a cozy nuzzle with a T. rex in the late Cretaceous, Ronnie gets an earful about dinosaur anatomy, convergent evolution, types of prehistoric life, protofeathers and other recent discoveries, and (as Miss Lernin puts it) “the exciting world of…phylogenetic trees!!” But mostly what she gets are dinosaurs. The graphic panels teem with (labeled) prehistoric life including, along with dozens of dinos, many early mammals and other contemporaries. Howard depicts nearly all of this fauna with snub noses and such friendly expressions that in no time (so to speak) Ronnie is exclaiming “Oh my gosh…Jurassic crocodylomorphs were so cute!” Indeed, her white tutor agrees, but also cool, dangerous, and majestic. Ronnie, who is depicted as a black girl, returns to the present to earn a perfect score on a retaken test and go on to spread the dino-word to her diverse classmates. Though the lack of source or resource lists is disappointing, closing graphic recaps of major prehistoric creatures and, yes, a phylogenetic tree provide some review.
A change of pace from the typical blood-and-guts approach to the topic, populous enough to sate even the most rabid dinophiles. (glossary) (Graphic informational fantasy. 9-11)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4197-2306-3
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: June 26, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A lighthearted, enjoyable introduction to a fascinating subject.
This latest entry in the graphic-nonfiction series Science Comics introduces readers to the history of robotics and explains what is and what is not a robot.
The conductor on this entertaining guided tour is a birdlike robot called Pouli, conceived by Greek mathematician Archytas and propelled by steam, the first machine to fly through the sky back in 350 B.C.E. Defining a robot as “a machine that senses something in its environment, makes a choice about what it senses, and performs an action in response,” Pouli explains how robots are everywhere, from the ocean floor and the surface of Mars to our kitchens. Robots do everything from make coffee and vacuum floors in our homes to defuse bombs and explore the interiors of volcanoes. Pouli offers a refresher on simple machines like levers and pulleys to demonstrate how those simple concepts became the building blocks for the complex machines we have today. Drones are treated as a subset of robotics rather than a separate technology. The narrative focuses on the positives robots and drones can accomplish and the human component of computer programming. Isaac Asimov, who formulated the Three Laws of Robotics, is also recognized. Chabot’s clean, full-color panels shift between illustrated anecdotes and often humorous diagrams to convey the information, and they are populated by racially and culturally diverse figures both historical and fictional. An unfortunate oversight is the lack of suggestions for further reading.
A lighthearted, enjoyable introduction to a fascinating subject. (glossary) (Nonfiction. 8-12)Pub Date: March 27, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-62672-793-9
Page Count: 130
Publisher: First Second
Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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