Tag Archives: graphic novel

Ash´s Cabin

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Ash's Cabin

Ash´s Cabin, is a young adult graphic novel by Jen Wang, that follows the life of a teenager who flees to find isolation and independence away from home, after feeling that they feel misinterpreted and ignored by at home and at school. They learn to survive in the wilderness, and understand what it means to be alone.

When I started reading this book I could not remove my grasp from it at all, I finished this book in about just 30 minutes because I was so into it. I would say the illustrations of the book caught my eye the most, they are beautifully drawn with accuracy and detail that really elevate the written portion of the story into a better understanding overall. Reading this book, allows readers to understand the difficulty of growing up especially as a teenager, the transition from childhood to adulthood can be extremely challenging at times. A theme commonly shown and depicted throughout this novel is self-discovery, when Ash is alone at a cabin in the middle of the woods, they grow to become much more mature and independent as a teenager, understanding that it is difficult to live without people around you.

Ash's Cabin - KINDERCOMICS

Overall, I would really recommend this book to anyone, especially teenagers as it teaches a lesson of the difficulty of this age in your life. I am looking forward to reading more of Jen Wang´s books, as the illustrations are really magnificent with much detail incorporated into it. Ash´s Cabin is currently available to checkout from the Mission Viejo Library today!

White Bird

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White Bird: A Wonder Story (A Graphic Novel): Palacio, R. J.: 9780525645535: Amazon.com: Books

White Bird, is a book by R.J Palacio that I read about three years ago that tells the story of a young Jewish girl called Sara Blum who lives in a small village in France. Soon the Nazi Party, which was a movement under the direction of Adolf Hitler that believed that Jewish people had no right to live in Germany, defeated France and caused France to surrender which split the country in two regions, The Occupied Zone, and the Free Zone, Sara was placed in the Free Zone. However, even living in the Free Zone, the Nazis arrive and rounded-up many Jews to bring them to camp, Sara is brought to the woods for safety and meets a boy who invites her to live with his family and him in the meantime.

This book has really captivated me, and has overall become one of my favorite graphic novel books. The drawings, illustrations, and movements created in this book really add a whole level of contrast and emotions that really capture the reader’s attention. There is one part in this book, that really grabbed my attention due to the combination of the writing and the illustrations. It is when Sara Blum has a dream of herself flying up above the woods with a flock of birds, allowing herself to express and feel the sense of freedom while flying, this parts really brings a sense of emotions to the reader.

I would really recommend reading this book, as it is a great read and is really informative. The live-action movie is currently streaming and is available to watch on Youtube, Apple TV, and Amazon. I have not yet watched it yet, but is definitely on my watch list currently. White Bird is currently available to checkout from the Mission Viejo Library today!

Yummy: A History of Dessert by Victoria Grace Elliott

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This graphic novel is one smart cookie. This graphic novel was informative, but not boring and droning and was tasty to look at. I liked many things about this book, mainly its images and lessons.

The book is divided into different sections, or chapters, for different desserts. The desserts shown are

  • Ice cream
  • Cake
  • Brownies
  • Donuts
  • Pies
  • Gummies
  • Cookies 

And

  • Macaroons 

Something I liked about this book is how they presented the information. This book has three main characters who are called sprites. They are named Peri, Fee and Fada. I love their designs because the colors are really bubbly and the images are all really curved. Like bubble letters. Back to the information point, these characters talk all about the desserts. They do science labs, interviews with “famous bakers” (one of the sprites dress up in costumes), recipes and story times where they read legends of desserts. You would be surprised at how many dessert legends there are. 

Anyways, there are not many recipes for a dessert book, but I love how many things are included. The author added maps so you can find locations and a lot of different cultures! And when I say a lot, I mean A LOT. Cultures from all over the world are represented which was quite refreshing compared to other books.

To return back to my design compliments, this book has a really perky design. The colors are bright and dessert-like. The sprites are tiny and cute and all of the desserts look positively amazing. The design is impressive because the ilustrador had to draw dozens of desserts in the same format, which can be difficult to do.

To wrap it all up, I love this graphic novel. I thought it would be a bit boring because I normally don’t like non-fiction books, but this one was good. If you like baking, are interested in baking or just like looking at pretty drawings of food, I recommend this graphic novel for you!

Yummy: A History of Dessert by Victoria Grace Elliott are available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

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Disclaimer: There are two versions of Persepolis: the graphic memoir version and the literary memoir. The graphic memoir version is divided into two parts. I have only read the first graphic memoir book of Persepolis, not the actual memoir. Therefore, there’s still some of Satrapi’s writing that I haven’t been exposed to (yet). I will definitely try to find the second graphic memoir or the actual memoir soon, but for now, this review is based solely on the first graphic memoir.

Persepolis is both a graphic memoir and autobiography published in 2000. With the memoir originally written in French, Satrapi has received numerous awards for her work including the Cannes Jury Prize and the César Award for Best Writing.

