Maw Books » graphic novel

Binky the Space Cat by Ashley Spires

Natasha Maw — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 07:11:27 +0000

Binky the Space Cat by Ashley Spires is such a cute book! I giggled my way through this entire graphic novel for the elementary aged set. I’m not really a cat person either but this is one cat that I couldn’t resist.

Binky the Cat knows one thing that his humans don’t know: flies are really aliens. It just makes common sense, you know? Flies can fly therefore they are aliens. But humans aren’t smart enough to figure this out. Which is exactly why they need a cat around. Not just any cat but a certified space cat. His purpose? To protect his humans from alien domination!

Such a awesome story. Perfect book for kids. The illustrations are just adorable. Binky is hilarious. The book is energetic, clever, and simply entertaining. And one that parents will enjoy reading together as well. I hope there are more Binky adventures in the future. This is one cat I wouldn’t mind reading more about.

Links of interest: Ashley Spires website, more book blogger reviews.
Genre: Fiction, graphic novel. Approx ages 9-12.
Publisher: Kids Can Press. August 1, 2009.
Paperback, 64 pages. ISBN 1554534194
Source copy: Library
Binky the Space Cat is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

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Calamity Jack by Shannon and Dean Hale, Illustrated by Nathan Hale

Natasha Maw — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 18:20:28 +0000

What happens when you take the infamous Shannon Hale, pair her up again with her husband Dean, and illustrator Nathan Hale (no relation), the retelling of a famous fairy tale, a feisty heroine, a bit of steampunk and wrap it all up in a graphic novel? Calamity Jack! A companion novel to Rapunzel’s Revengee (my review), Calamity Jack focuses in on Jack from the well-known tale of Jack and the Beanstalk.

Jack describes himself as a criminal mastermind but with an unfortunate amount of bad luck. He was born to scheme and spent his childhood thinking up one caper after another. But when one caper goes too far and results in him both being a wanted man and a disappointment to his mother, Jack leaves the city for the wild west where he meets Rapunzel. Of course, you have to check out Rapunzel’s Revenge for that adventure.

Calamity Jack picks back up with Rapunzel and Jack on their way back to the city where Jack discovers that the Giants have not only taken over the city but are also holding his mother captive as ransom. Jack must try to make up for his past deeds, rescue the city from doom, regain his mothers trust, and not lose Rapunzel’s love in the process.

While I enjoyed Rapunzel’s Revenge more than Calamity Jack, it’s still a fun story. Honestly, I just couldn’t get past the idea of giant ants in the story. But that’s me talking as an adult and let’s face it, kids will think that giant ants are the most awesome thing ever! I think I mentioned this in my Rapunzel’s Revenge review, but I’m not totally in love with the illustrations as I would have preferred cleaner and simpler lines. But as a graphic novel should, half of the story is in the illustrations and I lingered over them.

Very whitty dialouge and fun bantering with a lot of action adventure make Calamity Jack a worthy retelling of the Jack and the Beanstalk story.

I went to the launch party for Calamity Jack, so check out my post with video if you missed it!

Links of interest: Maw Books review of Rapunzel’s Revenge, Rapunzel’s Revenge launch party, The Actor and the Housewife, Austenland, Book of a Thousand Days, and Princess Academy. Maw Books interview with Shannon and her yummy zuchinni soup. Shannon Hale’s website, Dean Hale’s website, and Nathan Hale’s blog.
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Graphic Novel
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books. January 5, 2010
Hardcover, 144 pages. ISBN 1599900769
My copy source: purchased
Calamity Jack is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

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Calamity Jack Launch Party with Shannon, Dean and Nathan Hale

Natasha Maw — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 07:12:48 +0000

On Saturday I met up with Suey from It’s All About Books and Heather from Fire and Ice for the Calamity Jack launch party hosted by The Kings English Bookshop. Oh how I wish all of you could be so lucky to have Shannon Hale live in your hometown. She is one class act and HILARIOUS!! And oh, so very very nice. As in, she doesn’t care who is in line because you are the most important person she’s talking to at the moment. Authors seriously don’t come any better. Anybody who has met Shannon will agree.

Calamity Jack, the follow-up graphic novel to Rapunzel’s Revenge (my review), written by duo married team Shannon and Dean Hale and illustrated by the ever hard working Nathan Hale (no relation) was just released January 5th. And of course they had to party. And of course, I had to go. Especially if it was going to be anything like the launch party for Rapunzel’s Revenge.

