IN THE CLASSROOM THIS WEEK

From the Editor

Actually, the comics for this week are the comics of last week. Christmas started early at my house and I am just now getting to last week’s reviews. I will likely be a smidge late on this week’s reviews as well. But you won’t hold that against me, will you?

If you want to get in on our MALICE give-a-way, then you better get to emailing me. The deadline quickly approaches. Enjoy the comics this week:

The Complete Alice in Wonderland #1
Marvelous Land of Oz #2 (of 8)
Super Hero Squad #4

THE PRINCE OF PERSIA

By Chris Wilson
Editor-in-Geek

Created by: Jordan Mechner
Author: A.B. Soma
Illustrator: LeUyen ham and Alex Puvilland
Colors: Hilary Sycamore
Publisher: First Second
Genre: Fantasy

Format: Softcover
Pages: 208
Color: Full color
ISBN-10: 1-59643-602-6
ISBN-13: 978-1-59643-602-2

STORY SYNOPSIS
From the website: “Long ago in Persia, there lived a Prince – a man of honor, of valor, and full of strength – a man for his people, who lived with them and took on their trials and hardships. And he was loved.

His name is no longer remembered. When people speak of him, they call him merely, 'The Prince of Persia,' as if there have been no others, and his descendants are enjoined to live like him, to be like him, to the ends of their days.

Long ago in Persia, there were many princes, one following another, sometimes quick, sometimes slow, sometimes fat, clever, joyous, and all more or less honorable. And in some of those princes there shone the spirit of The Prince of Persia, for in Persia time spins like a wheel, and what is to come has already happened, and then happens again, year in and year out.

This is the story of two of those princes, and of the destiny that threads their lives together.”


REVIEW
A comic conceived from a video game seems as droll and trite as a movie filmed from the foundations of a theme park ride. I wondered about the PRINCE OF PERSIA after I procured it, as I did not realize the fact that it was first a video game when I chose it.

Luckily the good PRINCE surprised me with its complexity of intertwined story lines and princely theme of time threading through its people.

The story of our two princes – one from the 9th century and the other from the 13th – is brilliant and engaging. I was captivated by the art and felt the warmth of the sands on my face as I turned the pages. The story felt heroic and although the culture of the people is far removed from my own experiences in Missouri, I felt connected to the two princes (and the courageous princess), and I shared their disdain for the politics that withheld water from the people and spread disharmony in the region.

The PRINCE OF PERSIA caught me a bit off guard because after I learned it was the story of a video game I discounted it. I continued to pick it up and put it back down. Finally, this Thanksgiving, I decided to make my way through it.

Then the story hit me with depth and I was confused at first – shame on me for judging a book by its video game. I wasn’t really expecting see-sawing storylines, so it took a few pages to get the pacing, but once I did I looked forward to the switches.

I think the PRINCE OF PERSIA is a story that deserves a second reading. It is beautiful and metaphorical, speaking to me and my culture and my own politics in ways that were unexpected but prodigious.


AGE RECOMMENDATION
Chris’ Rating: High School
Publisher’s Rating: Ages 12 and older


The publisher and I disagree about the most appropriate age for this title. I tend to think the themes and literary worth is best suited for high school aged students. The text is not overly complex or challenging; in fact, the text is rather sparse in many places, allowing the art to take over. I find the themes to be deeper than most middle school students are prepared for.


BE AWARE
The text has more than one full-frontal infant boy nude scene, and one tasteful after-sex cuddling scene. There are also a couple of times when we see a prince on the commode.

IN THE CLASSROOM
Aside from the brief infant nudity and the implied sexual contact, THE PRINCE OF PERSIA has real literary worth in the classroom. First of all, students will make connections because of the video game notoriety. (I’ve never played the video game and cannot vouch for its appropriateness.)

I think students may be more likely to buy into the book based on the instant gaming connection and the upcoming movie, the trailer of which didn’t impress me a lot. I think the theme of time and the repetitive nature of human history is intriguing and embarks upon ideas in social studies, psychology, philosophy and mathematics. THE PRINCE OF PERSIA can help students parse out those broad strokes.

CHRIS’ RECOMMENDATION:
Recommended

TEEN TITANS GO!

 

 

By Larry Litle
Contributing Writer

STORY REVIEW
The New Teen Titans hit the newsstands in 1980 and made a huge splash with comic book fans over the world. At 10 years of age, I found myself drawn to this group of teenage heroes who had their own set of issues along with powers and abilities. The great art of George Perez and the awesome writing of Marv Wolfman brought this group of sidekicks and adolescents to life for not only me but also my father. Even after 25 years, these stories are some of the most memorable and vivid in my mind, and my father and I still talk about them.

The Cartoon Network’s TEEN TITANS GO! took the heart of several of the great stories of the Teen Titans and brought them to another generation. They did adapt the stories and some of the characters but kept the spirit of the strongly written stories which I fondly remember. These tales contain Robin, the Boy Wonder and sidekick to Batman; Cyborg, the half man/half robot technical genius and muscle of the team; Beast Boy, the green skinned youth who can change into any animal (while keeping his green pigment); Raven, the child of a demon with black force and empathy powers; and Starfire, the alien with flight and energy beam powers.

DC brought the adoption back to comics in their Johnny DC comic book TEEN TITANS GO! I examined the bound edition which contains five issues of the monthly comic. Volume 2 contains the stories from issues 6-10 and volume 3 contains stories from issue 11-15.

The stories are geared down for younger readers but some of the vocabulary is beyond the youngest. These stories are usually fairly light hearted and focused on the action.

ART REVIEW 

TEEN TITANS GO! is drawn in a manga style that fits with the anime of the cartoon. Manga is not one of my favorite styles for comics. The illustration style typically used when the characters show emotion is distracting because the characters are drawn like small children with big heads and huge eyes. With that said the art is decent.


AGE RECOMMENDATION
My Rating: Ages 8 and older
Publisher’s Rating: All Ages

The youngest of kids will not be able to read all the words but should be able to follow the story with the pictures.


BE AWARE
There is traditional superhero action and mild violence.


MY RECOMMENDATION: 

Recommended


OTHER INFORMATION
Author: J. Torres, Adam Beechen (volume 2 only)
Illustrated: Todd Nauck, Lary Stucker, Erik Vedder (volume 2 only)
Color: Phil Good (volume 2 only), Heroic Age
Letter: Phil Balsman, Jared K. Fletcher, Pat Brosseau (volume 2 only)
Publisher: DC Comics (Vol. 2 and Vol. 3)
Genre: Superhero

Format: Digest
Volumes: 2-3
Pages: 100+

IN THE CLASSROOM THIS WEEK

From the Editor

Don’t forget about our holiday contest. We are giving away five copies of the prose-comic hybrid, MALICE, published by Scholastic. Click here to find out more. Then email those entries to us at abikerbard@mac.com

Enjoy the comics this week:

1. Marvel Adventures Superheroes #18
2. Muppet Show #0
3. Spider-Man: Secret Wars #1
4. Super Friends #22 

MORE RESEARCH COMPLETED SUPPORTING COMICS

By Chris Wilson
Editor-in-Geek


Carol L. Tilley, a professor of library and information science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne recently conducted a study on comic literature, determining that comics are a legitimate and sophisticated form of literature on par with other types of literature.

