You Gotta Read This!
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Title: The Terrible Two (The Terrible Two series #1)
Author: Mac Barnett, Jory John, and Kevin Cornell (Illustrator) Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (January 13, 2015) ISBN13: 978-1419714917 Genre: Graphic Novel/Text Hybrid, Humor Topics/Themes: Friendship, New School, Rivalry Recommended Age Level: 8-12 Awards / Recognitions:
Summary: Miles Murphey is the new kid at school in Yawnee Valley, a small town known for its cows. Miles knows that on your first day at a new school you get to be whoever you want to be, but he only wants to be who he worked hard to be at his old school: the number one prankster. On that first day, however, he realizes he has some stiff competition for that title as an anonymous prankster outwits him at every turn, threatening to frame him as the principal hunts down the source of the escalating prank war. To make matters worse, the principal has partnered him with the obnoxious goody-two-shoes student as his guide and the school bully has targeted Miles as his newest prey. Is this rival going to be his mortal nemesis or can Miles form an alliance and combine forces to pull off the greatest prank in the history of pranks? Professional Reviews: “Coauthors and friends Barnett and John have created a fast paced, laugh-out-loud novel sure to appeal to those who appreciate a good prank and have a sense of justice. The caricature-like protagonists, particularly the childlike adult characters, add to the absurdity of the book, and the evolving relationship between the Miles and Niles is pure fun. Cornell's varied graphics perfectly capture the humorous tone and add their own comic appeal. This is a good candidate for reluctant readers and a natural next read for fans of Jeff Kinney's "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series.” – Juliet Morefield, School Library Journal 2015 “Cornell's goofy cartoon illustrations (especially the blasé cows) add giggles aplenty. Fluffy, fast, fun reading for fans of Clueless McGee and the Wimpy Kid.” – Kirkus Reviews 2014 Personal Insights: As the reviews above mention, this book favors humor above all, and the hybrid of illustrations and text make for a perfect book for reluctant readers in grades 3-6. The authors have a simple and straightforward writing style that oozes deadpan humor and paired with the hilarious illustrations that perfectly match the text, I found myself chuckling to myself many times through this book, even reading it through my adult lens. I can imagine that kids, particularly the more ornery boys in a class, would get a kick out of this book (and series). Notable (and silly) Quotes: “Principal Barkin had a list of suspects that was exactly one kid long.” “That was a rhetorical question! Don't you even know what a rhetorical question is?" Miles didn't know whether to answer.” “Inside, Miles was wild, sweaty, jittery. Outside, Miles was boring, normal, like a shoe box.” Readalikes: (Summaries from GoodReads) My Like as a Potato by Arianna Costner (2020) - Ben Hardy believes he's cursed by potatoes. And now he's moved to Idaho, where the school's mascot is Steve the Spud! Yeah, this cannot be good. After accidentally causing the mascot to sprain an ankle, Ben is sentenced to Spud duty for the final basketball games of the year. But if the other kids know he's the Spud, his plans for popularity are likely to be a big dud! Ben doesn't want to let the team down, so he lies to his friends to keep it a secret. No one will know it's him under the potato suit . . . right? The Detention Club by David Yoo (2011) - Sixth-grader Peter Lee, in a desperate attempt to regain the popularity he had in elementary school, discovers that serving detention can win him important friends, much to the dismay of his over-achieving eighth-grade sister, Sunny. Desmond Pucket Makes Monster Magic by Mark Tatulli (2013) - Someday Desmond will be famous for his special effects wizardry, but for now he's just trying to make it through sixth grade at Cloverfield Memorial Junior High, which means he needs to stay one step ahead of the school's disciplinary officer, Mr. Needles. The only problem is Desmond just can't stop pulling pranks---like the time he attached a shrieking rubber goblin to the toilet seat in the teachers' bathroom. Mrs. Rubin screamed so loudly her wig flew off! Or the time he put giant motorized worms into the mashed potatoes in the cafeteria. Or the time Desmond and his best friend, Ricky, arranged for a three-headed ghost to crash his sister's slumber party. Rachel still hasn't forgiven him. And now Desmond has to stay prank-free for the rest of the year, or he won't be able to go on the class trip to Crab Shell Pier, home of the Mountain Full of Monsters ride! It's going to be tough, but Desmond has to try.
