Something about that subtitle made me think this was going to have some instructional/nonfiction content. But it's very much a narrative/fiction storySomething about that subtitle made me think this was going to have some instructional/nonfiction content. But it's very much a narrative/fiction story. Also a good example of "New Adult," if we're still using that term.
Molly has grown up in a small southern town where an Art College is the main attraction. Her moms own the local hardware store. She's always wanted to attend the school, and won a scholarship that will give her a full ride. Heart-breakingly, when she shows up for orientation, there has been an error, and the scholarship is no more. So she finds a loophole in a different scholarship fund and concocts a plan to create a softball team that should result in the members of the team getting financial aid. It doesn't matter if the team is good, so she just needs to recruit a coach and enough players to show up and win at least one game.
Omigosh, I didn't do a great job of articulating the basics of the plot, and it still took so many words. It doesn't feel that convoluted in the telling. Effective, engaging, full-color illustrations, easy to follow. Variety of panel layouts. I enjoyed getting to know the cast of characters, who all use different art mediums. Liked the commentary on small town economies and the preservation of community institutions.
Incidentally edgier than it might look from the cover - some cussing and one of the artists draws (always obscured in the reader's view) porn. ...more
I love the work by this team so much! Love that they're doing work across many sectors of kid-lit. I read four of the El Toro & Friends books before tI love the work by this team so much! Love that they're doing work across many sectors of kid-lit. I read four of the El Toro & Friends books before taking them out to local schools as I promoted our upcoming library-sponsored Lucha Libre Wrestling Show at a park in the summer of 2024.
This one ended up being the one I focused on talking about in my presentations. Each of El Toro's friends likes a different kind of taco. Lengua, huevos, pescado, semillas, and muchas moscas! It was fun to see kid faces get confused as I went down the list. Fantastic illustration style and color work. I specifically appreciate the way this series integrates Spanish text. It's not exactly 1:1 bilingual, but most things are duplicated, so there are lots of opportunities to learn new words in either direction.
Kid's dance crew is thirsty to win the break dancing competition this year, because they're all in 8th grade and will split up to go to different highKid's dance crew is thirsty to win the break dancing competition this year, because they're all in 8th grade and will split up to go to different high schools next year. Then kid's parents see his grades and ground him - AND insist that he get a tutor, who happens to be his annoying science lab partner.
Spoilerish (though it's on the cover): She's a great yoyo-er! He gets into a new hobby!
Fun J Graphic Novel that will appeal to Raina Telgemeier/realistic GN fans (with a little more edge and action). Galligan took over the Babysitter's Club GNs after Telgemeier moved on, so there's legit DNA crossover. Planning to take this out to middle schools next time I go....more
I'm really happy I'm living in a time when people who aren't necessarily "graphic novel people" are making their personal stories into graphic novels.I'm really happy I'm living in a time when people who aren't necessarily "graphic novel people" are making their personal stories into graphic novels.
The images of Tommie Smith and John Carlos raising their black-gloved fists in the air at the 1968 Olympics are iconic. Here, Smith gives context to that act. He tells his life story, from his youth as one of 12 children living in Texas, through his running career at San Jose State University, to his post-Olympics life. While his iconic act was a flashpoint, it had real consequences to his life. He was fired from his job at a car dealership "before we even left Mexico City." He writes, "I did whatever I could to feed my wife and son: swept streets, washed cars, you name it. I held eleven track and field world records, but no one would hire me." He did eventually make a career out of coaching, but as a reader, I could feel the heartbreak of what he lost after that famous moment in time.
I'm so glad Smith is telling his story, and in a form that will be accessible to lots of people. We need to know our history. Especially the ugly parts....more
When I was young, swimming was one of my passions. I was in swimming lessons as an infant, and kept taking lessons until I transitioned onto a synchroWhen I was young, swimming was one of my passions. I was in swimming lessons as an infant, and kept taking lessons until I transitioned onto a synchronized swimming team when I was 6 years old. I stayed on that team until my freshman year of High School, when we went to Nationals across the country. Swimming regularly was a large part of my identity in my early life.
Bree does not share my experience. Bree recently moved from NYC to Florida, and she's about to start middle school. She quickly learns that the big sport in her new region is swim team. But Bree doesn't know how to swim! One thing follows another and she ends up needing to change that. Christmas includes information about the history of Black culture and swimming. See this article for some context, but there's lots of information and documentation of this phenomenon if you do a search. A lot of this story, though, is about Bree's very specific experience. Her friendships with other members of the team, their rivalry with another school, her relationship with her dad and his connection to swimming, and her relationship with an elderly neighbor.
