The Top 7 New Graphic Novels for ages 8-12

Hi friends!

Your kids are always bringing home graphic novels, right? They love them and they can't get enough. I know because every time I tell someone I read graphic novels they say, "Oh my kids love graphic novels!" And they ask me for recommendations.

So let me tell you about the best ones of this year.

But first an embarrassing story:

Yesterday I posted about the 2015 Cybils Graphic Novel shortlist for teens, and I named some emotions each book made me feel. But right away I got a note from Sheila, reminding me that I'm not allowed to post anything about my own opinions (or those of the other judges) until after the big announcement on Valentines' Day. Oops! I am usually a round 1 judge for the Cybils, and round 1 judges are encouraged to post about nominees.

So I went back and edited the post to include the official Cybils summaries instead. Once the winners are announced, I'll fill that post back in with my original commentary, plus a little bit more. :)

Today I want to clue you in on the best graphic novels of the year for middle grade readers (ages 8-12). For now I'll put the Cybils summaries in, and after Valentine's Day I'll add my commentary. In the meantime the cover images will link to Amazon so that you can go there and read reviews and such. If you shop through my links (for anything on Amazon, not just books), I earn a small commission.

2016's Top 7 Graphic Novels for ages 8-12

Baba Yaga's Assistant by Marika McCoola

Masha is in a bit of a rough spot. Her mother died when she was young, and her beloved grandmother has died more recently. Her father, always distant towards her, has revealed that he’s marrying a woman she hasn’t met, much less heard of… and the new wife has her own young daughter who never misses an opportunity to point out that Masha doesn’t belong. Masha agrees, and sets out to find a place where she feels competent– in the chicken hut of Baba Yaga, whose stories play a huge role in her memories of family and belonging. Masha thinks she’s equal to any challenge Baba Yaga might set for her, but when her new stepsister and friends appear to be on the dinner menu, she finds that she’s not really up for murder. Now she must come up with a solution that will allow her to keep the kids alive… and follow Baba Yaga’s directions and keep her job. Many kids dealing with unpleasant family issues might dream of running away to a fairytale world. The macabre story choice here and the need to work out troubles in both places anchor what might otherwise feel escapist. It showcases Masha’s depth and kindness, and make this a compelling read. ~ Liz Jones, Liz Jones Books
Thoughts from Alysa: I liked this one a lot. It was very beautiful, and reminded me of fairy tales int he best way. My only complaint is that it went by too fast! I felt the pacing was so quick at times that I wasn't sure exactly what had happened in between panels.

Courtney Crumrin Vol 7: Tales of a Warlock by Ted Naifeh

In the new volume of Ted Naifeh’s Crumrin series, we get to read the back story of her Uncle Aloysius Crumrin as a young man…. err, warlock. Courtney herself has yet to be born, but the exciting tale of magical intrigue, greed, and murder features a tough heroine determined to do what’s right. Aloysius and Alice’s romance adds a lot to the telling, and though it’s not clear how things will play out in future volumes, longtime fans of the series will note Alice’s physical resemblance to Courtney. This volume works well as a standalone for readers new to the series, who will almost certainly seek out the rest of the books after reading this one. ~Liz Jones, Liz Jones Books
Thoughts from Alysa: Loved this one! However I was confused as to why it was in the Juvenile category, instead of the YA category. It definitely has a more YA feel, in my opinion. No language or gore or anything to make it necessarily for the older crowd, just the themes of it seemed better suited to an older audience. Anyway, it makes me want to read the whole series!  

Dragons Beware by Jorge Aguirre and Rafael Rosado

Dragons Beware! has all the cliches of the dragon-slaying genre, but the standard elements are turned on their heads with hilarious characters and dialogue. Claudette is the daughter of warriors (and the sibling of a young chef) who is set on recovering her father’s magic sword from the belly of a ferocious dragon while surrounded by an uproarious supporting cast of princes, princesses, soldiers and servants.

