Graphic novels | Page 6 of 7

Quest Kids and the Dragon Pants of Gold, kids love this cloth

Xerox and Coca-Cola are brand names that have become synonymous with their product. Cola, soda, or ‘make a copy’ are their siblings that are hiding in plain sight. Likewise, books that are closely associated with their contemporaries are often grouped together, for example, it’s like Harry Potter, Wimpy Kid, or Dog Man. For young readers of a certain age or period of their life, Wimpy Kid, and the world that surrounds him, represent their go-to entertainment. However, Wimpy Kid, when used in those instances is an adjective and not a noun. Quest Kids and the Dragon Pants of Gold is a great example of that being used as an adjective. It follows the cartoon and text format to an extent; but has aspects that allow the book to be embraced by readers who are younger, as well as, reeling in those reluctant readers.

Quest Kids and the Dragon Pants of Gold is mglit that’s cut from the wimpy cloth, but it’s bigger, more entertaining and fun for grades 5 and up.

It is Ok to be compared to something else and still be awesome

We The People!, a graphic novel smart enough to be simple

Prior to reading We The People! I had no idea about the woman who was the first Second Lady and the second First Lady. Abigail Adams was the wife of John Adams, the first Vice President and second President of the United States. Abigail Adams is also the narrator in Big Ideas That Changed The World, We The People! The Big Ideas That Changed The World graphic novel series is from Don Brown and absolutely nails the intersection of education and entertainment down to the floor. We The People! gives people a deep, yet entirely accessible, dive into American democracy and how it came to be.

We The People! is a non-fiction graphic novel from the Big Idea series that makes the complex topic of democracy interesting and approachable.

Fun and education need not be separate

The Underground Abductor Bigger & Badder Edition is also better

How do you make the already good, even better? That beautiful bacon, spinach, and garlic pizza is great when it’s small, but when you make it a medium or large and it reaches a new level. Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales, The Underground Abductor-An Abolitionist Tale was good, but the Bigger & Badder Edition is just that. All of the books in the Hazardous Tales graphic novel series that we’ve read have been entertaining and educational to some degree. Ironically, it was their initial size always left us wanting more. Imagine seeing a painted or drawn work of art that is great, but one whose small stature handicapped its enjoyment.

The Underground Abductor, Bigger & Badder Edition is the bigger version of the engaging and excellent non-fiction graphic novel by Nathan Hale.

It’s ok to not know everything, as long as you’re open to learning more…

More Reinhart magic in Marvel Super Heroes The Ultimate Pop-Up Book

Where did you go to school? How is it that you’re able to envision things in such a manner that they fold out into such a grandiose, artistic fashion? If I were able to chat with Matthew Reinhart those are only a couple of the questions that I’d ask him. Reinhart’s pop-up books defy logic. It’s obvious that they pop-up, and one might expect a book along those lines to come off of the page. What Reinhart creates is mind-blowing art that comes off of the pages 12’ high and has multiple elements. Marvel Super Heroes The Ultimate Pop-Up Book takes on the MCU and entertains, as well as educates in ways that’ll make this a coffee table book for the pop culture savvy.

Clever Marvel Super Heroes The Ultimate Pop-Up Book is by Matthew Reinhart, paper engineer extraordinaire and gives the MCU comics a 3D rendering. Publishing has a trio of My First Spanish board books that are smart enough for sixth or seventh grade, and young enough for crawlers.

a LABRYNTH OF A GOOD TIME FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO

Giddy joy abounds in The Cosmic Adventures of Astrid and Stella

Joy and utter happiness, there was a character in one episode of Phineas & Ferb that always amped up a party. It was the one where Cheesetopia in their backyard happened, and Perry was turned into a butler for Doofenshmirtz. The Cosmic Adventures of Astrid and Stella is a kid’s first graphic novel that lives and breathes happiness. Its colors, glossy pages, big illustrations, and emotive characters lovingly scream off of the pages in a way that will make early elementary school readers immediately attracted to the book.

The Cosmic Adventures of Astrid and Stella is a graphic novel that takes the joyous cues from Hello! Lucky and gives it a bigger, longer stage for early elementary.

Resistence to happiness is futile

Big Nate: Prank You Very Much, a work in process

He’s been through the process. I’m paraphrasing, but that was one of the funnier jokes from the Chip ‘n Dale, Rescue Rangers movie on Disney +. It was referring to Chip (or Dale, I can’t tell them apart) who had been through the process of computer animation. What was once a 2-dimensional character in comic books and television, is now a slightly more 3D creation that seemingly pops off of the page or screen. Big Nate has undergone the process in a series of graphic novels cut directly from the animated show on Paramount + and Nickelodeon. Big Nate: Prank You Very Much is a graphic novel that follows the line that’s been established by episodes that readers might have seen on television.

Big Nate: Prank You Very Much, a graphic novel with some DNA from the comic strips, melded with art and humor from the Paramount + show.

Where TV meets a classic character

Bunnicula: The Graphic Novel is where the movie is as good as the book

Which came first the graphic novel, chapter book, or streaming movie? We’re reading something that surprised us as to which property came first and it clarified why certain things are made. Most of the time when I read a graphic novel with a known previous release vehicle, it’s because the story has proved to be so popular that it logically translates to something different. Spy School is mglit that was like that. The books are awesome, and while I didn’t really care for the graphic novel, I understand why it was made. I’m sure that Bunnicula will be like that for some people. That’s a book that was first published in 1979 as an early reader chapter book, became an animated television show, spawned a couple of literary follow-ups, and is now a graphic novel. What a long, strange trip it’s been.

Bunnicula: The Graphic Novel successfully turns the classic chapter book into an engaging, funny and age-appropriate scary read for elementary school.

The floppy-eared legend comes to graphic novels

Cat Ninja: Welcome to the ‘Burbs, all-age graphic novel action early elementary

Cat Ninja is an elementary-aged graphic novel series that runs with glee towards ages eight and up, all but taunting them not to read it. Welcome to the ‘Burbs is the fourth entry into the Cat Ninja world and is as much fun as one would expect from a graphic novel that’s brave enough to be called that.

Seriously, think of four things that eight-year-olds enjoy or want to talk about and it’s guaranteed that two of them are ninjas and cats. It’s a reluctant reader’s paradise if you’re able to make a book or graphic novel about ninja cats, or in this case, Cat Ninja.

Cat Ninja: Welcome to the ‘Burbs is the fourth book in the all-age graphic novel series that will have grades two through five feline fine.

Cat Ninja….born to save the day (insert James Bond theme here)