Shannon and Dean Hale talked about what it was like to write the graphic novel, Nathan had a presentation about how is life was sucked away from him as he illustrated the book (a fun project – but wow – what a lot of work!).

I captured a few videos for you because I always feel so sorry for the rest of the world to not be at these awesome events. In this first, Shannon and Dean Hale talk about the beginnings of Calamity Jack:

And I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again but Utah is home to a lot of AMAZING authors. Shannon answers the question: What the heck is up with Utah and writers? The voice speaking off-screen is that of Jessica Day George. One such author.

And then the best video for last. This is why I secretly wished I lived next door to the Hales. Would it be too stalkish for me to move? Are they fun or what?! This is how they explain the often asked question: What is it like to collaborate together?

And of course, Shannon and Dean signed books and chatted up a storm.

I’m digging into my copy of Calamity Jack and will have a review for you tomorrow!

Links of interest: Maw Books review of Rapunzel’s Revenge, Rapunzel’s Revenge launch party, interview with Shannon. Shannon Hale’s website, Dean Hale’s website, and Nathan Hale’s blog.
Calamity Jack is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.
Today’s post is part of the Kidz Book Buzz Blog Tour. Check out these awesome bloggers who are also participating:
Whispers of Dawn, Reading is my Superpower, firesidemusings.blogspot.com, Through the Looking Glass Book Review , Booking Mama, Cafe of Dreams, Becky’s Book Reviews, The Hungry Readers, The Friendly Book Book, My Own Little Corner of the World, Book Blather, GreenBeanTeenQueen, Book Crumbs , Abby (the) Librarian, Dolce Bellezza, Homeschoolbuzz.com, The Book Cellar, Carrie’s YA Bookshelf, Bookshelf Monstrosity, Everyday Reading, Frenetic Reader, and KidzBookBuzz.com.

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Frankie Pickle and the Closet of Doom by Eric Wight

Natasha Maw — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:07:33 +0000

Frankie Pickle and the Closet of Doom written and illustrated by Eric Wight is a spoof of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom but in this case Frankie’s nemisis is his messy room. Pair that with his nagging mom and he’s got a problem! Luck turns his way when Frankie’s mother agrees that he no longer has to clean his room. Perfect! Will he now live in bliss or will his dirty room create a monster that only Frankie himself can fight off?

Frankie Pickle is half chapter book and half graphic novel, a format that works well especially for its intended audience: young boys. It’s a great balance between the comic book form and text and will appeal to both type of readers, those who need the visual and others who are more comfortable with text. My initial reaction what that the book is heavy on the preachy side, “It’s better to have a clean room than a messy one.” Looking back on it now I’m not as bothered and think that kids won’t even bat an eye over the storyline. Who knows. Every parent needs a little bit of subliminal messaging don’t they? And the illustrations are entertaining.

A fun book for the young boy in your life.

What type of kid were you? Could your room have been described as a “closet of doom?”

Links of interest: Book Dads has a great in-depth book review. Eric Wight website.
Genre: Juvenile Fiction/Graphic Novel approx ages 4-8
Publisher: Simon & Schuster. May 5, 2009.
Hardcover, 96 pages. ISBN: 1416964843
Frankie Pickle and the Closet of Doom is available from your local independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

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There’s a Wolf at the Door: Five Classic Tales Retold by Zoe B. Alley, Illustrated by R.W. Alley

Natasha Maw — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 05:19:50 +0000

There’s a Wolf at the Door: Five Classic Tales Retold by Zoe B. Alley and illustrated by R.W. Alley is the cutest little graphic novel. Okay, I lie. The book is something like 12×18 inches. Huge. I call it little because it’s for little people, around ages four to eight. There’s a Wolf at the Door is the retelling of five classic tales: The Three Little Pigs, Little Red Riding Hood, The Boy Who Cried Wolf, The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing and The Wolf and the Seven Little Goslings. As you probably noticed, the recurring theme in all of these tales is the wolf.

Each story is connected and flows together as the wolf is trying to desperately come up with his next meal. This impeccably dressed wolf, just can’t seem to catch a break when he’s outwitted by the pigs, attacked by the sheep, and declothed by little red riding hood (who’s better known as Rhonda). Kids who are familiar with the original stories will love the new story twists and those who aren’t will fall in love with the illustrations. In the chapter about the boy who cried wolf, I got a kick out of one of the townsfolk who came running each time the boy cried wolf in various states of getting dressed for the day. In a towel straight out of the shower and next with a blow dryer.