The kid appeal of Dragons Beware! is strong, and the messages about negotiation, courage, and family are subtly integrated into a highly satisfying adventure. ~Gary Anderson, What’s not wrong?
Thoughts from Alysa: This one was cute. I liked the teamwork and the humor and seeing the characters from the first book all over again. 

Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson

Astrid is twelve years old, and has just developed a love for roller derby. She is devastated to learn that her best friend, Nicole, will not be joining her at derby camp. In fact, they are drifting apart, and Astrid can’t figure out why. Astrid learns that being honest with yourself and those you love is a difficult but important journey to take. With beautiful color illustrations and excellent storytelling Roller Girl is a fun take on that awkward time of life. ~ Sami Silva, Reading. Happily.
Thoughts from Alysa: This one was so much fun. And I will tell you that even though it contains my absolute pet peeve in middle grade books, which is kids lying to their parents, This is because I didn't lie to my parents. I still recommend it anyway. The lying was used to show that lying is bad, and the book was definitely worth reading. 

Secret Coders by Gene Luen Yang

Fish-out-of-water, first-day-at-new-school stories are dime a dozen, but 12-year-old Hopper’s new school, Stately Academy, is something entirely different. For one thing, all the buildings have the number 9 on them, and in the trees all the birds have four eyes in varying combinations of being open and closed. But it’s the combination of discovering binary numbers and a secret robot hidden in the janitor closet that sends Hopper and her new friends on the path to opening a portal that will reveal the secrets hidden within Stately Academy… but only if they successfully can work out the code! The first book in a new series that sets out to teach readers how to code while solving a mystery, Secret Coders is an entertaining and accessible graphic introduction to the building blocks of computer programming. ~ David Elzey, Guyslitwire
Thoughts from Alysa: This one is my personal favorite on the list, but man oh man does it end on a cliffhanger! I reviewed it here, before the Cybils, if you want to see all the reasons I love it. 

Sunny Side Up by Jennifer L. Holm

In 1976, Sunny Lewin is sent to spend part of her summer is her grandfather in Florida. Sunny is upbeat about the trip, but quickly loses her optimism the more her grandfather takes her on errands and not to Disney World. Sunny knows, however, that she was sent to be with Gramps for a reason that had nothing to do with Disney World. Her older brother has started to act strangely mean and aloof, and she thinks it’s all her fault. With cute color illustrations and a story that connects with younger readers, Sunny Side Up, proves to hit a tough subject with grace and understanding. ~ Sami Silva, Reading. Happily.
Thoughts from Alysa: This was probably my most highly anticipated book of the year. I love the Holm's work, and plus there was all kinds of buzz for this book before it came out. I liked it, and thought it was really cool. But I guess it didn't really strike a particular chord with me. I have been thinking about it though, and about how I want my kids to know the lesson that Sunny learns in the book: you don't have to keep big ugly secrets. 

The Marvels by Brian Selznick

In Brian Selznick’s unique graphic hybrid style, The Marvels draws the reader into a dizzying tale of shipwreck,, theater, family, and legacy. We follow the generations of Marvels as they perform on various stages, and lead lives both admirable and dissolute… and then look again, as a modern descendant, Joseph, tries to put all the pieces together after running away to his uncle’s house in London, and discovers a truly marvelous testimony to family, and to love. As the book says –you either see it… or you don’t. ~ Liz Jones, Liz Jones Books
Thoughts from Alysa: This was probably my least favorite of the finalists. I think that's because I like Brian Selznick's other two books so much, and that this one didn't jive with me as well. There were definitely moments in the narrative when I was confused as to what was happening. I thought it was a bold move for Selznick to tell a story that spans such a long timeline (3 or 4 generations, if I remember right). Overall though, the book just left me feeling kind of sad. So, check it out when you're in the mood for it. 

How This Year's Top 7 Graphic Novels Will Make You Feel

Hello book lovers!