You can read the article here.

The story does identify a trait that we at The Graphic Classroom have also noticed: Books that take on comic-like aspects. Where we would disagree is that the adoption of speech bubbles, narration bubbles, motion lines and panels does not qualify a book as a comic, although the story implies such. Several books have crossed our desk that were marketed as comics. However, they were nothing more than children's picture books that used a speech bubble here and there, a framed image, and they called it a comic.

The definition of comics as researched and written about by people smarter than we, have conclusively demonstrated that the complexity of the comic is much more than a few mere aesthetic features. A text bubble does not a comic make. To assume otherwise is to continue the comics-are-not-real-literature stereotypes. We have discussed this issue with our colleague, Dr. James Bucky Carter, over at ENSANE. He has plenty to say on the subject.

It is Carter who first proposed the idea to us that the argument over whether or not comics are legitimate has been won. I agree with him. The research is clear. The field has a significant academic backbone and it is time to move on toward more substantial research into how we can best use comics in the classroom to support our educational goals.

That leads me to another point of concern in the article, as the writer implied that comics are being left out of curricula because the format does not really support the state or national standards. There is no foundation for any such view as comics are literature and literature is a strong foundation for our educational goals.

I use comics to support my state standards for all grades K-4. I often tie my lesson plans in the Technology Lab to align with the concepts being taught in the grade level classrooms. I have said repeatedly that comics cover every genre traditional books cover. The content can be used to achieve the goals set by our state and national government. Comics often do so while keeping children interested and engaged.

I reject any notion that comics are anything but a unique and complex form of literature. My experience working directly with elementary students is that comics are a strong catalyst for increasing reading motivation and comprehension. Comics can be used in the classroom to meet any state or national standard that traditional books are used for. It's simply a different format.

I am thankful for any research done on the subject; however, I am concerned that too much emphasis is being placed on the antiquated argument of comics as legitimate rather than focusing on the higher order skills inherent in comics.

Part of any movement is the change from the basic foundation to those higher ideals. We've all been there, at the bottom of the movement I mean, and it takes time to establish one's feet firmly. We all go through some shedding of old ideas and stereotypes in our journey. I'm glad to see that the comics movement is gaining more steam everyday, with newcomers emerging and talking and sharing. So it's good to have articles like this, even if they may accidentally promote or insinuate old stereotypes. It is a slow process, that change business.

AIRPLANE ADVENTURE

By Kevin Hodgson
Staff Writer

STORY REVIEW
I wish we had this graphic novel for young readers in the time leading up to our family trip to Japan last year. My four year old son would have learned a lot about airports and airplanes from this book.

AIRPLANE ADVENTURE, which is part of a series of books under the auspices of Stone Arch Books' My 1st Graphic Novel, is a gentle story about two young siblings, Juan and Anna, who are traveling to Mexico to visit their grandmother. The story –written by Cari Meister and illustrated by Marilyn Janovitz – follows their adventures going through security in the airport, passing the time on the airplane and then meeting their grandmother in Mexico. It's a wonderful story that is as informative for young eyes as it is interesting. My son, now five years old, listened closely and viewed the pictures with great interest as I read it to him just this morning.

ART REVIEW
The illustrations are simple and just right for young eyes. The two characters have nice large faces, with warm eyes, and even the visit through security at the airport is non-threatening. Marilyn Janovitz uses basic colors and lots of white space in the backgrounds. The art nicely compliments the simple story told here.


MORE INFORMATION
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Format: Reinforced Library Binding:

Pages: 25
Publisher: Stone Arch Books
ISBN-10: 1434216187
ISBN-13: 978-1434216182

IN THE CLASSROOM
This book is geared towards emerging readers and it fits the bill nicely. With simple text and complementary illustrations, AIRPLANE ADVENTURE is an engaging story. One thing that I really liked is that the first two pages of the book are a tutorial on how to read a graphic novel. The pages show sample frames from a graphic novel and go through how to progress (left to right, top to bottom) and how to read the onomatopoeic words for sound effects. It ends with the sentence, "The pictures and the words work together to tell the whole story." I like that. In fact, I might even use this page with my sixth graders as we look at the concept of graphic novels.

MY RECOMMENDATION
Highly Recommended

For young readers, or even for read-aloud, this book is perfect. The simplicity of the story, of the images and of the design of the graphic novel makes this a welcome addition for teachers of young children. Most readers above basic reading skills would likely be bored by this book, although it might be a great resource for those older students who are either ESL or struggling readers.

G-MAN

By Chris Wilson
Editor-in-Geek


Author & Illustrator: Chris Giarrusso
Publisher: Image
Genre: Superhero

Format: Trade Paperback
Pages: 96
Color: Full color
ISBN (10): 1-58240-431-3


STORY REVIEW
Chris Giarrusso’s G-MAN is the stuff of typical – if not hysterical and awkward – childhood: bullies, pushy fathers, mean older siblings, fights over incidental things, and just figuring out life. I laughed my way through the pages and nodded my head remembering similar instances in my own life.

Kids can relate. That is a good thing and a bad thing as far as literature for the classroom goes. Oh, there’s nothing really bothersome in G-Man except the occasional word like “sucks” or “sucker” or a good character dressed in green and black tights with green horns, called Demon.

Except …

that one comic short in the back when the dad, true to character and form, is dealing with the insurance company after his car was stolen and destroyed by a come-to-life, raving Christmas tree. Funny right? Even funnier is when the dad finds out the vandalism is considered an act of God and he cries out “Jesus Christ.” I can see him doing it. He’s a typical tough guy with stogie in mouth, bossy, and burly and gruff as all get out. Unfortunately, that curse causes problems in the school setting as done his smoking.

Back to the kids. They will, indeed, relate to and enjoy G-MAN. It tells a universal truth about growing up even when one is later meant for greatness. I howled at parts and loved every page-turn. The main story is about G-MAN’s attempt at flight and his subsequent run-in with the kid-bully of the most famous superhero in the city. The kids stand up to the super bully and eventually win him over, but not after a bit of a scuffle.

Students will also connect with young G-Man and his brother, Great Man, and the fact that superheroes though they be, the lawn must be mowed, food must be finished, summer camp must be attended and mistakes must be made. It’s a tough life, to be sure, even for the masked and caped.

No doubt students will have a riotous time reading G-MAN, that is if they ever get the chance due to the very few objectionable words.


ART REVIEW
This book screams for kids to read it. The art is comic, young, and just begs to be devoured.


