10 Graphic Novels

Allegri, N., Jackson, G. (2015). Bee and Puppycat #01. Los Angeles, CA: Ka-Boom!   Bee has trouble finding and keeping job and can’t figure out her life until Puppycat walks into her life. Puppycat has a powerful secret he is able to travel between reality and a fantasy fish bowl in space. Puppycat takes Bee on magical jobs assigned to them by a giant computer monitor. These jobs provide Bee with money to make a living. When they are not working they are laying around eating and pondering about life. This comic is based on the animated YouTube series. The illustrations are colorful and bring the fantasy to life.

Burks, J. (2015). Bird & Squirrel on the edge! New York: Graphix.                                      Bird and Squirrel are best friends on their way home when they hear a bear cub calling for help. They rescue the cub from a pack of wolves but during the rescue Squirrel accidently bumps Bird’s head with a rock! Now Squirrel who is usually timid one needs to figure out how to get all three of them home safe since Bird is no longer the brains of the operation. While travelling in the wilderness little do they know that wolves are following them! Can they make it home? This book is about the friendship and determination to succeed all while having fun.

Camper, C., Gonzalez R. (2014).  Lowriders in space. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books.                                                                                                                          A group of friends which include a fox, a mosquito and an octopus have dreams of owning their own car shop. Their favorite style are lowriders, cars that go low and slow but can be hip at the same time. They decide to enter a competition to win a car filled with cash so they can open their own car garage. They travel the universe to create their one of a kind lowrider. The illustrations are drawn in red, blue or black ink. This book captures the Mexican culture with the illustrations and Spanish vocabulary.

Colossal, E. (2015). Rutabaga: the adventure chef. New York: Amulet Books.            Rutabaga is a boy who loves adventure. He travels with his magical cooking pot and a kitchen on his back. He loves to create new recipes with different ingredients that he finds travelling. A few troubling things arise like fighting dragons or getting the king’s pet to eat but he solves these problems by creating exotic foods. This is a fantasy story containing humor and adventure while giving you Rutabaga’s recipes.

Dauvillier, L., Lizano, M. (2014). Hidden: A child’s story of the Holocaust. New York: First Second.                                                                                                              A grandmother tells the story of her living through World War II to her granddaughter. She explains how people started treating her different when they found out she was Jewish and how she was hidden by neighbors and friends. When her parents were taken away to concentration camps; she had to change her name and beliefs to be safe. This is a beautiful and moving story told through the eyes of a child who doesn’t know everything but knows enough to know that there is danger. This book introduces the Holocaust in a very gentle way for young readers.  

Hatke, B. (2010). Zita the Spacegirl. New York: First Second.                                         Zita finds a device that transports herself and her friend, Joseph, to a faraway galaxy. Joseph gets kidnapped so Zita goes to rescue him. She makes friends with a deceitful piper, a mouse, an Orb and a run-downed robot. The planet that they are on is going to be destroyed in three days’ time. She saves Joseph from being sacrificed. However in the end of story she can only send Joseph back home, while she stays in the alien world. This is a science fiction story with adventure and humor all shown by the colorful illustrations.

Kibuishi, K. (2001). Explorer: the mystery boxes. New York: Amulet Books.                       Seven fantasy stories based on the simple question what is inside the box. Some of these tales are mysterious while others are comical and thrilling. There’s a wax doll, messy closets, a butter thief, wizards and a friendly giant. Each story has a different author/illustrator who have different outtakes on what is inside the mystery box. The colorful art work throughout this book is simply amazing.

Nytra, D. (2012). The Secret of the Stone Frog. New York: Toon Books.                        Leah and Alan have an adventure when they awaken in an enchanted forest.  They meet a stone frog who gives them directions home, however they get sidetracked. They meet an old woman with giant bees, talking lions, giant rabbits and a person who pickpockets. They get into trouble and run away from the police to find a stone frog who inform them on what door to open to go home. This is a black and white fantasy story containing so much detail in the illustrations.

O’Connor, G. (2010). Zeus: King of the Gods. New York: First Second.                              An adapted version of the Greek story of Zeus, it starts with Gaea and Ouranos, the Titans rebellion and the battle of the Titans the first Olympians. Zeus was hidden on an island so his father would not swallow him like he did to his siblings.  Zeus is faced with the challenge of defeating his father Kronos to become king. A battle occurs and Zeus goes to Tartaros to claim his birthright. This story contains a lot of action illustrations while giving you the basic story behind the Greek God Zeus.

Santat, D. (2011). Sidekicks. NY: Arthur A. Levine Books.                                            Metro City’s Captain Amazing is looking for a new sidekick especially when he realizes he can no longer do it along. Since he is always busy fighting crime he doesn’t realize that his pets are lonely and develop superpowers of their own! They all decide that they want to be his sidekick. It isn’t until the end does Captain Amazing learn about his pets superpowers. Can they help Captain Amazing defeat the evil Dr. Havoc? A story where family and pets show you how to overcome differences and to work together.