by Fred ; illustrated by Fred ; translated by Richard Kutner ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 12, 2015
Easily eclipsing the decades, this mind-bending fantasy blends familiar literary allusions, psychedelic settings, and just...
Philemon (Cast Away on the Letter A, 2014) returns in another whimsical romp to revisit the letter A and free his friend Bartholomew.
Upon his return from the labyrinth on the letter A (of the word “Atlantic” on a map), Philemon quickly discovers that his hardworking father has little time for his fanciful tales. But his uncle Felix not only believes him, but knows of the letter A and of Bartholomew. Felix quickly transports Philemon—via a reversed telescope and careful placement on a globe—back to the letters that make up the lands he had just left. Upon his arrival, he finds all kinds of wonderfully odd things, like a traveler who can not only walk, but sleep on water; a race of brilliantly hued, capricious beings who arrest him for bouncing; and a bizarre house full of strange doors, giants, and calamitous carpets. This second Philemon outing, originally published in France in the 1970s and only now published in English, is just as charmingly offbeat as its predecessor. Included are notes that help young readers place many of the literary references found in Philemon's adventures, from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland to Gulliver's Travels.
Easily eclipsing the decades, this mind-bending fantasy blends familiar literary allusions, psychedelic settings, and just the right smattering of fun. (Graphic fantasy. 7-12)Pub Date: May 12, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-935179-83-2
Page Count: 48
Publisher: TOON Books & Graphics
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2015
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by Fred ; illustrated by Fred ; translated by Richard Kutner
by Fred ; illustrated by Fred ; translated by Richard Kutner
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by Fred ; illustrated by Fred ; translated by Richard Kutner
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by Fred ; illustrated by Fred ; translated by Richard Kutner
by Dav Pilkey ; illustrated by Dav Pilkey ; color by Jose Garibaldi ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 30, 2016
What a wag.
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What do you get from sewing the head of a smart dog onto the body of a tough police officer? A new superhero from the incorrigible creator of Captain Underpants.
Finding a stack of old Dog Mancomics that got them in trouble back in first grade, George and Harold decide to craft a set of new(ish) adventures with (more or less) improved art and spelling. These begin with an origin tale (“A Hero Is Unleashed”), go on to a fiendish attempt to replace the chief of police with a “Robo Chief” and then a temporarily successful scheme to make everyone stupid by erasing all the words from every book (“Book ’Em, Dog Man”), and finish off with a sort of attempted alien invasion evocatively titled “Weenie Wars: The Franks Awaken.” In each, Dog Man squares off against baddies (including superinventor/archnemesis Petey the cat) and saves the day with a clever notion. With occasional pauses for Flip-O-Rama featurettes, the tales are all framed in brightly colored sequential panels with hand-lettered dialogue (“How do you feel, old friend?” “Ruff!”) and narrative. The figures are studiously diverse, with police officers of both genders on view and George, the chief, and several other members of the supporting cast colored in various shades of brown. Pilkey closes as customary with drawing exercises, plus a promise that the canine crusader will be further unleashed in a sequel.
What a wag. (Graphic fantasy. 7-9)Pub Date: Aug. 30, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-545-58160-8
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Graphix/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016
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by Dav Pilkey ; illustrated by Dav Pilkey ; color by Jose Garibaldi & Wes Dzioba
by Dav Pilkey ; illustrated by Dav Pilkey ; color by Jose Garibaldi
by Dav Pilkey ; illustrated by Dav Pilkey ; color by Jose Garibaldi
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by Dav Pilkey ; illustrated by Dav Pilkey ; color by Jose Garibaldi & Wes Dzioba
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by Dav Pilkey ; illustrated by Dav Pilkey ; color by Jose Garibaldi & Wes Dzioba
BOOK REVIEW
by Dav Pilkey ; illustrated by Dav Pilkey ; color by Jose Garibaldi
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SEEN & HEARD
BOOK TO SCREEN
by J. Torres ; illustrated by David Namisato ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 5, 2021
An emotional, much-needed historical graphic novel.
Sandy and his family, Japanese Canadians, experience hatred and incarceration during World War II.
Sandy Saito loves baseball, and the Vancouver Asahi ballplayers are his heroes. But when they lose in the 1941 semifinals, Sandy’s dad calls it a bad omen. Sure enough, in December 1941, Japan bombs Pearl Harbor in the U.S. The Canadian government begins to ban Japanese people from certain areas, moving them to “dormitories” and setting a curfew. Sandy wants to spend time with his father, but as a doctor, his dad is busy, often sneaking out past curfew to work. One night Papa is taken to “where he [is] needed most,” and the family is forced into an internment camp. Life at the camp isn’t easy, and even with some of the Asahi players playing ball there, it just isn’t the same. Trying to understand and find joy again, Sandy struggles with his new reality and relationship with his father. Based on the true experiences of Japanese Canadians and the Vancouver Asahi team, this graphic novel is a glimpse of how their lives were affected by WWII. The end is a bit abrupt, but it’s still an inspiring and sweet look at how baseball helped them through hardship. The illustrations are all in a sepia tone, giving it an antique look and conveying the emotions and struggles. None of the illustrations of their experiences are overly graphic, making it a good introduction to this upsetting topic for middle-grade readers.
An emotional, much-needed historical graphic novel. (afterword, further resources) (Graphic historical fiction. 9-12)Pub Date: Oct. 5, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5253-0334-0
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: June 28, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2021
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by J. Torres ; illustrated by Aurélie Grand
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