AGE RECOMMENDATION
My Rating: Ages 10 and older


IN THE CLASSROOM
Real life is masked behind a superhero story, but make no mistake: This book is all about the life and times of kids and students will have so much fun reading their own lives through the lens of G-MAN. All those wonderful character qualities that schools love to promote are sprinkled throughout giving the teacher an opportunity to access those morals and civic engagement.


MY RECOMMENDATION:  
Hihgly Recommended with Reservations
Were it not for the one incident of profanity I would highly recommend the book without any reservations at all.

IN THE CLASSROOM THIS WEEK & LAST

From the Editor

It spit snow in Missouri this week. Not enough to stick, but enough to make the kids all giddy. It’s hard to teach when snowflakes are coming down. Please take note of our holiday contest this year. It should be fun and hopefully people will come up with creative ways to respond, although that is not a requirement. We will give away five copies of the new comic-prose book, MALICE, from Scholastic.

No links to the books this week. Time is just getting away from me. You can quickly Google any of these titles to check them out.

• Batman: Brave and the Bold #11
• Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam! #10
• The Dark Tower: Fall of Gilead #6 (of 6)
• The Dark Tower: Battle of Jericho Hill #1 (of 5)
• Female Force: Barbara Walters
• Free Realms #3-#4
• The Incredibles #3
• Marvel Adventures Spider-Man #57
• The Mice Templar #5: Destiny
• Muppet Peter Pan #3 (of 4)
• Previews #255
• Sky Pirates of Neo Terra #3 (of 5)
• Trojan War
• Usagi Yojimbo #124
• X-Babies #3 (of 4) 

A HOLIDAY OF MALICE

The Graphic Classroom is happy to participate in a holiday contest to give away five copies of the new comic-prose hybrid, MALICE, from Scholastic. I’m reading an advance copy now and hope to have the review done very soon. So far, the book is pretty scary. Here’s a tidbit:

“TALL JAKE, TAKE ME AWAY…”

Everyone’s heard the rumors. Call on Tall Jake and he’ll take you to Malice, a world that exists inside a terrifying comic book. A place most kids never leave.

Seth and Kady think it’s all a silly myth. But then their friend disappears, and suddenly the rumors don’t seem so silly anymore…

Part thriller, part ground-breaking graphic novel … get into this story, and you may never get out!

HOW TO ENTER
The contest is simple to enter and five winners will be picked randomly. All you have to do is email your answer to one question and give us your name, address and age. We will publish your responses to the question on our site, but we will ONLY include your first name and state in order to protect your privacy. The contest is open to all persons of any age, not just students. Email your response to: abikerbard@mac.com


WHAT YOU GET
The five winners chosen will receive a complimentary copy of MALICE.


 
THE QUESTION
What is your favorite comic, graphic novel or comic-book related movie and explain why it is your favorite.

 

DEADLINE
The contest ends at midnight on Christmas Day, so be sure to get your entries by the deadline.


AGE RANGE
Scholastic has the book listed for grade 7 and older.


IN THE CLASSROOM
This could be an excellent opportunity for students to answer a writing prompt. Students could construct a persuasive essay, poem, news article, glog, animoto, PowerPoint, podcast or vodcast answering the above question and submit it to The Graphic Classroom. Teachers could run their own contests and submit five students, or they could choose to submit all students.

 

PRIVACY
We will keep your privacy confidential. We will email the winners’ name and address to the company so books can be shipped directly to that individual. We will publish responses along with the person’s first name and state, but nothing else in order to protect privacy.

THE STORM IN THE BARN

 

By Kevin Hodgson
Staff Writer


STORY REVIEW
THE STORM IN THE BARN is a dustbowl fable by Matt Phelan set in Kansas and told more in illustration than in text. This graphic novel contains historical highlights but also is infused with a creepy ghost story in which the main character – 11-year-old Jack Clark – must overcome his fears of an abandoned barn in order to confront the powerful spirit known as Storm that controls the rains.

This was one of those books that, once I began, I had trouble putting down. I cared about Jack, who is bullied by other kids in town and whose family struggles to survive the drought of 1937. Jack feels protective of his sisters – one of whom is very sick with a coughing illness that has her bedridden, and the younger one who wanders off into trouble. Jack is also accused of having something called "dust dementia" and he needs to find his way back to some sanity through his adventures.

By the end of the story, when the rains finally arrive thanks to the bravery of Jack, the scene in town is one of jubilation and Jack's very complex relationship with his father finally reaches a satisfying end with the simple act of a hug between them. (One scene where Jack watches the men of town -- including his emotionally distant father – massacre a herd of Jackrabbits who have been destroying crops is particularly intense as the men's violence against the defenseless animals turns to pity on the men's faces in the aftermath of the event.) And the rains mean that Jack's family will stay on their farm and try to make it for another year instead of packing up and moving out.

ART REVIEW
Phelan expertly captures the open plans of Kansas and the despair of the farming families with his washed out water colors in this fantastic book. His use of pacing with the story and opening up the world with the art (perspectives play a big role in the illustrations here) perfectly capture the time period and the eeriness of the Storm spirit that Jack finally encounters and confronts on behalf of his family and community. The Storm is a huge, swirling, dark form of a thing and certainly will creep out the reader as much as it creeps out Jack.

 

MORE INFORMATION
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 208
Publisher: Candlewick Press
ISBN-10: 0763636185
ISBN-13: 978-0763636180

You can also watch the book trailer video on YouTube.

IN THE CLASSROOM
THE STORM IN THE BARN is a fantastic example of historical fiction within the graphic novel genre, tapping into the setting of the Dust Bowl days to tell the fable of why the rains have not arrived. The book could have a place in the study of the Dust Bowl or, as writers, students could create their own magical fable set in some other time period of the United States.

I think an interesting discussion with this particular book is how large a role the illustrations play in the story. The book may be almost 200 pages long but I expect all of the text would fit on one piece of paper. The intersection of art and writing might make for a deep conversation about the production of such a book. In addition, an extensive note from Matt Phelan at the end of the book explains the genesis of the novel and how he came to be inspired to tell the tale of Jack and the Dust Bowl community. I like how Phelan brings us into the mind of the writer on a journey to story creation.

MY RECOMMENDATION
I highly recommend this book as both an historical document and as an exemplary work of graphic fiction. There is nothing inappropriate in this novel although the killing of the jackrabbits is a tender point for sensitive readers. The book would be right at home in a middle or high school classroom. It might be suitable for an elementary classroom, too, for more advanced readers.

MO AND JO: FIGHTING TOGETHER FOREVER

 

By Chris Wilson
Editor-in-Geek

Author: Jay Lynch
Illustrator: Dean Haspiel
Publisher: Toon Books
Genre: Superhero

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 40
Color: Color
ISBN-13: 978-0-9799238-5-2
ISBN-10: 0-9799238-5-9


STORY REVIEW
When my sister and I were kids we fought, and I don’t mean tiny tiffs or bits of scuttlebutt. We had a fight once over a gallon of milk. Half a jug and a large red smack across my face was all that was left by the end of it. My sister, seven years my senior, had won. She was right but I would never admit it.