I'm a judge for round two of the Cybils, in the Graphic Novel category. That means I'm reading, studying, and discussing the top Graphic Novels published between Oct 2014 and Oct 2015. These are GN's selected on the basis of literary merit (Is it a good book?) and kid-appeal (But will my kid actually read it?). They're painstakingly picked by top-notch kidlit bloggers.

My panel gets to take this list of seven and declare one *the winner*. Edit: The winner is announced!

They're all so good! I just had to mention them and and recommend them. They're coming straight from the Cybils shortlist and I want to tell you about how I reacted when I read them.

This is the list for teens -- books selected for ages 13 and up. I'll post about the Top 7 for ages 8-12 soon. If you have any questions about these books, ask and I will answer! Covers are going to link to Amazon, so you can read summaries and full reviews. If you shop through my links I make a small commission at no cost to you.

Honor Girl by Maggie Thrash
This book made me feel acknowledged like, "This is real life!" and sad like, "Real life stinks sometimes."

Cybils blurb:

In this graphic-novel memoir, 14-year old Maggie finds herself at an all-girls summer camp transitioning from a celebrity crush on Backstreet Boys singer Kevin Richardson to a very real crush on Erin, one of the camp’s counselors. Honor Girl feels authentic as Maggie struggles with figuring out what her emotions mean. And imagine doing that while surrounded 24 hours a day teenage girls! The free-form artwork is a perfect way for author Maggie Thrash to convey her story as a 14-year might doodle her way through memories. The colors are slightly muted but not somber, which also reinforces the life-like quality of Honor Girl. Thrash also gives us several catchy uses of panels, sound effects, and perspective.

-Gary Anderson, What’s not wrong?

Lion of Rora by Cristos N. Gage
This book made me feel astonished like, "This is historical? How come I knew nothing about this amazing story?!" and uplifted like, "Good conquers Evil. Like a Boss!"

Cybils blurb:

Lion of Rora tells the true story of farmer-turned-military tactician, Joshua Janavel, who fought for the religious rights of his people and the Waldensian church. This novel is told using simple black and white illustrations to tell of a people fighting for their religious rights for the first time in European history against a ruler who denies them that freedom. The characters are sympathetic, the cause is just, and the story itself was new to all of our panelists, making this book a winner. 

-Sami Silva, Reading. Happily.

March: Book Two by John Lewis
This book made me feel sad like, "People can be so cruel." and thoughtful like, "In what ways am I subconsciously biased by my culture?"

Cybils blurb:

Just as powerfully as in March: Book One, Book Two continues the story of John Lewis’s involvement in America’s civil rights movement. March: Book Two, despite its title, stands alone as a distinct chapter in America’s long struggle with race, but it also emerges smoothly from its predecessor volume. The book focuses on the Freedom Riders and ends just after the August, 1963 March on Washington.. Although somewhat denser than Book One, Book Two alternates effectively between the political discussions among the movement’s leaders and the more dramatic scenes in streets and prisons. The black-and-white artwork evokes the familiar black-and-white newsreel footage of protestors being set upon with firehoses and police dogs, as well as the well-known images of George Wallace on the steps of the Alabama capitol and Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. When those iconic images show up in comic form, they are simultaneously familiar and new. March: Book Two is an important contribution to our understanding of America and its history.

-Gary Anderson, What’s not wrong?

Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson
This book made me feel empowered like, "Modest religious girls can be superheroes!" and tickled like, "Oh man I love how they are playing with the genre."

Cybils blurb:

Kamala is 16, Pakastani-American, Muslim, and a Marvel comics fan. Then something weird happens, and she finds herself imbued with superpowers she uses for good when transformed into Ms. Marvel!

Volume 1 is engrossing as it introduces Kamala and her family, friends, and enemies. Ms. Marvel will do wonders in Jersey City … when she’s not grounded by her parents or in trouble at her mosque. This comic should have wide appeal, and its Muslim superhero is an obviously welcome positive portrayal of a demographic under-represented in literature for young readers.

