Comic pages

Last weekend they had a fall fest in one of the small towns nearby. In addition to my table in the craft fair, I had a piece in the art show. I decided to display the first two pages from my planned graphic novel.

 

Book review - AstroNuts: The Plant Planet

Title: The Plant Planet
Author: Jon Scieszka
Genre: sci-fi/humor
Similar books: Willy Makit in Space by Greg Trine
                      Space Penguins Galaxy Race by Lucy Courtenay
Rating:

kinda cute

Summary (provided by publisher): It’s happening—the end of the world is upon us. It’s time to look elsewhere to find a new home.
Enter the AstroNuts! Narrated by Planet Earth, this book is about four hybrid animals—LaserShark, AstroWolf, SmartHawk, and StinkBug—created by NNASA (Not-NASA) to explore other planets. The criteria:
1. Must be unoccupied.
2. Must support human life.
When the Nuts reach their first destination, The Plant Planet, it looks perfect. It’s lush with plant life, full of natural food, and seemingly uninhabited. But what if that plant life can think for itself? And what if it thinks it doesn’t like our Nuts?

My opinion: Scieszka was probably my introduction to absurdist humor early in my reading career so I've made it a point to read his books ever since. This one certainly has a solid base. We have these crazy animal astronauts, each with a central personality trait and a central flaw. The plot construction is simple and fairly predictable. This simplicity is not outweighed by the humor. I also found the message fairly heavy handed. Don't get me wrong - climate change is a serious probably. I didn't love being scolded by the planet in the narrative, though. Not only is it preachy, it takes the form of an intrusive narrator, detracting from the plot.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Graphic Novel Spotlight - Superman of Smallville

Superman of Smallville by Art Baltazar and Franco Aureliani

Some time ago, I complained that the major comics companies weren't producing child friendly titles with familiar characters, that the rare limited run titles were so dumbed down that it was an insult to the characters. And then DC Comics introduced DC Zoom, an imprint specifically for young readers. These titles usually feature young versions of the heroes. This particular book is a young Clark Kent, just beginning to explore his role as Superman. His concerns are more than just those of the standard kid. He fights villains, faces killer robots. These conflicts are easily resolved and pose no real danger. This book isn't exactly what I wanted but it's a start. 

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Non fiction book review - Cryptid Creatures

Cryptid Creatures by Kelly Milner Halls

I find the approach to cryptids in this book refreshing. Halls is fairly scientific. The reader is presented with the history of the creature (generally in the form of eyewitness reports), any tangible evidence like tracks or photographs, and the likelihood of the creature being proven to exist. Through these profiles the reader learns about animal habitats and what is needed for scientific proof. While this book will have the most appeal for cryptid enthusiasts, there are elements the skeptic can enjoy as well.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Book review - Charlie THorne and the Last Equation

Title: Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation
Author: Stuart Gibbs
Genre: action adventure
Similar books: Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz
                      Jack and the Geniuses by Bill Nye
Rating:

excitement with issues to ponder

Summary (provided by publisher): Charlie Thorne is a genius.
Charlie Thorne is a thief.
Charlie Thorne isn’t old enough to drive.
And now it’s up to her to save the world…
Decades ago, Albert Einstein devised an equation that could benefit all life on earth—or destroy it. Fearing what would happen if the equation fell into the wrong hands, he hid it.
But now, a diabolical group known as the Furies are closing in on its location. In desperation, a team of CIA agents drags Charlie into the hunt, needing her brilliance to find it first—even though this means placing her life in grave danger.
In a breakneck adventure that spans the globe, Charlie must crack a complex code created by Einstein himself, struggle to survive in a world where no one can be trusted, and fight to keep the last equation safe once and for all.

My opinion: The first thing that strikes me about this book is that Charlie is a kid. Yes, she's a genius who does impossible things. But she's ultimately unprepared for violence and terrorism. Being attacked leaves her in pain and in tears. Seeing death leads her to vomit. She mouths off to people and fails to think through her decisions. She's a teen and ultimately makes teen mistakes. Her adventure forces her to look at her life and the decisions she's making, to start considering responsibility and making decisions for more than just her own good. It's puberty on a macro scale. It asks the reader to consider, too, the implications of world altering technology and the responsibility of those who create it.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Book review - The Okay Witch

Title: The Okay Witch
Author: Emma Steinkellner
Genre: magic/graphic novel
Similar books: Haphaven by Norm Harper
                      The City on the Other Side by Mairghread Scott
Rating:

a solid read

Summary (provided by publisher): Magic is harder than it looks.
Thirteen-year-old Moth Hush loves all things witchy. But she’s about to discover that witches aren’t just the stuff of movies, books, and spooky stories. When some eighth-grade bullies try to ruin her Halloween, something really strange happens. It turns out that Founder’s Bluff, Massachusetts, has a centuries-old history of witch drama. And, surprise: Moth’s family is at the center of it all! When Moth’s new powers show up, things get totally out-of-control. She meets a talking cat, falls into an enchanted diary, and unlocks a hidden witch world. Secrets surface from generations past as Moth unravels the complicated legacy at the heart of her town, her family, and herself.
In this spellbinding graphic novel debut, Emma Steinkellner spins a story packed with humor and heart about the weird and wonderful adventures of a witch-in-progress.

My opinion: There are a lot of things I like about this story. Yes, there's magic. But it's magic with rules. Moth doesn't just do magic. She has to learn and overextending her abilities has a cost. So does her mother attempting a large spell after years of denying her magic. It's implied that magic takes a toll on the body unless you are acclimated. I also like that the villain isn't straight up evil. We're dealing with inter-generational feuds, a mayor who has been raised on the idea that magic is inherently evil. In another book he'd be totally hard nosed, ready to burn them alive. He's able to see the light, though. Away from the influence of the ghosts, he can be made to see their perspective. A solid story with unique elements and absolutely charming art.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Pick 6: adoption and foster care

Fiction provides us with an opportunity to explore a variety of family and life situations, to understand a perspective apart from our own. Especially poignant are stories about adoption and foster care. These stories help us to explore what family really means. Here are six stories about adoption and fostering published in the past six months.

6 new stories about adopted or foster kids

1.  How to Make Friends With the Dark by Kathleen Glasgow
2. Extraordinary Birds by Sandy Stark-Mcginnis
3. Planet Earth is Blue by Nicole Panteleakos
4. Hotel Dare by Terry Blau
5. Teen Titans: Raven by Kami Garcia
6. I Have No Secrets by Penny Joelson