Children’s Literature

The Last of the Cybils Graphic Novels

1 Comment / 2010, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Comics & Graphic Novels, Cybil Challenge, Young Adult /

Nothing to write home about, really.

Frankie Pickle and the Closet of Doom doesn’t even feel like a graphic novel to me. It’s more children’s chapter book and add some comic style dryings every now and then. And I really didn’t enjoy the story very much either.

The other two are YA graphic novels, not children’s graphic novels. Outlaw: The Legend of Robin Hood was pretty darn good if you like Robin Hood but boy was it dark. And there were a few attempts to update the language that I thought were kind of lame. But, it wasn’t horrid. I guess I have a similar reaction to Edgar Allen Poe’s Tales of Death and Dementia. I like Poe but I felt the like the graphics softened it up, lightened it up – it wasn’t nearly as dark as it should have been. I don’t want to laugh at the end of The Telltale Heart, do you?

I’m sad to be finished with the graphic novels. I think last year’s nominees were better. This year … I’d like to see the Secret Science Alliance and Gunnerkrigg Court win.

The Last of the Cybils Graphic Novels Read More »

More Graphic Novels – One great, two not so much

1 Comment / 2010, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Comics & Graphic Novels, Cybil Challenge, Young Adult /

OK It’s not that two of them were bad, they weren’t bad. They just were not great. And with the number of really great graphic novels on the market right now – they have to be great or I’m easily bored.

First, Crogan’s Vengeance. I didn’t like the story very much. The drawings bored me. Ho hum. Liz said she thought it was kind of boring too but I suspect she liked it more than I did – possibly because some of her sister’s pirate fixation rubbed off on her so she kind of thinks anything pirate is cool. (The only reason not to get this for younger kids would be violence – it’s all black & white so there’s no gore – but pirates do kill each other….)

Next, Dreamer. Ugh. It’s nicely drawn – really nicely drawn. But I truly hate the story. I hate the flighty girl. I hate her bouncing around between her own time and the Revolutionary War. I hate the way the guys treat her and I hate the way she treats the guys. If you’ve got a boy crazy, romantic 14 year old in your life – maybe this is her kind of graphic novel.  Blech.

Thank goodness for the Secret Science Alliance! I didn’t expect to like this one. I don’t really like science and I tend to not like books about geeky nerdy kids who don’t fit in and are mistreated by the cool kids. This book – excellent. All of the normal things happen to the nerdy kid but the book doesn’t stop there. The storyline gets a twist – and the SSA is born. The drawings are fabulous. Liz kept stealing the book from me so she could look at the pictures.  At first, I didn’t understand WHY she was doing this but once I sat down with the book – I got it. I didn’t want to stop looking either. But, as soon as I finished it – the kid grabbed the book from me and took it up to her room to look at it all over again. (This is another graphic novel without a single hint of sex or drugs.)

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

More Graphic Novels – One great, two not so much Read More »

Two more Cybils graphic novels

2 Comments / 2010, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Comics & Graphic Novels, Cybil Challenge, Young Adult /

I’m finally making time to read some graphic novels from the Cybils list and I’m enjoying them quite a bit.

I didn’t expect to like Adventures in Cartooning but it was amusing. Cute easy drawings that did make it seem like cartoons and graphic novels could be created by anyone. And, descriptions and explanations about cartooning told in story fashion. Really quite nice.

I was grouchy about The Stonekeeper’s Curse: Amulet because it’s the second book in a series and I hadn’t noticed it. Why was the mom sick, (yea yea, bit by a spider but how, why?), why does the girl have that stone? Now I need to go back and read the first book. Hmph.

I don’t think either of these will win … but I could be wrong. The Adventures in Cartooning book might appeal to the judges.

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

Two more Cybils graphic novels Read More »

Fire

1 Comment / 2010, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Cybil Challenge, Favorites, Women, Young Adult /

I was a little worried about Fire. A second book is often not great. Also, when talking to people who had read Fire, they seemed ambivalent. Or at least less gushy than they had when they talked about Graceling.