I loved the way the author showed the character trying something new, and the community supports around that experience. I also appreciated how Bree has to choose between Math Club and Swim Team. As a parent of a middle schooler, I'm freshly aware that middle schoolers have to make some potentially life-altering decisions about how they're going to spend their classtime. Having to choose what skills you're going to cultivate is a very realistic struggle of middle school.
At first, I didn't love the illustrations of this book - Bree's face, in particular, feels younger than her 6th grade age to me, and reminded me a little of a kewpie doll or something similarly dated. But the story drew me in, and the cover and full-color illustrations should draw the JGN crowd.
Extra star because of the importance of representing this topic, alongside repping single dadhood....more
Addie doesn't remember her biological father. When her stepfather and mother ask her if she'd like her stepfather to formally adopt her, Addie decidesAddie doesn't remember her biological father. When her stepfather and mother ask her if she'd like her stepfather to formally adopt her, Addie decides she needs to know who her biological father is before she can decide.
This author is a favorite among staff at my library ( The First Rule of Punk), and I loved the rep of Lucha Libre wrestling, diners, archive research, school plays with a twist, student activism, and getting to know family. Oh, and there's a recurring character who does a drag queen storytime!
Great, good. Will probably take out to middle schools, and recommend for our local upper elementary Battle of the Books....more
Rosa is sure that she loves to dance. What she isn't sure about is whether she wants to be a professional ballet dancer for her father's dance companyRosa is sure that she loves to dance. What she isn't sure about is whether she wants to be a professional ballet dancer for her father's dance company. It doesn't help that Prince Rogers Nelson is rehearsing just upstairs.
It's 1983 Minneapolis, and Torres brings Block E of Hennepin Ave to life. We spend significant chunks of time in Teener's Theatrical, a "costume shop" that defies that definition. I found a pic of the place online which transported me on sight. Moby Dick's bar is a location pivotal to the plot.
I especially appreciated how queer this book was. Rosa's love interest wears makeup and skirts, talks about his gay father, is involved in the local drag scene, and says something to the effect of he "loves who he loves" at one point. I think it's easy for those of us who grew up in the 90s to miss how queer parts of 80s culture really were. Torres includes depictions of the local gay bar, police brutality and harassment of queer people, AIDS (she does use the term AIDS only, and I assume it was an intentional choice to be anachronistic), and more. I imagine that people who lived through it and Prince fans would tell me that queerness is a required theme in a book that shows Prince's impact on a person.
There were times here when I was a little nervous about how Torres depicted Rosa's sister's disability. But ultimately, I think the way that she rounded out that character steered it away from the potential missteps. Curious about what other people think about this.
Part of me wonders if this will be popular with today's teens. Do pandemic-era teens care about ballet? Do they know who Prince is? He died six years ago, as I write this, which is a long time ago both during the pandemic era and to a teenager in general.
Wrote a booktalk though, and next time I go to a high school, I'll see if it takes.
This was written by a friend of a friend who lives in my town, so I was pleased to get to review it for my work-related reviewing gig. If I'm not mistaken, a character's last name is a nod to Oly's local ballet school....more
I LOVED this, friends. It kept me up past my bedtime.
Kid hiking by himself.
(view spoiler)[Maybe this is kind of a spoiler, but this is also definitelI LOVED this, friends. It kept me up past my bedtime.
Kid hiking by himself.
(view spoiler)[Maybe this is kind of a spoiler, but this is also definitely a DOG book. Major plot points hinge on a dog. Which is probably part of why I liked it. There is some icky stuff with the dog, so fair warning, but I have a high sensitivity to animal cruelty, and it wasn't too much for me. I mainly think this might be spoiler territory because the summary doesn't mention the dog at all. Which is weird to me. (hide spoiler)]
I loved all the nitty-gritty about hiking. I'm not a hardcore hiker (I went on one week-long backpacking trip in college), so I can't speak to the authenticity/accuracy, especially because this is very specifically an east coast, Appalachian Trail hike. But this book portrayed how HARD real backpacking is so well. All the important decisions and ways you need to be prepared. How DANGEROUS it really is. Especially for a kid on their own.