-Gary Anderson, What’s not wrong?

Nimona by Noelle Stevenson
This book made me feel suspicious like, "Wait what exactly is going on here?" and giddy like, "I can't stop laughing. I want a t-shirt of this whole comic."

Cybils blurb

Heroes and sidekicks are always popular in the world of graphics, and Nimona follows in that tradition, but with some pretty big differences. Nimona, our sidekick wannabe, is trying to apprentice herself to the bad guy, who keeps trying to convince her to be less violent, and isn’t entirely sure he wants a sidekick in the first place. As he learns more about his shapeshifting assistant, he discovers that her role playing runs deeper than the physical, and her presence in his life enables him to rise from his own detested role and into his true nature. Clear and graceful art and endearing characters keep the reader riveted throughout the tale.

-Liz Jones, Liz Jones Books

Oyster War by Ben Towle
This book made me feel entertained like, "Yay! Magic + Pirates!" and informed like, "Huh, I knew nothing about Oyster Trade in the 1800's"

Cybils blurb:

Pirates are rapidly depleting the oyster supply along the Eastern seaboard in the years after the Civil War. Civic leaders call in Commander Davidson Bulloch, a blustery submarine officer fond of spouting inspirational quotes although with at least one mangled word. Bulloch agrees to assemble a crew and go to war against Treacher Fink and his band of oyster pirates in Oyster War, a grand adventure that looks and feels like a throwback to the comic adventures of the 1930s.

Bulloch’s colorful sailors and Fink’s motley crew are wildly entertaining as they go to battle in a plot that is both complex and easily understood. Throw in a dash of historical accuracy and splashes of mysterious maritime legends, and you have a completely satisfying graphic novel.

-Gary Anderson, What’s not wrong?

Terrorist by Henrik Rehr
This book made me feel sad like, "Aw, man. There are people for whom terrorism seems like the best option" and educated like, "So that's how WWI started."

In a time when “terrorist” conjures up nothing positive, Henrik Rehr gives us the story of Gavrilo Princip, the self-described terrorist whose assassination of the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand touched off World War I. Rehr never asks readers to condone Princip’s actions or sympathize with him, nor does he require the reader to condemn them. We are simply shown how the mind of a terrorist works and allowed to draw our own conclusions. The black-and-white artwork is dramatic and although the characters are sometimes hard to distinguish, the overall visual effects are compelling. The political discussions weigh down the narrative in places, but Rehr creates a suspenseful plot as he alternates between the activities of Princip and the Archduke as they move toward the moment of the murder.

-Gary Anderson, What’s not wrong?

Which would you pick?

A Post a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

Hello friends!

What do you mean it's an APPLE a day?

I've been having so much fun creating more with the drawing challenge that I did in January, that I'm going to keep creating daily!

In February 2016, you can expect a post each day here on Everead. 

It's bold. Blogging has changed quite a bit since I began, back in 2007. Lots of the things we used to put on our blogs are things we now put on social media, instead. If you check out the archives of Everead (which begin in 2008) you'll see that I was posting shorter posts, more frequently. But I've never been a daily blogger. In October 2008 I posted 25 times, sometimes twice in one day. But 25 posts in a month is the most Everead has ever seen. I intend to change that.

I confess I'm planning on cheating . . . just a little bit. Since I observe the Sabbath on Sundays, I plan to write Sunday posts ahead of time and schedule them to publish automatically.  If I'm really on top of it, I'll do that for some other days, too, and then I'll squeeze in more than one post a day. Millions of posts!!!

I'm really excited about this! Also a little nervous. I'm not worried that I'll miss a day, I'm worried that people will wish I had just skipped a day rather than posting what I posted. Heh. So, if you want to give me a boost this month, comment on my posts. Or send positive vibes in some other form. Preferably a form I can actually discern; bear in mind that I'm not actually psychic and can't tell if you're smiling at your screen.