Like Mona and Joey, my sister and I loved one another but we approached the world very differently. Too bad we did not have our own town’s version of the Mighty Mojo superhero extraordinaire who needed to pass his powerful legacy to us. That would have been so cool.

Mona and Joey, on the other hand, did have a town hero and he did give the two his super suit, which contained might powers. Unfortunately for the brother-sister duo, there was only one suit for two kids. What to do, what to do?

Right from the beginning our heroes are faced with the dilemma of having to get along [gasp] in order to make a difference and solve the problem. Their problem happened to be the sinister Saw-Jaw, but we all know he is simply a metaphor for any obstacle that stands in the way of goodness, truth and justice.

It takes time for Mo and Jo to figure it out, but they do, eventually, and they become a fabulous fighting team, throwing wrenches in the mechanics of evildoers everywhere.

Toon Books is dedicated to providing primary students with high quality, engaging comic literature and so far every book I have read with kids or to kids, has been well received. It can be hard to find comics for the very young, but Toon Books continues to craft solid stories for the very young. That is where the love of and the confidence in reading begins.

AGE RECOMMENDATION
Chris’ Rating: Ages 4 and older
Publisher’s Recommendation: Ages 4 and older
Guided Reading Level: L
Lexile: GN 290
Reading Recovery Level: 17

IN THE CLASSROOM
I have used several Toon Books with Kindergartener, first and second graders, including MO AND JO. The students loved how the two siblings fight, fight, fight, but then come together in the end. Such experiences resonate with children who have brothers or sisters. They understand and can relate and it is that relevance and attachment to literature that helps build strong ties to literature.

Do not be afraid to put kids in groups of two or three and have them do a shared reading. The students can each pick a character (which can include a narrator, human characters, creatures, animals, or inanimate objects) and read the book aloud, each reading his or her part at the appropriate time. It builds a sense of community – a shared literature experience – that is unique to comic literature.

I used MO AND JO this week with my 100 first graders. We have been discussing character, setting and plot in the Technology Lab. We then read stories online and discuss these elements of fiction. I used MO AND JO to talk about plot. The book can be found online for free at professorgarfield.com. The site allows the students to have the books read to them, allowing me to use higher level books with lower level students. They can all read the book at their own pace at their own computer. This allows me to meet my technology standards while still promote the curricular needs of the grade level classroom.


OTHER INFORMATION
MO AND JO is a Junior Library Guild Selection. Lesson plans are also available from Toon Books.


CHRIS’ RECOMMENDATION:
Highly Recommended
I simply cannot recommend MO AND MO and the other Toon Books enough for the primary grades. If you interact with K-3 students, you should not be without this book in your library.

BONNER SPRINGS CITY LIBRARY ADDS COMICS FOR KIDS

I'm taking a quick break from my Christmas tree decorating to bring you this news. The new comic literature section of the Bonner Springs City Library caters to kids ages 6-11. The lead photo shows a youngling reading THE INCREDIBLES hardbound edition. The librarians did their job by bringing in titles other than super heroes such as AMELIA RULES! (a favorite of ours), BABYMOUSE (another great title), NANCY DREW, STAR WARS and many others. 

Thanks to Staff Writer Tracy Edmunds who sent this link to me.

IN THE CLASSROOM THIS WEEK

From the Editor

Yes, I purposefully published a PETA comic book review the day after Thanksgiving. Sometimes I feel a bit snarky – today being a perfect example of one of those days – and I thought it would be hysterical to contrast the big turkey day with an animal rights comic. I’m making no political statement here, just being funny. Please take no offense.

In other news, today is Black Friday and I have absolutely no interest in fighting the throngs of rabid shoppers to make my way to the comic book store. So the comics for this week will be saved for next. I will tell you that I am working on a contest for December. This is one that your students could participate in. So watch for that announcement.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday.

A COW'S LIFE

 

By Kevin Hodgson
Staff Writer

STORY REVIEW
I am always curious about the ways in which comics can be used as rhetorical devices. Sure, many comics are just for entertainment purposes (although, as a teacher, I try to look for use beyond the story itself). But many political groups long ago learned that one way to get a message out to a broader audience is through the use of something familiar and comprehensible, and the comic format often fits the bill.

Not long ago, I ordered some free comics from PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). I am not a member of PETA and I am often appalled by some of their strategies. (Tossing blood at people? Not cool, man.) So, I was curious about their offer for free comic books about the world of animals. The four comics came yesterday – A COW'S LIFE, A RAT'S LIFE, AN ELEPHANT'S LIFE and A CHICKEN'S LIFE – and I almost put them in the hands of my four year old because the covers were so cute and, well, it was about animals.

Luckily, my parental instincts kicked in and I thumbed through some pretty harsh stories and images. In A COW'S LIFE, for example, we see a tiny calf being injected with hormones from a dozen large needles. The same cow is later being cattle-prodded into a truck and then brought to the doorstep of a veal factory where he is stuck inside a tiny box. (The elephant book is about the circus, the rat story is about scientific labs, and the chicken story is about egg farms). Each book begins with a nice page about the special qualities of the animal in focus, which is a nice touch.

Listen, I know these stories are based in reality of modern day treatment of animals and I get what PETA is doing here. A COW'S LIFE is about saving a cow and about being kind to animals. These are important issues. But you are dancing on a dangerous line when you use a cute comic book aimed at little kids to teach a lesson about cruelty in the world. And I think PETA stepped across the line here. (Although, I am sure PETA is just fine with that, by the way).


ART REVIEW
The art by Ken Cursoe is colorful and simplistic, just right for young eyes (see my complaint above). The animals are both cute when being cared for and come across as terrified when not being cared for. The use of perspective – of making the cow look small while the needles look huge, for example – is effective for the message.


IN THE CLASSROOM
Obviously, these free books from PETA could allow for a strong discussion among older students about the use of comics for political and rhetorical purposes. It might also spark a discussion about how early a parent might introduce such a controversial concept and I am sure you could fashion a debate about animal cruelty versus human survival easily enough. From a writing standpoint, these comics might also provide fertile ground for students to fashion their own comics for a political purpose. How can they use the comic format for pushing forward on a controversial topic?


MORE INFORMATION
These comics are free from PETA, so you can make your own decisions about the merits of them. You just need to fill out the form at the PETA website and wait a few weeks.


MY RECOMMENDATION
This is a little tricky because while I didn't necessarily like the comic books, I can see some value for the classroom. I would suggest that these comics might be appropriate for upper elementary and middle school students, but not for younger students (despite their appealing covers). I would recommend them, but only with reservations. In other words, I would not likely just put these out on the counter without some discussion about them and the rationale behind them. 