I liked that the kid's caregiver was his grandmother. I liked the surprise ending. I loved the maps on the end papers.
Definitely promoting this to kids whenever I can. I originally read this thinking I'd take it to elementary schools in the spring of 2020. Maybe some day I'll be able to visit a school in person again?...more
I LOVE THAT THE COVER IS TEXTURED LIKE A BASKETBALL.
Yang is great. Solid. A wonderful cartoonist, graphic novelist. I always enjoy his stuff.
This booI LOVE THAT THE COVER IS TEXTURED LIKE A BASKETBALL.
Yang is great. Solid. A wonderful cartoonist, graphic novelist. I always enjoy his stuff.
This book chronicles one season in basketball at the school where Yang taught for many years. We learn a little bit about most of the players, basketball in general, the school in general, but the most memorable (for me) interwoven element was Yang's personal story. This was a pivotal year in his teaching career.
Yang is diligent in his stewardship of the material. He includes 8ish pages of small-font notes in the back. His perspective as a non-basketball person (before he embarked on this experience) gives him an interesting vantage point on the game, politics, and assumptions of the featured story. He tells the story with his recognizable, masterful, full-color illustration style.
I found it engrossing and enjoyable.
All that said, I'm not entirely sure what teen to sell it to. I feel like the teens who are into basketball might be interested, but there's so much of the intro stuff...
That said, as a comic reader/youth librarian, I ate this up and have raved about it to many of my peers. ...more
Most of the books I read, I'm not reading for myself.
I'm a Librarian, it's my job to facilitate the use of library materials and services to youth anMost of the books I read, I'm not reading for myself.
I'm a Librarian, it's my job to facilitate the use of library materials and services to youth and families in my region (dear god, the lingo comes out sometimes - sorry friends!). Specifically, this has often meant that I visit local schools and preview a bunch of books the students might want to try. So, I try to read widely, within targeted age groups, as I gear up for certain tours.
I picked up this book because I'm always looking for books that will appeal to kids who like sports. And it has a lot going for it. Ultraball, as imagined by Chen, is basically Football (to my not-sportsball-oriented brain), but amped up in a bunch of different ways. Stadiums full of traps and obstacles, and robotic suits that enhance a players abilities... Oh also, they have a limited number of suits (which can no longer be made), and only people of a certain size/proportions can fit in them, so only children can play. Oh, also, this all happens within a human society which lives on the moon.
There's a lot going on.
All in all, it was Fine. I wish it was a little slimmer, and less verbose. I personally grate against every character having names like "Strike" and "TNT," but I want books that appeal to the WWE fans in my schools, so this might make that play. If I ever get to go out to the schools in person again....more
When I chose to read this book, I had no idea that Kobe Bryant was going to die on January 26, 2020.
I was preparing for my annual tour of local middleWhen I chose to read this book, I had no idea that Kobe Bryant was going to die on January 26, 2020.
I was preparing for my annual tour of local middle schools, and for those visits I'm always looking for books which center non-white people. I'm also always looking for books that will appeal to middle schoolers who don't identify as readers. And also books that center non-white people which fit into "genres" other than realistic. This checks so many of my boxes.
And although the Kobe Bryant branding made me hopeful that this thing might appeal to more hesitant readers, I worried that the girth of this thing would put those same kids off (did you notice it's almost 600 pages?). I also didn't love that the actual writer is the opposite of ownvoices.
But I decided to try it.
And although I loved the concept, and knew that many elements would appeal to emerging readers, I was still worried as I read it. Not only was it long, but that length came from the fact that the books contains five different tellings of exactly the same events (with slightly varying content depending on character perspectives). Would teens who didn't identify as "book people" have patience for the repetition?
But I enjoyed it, and was kind of into the giant red fuzziness of the thing (literal fuzzy cover, if you haven't seen it irl). So I decided to booktalk it.
And then Kobe died.
The kids definitely responded. I chose to sell it by abridging the scene that starts on page 26 where Rain encounters the moving floor. I never utter the word "basketball" in the booktalk. They were consistently into it. I also have had conversations with a mother who said her picky-reader teen devoured the whole thing and where can we get the rest of the series.
One thing I love about this is that it ISN'T a realistic sports story. At least not only that. There are lots of great realistic-feeling scenes of playing basketball, but it's set in a dystopic world, and has a significant fantasy core. I mean, it sure seems like this should have been done before - magical coach? Seems like a ::duh:: moment once it occurred to me.
