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GAME ON!

From the Big Nate series

Fans and collectors will want ’em all. Big Nate continues to rock.

Big Nate Wright has got game! At least he thinks he does.

Star of five novels, numerous collections of comics and two activity books (so far), sixth-grader and aspiring comics creator Nick shows his sportsmanship in this newest collection of newspaper funnies. The full-color strips, one to a page, are organized in three big chapters: “Swish,” about basketball; “Play Ball,” about Little League; and “Goal,” about soccer. Within those chapters are five or six strip stories and general-topic weekend strips (which have, of course, a few more panels to set up their comedy). The strips are in chronological order within each sport and cover several seasons (especially the baseball section). In “Swish,” always-small-in-stature Nate tries to “bulk up” so he can run with the big boys. He also loses his lucky socks and deals with a sudden inability to “trash talk” on the court. In “Play Ball,” the team deals with the stigma of being sponsored by a beauty salon (go, Chez Linda!), suffers under drill-sergeant substitute coach John and plays a championship game—unfortunately without their star players. In “Goal,” exchange student (and Nate nemesis) Artur joins the team, and the boys play through a cold snap. Nate deals with his...issues with humor, slight sarcasm and (sort of) aplomb.

Fans and collectors will want ’em all. Big Nate continues to rock. (Comics collection. 6-12)

Pub Date: April 16, 2013

ISBN: 978-1-4494-2777-1

Page Count: 224

Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing

Review Posted Online: April 9, 2013

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DOG MAN

From the Dog Man series , Vol. 1

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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STEALING HOME

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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