OUTLAW: THE LEGEND OF ROBIN HOOD

 

 

By Chris Wilson
Editor-in-Geek

Author: Tony Lee
Illustrator: Sam Hart
Colors: Artur Fujita
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Genre: Legend
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 160
Color: Full color
ISBN-10: 0-7636-4399-8
ISBN-13: 978-0-7636-4399-7


REVIEW
The Robin Hood stories I’ve been exposed to have always started with an adult archer-extraordinaire. OUTLAW: THE LEGEND OF ROBIN HOOD is the first piece of literature I have read that gave me such depth into the childhood experiences that drive Robin Hood to do what he does. I care for and understand the charitable thief and root for him because of his back-story.

Writer Tony Lee spends time developing the character before our hooded protagonist even thinks about robbing the usurping aristocracy and wreaking havoc across the land. His character story continued through the end, culminating for me in one particular scene. I tip my hat to Lee who created an emotionally stirring scene when King Richard the Lionheart returned. I was captivated by the story as I watched King Richard disrobe his peasant garb and reveal his kingly crimson breastplate emblazoned with three golden lions. It was goosebumbs worthy and I sat and gazed at the page for several minutes allowing the story, the scene, the beauty of the moment rush through me.

I especially enjoyed the addition of the Robin Hood afterward written by Robin Hood authority Allen W. Wright. The changes and adaptations of the Robin Hood mythos have made for a long-lasting legend who remains relevant in current society.


ART REVIEW
Sam Hart’s choice of heavy inks and strong contrast makes for a mysterious style. In doing so he also dispensed upon the reader two problems: character differentiation and weak backgrounds. The style is wonderful and artful, but is executed to the point that I often found myself confusing characters causing me to flip back and reread scenes to determine who was speaking or committing a particular action.

With a heavily inked and contrasted illustration also comes a less detailed background, which was overly minimalist probably in order to portray the characters.

The battle scenes, on the other hand, were tastefully executed being neither too complicated nor too bloody.


AGE RECOMMENDATION
Chris’ Rating: Middle school and older
Publisher’s Rating: Ages 10 and older

Because of the cursing I would likely place OUTLAW: THE LEGEND OF ROBIN HOOD on the Restricted Reading list for elementary students, but offer open access beginning with middle school students.


BE AWARE
There are numerous times – a half-dozen or so – when characters curse with a mild “hell” or “damn”.


IN THE CLASSROOM
It should go without saying that Robin Hood offers a wealth of discussions about society, wealth, poverty, types of governments, birthrights, taxation and terrorism. I would think that a unit about government and democracy could come alive when combined with the Robin Hood story.

ROBIN HOOD also gives rise to a heavy discussion about heroes, terrorism, and freedom fighters. Was Robin Hood a hero or a terrorist? How do we know? How do we define a freedom fighter, an insurgent, a subversive home grown terrorist? How do we label Robin Hood and why do we come to that conclusion. I would not suggest this discussion for elementary students, and would be careful using it in middle school.

This very idea demonstrates how a book can be used with students of varying ages and maturities. A young student could read ROBIN HOOD on its surface and explore the five elements of fiction, relish the hero story, and use it to learn about different governments. The older student can deeply explore the themes and answer the hard questions. All can enjoy the story on their own level and connect it to their own lives in some way.


CHRIS’ RECOMMENDATION:
Recommended 

 

SUPER HEROES IN OUR OWN COMMUNITY

By Chris Wilson

Editor-in-Geek

On Monday we challenged the fourth grade super heroes in THE HALL OF HEROES comic book club to think about what it means to be a super hero. We discussed the current American economic downturn and how it affects the kids and families in Nixa, MO and the greater Ozarks region. Students in Nixa, Ozark, Springfield, and other surrounding school districts have an increase in homeless students. There are families who go to school and work hungry. It is a serious situation, one that requires the assistance of an entire community.

Presented with this problem, the students came up with a list of ideas on ways they could address the issue. Short of having a bake sale, car wash or drink stand to raise money they decided to work on donations. Over the next couple of weeks the students will gather

• New toys
• Gently used toys in excellent condition
• New and gently used clothing for kids
• Coats for kids and adults
• Clean blankets
• Canned goods
• Boxed goods
• Books
• Comics
  

The coolest idea came from a couple of students working off each one another. The students will create their own comics. They can work in teams or alone; it is their choice. They can use lined unlined paper, but the art must be black and white only.

We will then put them all together and copy them, making our own make-shift book. The students want to give away their handmade comics to kids in need. I think it's brilliant. Someone will know that kids cared enough to make them a gift – something the students really cared about and thought through.

Perhaps we can get a printing company to help us bind/copy the comics? I'm hoping the local chamber of commerce can assist us.

Two important concepts are at work here:

• Students are connecting their love of comics with the real world, chosing to become super heroes in their own communities and understanding the motivation driving the characters they read about. 
• Students see comics as a legitimate source of Christmas cheer. That is to say, the students value comics so much, they feel comics (handmade or commercially printed) are a valuable Christmas gift. 

Comics, dear readers, are literature. Ask any of the students in the HALL OF HEROES.  These students are taking their love of literature to higher levels.

IN THE CLASSROOM THIS WEEK

From the Editor

It is almost December and it is time to think about how to be a hero in our community. I am thinking about THE HALL OF HEROES comic book club and I wonder what we can do to connect our comic literature to our real lives. Super heroes answer the call of service when those in need cry out and so I want our club to think up ways we can be heroes in our community of Nixa, MO. What can we do to help others? What does our community need that we could provide?

December is the perfect month to think about service learning and giving to others. I see it as a teaching moment, one where we connect the stories we read about in our comics and connect those stories to the world around us. There are students in our district who are homeless. There are students in our district, many in fact, who will go without Christmas this year. A number of them are going without food. It is a tough economic time and what we see is being observed throughout the country.

I want these super heroes to consider those around them and come up with ideas on what they could do to benefit our little town and those who live in it. Consider it a Call to Service, one which I hope my super heroes will answer as best they can.

I envision a toy-food-coat drive where students bring in a wrapped present for a boy or girl, canned goods, boxed goods, clean coats, and blankets. We could then dress up as a super hero o(f our own making – something the students are already working on) and then present our donations to the school to be given to those students who need food or who will otherwise go without Christmas this year. We will alert the local media about how a reading club is taking the study of literature to new heights.

As we continue through this process, I will keep you posted on our goings-on. Until then, check out the comics that made their way into The Classroom this week and enjoy the reviews:

• Adventure Comics #4
• Doodlebug: My book in drawing and writing
• G-Man #4 (of 5)
• Sonic Universe #10
• The Stand: Soul Survivors #2 (of 5)
• Super Friends #21
• Super Friends Vol. 1: For Justice
• Tiny Titans #22

GROWN-UPS ARE DUMB! (NO OFFENSE)

 

By Kevin Hodgson
Staff Writer


STORY REVIEW
The title of this book is catchy and, written just below the author's name, is this blurb: "The World's Youngest Professional Cartoonist." That had me intrigued and so I sat down one night with GROWN-UPS ARE DUMB! (We're not! Really? We just seem that way sometimes, kids) and fell in love with the comic mind of young Alexa Kitchen.