This is good. I hope this series, this publishing company (the publishing company's name is a reference to the magic in this book) doesn't die with Bryant....more
As the tagline says, way more about the friendships than the sports.
Great representation of lots of different realistic diversity on one team. Full cAs the tagline says, way more about the friendships than the sports.
Great representation of lots of different realistic diversity on one team. Full color, lots of variety in panel layout, the realistic tween GN audience should eat this up. :)
I've spent my career (thus far) connecting with "young people." Attempting to meet kids and teens where they are and show them how the public library I've spent my career (thus far) connecting with "young people." Attempting to meet kids and teens where they are and show them how the public library can be relevant to them in their actual lives.
So, this book was fascinating to me. The author apparently spent time observing and interviewing an early-aughts season of one soccer coach in Georgia. We meet many of the kids on the three different teams ("under 13s," "under 15s," and "under 17s") Luma Mufleh coached, learn their stories, and watch the team's successes and struggles. All of the players are refugees.
Mufleh seems to have hit on a formula that works. Soccer is a sport that is more popular outside of amerika than inside, so kids from all over the world can and want to play. Mufleh requires the team players to participate in a tutoring program. Fast forward to today, and her system is apparently thriving. I was pretty riveted to this book.
That said, I'm learning my lesson once again that "young reader editions" of books should be avoided when I'm looking for things to take out to my annual middle school visits. For those visits, I'm looking for high interest-low barrier books. When I picked this up, I was hoping for a lot of soccer action (check), and some mirroring for the kids in my community who may have been born in other countries (we have a large military population - parts of this were pretty great for that). Unfortunately, even as I personally got into the story, I found that too much of it focused on the adult perspective. Particularly the very beginning. The introduction is one of the places where the author-perspective is the most exposed, and the first chapter is literally named "Luma" and starts with her life and childhood. Throughout the book, the focus is on how Mufleh made decisions, the longer-term goals of the program, other stuff that might make some kids feel more like objects than subjects. When I'm trying to find things to tell thousands of kids about, I want stories that are a little less analytical - that feel more like a mirror/window/sliding door than a microscope. A little less obviously a white cisguy visiting Georgia to tourist in/tell the world about their stories. I chalk this up to being a Young Readers edition because I read another book with the same goal in mind this year which was also a YRE, and it had the same problem. The books were originally written (literally) for an adult audience, and as far as I can tell (as someone who hasn't actually read both editions), has had some "mature" content filtered out, but otherwise stayed generally the same. Books originally conceptualized for a young audience rarely have this problem, in my experience.
Worth reading, but only a hand-sell or perhaps classroom read for actual kids....more
I really enjoyed reading this, for myself. I originally picked it up thinking it might be a good book to take out What a cool and fascinating person.
I really enjoyed reading this, for myself. I originally picked it up thinking it might be a good book to take out to local middle schools, and it wasn't a great fit for that.* But for me, just reading it, it was great.
I spent 7 years or so of my youth on a synchronized swimming team, and I imagine that synchronized swimming and fencing have some things in common. They're niche cultures, with lots of lingo, politics, and very specialized skills. I loved Muhammad's reflections on how she was so attracted to this particular sport, the times she considered dropping it, and what drove her to be the best.
Professional wrestling is a fascinating modern phenomenon.
This graphic novel traces the history of professional wrestling (starting in ancient times)Professional wrestling is a fascinating modern phenomenon.
This graphic novel traces the history of professional wrestling (starting in ancient times), and goes into detail about the last 100+ years. It talks about various Associations, specific key players, and touches on moves and slang. It also spends a few chapters on pro wrestling outside of the United States, particularly in Mexico and Japan.
I'm a pretty big fan of the Netflix series GLOW, and I studied theatre in college, so I'm always interested in performative arts and their impact on the wider culture. I also dig nonfiction graphic novels as a rule. I found this one, though, because I was specifically looking for high-appeal, sports-related books for my annual tour of local high schools. This was perfect for that niche. I opened my presentations by talking about this book, focusing on the colonial Rough-and-Tumble ancestor to pro wrestling (discussed on page 3 here).