The narration is written through the eyes of the main character—Marjane “Marji” Satrapi, the author herself—during her childhood at the time of the Iranian Revolution. A series of small stories are written in the memoir based on her own experiences, portraying political upheaval and how her own family was affected by the Iranian Revolution, Iraq’s oppressive regime, and the Iran-Iraq War. Marji’s accounts mainly focus on her and her family who live in Tehran, as well as how they attempt to rebel against the regime and take part in Iranian history.

As a daughter of immigrant parents but of non-Middle Eastern descent, I felt like I could connect with aspects of this memoir all while still learning more about Iran’s history. The memoir is a beautiful representation of Islamic and Iranian culture from the first-hand perspective of an Iranian citizen. The illustrations themselves are unique and drawn to perfectly fit the memoir, making Satrapi’s experiences seem more significant.

Although it’s a graphic memoir, I highly recommend Persepolis to high schoolers more than elementary or even middle schoolers. Some topics and drawings can be graphic, making the memoir a difficult read, and there are often parts that simply cannot be taken lightly. However, the book itself is unique at being able to broaden readers’ perspectives on other cultures as a memoir, historical account, and comic book all at once.

– Natisha P.

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library.

Nat Enough by Maria Scrivan

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Natalie has always been best friends with Lily. However, when her friend moves away she is upset but is still excited and confident that their friendship will continue into middle school.

However, when Natalie arrives at school on the first day of middle school, she sees her best friend Lily in a conversation with a cool-looking girl. Lily seems to be… FRIENDS with this girl. Lily’s new friendship leaves Natalie alone and confused. What happened to their friendship? Weren’t they best friends? Did Natalie do something wrong?

All of this leaves Natalie feeling like she is not enough. Not enough to be friends with Lily. Not enough to be cool. Natalie feels very wounded. She doesn’t know what to do, and her only thought is to try to win Lily back. One day, after she finds a note from Lily, she gets to work. Natalie devises a plan to get Lily back.

Meanwhile, Natalie is receiving mean notes on her locker from Lily. Natalie feels terrible and wounded but she still wants Lily back. After all, they were best friends, weren’t they? Ignoring all of Lily’s mean acts, Natalie gives up a lot of what she loves to do so that she can please Lily and get her back.

Whatever Lily thinks becomes what Natalie does. However, can Natalie overcome these feelings and move on after Lily? Can she become her true self? Or she is simply not enough?

I really loved this book because it is very fun to read. It portrays how you do not need to be what anyone else wants you to be. You only need to be yourself. I would recommend you to read this book because as you grow older, your friends and you might have different interests, and you might not be as close to them as you once were.

I rate this book a 10/10.

-Peri A

Book Love by Debbie Tung

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Do you like books? How about graphic novels? If you are a bookworm who also enjoys graphic novels, this book is for you! 

This is an outstanding graphic novel. It is about a bookworm’s love for books. 

The main character, Debbie, leads a very interesting lifestyle. Books surround her everywhere and almost always. She sometimes finds herself walking into a book store saying things like, “Just a quick browse”, but then comes out looking like she bought a whole shelf of books. She is a huge bookworm. 

It dives a lot deeper into how some people have a different style than others, like how Debbie loves books, but other people prefer other activities. Here is one of my favorite comic strips from the book:

This story is filled with humor, while at the same time putting together an outstanding graphic novel. The main character loves to relax and unwind with a good book. It reduces her anxiety! Also, at certain times, Debbie must decide between either having something else, like food, or books. Her reactions to these situations are amusing!

Book Love is written and illustrated by Debbie Tung. Debbie Tung has also written Quiet Girl in a Noisy World and also recently published Happily Ever After (and Everything in Between). She is an introvert, similar to the character Debbie from her books. 

I really enjoyed reading this book because I love to read a lot. It made me feel happy and I liked how it is funny and easy to read but at the same time filled with great lessons.

I would recommend you to read this book. This is a perfect book for you to read, since it tells the funny and amazing story of a bookworm.

Also, here are some great reading tips:

Happy Reading! 

-Peri A.

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

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Persepolis is a graphic novel/comic that was adapted into a movie. The novel is an autobiography with true events that happened in the late 1900’s. The black and white panels of the novel can effortlessly grab the attention of any reader and make it entertaining.

Persepolis follows a young girl named Marjane who lives through the revolutionary changes in her home country of Iran during the Islamic Revolution. The most interesting part is that the ongoing crisis and corruption is viewed from a child’s perspective despite how complex it is. In a way, the reader grows and learns more about the government and cultural contexts along with the maturing Marjane.

Satrapi does not fail in grasping the reader’s attention and making them feel the rollercoaster of emotions along with the main characters. The series visits very critical and mature topics during the late 1900s that the Iranians/Marjane face. Thus, more mature readers should be able to handle these topics. 

Satrapi’s series is emotional and very moving. The oppression and government conflicts can be seen as a parallel to our world today. Just like Marjane who speaks up against the corruption of her government to maintain her rights, many of us participate in rallies or protests to uphold our values. 