This month of daily blogging is going to give me a chance to tell you about some great books, old and new. It's going to push me to come up with something interesting and valuable to write each day. It's going to help you get to know me better, and I hope it'll help me get to know YOU better, too.

So let's start off with a question: What would you like to hear about, from me? What should I post about???

"Create More" one day at a time.

A photo posted by Alysa Stewart (@everead) on Jan 9, 2016 at 9:09am PST

Hello there! I just wanted to pop on for a minute and tell you what I'm up to.

A couple of years ago a great phrase came to my mind when I was making New Years Resolutions:

Create More, Consume Less.

Though it's been a little while, this little mantra has stuck with me; and when I decided to write about drawing it came to mind. I love the feeling of creating something, so I've really been enjoying participating in a class on creativebug.com It's called "Daily Drawing Challenge: 31 Things to Draw" and the instructor is Lisa Congdon. Every day in January a new short video of her goes live and she demonstrates how to draw something. The class is ongoing, so you can join any time you're reading this, but I will say it has been very fun to participate as each day is rolled out.

A photo posted by Alysa Stewart (@everead) on Jan 7, 2016 at 6:01pm PST

I'm drawing daily and posting the work on my Instagram.

A photo posted by Alysa Stewart (@everead) on Jan 11, 2016 at 6:51pm PST

I've been super good about it for a couple of reasons:
1. If you post along with the challenge every day in January, you can win a prize (some fancy pens and art paper). I am highly motivated by prizes.
2. I got myself a buddy. When I knew I wanted to do this challenge, I also knew I would shortly feel discouraged if I didn't feel accountable to someone else. Sure, there's a teacher in the class, but it's not like she's handing out grades. I took Gretchen Rubin's quiz and it said I'm an "obliger" and I kind of believe it. So I asked Melissa Wiley if she'd be my buddy for the class. She and I were on a Cybils committee together a few years back and since then I've just fallen in love with her blog. It was through her that I discovered creativebug and Lisa Congdon's work, which I love. She said yes, and even though she's been out sick for a good chunk of the challenge, just knowing she was my buddy was enough for me.
3. I love that it is a short, daily exercise. I'm really jiving with that right now.

A photo posted by Alysa Stewart (@everead) on Jan 16, 2016 at 3:23pm PST

So above are a few of the pages that I've done so far, and you can see them all (and more) on my instagram account. Check them out! Share your thoughts with me! Because I love feedback and comments. You can leave comments here or on instagram or whatever floats your boat.

At the moment I've got to go get my boys from the bus stop. After that I'll need to do some more Cybils reading and today's daily drawing challenge. Talk to you soon!

related books:
Better Than Before
 by Gretchen Rubin (Have read parts of this, but haven't yet reviewed it)
Fortune Favors the Brave
 by Lisa Congdon (haven't read this, but I want to!)
Fox and Crow Are Not Friends
 by Melissa Wiley (my review)
*These three links are affiliate links and if you make any purchase on Amazon after clicking through them, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Win-win. :)

Newbery and Caldecott winners 2016!

Newbery winner announced today! 

I know you rely on me for your bookish news...maybe.

The book is Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson. It's a picture book!!!

I'm not sure if a picture book has ever won the Newbery Medal before, though I know a picture book has got a Newbery Honor.

I was watching the livestream of the announcement ("This is how you know you're into children's literature," said Jacob) so of course I immediately clicked over to put the book on hold at my library. Bad news: issues with the system mean no new holds this week! Even worse: my city library doesn't own a copy of the book yet! I called to tell the librarians this, at 9:24 a.m. but the library doesn't open till 9:30.