Since I'm not a general connoisseur of professional wrestling, I can't speak to the accuracy of this telling, but I did find it fascinating. Part of me wanted a little more focus on the specific moves - I would have liked a play-by-play of at least one famous fight, perhaps. But I appreciate the importance of the association infighting to the larger art form, and that's most of the focus here. The illustrations are clear and bright, and tell the story effectively. In some ways the narrative meanders more than I might like, but I understand it's hard to tell a story that bridges the whole planet and a couple centuries with everything influencing everything else. It also doesn't tackle the nuance of the cultural impact the art form has had. There are acknowledgments of the rampant sexism and racism in mainstream professional wrestling, but it doesn't go particularly deep with that. Doesn't discuss homophobia at all, which (I have a feeling) is an issue. Now that I've read this for context and a framework, I feel semi-ready to read someone else take those important issues on.
If you're intrigued, this is a pretty great primer on the topic. And it definitely worked for my purposes of grabbing high schoolers....more
Humans have established civilization on Mars. Our protagonist helps their aunt and uncle run the family farm, aI loved getting a taste of this world.
Humans have established civilization on Mars. Our protagonist helps their aunt and uncle run the family farm, and we meet Trix as they deal with a malfunctioning machine. They're also into Mars' version of Roller Derby (hovering, no wheels). Trix gets a position helping out the local team. Within this context, we get just the very beginning of a mysterious plot. Trix encounters another type of being, which is clearly going to lead to other things in future volumes.
Honestly, I want more/longer/a more complete arc. But that's a personal problem.
This book stands out. I always feel guilty that I often don't review books immediately after I've read them. Unless I diligently take notes, I don't aThis book stands out. I always feel guilty that I often don't review books immediately after I've read them. Unless I diligently take notes, I don't always remember nuance or brief moments I appreciated or not. But sometimes, I come to a day when I need to review a stack of books, and there's one that looms over the rest. A book I Remember. And for the last few months, this is my standout graphic novel.
Not everyone will respond to this book the same way I did. I have an established, long-term interest in traveling stories (Graphic Novel Travelogues is my GR shelf for keeping a record of the many books along these lines I've read, with a thought towards some thesis I'll probably never actually write). The art is Davis at their least polished - generally, each day's art was created as the journey was happening. Don't go in expecting the lush colors of the cover or of many of Davis' other works - we're talking a drawing implement and a page.
We follow Davis on a journey they wanted to take because their window for this adventure was about to close, due to other goals happening in their life. They travel along the southern-most continental United States - Arizona, New Mexico, Texas... Parts of their journey come quite close to the US/Mexico border, so patrols check in on them a time or two. There are times when they doubt their commitment to completing the journey. The whole thing makes me think about intentionality, life goals, midlife, decision making, the perception of adventure vs. reality, the eco-benefits of bike travel, the gritty realities of physical effort, and much more.
I admire Davis for undertaking this journey, and am incredibly grateful that they kept a record and let us see it....more
I'm so excited to read what Sloane Leong does next.
This is a beautiful story about the members of a basketball team and their intersectional hardshipI'm so excited to read what Sloane Leong does next.
This is a beautiful story about the members of a basketball team and their intersectional hardships, relationships, and realities. Leong's color work is inventive - the book is stunning to flip through, but as you read the story, the changing colorscapes don't take you out of the story.
Honestly, it felt a little like Tillie Walden did a take on Orange is the New Black, although Leong's figure drawings are a lot more variable than Waldens. There were a few places where I lost track of the character stories - I kept mixing up a couple of the members of the team in my mind, but that's the kind of thing that will polish up as this creator makes more graphic novels.
Interesting. But doesn't feel right for my elementary outreach sweep this year. Interesting. But doesn't feel right for my elementary outreach sweep this year. ...more
Stunning. So stunning I added it as an extra book (#13!) to my booktalking lineup for local middle schools in 2018.
I can't believe how accomplished aStunning. So stunning I added it as an extra book (#13!) to my booktalking lineup for local middle schools in 2018.
I can't believe how accomplished and mature this feels. It's a whole package. Gorgeous production, brilliant use of color, breathtaking composition...
AND THE STORY!
I (like many, at least when the Olympics are on) enjoy watching figure skating, but don't know much about it as a subculture. On the other hand, when I was growing up, I was a synchronized swimmer for many years, so I totally relate to a lot of the content here. And the incidental sexual identity storytelling! Loved that it wasn't ABOUT that. Loved the subtlety of the emotion. I loved her reflection about the long aftermath of a brief traumatic incident (view spoiler)[of the car accident (hide spoiler)].
Tillie Walden is the very definition of one to watch....more
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