GROWN-UPS ARE DUMB! is not a graphic novel but a collection of comics created with loving care and quirky humor by a 10-year-old comic artist. Kitchen (who must live in my area because her bio says she resides in Western Massachusetts) was nominated for both a Harvey and an Eisner award – making her the youngest nominee ever. That's pretty impressive and you can see why she was nominated as you peruse her work.

GROWN-UPS ARE DUMB! is a series of comics around some main characters, including Molly. The opening comic shows Molly sitting at her seat in the classroom as the subjects of the day roll by (Math, English, etc.) with an expressionless face until dismissal, and then she is on her feet in celebration. Another character, Lucy, is clearly a kid on the cusp of some independence, but maybe not quite ready for it. When her mom leaves her alone (and then waits five minutes), Lucy is caught eating on the couch and watching television. "Ha! Gotcha!" says mom, and the look on Lucy's face is priceless. One longer form story – called Noise, Pens and Annoying Little Brothers – is a sweet ode to a typical day of the trial and tribulations of a young teenager, ending with the main character going to sleep, hoping for a better day tomorrow.

ART REVIEW
Kitchen's art in this book is just perfect. The expressions on the faces, the minimalist backgrounds and the use of pink as a shading color, with black lines and white backgrounds, gives the book a distinct feel. It's clear that she has a fine eye for her characters and knows kids inside and out. In fact, her humor is right along the lines with my own sons and my own students (sixth graders) but it is her artwork that really sets her apart from others. It's interesting how she has developed her own style at so early an age.

MORE INFORMATION
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Format: Paperback
Pages: 96
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
ISBN-10: 1423113314
ISBN-13: 978-1423113317


IN THE CLASSROOM
It's not often enough that we can share work from a published writer and illustrator who is roughly the same age as our students and so I see this book as a very valuable commodity in a writing classroom. I also see that Kitchen's last book, DRAWING COMICS IS EASY (UNLESS WHEN IT IS HARD), is all about how to make a comic strip from the perspective of a young comic – interesting. She wrote it when she was 7.

There is a lot to be said, too, of how Kitchen develops the handful of characters in this collection. We immediately understand them, particularly if you have spent any time around children. Add to the fact that her characters are girls with strong opinions about things and you have an interesting resource.


MY RECOMMENDATION 

I would highly recommend this book. It is likely more appropriate for the middle school classroom but it has a place in any elementary or high school library, too. I think young artists, writers, and lovers of comics would find something of value in GROWN-UPS ARE DUMB! and you know as I know that title is sure to grab someone's attention.

TALES FROM THE CRYPT: DIARY OF A STINKY DEAD KID

 

By Chris Wilson
Editor-in-Geek


Authors: Stefan Petrucha, Maia Kinney-Petrucha, John l. Lansdale, Jim Salicrup
Illustrators: Rick Palmer, Miran Kim, James Romberger, Marguerite Van Cook
Cover Art: Mr. Exes
Publisher: Papercutz
Genre: Horror, parody

Format: Softcover
Volume: 8
Pages: 96
Color: Full color
ISBN-13: 978-1-59707-163-5


REVIEW
TALES FROM THE CRYPT Vol. 8 takes back the parody genre, lampooning DIARY OF A WIMPY KID and TWILIGHT. I no more than opened the book when my fourth grade daughter snatched it and read the entire book in one sitting. When we went to the park later that afternoon, I took it along to see for myself what she enjoyed in this multi-story.

In the vignette, Diary of a Stinky Dead Kid, Glugg our zombie-to-be, is a normal (and quite ugly) kid. One day headed for a school field trip he gets shoved onto the rail system’s tracks and electrocuted. Death would not be so bad except his mother botched his reincarnation spell, leaving him a flesh-eating zombie. Poor guy.

His predicament would be tragic if it were not so entertaining. Glugg’s best friend, Crowley, rips off Glugg’s arm only to reattach it backwards. Then his brother, Rock, tries to sell his soul to a demon. The guy simply can’t catch a break.

Glugg finally connects with other zombies. They end up in a Guitar Zero competition with a group of gaming nerds. It should be no surprise that zombies cannot compete with geeks. What do they do? If you can’t beat ‘em, eat ‘em. That’s just what the “Z’s” did.

DieLite is the story of Lou Anne Lugosi, high school student, who could care less about lovesick vampire, Deadward. Her problem is that he won’t take the hint. “He was different from the boys back home,” she thinks. “He looked young, but inside he seemed more like one of those old men on To Catch a Predator. He was … bizarre.” Lou Anne’s sardonic tone was a nice jab at the adolescent love affair that is TWILIGHT.

While I enjoyed Diary and DieLite, I wasn’t so impressed with the third story, Carrier. The fact that it was a continuation of a story in vol. 7, should account for my feeling lost. I might like it better had I read the beginning. Stories tend to be better when you don’t just read the ending. That’s my problem not the book’s.


ART REVIEW 

Various artistic styles accompany each story, a requirement when one book contains such different story lines. While Diary is sketched out exactly like it’s real counterpart (i.e. notebook paper and cartoony art), DieLite has a dark painted feel.


SOPHIE’S REVIEW (age 9)
I really like the book because it is a very gruesome comedy. It has great illustrations and it makes fun of DIARY OF A WIMPY KID and TWILIGHT and it is Halloween-like.


AGE RECOMMENDATION 

Chris’ Rating: Middle school

Papercutz generally promotes their titles for kids. Normally, I agree with them on the age rating; however, this volume contains enough semi-language and blood that I might hold off giving it to students until middle school. Keep in mind that I was perfectly fine with my own 9-year-old reading it.


BE AWARE
“Hell”, “crap”, “sucks”, “mother trucker”, “we have to control our burning passions”, a demon, and spells are all present.


IN THE CLASSROOM
While the book does contain some language and themes that might upset some parents of elementary-aged students, it also has some really funny scenes that kids could make strong text-to-text connections. I think the Diary stories are less objectionable than DieLite.

If provided in isolation, I think it would be creative and inventive for students to study Diary and then create their own parodies of books they have read. How would they make fun of the books or characters. What messages might they send to the reader? Who would be the appropriate audience for such a story? The intended message and understanding of audience are both national standards. Creating a unique piece is a higher order thinking skill.


CHRIS’ RECOMMENDATION
Recommended 

PRESS RELEASE: READING WITH PICTURES SEEKS COMIC ART DONATIONS

Reading With Pictures, an educational non-profit that promotes the use of comics and graphic novels in the classroom, is actively soliciting donations of original art, prints and commissions for an art auction fundraiser to be held in December.

RWP is also accepting proposals for 1-10 page short stories (both story and art) to be included in a full-color, all-ages benefit anthology intended for publication in the summer of 2010. The proceeds from both will be used as seed money for the organization and will be put toward its application for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status.