Leave it to librarians to have their biggest awards ceremony -- their Oscars, their Grammys -- before work on a Monday morning. hahaha. :D

Other interesting facts: Last Stop on Market Street is the first book by a Latino to win the Newbery. Last Stop on Market Street was also recognized as a Caldecott Honor book (different committees select each award, and aren't allowed to communicate), and a Coretta Scott King Honor book. The Coretta Scott King award went to the illustrator, because that award is made for "recognizing an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books from children and young adults."

Newbery Honor books:

The War That Saved My Life, which I have not read yet. It's audiobook also won the Odessey Award today, so that's promising! I love a good audiobook.

Roller Girl, which I just read and loved, and is a contender in the Cybils graphic novel category. It was remarkably fun.

Echo, which I know nothing about!

That's it for the Newbery Awards, now on to Caldecott!

Caldecott winner was Finding Winnie, which looks excellent, especially since I enjoyed Sophie Blackall's work in A Fine Dessert. The kids and I even made the dessert.

Caldecott honors went to Trombone Shorty, Waiting, Voice of Freedom, and of course Last Stop on Market Street. I look forward to reading all of these!

The one I have already reviewed that was recognized today is Symphony for the City of the Dead, which was recognized as a finalist in the YALSA Award for Excellence in Non-fiction for Young Adults. Full review of that one here.

I'll put in cover images that are Amazon links so you can go read reviews about these and "look inside" and shop for them etc. When you buy anything through my links I earn a small commission, just fyi.

Full list of winners can be seen here, at the American Library Association website.

Do you like knowing what the new Newbery books are? What do you remember about the Newberys and Caldecotts from your childhood?

Go Set a Watchman: Starting thoughts

So, as you remember, my friend Ashlee asked me to read Go Set a Watchman for her, and tell her whether or not to read it. To Kill a Mockingbird is one of her all-time favorite books, and she didn't want to read Go Set a Watchman if it was going to ruin TKAM for her in any way.

I started GSAW just before the craziness of Christmas. Because it's a new release, the loan period at the library was short, so I only got to page 77 or so before it came due. I haven't got back to the library to check it out again yet.

Here's my judgement so far: Don't read it Ashlee.

photo & art by Alysa Stewart

I will keep reading it, because it's the book club book this month, and because I feel like I should read the whole thing to evaluate it fairly. But if it weren't for these two things I'd be content to let it lie.

The writing: The writing is unequivocally not as good as the writing in TKAM. As I was rereading that one I was like "Yeah, there's a reason this one won the Pulizer. Darn right." GSAW . . . not so much. One of the huge differences between the books is that Scout narrates in one and a third person narrator does the job in the other. There are definitely awesome books that use both of these perspectives, but GSAW is falling flat for me and this is part of why.

The continuity: It's obvious to me that this book was written before TKAM, because some of the continuity is odd. Aunt Alexandra has come to live with Atticus now that it's just him at home. And Scout and Aunt Alexandra rubbed each other the wrong way when she first showed up. It's like Aunt Alexandra never came when Scout was young. Because yeah, Harper Lee hadn't decided that that would be better yet. Also Aunt Alexandra and her husband (what's his name again?) lived in Maycomb all along? Not at Finch Landing? So . . . that's kind of weird.

I don't know how Harper Lee felt about Go Set a Watchman being published -- the publication of GSAW was controversial. But I can tell you that GSAW definitely reads like an early draft of TKAM. It feels more like watching all the outtakes from a movie than like watching a sequel or even a companion piece.

Aaand now I just read this spoilerific article that was linked to from the other New York Times article. Maybe I won't finish it. Ain't nobody got time for that. Correction: only English majors who want to compare a first draft with a final draft have time for that. I feel like some of GSAW is probably a legitimate representation of how Harper Lee feels the story turned out (I'm thinking of one specific spoiler here, do you want to hear it Ashlee?) but I feel like most of it was just what she had to write in order to get to the masterpiece she eventually published.

Leave me your thoughts, below. Especially you, Ashlee, but I want to know what the rest of you are thinking, too.
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previous posts in this series:
one
two