Sure enough, I had a hard time getting into Fire. It started slowly. In those first 100 pages or so, I was just waiting for them to connect the dots between the graceling who started the story and the people in Fire’s world. Once I let go of that, and once Fire made her way to King City, I settled into the story and ended up liking it BETTER than Graceling.  I think I like monsters better than the gracelings. Or maybe I just liked Fire more than I liked Katsa.

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

Fire Read More »

Gunnerkrigg Court

1 Comment / 2010, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Comics & Graphic Novels, Cybil Challenge, Favorites, Young Adult /

Love, love, LOVE Gunnerkrigg Court.  Liz also loves it and is anxious for the next book, (wait til I tell her she can read all the Antimony and friends that she likes online…) Brilliant story. Brilliant characters (I’m a fan of Kat, myself.) Brilliant graphics. Great Cybils selection, I  can see this winning. In fact I hope it does win. I’m tempted to buy these, that’s how much I love the first book.

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

Gunnerkrigg Court Read More »

Joey Fly, Private Eye: Creepy Crawly Crime

1 Comment / 2010, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Comics & Graphic Novels, Cybil Challenge, Favorites /

The first graphic novel from the Cybil’s list and it was a fun one. Joey Fly Private Eye is everything you’d want in a private eye – if you wanted a private eye who is an insect. His assistant is pretty annoying though. Scorpions are like that, I guess. Joey Fly will be a great graphic novel series for the younger crowd.  Not a teen sex/drug scene in the whole book. Kind of refreshing.

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

Joey Fly, Private Eye: Creepy Crawly Crime Read More »

The Secret of Shadow Ranch

2010, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Classics, Nancy Drew Challenge, Young Adult /

Finally! George and Bess make their appearance. Ned is in “Europe” and we hear a good bit about him, off and on — also found a mistake. At the beginning of the book, Nancy tells George that she’s knitting a sweater for her dad. But at the end, she’s knitting a sweater for Ned. Also… no boating mishaps. Being in the dessert helps – though of course there was that river flood issue but Nancy was on a horse, not in a boat. Here’s my copy:

 

 

The Secret of Shadow Ranch

Posted via web from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

The Secret of Shadow Ranch Read More »

The Mystery at Lilac Inn

2010, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Classics, Nancy Drew Challenge, Young Adult /

Nancy Drew should stay out of boats. The first four books have had boat accidents – and no, not all of them have been boat accidents with Helen. It’s Nancy – she’s bad luck in boats. This is my copy. The binding isn’t happy. Sniff. How much does it cost to have the binding repaired on a Nancy Drew book? #4 Nancy Drew

Posted via web from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

The Mystery at Lilac Inn Read More »

The Bungalow Mystery

1 Comment / 2010, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Classics, Nancy Drew Challenge, Young Adult /

I had forgotten that so many of the first books in the Nancy Drew series featured Nancy’s friend Helen – and lots of different male dates for Nancy. I’m so used to George, Bess, and Ned that I’m thrown when Nancy is hanging out with Helen (who she mostly drops once Helen gets married) and dates so many different guys.

I’d also forgotten how often Nancy’s mysteries are tied to her father’s cases. The Bungalow Mystery is another one of those – what a coincidence! Also… beware of FOREIGN model cars. People who drive them are quite obviously crooks. Also, if you ask good people if they drive foreign cars, they will be a wee bit offended by the question.

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

The Bungalow Mystery Read More »

The Hidden Staircase

2010, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Classics, Favorites, Nancy Drew Challenge, Young Adult /

I wonder what happened to my copy of The Hidden Staircase (Nancy Drew #2.) I’m very sure I owned it. My dad probably sold it in that infamous yard sale. Hmph.

Nancy really really could have used a cell phone in this mystery. So could Mr Drew. And also maybe Helen. (I had forgotten about Helen and Jim’s romance. Very amusing in that patriarchal sort of way.) Also amusing in this one were the food references. How exciting – floating island for dessert! Yum!

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

The Hidden Staircase Read More »