The earnings will also be used to fund the non-profit’s initial slate of projects, such as a groundbreaking research study undertaken in conjunction with Northwestern University to determine the best methods for using comics and graphic novels in the classroom.

IN THE CLASSROOM THIS WEEK

From the Editor

A few weeks ago I ordered two Flip Video cameras ($150 total) for my classroom from digitalwish.org. I no more than got them in and told the kids in one of my fourth grade sections that one piped up and suggested we use it in THE HALL OF HEROES comic book club.

We didn’t have time to flush out his thinking – what he envisioned – but my mind is exploding with ideas. We could promote our club on YouTube. We could video the kids’ excitement of reading and document it here. We could create our own live action comic movie using the students’ own comic book characters.

I’ve also had this idea that we have started. I want my students to create their own superheroes. On Monday they are supposed to come to THE HALL OF HEROES with sketches and ideas written down. I would like for them to create their own comics; however, I think we should take the idea further and explore the idea of heroes in our own community. That is to say, I am flushing out this idea that we should dress up as our own super heroes and then do a community project. Working with veterans, homeless persons, cleaning up a stretch of road, or working at a senior center. I think it might help students connect to the idea that heroes make a difference in the world around them. And yes, I would dress up as my own super hero.

We could easily incorporate the Flip Videos into this project. I could have one and document the project from my perspective, sure, but I could also give the Flips to the students and have them document the experience themselves. I would love to see what they come up with. How do they interview one another? What do they choose to shoot? What do they see as important? Of course, we would also alert the media and bring good news to our school district.

THE HALL OF HEROES is more than just a comic book reading club. It is a club that infuses comics into education and everyday life.

Here are the comics that came into the Classroom this week:

• Batgirl #4
• Female Force: Princess Diana
• The Incredibles #2
• Marvel Adventures Super Heroes #17
• The Muppet Show #4 (of 4)
• Super Hero Squad #3
• X-Babies #2 (of 4)

LOGICOMIX: AN EPIC SEARCH FOR TRUTH

 

By Nate Stearns
Staff Writer

REVIEW

So, imagine you are a publisher. You are in the quaint position of trying to sell hunks of paper pulp and ink in a LOLcat world. Embattled doesn’t even being to cover it. You may even start to suspect that the world is descending into a slough of idiocracy from which it may never emerge. Then, someone comes to you with a proposal to write a full color graphic novel that traces the life of Bertrand Russell as he grapples with the establishment of the logical foundation of mathematics, trying to set them on the firm ground they deserve, proving that 1 plus 1 equals 2 with over 100 pages of abstruse formulas.

Of course, you say yes.

Logicomix is an impressive and painstaking examination of the 20th century philosopher’s quest to give mathematics something which many observers didn’t know it needed: a place to stand. The writers use a double frame. First, we see Russell giving a talk as the US finds itself on the brink of World War II. Second, we see the writers (including a hirsute computer scientist) and artists ponder the best way to demonstrate Russell’s life and work.

In the talk, Russell uses the occasion of a public lecture entitled “The Role of Logic in Human Affairs” to go in painful detail about his childhood and the writing of Principia Mathematica (the audience might need to order out for pizza if they expect to make it to the end). As you might guess, the descriptions of his brushes with madness and marital disharmony are easier to establish than his disquisitions on logic. When reading these, the text does seem to descend into one of those Logic for Dummies books where Russell dreams of Gauss excoriating him for Wrecking the Foundation of Infinity! I’m not sure I’m smart enough to understand why.

Interspersed with the narrative, the producers of this book wander around Athens and debate with each other about the best way to shape this story into something comprehensible. Initially, I thought this would be extremely annoying, but there is something undeniably charming about the earnest, thoughtful nature of their talk. They believe in this project. The story is meaningful and profound in a way that is rare, not only in the world of graphic novels, but also in the world of culture in general. The writers give us the great compliment of honoring our intelligence and willingness to follow their story to its ultimate ends.

And it should be said that the ends are mixed. The payoff after the extended narratives of mathematical proofs and tight logic are not what we might hope for, though the decision to end the novel with a depiction of Aeschylus’s Orestia is surprising but powerful. The suffering of the furies at the thought of their proper vengeance thwarted provides a strange opposition to Russell’s hyperlogical quest.


IN THE CLASSROOM
This book is not for wussies, but it does have the potential to wake in students who have a mathematical or scientific bent an overwhelming desire to undertake an intellectual quest. I could see an AP Calculus class or even an AP Language and Composition class using this as a supplemental text, following Russell’s pursuit with heavy helpings of teacherly guidance. It’s rare that schools and education recognize that the search for knowledge need not be a dreary endeavor but can instead be true and heroic.


MY RECOMMENDATION
Highly Recommended for upper level high school or college students interested in mathematics or philosophy.

 

MORE INFORMATION
Authors: Apostolos Doxiadis and Christos H. Papadimitriou
Illustrator: Alecos Papadatos and Annie Di Donna
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Genre: Biography/Philosophy
Format: Softcover
Pages: 344
Color: Color
ISBN-10: 1596914521
ISBN-13: 978-1596914520

OPTICAL ALLUSIONS

 

By Chris Wilson
Editor-in-Geek

Author & Illustrator: Jay Hosler
Publisher: Active Synapse
Genre: Science

Format: Softcover
Pages: 128
Color: Black and white
ISBN-13: 978-0-9677255-2-9


REVIEW
Who but Jay Hosler, Ph.D, would have dreamed up a scientific comic book about the eye? If you've read his other works, especially CLAN APIS, he's the first person that would come to mind. Is it boring? No. Actually, OPTICAL ALLUSIONS is a well-researched, highly effective graphic novel about the evolution of species, DNA, the scientific process of categorization, gene pools, and sexual dimorphisms all told within the context of the complexities of the different types of eyes.

Like I said, no one but Hosler would even attempt it. No surprise here, OPTICAL ALLUSIONS is a fantastic, albeit it dense, scientific comic-prose hybrid. Wrinkles the Wonder Brain works for three women with one eye to share between them. He loses the eye and must embark on a quest to find the eye and return it to his employers.

Like any great quest, Wrinkles must learn a thing or two before he can complete his goal. Learn he does. Unlike your science textbook, Hosler intertwines Greek mythology (as if you had not already pick up on that) science fiction and all manner of beast and body making the learning of science less like a biology lesson and more like an adventure in education.

The fiction is clearly fiction and the science is clearly science. There is no twisting the two together. What Hosler does is intertwine a piece of the tale into comic format, then he follows it up with a text-based narrative dense with scientific explanation, examples, charts, figures and all the sciency amenities.

We are left with a real science investigation that is clever, engaging and more importantly, understandable. It is a piece of comic-prose informational sharing that should make the National Science Foundation (who partially funded the effort) very proud.