Similar to Marjane who is facing a revolutionary change in her nation, many of us are currently facing a new change in our nation as well. Before Marjane knew it herself, her world changed for the better! Thus, just like Marjane, we must find the will to stay strong, inspire others, and survive. 

Ultimately, Marjane’s spirit and growing perspective of the world around her is inspiring. This series is not only a best-seller but also studied in academic literature courses all over the world as a work in translation. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who is struggling to pick up a book during quarantine or in their free time (ahem, I know that’s some of us). It also opens up your ideas of Iranian culture and Islamic politics during the 1900s. 

I also recommend it for anyone who wants to try a new format of reading: comic-style. The panels are very easy to read and the black and white colors are used in such a captivating way. In fact, I read this entire novel in one sitting. I definitely hope others feel the same way as well. 

-Zohal N. 

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. 

The Adventure Zone: Here There be Gerblins By The McElroy Family

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The Adventure Zone: Here There Be Gerblins is truly the definition of a good graphic novel. This graphic novel is written by Dungeons and Dragon’s loving family, the McElroys. This graphic novel features three very well developed characters. Taako the elf wizard, Merle the dwarf cleric, and Magnus the human fighter. Join these three lovable dummies and their dungeon master, Griffin McElroy as they go on an amazing, absolutely hilarious fantasy journey! Just be aware though, this is an adult fiction graphic novel, so there will some swearing in it. Even though there is swearing in this graphic novel, it doesn’t make any less funnier.

This novel very much excited me when I first saw it. I had just finished the library’s monthly Dungeons and Dragons game, and was hyped when I gazed open this magnificent D&D novel. I had never thought there would be a D&D book, even better a graphic novel! For all D&D fans, this is an essential to read. The story sucks you in and doesn’t let go until you finish reading! To bad the book is pretty short. But make sure to look out for the sequel, Murder on the Rockport Limited! Thanks for reading.

-Brandon D.

The Adventure Zone: Here There Be Gerblins is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. 

Alexander Hamilton: The Graphic History of an American Founding Father by Jonathan Hennessey and Justin Greenwood

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I tried and tried and tried, I just couldn’t enjoy this book, I really wanted to, but I just couldn’t.

It started off kind of weird, and If I am being honest, I skipped the prologue, It was very hard to follow. You have to know, I love history, so I assumed I would love this (I mean, how could I not?) but it was really just an odd book.

I thought the whole novel was hard to follow and had moments where I had no clue what was going on.

The book itself looks very nice, it’s a goregous graphic novel and the layout on the back matched it perfectly. I guess what I am trying to say is, that it would be much better as a shelf book then a reading book. I am so bummed I did not enjoy this book.

I thank ‘Blogging For Books’ for graciously sending me an ARC of this novel.

Lumberjanes Series Overview

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lumberjanesA summer camp for “hard-core lady types”, filled with bear-women, dinosaurs, alternate time dimensions, and a whole lot more crazy supernatural stuff, is the setting of Lumberjanes. Lumberjanes is a graphic novel series created by Noelle Stevenson, Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis, and Brooke A. Allen. Lumberjanes is chaotic and full of the unexpected, and it’s great. It follows five best friends, April, Molly, Mal, Jo, and Ripley, during their time at summer camp, which is way more magical (literally) then they ever could have expected. And for the most part, they just roll with it, which makes for some great adventures.

The characters, both main and supporting, are diverse and well rounded. There is a lot of representation going on in these comics, which is great, especially for an all ages comic. One area of representation that I was very pleased to see was LGBT+ because it’s largely absent from most all ages/kids media.

The supernatural aspect of the story is really enjoyable. It’s a bit random and not always super explained, but it’s always really fun and just seems to work. You never know what kind of supernatural antics will occur, but whatever they are, you know they will be enjoyable, even if they don’t totally make sense.

One thing that I think is a really nice touch is the way they work the Lumberjanes earning badges into the story. For each story arc (which lasts a few comics each), there is a page at the begging detailing a badge they are working on. The story somehow ties into that. It’s an interesting take on the idea of scouts earning badges because with the Lumberjanes, the requirements for getting a badge are never as straight forward as it seems.

Being a comic series, the art is an important aspect. And honestly, I have mixed feelings about this. Their isn’t a constant artist/style for the series, and while I’ve never read an issue where the art was bad, there have been some that just didn’t feel like Lumberjanes to me. Sometimes the art is fairly realistic, sometimes it’s more stylized, so it’s really a matter of personal preference whether or not  you like the art in a specific issue. Overall though even when I’m not  a fan of the art I still love reading the comics because the story and the characters are always great.

Lumberjanes has been around for a little while now, there are currently 33 issues of the main series comic, with the 34th being released later this month, as well as a spin off series and some one-offs. This may be a bit overwhelming for some new readers, but as far as comics go it’s not really all that much, plus it would be pretty great to be able to read that many back to back without having to wait.

Overall Lumberjanes is a really fun read that’s doing some great things in terms of representation and overall is something I highly recommend.

-Angela J.