There’s a Wolf at the Door is a great book to introduce young readers to the graphic novel format, fables, and the classic stories that we grew up with. I haven’t tried reading it to my three year-old. It is quite long with a decent amount of text. I wouldn’t want to read the whole thing in one sitting as a bedtime story. You’ll probably be there for awhile. But the chapters make for good stopping points as long as you don’t wait to long to pick it back up again, or else children might not see how the stories are connected. Overall, I enjoyed this new take on these classic tales.

R.W Alley website.

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Emiko Superstar by Mariko Tamaki, Illustrated by Steve Rolston

Natasha Maw — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 21:00:17 +0000

Emiko Superstar by Mariko Tamaki and Steve Rolston is this years Young Adult Graphic Novel Cybils winner. I’ll readily admit that I’m not well read in the graphic novel genre but I thought this book was really cute. I don’t think cute is exactly what Tamaki and Rolston were going after but I loved Emi’s character. She’s just so dang cute.

Emiko Superstar is all about coming of age and self-discovery. Emi just isn’t happy with herself. After being fired from her summer job working at a coffee shop, she’s now babysitting and in her words “What was about to be the crappiest summer – was flashing before my eyes.” So even though her summer was “sucking the big one right now” it was really hard to complain because she got paid a lot and the baby was pretty cute.

Everything changes when she discovers an underground scene of performance artists known as The Freak Show. She’s really hesitant to go and is so scared the first time she shows up that she literally runs away before she even reaches the door. Everybody, is well, so strange. So confident. Not afraid to be themselves. Total opposite of Emi. Can Emi break through her hesitations and transform herself into somebody else? And can she do it honestly and without hurting others along the way? And in the end will it be worth it?

So the last lines of the book (yes! I’m giving you the very last lines) says:

It’s, you know, your kind of atypical summer adventure story. It’s got a freak show, freaks performance art, a little larceny, a little family drama. I guess it’s a story about love, although it’s difficult to say what love is in this story. I guess it’s a story about how love isn’t always what it makes itself out to be, if that makes sense. It’s a story about how true love is hard to find. Mostly, it’s a story about me and how I became a Superstar, for a little while. About meeting other Superstars. Finding inspiration. When I finish the story, this is where I’ll tell you to press “play” on your favorite song. The song that makes you feel amazing and famous . . . even if you’re not.

If there is going to be more of Emi in any future books, I’ll definitely would love to hear the rest of her story. I thought the story was really great, characters were all really interesting, and the illustrations were just how I like them in a graphic novel. I’m surprised at how much I did enjoy this one. For some reason, I didn’t think I would. When I finished it, I don’t even think I would have said that. But the more I look back on it, the more I like it. And I say that probably because more than a month later, I can still remember most of Emiko Superstar pretty vividly.

Links of interest: Mariko Tamaki website, Steve Rolston website, more book blogger reviews.
Genre: Young Adult Graphic Novel
Publisher: Minx. October 14, 2008.
Paperback, 176 pages. ISBN 140121536X
Source: Library
Emiko Superstar is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

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Jellaby by Kean Soo

Natasha Maw — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 06:02:57 +0000

I 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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Chiggers by Hope Larson

Natasha Maw — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 06:01:09 +0000

Chiggers by Hope Larson is a graphic novel geared for the young adult crowd and in all actuality, I don’t have much to say about it, so this will be a pretty short review.

Chiggers is about a group of girls who go to summer camp. It’s the same camp that Abby goes to every summer and she’s excited. But her excitement ends when her friend Rose is to busy being a cabin assistant to hang out with her, her friends talk behind her back and everybody thinks that the cabinmate she gets along best with is annoying. Throw in some lightening strikes, romantic love interest, and elfish daydreams and there you go.

Honestly, this graphic novel was confusing. I could not keep the characters straight and by the end of the book I still didn’t know who was talking (my children’s lit book club members all said the same thing). I really didn’t care for the illustrations. They would have been fine if only there wasn’t really ugly lines under all the characters eyes. Case in point: page 81 through 85. Yeah, I know they are supposed to be tired but still these panels ruined whatever redeeming qualities the other panels had.

I honestly don’t know what the appeal of Chiggers is to the actual intended audience, young adult girls, but this mama just didn’t get it. And I even went to girl’s camp four years in a row as a teen. What can I say, I just can’t like everything I read.