Before I wrote this review, I called my friend Paul, the high school science teacher, and told him - nay I demanded - he borrow my copy. It didn't take much cajoling, as he was open to any approach that would engage his student in the process of investigation. He used it, chapter by chapter with his high school biology class. I cannot imagine teaching biology without having OPTICAL ALLUSIONS on my shelf.


AGE RECOMMENDATION
Chris' Rating: High School and older


BE AWARE
One scene finds Wrinkles holding a sperm in one hand and an egg in the other while demonstrating the difference between acquired traits and inherited traits. When he realizes what he is holding, Wrinkles asks for some hand sanitizer. Hosler's humor is hysterical, but you should be aware in case that bothers you for some reason.


IN THE CLASSROOM
This entire book screams “science classroom” on the high school and college level. There are so many scientific concepts inside that the biology teacher would be remiss in not using the book (or parts of it) in the classroom.


CHRIS' RECOMMENDATION:
Highly Recommended

IN THE CLASSROOM THIS WEEK

From the Editor

Funny how first-year teaching really zaps it out of you. I haven’t had time to read comics too much since August. Writing lesson plans and sleeping have taken over, but I accept that fact and embrace it. It’s just that I miss reading my comics. I do, however, really enjoy watching the fourth graders enjoy reading so much. In fact, I’ve had a handful of new kids request to join the club in the last week. Several of them are girls, which I find wonderful.

On Monday the HALL OF HEROES comic book club at Mathews Elementary in Nixa, MO will convene. School was closed last Monday and I really missed seeing the kids. This week we are creating our own superhero personas. The question posed to kids (via my Facebook page and word-of-mouth) is this: If you were a superhero who would you be? Would you have super powers, gadgets, sidekicks? What would your costume look like? What would you do? How would you change the world? Where would you live? Who would be your enemy? (Actually, I just thought of the last question and will have to post on my Facebook page and present to the kids on Monday.)

Here are the titles that came in this week. Pay special attention to my favorite samurai rabbit, Usagi Yojimbo and the new Diary of a Wimpy Kid parody by Tales from the Crypt.

• Ball Peen Hammer
• Tales from the Crypt: Diary of a Stinky Dead Kid
• The Eternal Smile
• Iron Man Armor Wars #4 (of 6)
• The Marvelous Land of OZ #1 (of 8)
• Sky Pirates of Neo Terra #2 (of 5)
• Usagi Yojimbo: Yokai

MOTHER TO SON/HARLEM NIGHT SONG

 

By Kevin Hodgson
Staff Writer

STORY REVIEW
Poetry, with its use of imagery and word choice, is an interesting twist to the graphic novel format and this collection of two of Langston Hughes' poems – MOTHER TO SON and HARLEM NIGHT SONG – offer up a wonderful convergence of reader interpretation and the deep rhythm of Hughes' poetic voice. Put out by Scholastic and Rubicon Publishing, this book is part of a graphic poetry collection I think can have real value to the classroom. (Although the editors wisely note: "... we made many choices interpreting the poet's original language and ideas. Our hope is that these graphic poems will get you to see poetry – literally and figuratively – in a whole new way.")

The two poems in this particular book are quite different, although both capture Hughes' focus of Harlem, NY, as a teeming community of life, energy and hope. In the first poem, MOTHER TO SON, a working mother chides her son to keep pushing himself for a better life through education, reminding him that "Life for me ain't been no crystal stair." And the mother forcefully tells him: "So boy, don't you turn back!" The other poem, HARLEM NIGHT SONG, is of a different tenor altogether as Hughes seeks to capture the energy, music and vitality of Harlem, repeating the refrain "I love you" throughout the stanzas.

ART REVIEW
The artwork here by Martin Wittfoot is a nice match to the poetry of Langston Hughes, alternating between the serious and emotional voice in MOTHER TO SON and the playfulness with HARLEM NIGHT SONG. We see the pain of life and hardship on the mother's face as she talks to her son in the first and the reader is brought up on a rooftop tour of buildings in Harlem in the second. The images are colorful and meaningful.

IN THE CLASSROOM
This book is designed for the classroom and it has more than just the graphic poems here. The editors have thoughtfully included the two poems on their own, too, so that the reader can experience the poem as a graphic reading and by itself. The back of this book also has an overview of Langston Hughes' style of poetry and expands into his use of diction and tone for MOTHER TO SON, even pointing to pages to show examples of these terms.

Finally, there are a few follow-up activities for the reader, focusing the attention on the writing of a poem (suggesting the reader write a poem back to their own mother, for example). There is also a wonderful biography of Langston Hughes. Taken together, this one small book provides an entry into the world of Langston Hughes on many levels.

MORE INFORMATION
Format: Paperback

Pages: 48
Publisher: Rubicon, Scholastic (Canada) & Brightpoint (US)
ISBN: 978-1-55448-724-0

MY RECOMMENDATION
This book is highly appropriate for students in elementary through high school classrooms, particularly as an introduction to Langston Hughes. I would highly recommend this book for any classroom poetry collection. There is no profanity or violence in this poetry book.

BUZZ BEAKER BRAINSTORM: BILLIONS OF BATS

By Larry Litle
Contributing Writer

Author: Scott Nickel
Illustrator: Andy J. Smith
Publisher: Stone Arch Books

Genre: Science fiction
Format: Library binding
Pages: 33
Color: Full color
ISBN-10: 1-59889-313-0
ISBN-13: 978-1-59889-313-7

Guided Reading Level: L

Lexile: GN 390L

ATOS Level: 2.3

AR Quiz No.: 112355

Dewey: 741.5


STORY SYNOPSIS
Buzz Beaker is the smartest kid in school; he is brilliant when it comes to science. Then Sarah Bellum, certified girl genius, starts school with Buzz and continues to show him up in academics. She even beats him at Dodge Ball. Sarah creates a Cosmic Copier that can make an exact duplicate of anything placed inside. When she tries to make a copy of Bobo, her pet Bat, it accidentally makes numerous copies. Sarah and Buzz have to work together to fix the problem of billions of bats.


STORY REVIEW

This story is a wonderful way to demonstrate how we have to deal with change. Buzz prides himself on his grades and intellect, but finds himself learning to deal with someone smarter getting all the attention. He feels the jealously that comes from someone doing something better and it is a tough life lesson.

My daughter enjoyed the story saying it was very funny. She also appreciated that Sarah was smarter than Buzz.

 

ART REVIEW
The illustrators by Andy J. Smith are very kid-friendly, fun and help the story move along.

 

AGE RECOMMENDATION
My Rating: Ages 7 to 10
Publisher’s Rating: Ages 8 to 10
 

IN THE CLASSROOM
This is a great story for the classroom of second to fourth graders. It helps kids think about change and what makes them special. It can also be used to help a class deal with a new kid in the class.

This story has a Reader’s Theater along with a teacher’s version. This allows it to be read allowed in class and discussed afterwards. The book does have questions at the end of the story and offers readers ideas to contemplate. It also has writing prompts and Internet sites.

MY RECOMMENDATION:
I highly recommend this book for grades 2-4.