Jellaby by Kean Soo

Book Cover:  Jellaby by Kean SooI read Jellaby, written and illustrated by Kean Soo, for my Children’s Literature Book Club in which we were reading titles for this past year’s Cybils; Jellaby was shortlisted in the elementary/middle grade fiction graphic novel category.

My three year old picked up this book a lot while I had it sitting around.  He liked the purple dinosaur and I think he may have even called him Barney.  But he’s not Barney, he’s Jellaby, a purple creature whom Portia has found out in the woods.  He’s lost and Portia takes him in.  It reminds me of Mary Had a Little Lamb because Jellaby follows Portia to school.   And she has a friend Jason who always wears orange (the only other color besides purple in the book).

So yeah.  It’s been at least a month since I read the book and to tell you the truth that’s about all I remember, so I’m not sure what that says.  I think young readers will probably like it.  My three year-old liked looking at the photos.

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5 comments


  1. Well, that is sure an intriguing looking purple thing there.

    on March 25th, 2009 at 8:04 am
  2. Argh. I want to read this one, but my library isn’t terribly hip when it comes to graphic novels. I may have to camp out at a bookstore and read it there… (or, shock!, buy the book) It sounds fabulous.

    BTW, and I gave you an award.

    on March 26th, 2009 at 7:05 am
  3. Okay, I’m SO stupid. I thought I was commenting on the Emiko Superstar post. Doh!

    on March 26th, 2009 at 7:07 am
  4. My kids brought it home from school and I just read it – pretty cute but was choked that it was continued….Now I will not rest until I have completed the story. I liked it, simple and sweet – appears to be underlying message (a good one). If I could buy the rest I would.

    on October 17th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
  5. [...] Jellaby by Kean Soo (Asian) [...]

    on December 30th, 2009 at 9:20 pm

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