Links of interest: Hope Larson website, more book blogger reviews.
Genre: Fiction, Graphic Novel. Approx ages 9-12
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing/Atheneum. June 17, 2008
Hardcover, 170 pages. ISBN 1416935843
Source: Library
Chiggers is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

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Rapunzel’s Revenge by Shannon and Dean Hale

Natasha Maw — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 15:13:56 +0000

Shannon Hale’s newest adventure Rapunzel’s Revenge coauthored with her husband Dean Hale and illustrated by Nathan Hale (no relation) is taking the book world by storm! Why? First, it’s Shannon Hale. What’s not to love about Shannon? Second, it’s a awesome retelling of the Rapunzel story set as a western. Third, Rapunzel’s uses her long braids as lasso’s taking out the bad guy’s. Again, what’s not to love about that? Fourth, it’s a graphic novel! Do I really need to say more? Well, just a couple of things. But first, if you haven’t seen my fun photo with Shannon and Dean, here it is again:

Rapunzel’s Revenge is a great addition to children’s literature and the world of graphic novels (although I fully admit that I’m not familiar with the graphic novel world, but how can it not?!). It was fun to read, had a lot of great one-liners, and had a great story. Rapunzel isn’t just a poor, woe is me girl locked in a tower. She’s sassy, witty, and can handle those lasso braids like no one you’ve seen. I know Nathan Hale spent forever on those illustrations!! I thought they were really nice but there were some panels that I thought could have been better. I thought the faces got funny sometimes. But it’s not enough to really bother me. Overall, a fun book I’d totally recommend.

I went to the Rapunzel’s Round-Up, a fun book release party for Rapunzel’s Revenge. See my commentary on that fun day here. If you haven’t heard the story of how I ended up with Shannon’s garden zucchini, then you should check it out!

Shannon and Dean Hale were just on the today show. Check out their fun segment:

Visit Shannon Hale’s website and Nathan Hale’s blog.

Coming right up (or at least today, we’ll see what I can do with the kiddo’s around) is a great Shannon Hale interview. You won’t want to miss this one. She answers your questions!

The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman

Natasha Maw — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 03:28:58 +0000

I read The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman simply because everybody told met that with my interest in Holocaust literature, I HAD to read it. So of course, I did.

If you are not familiar with The Complete Maus (Maus I and Maus II), let me briefly fill you in. It’s told in alternating viewpoints between Art Spiegelman’s interviewing his father about his survival during the Holocaust in the present and the retelling of those experiences in the past. It’s also very much about the relationship between Art and his father. Art has a difficult time understanding his father. Although the war is long over, it’s effects are still felt every day in their family.

The Complete Maus feels very much like a documentary, one that you would watch on film. But it’s a memoir, and let’s not forget the most important part about this book: it’s also a graphic novel. Different nationalities are depicted as different animals. The Jews are mice and the Germans are cats representing a evil cat and mouse game. The Poles are pigs, the Americans are dogs, the French are pigs and so on.

The Complete Maus really surprised me. I don’t know what I was expecting but I know it wasn’t the father-son relationship, but I liked it. Art Spiegelman did a great job showing how difficult it was to get his father’s story and how stressful it was to share it with us. It felt like a full circle story.

I was also surprised that all the animals actually looked like humans with the exception of their heads. I guess I wasn’t expecting how realistic it was, I thought it would be more “animal-ish.” After I had this thought, I did some Google searches and of course, fell upon Wikipedia. There it states that all the animals are drawn alike, because ultimately Spiegelman was showing that all humans are alike and that it’s crazy to try to divide them by nationalistic, religious, or racial lines. The depiction of animals does make it easier for the reader to digest given the grim topic. I think it would be hard to read a graphic novel that showed humans being abused in the worst scenarios possible.

The only negative thing that I can say about it is . . . oh dear, do I dare say? Yes, I do. I actually thought that the illustrations were pretty awful. It was hard for me to read nearly 300 pages when the illustrations were not dynamic enough for my tastes. I guess I was expecting something amazing, the way people were raving about it. I was disappointed. Don’t expect anything spectacular. I think the idea behind the illustrations and the text is what carries this book, not the illustrations themselves.

The Complete Maus is a good addition to Holocaust literature, and it certainly is a unique approach and if you have interest either in the Holocaust or graphic novels, you should give this one a try. If you don’t have interest in either, it probably won’t be for you.