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3/9/2020 1 Comment New Kid by Jerry Craft
Title: New Kid
Author: Jerry Craft Publisher: Quill Tree Books (February 5, 2019) ISBN13: 9780062691200 Genre: Realistic Fiction, Graphic Novel Topics/Themes: Friendship, New School, Racism, Bullying, Peer Pressure Recommended Age Level: 9-13 Awards / Recognitions:
Summary: Jordan Banks wants nothing more than to go to art school to be able to pursue his passion of drawing. Instead, his parents are sending him to the prestigious prep school across town where he is only one of a handful of non-white kids there. As he adjusts to his new life in this new school, can Jordan find a balance between his old friends and his new friends, cultures that are so drastically different? Which world does Jordan really belong to, and can he ever really fit into one or another again? Professional Reviews: “Speaking up about the unrepresented experience of so many students makes this a necessary book , particularly for this age group. Possibly one of the most important graphic novels of the year.” – Jesse Karp, Booklist 2018 “An engrossing, humorous, and vitally important graphic novel that should be required reading in every middle school in America.” – Kirkus Review 2018 Personal Insights: As someone with their own host of white privileges, for me this book was a fantastic example of being a window to show someone a glimpse of what someone else’s life looks like that they have no way of experiencing themselves. Craft so skillfully portrays a myriad of ways in which subtle, or not so subtle, racism appears in a person of color’s life, all in an easy-going artistic style captured in the pages of this graphic novel. As someone who does not read a lot of graphic novels, I can definitely see the appeal now, and I do not think this story could have had the impact it did if it were text only. The power of this book’s message rests in the perfect marriage between the illustrations and conversations captured. Readalikes: (Summaries from GoodReads) Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga (2019) - Jude never thought she’d be leaving her beloved older brother and father behind, all the way across the ocean in Syria. But when things in her hometown start becoming volatile, Jude and her mother are sent to live in Cincinnati with relatives. At first, everything in America seems too fast and too loud. The American movies that Jude has always loved haven’t quite prepared her for starting school in the US—and her new label of “Middle Eastern,” an identity she’s never known before. But this life also brings unexpected surprises—there are new friends, a whole new family, and a school musical that Jude might just try out for. Maybe America, too, is a place where Jude can be seen as she really is. It All Comes Down to This by Karen English (2017) - It’s 1965, Los Angeles. All twelve-year-old Sophie wants to do is write her book, star in the community play, and hang out with her friend Jennifer. But she’s the new black kid in a nearly all-white neighborhood; her beloved sister, Lily, is going away to college soon; and her parents’ marriage is rocky. There’s also her family’s new, disapproving housekeeper to deal with. When riots erupt in nearby Watts and a friend is unfairly arrested, Sophie learns that life—and her own place in it—is even more complicated than she’d once thought. Unidentified Suburban Object by Mike Jung (2016) - The next person who compares Chloe Cho with famous violinist Abigail Yang is going to HEAR it. Chloe has just about had it with people not knowing the difference between someone who's Chinese, Japanese, or Korean. She's had it with people thinking that everything she does well -- getting good grades, winning first chair in the orchestra, etCETera -- are because she's ASIAN. Of course, her own parents don't want to have anything to DO with their Korean background. Any time Chloe asks them a question they change the subject. They seem perfectly happy to be the only Asian family in town. It's only when Chloe's with her best friend, Shelly, that she doesn't feel like a total alien. Then a new teacher comes to town: Ms. Lee. She's Korean American, and for the first time Chloe has a person to talk to who seems to understand completely. For Ms. Lee's class, Chloe finally gets to explore her family history. But what she unearths is light-years away from what she expected.
The official book trailer
An introduction to the book by author Jerry Craft
Title: Peter & Ernesto (#1): A Tale of Two Sloths
Author: Graham Annable Publisher: First Second (April 10. 2018) ISBN13: 9781626725614 Genre: Fantasy, Graphic Novel Topics/Themes: Friendship, Courage, Overcoming Fear, Adventure, Value of Home Recommended Age Level: 6-10 Awards / Recognitions:
Summary: Peter and Ernesto, two sloth besties, enjoy their lazy life of snacking on hibiscus leaves and watching cloud atop their tree home. One day Ernesto decides he wants to see ALL of the sky and promptly sets off on an adventure without giving much more thought. Peter, on the other hand, is terrified by the idea of leaving the safety of their tree home and is left behind when he is overwhelmed by fear and indecision. Eventually Peter leaves to go after Ernesto in order to convince him to come back, but Ernesto is already on the adventure of his life. Will the two B.F.F.’s ever see each other again, and if they do, can they ever be as close as they once were? Professional Reviews: “Annable’s gift for caricature and zippy dialogue shines through, as he celebrates his characters’ contrasting temperaments without a hint of snark.” – Publishers Weekly 2018 “Recommended for beginning reader shelves and elementary graphic novel collections.” – Jennifer Costa, School Library Journal 2018 Personal Insights: This books is all sorts of silly and quirky and Peter and Ernesto make me think of some goofy hybrid of Sid the Sloth from the film “Ice Age” and the sloth bank teller from Zootopia. This is a great introduction to the graphic novel format due to its simple and straightforward layout, and would be a great pick for reluctant readers! Readalikes: (Summaries from GoodReads) Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea (Narwhal and Jelly #1) by Ben Clanton (2016): Narwhal is a happy-go-lucky narwhal. Jelly is a no-nonsense jellyfish. The two might not have a lot in common, but they do they love waffles, parties and adventures. Join Narwhal and Jelly as they discover the whole wide ocean together. CatStronauts (#1): Mission Moon by Drew Brickington (2017): When the world is thrust into darkness due to a global energy shortage, the World's Best Scientist comes up with a bold plan to set up a solar power plant on the moon. But someone has to go up there to set it up, and that adventure falls to the CatStronauts, the best space cats on the planet! Meet the fearless commander Major Meowser, brave-but-hungry pilot Waffles, genius technician and inventor Blanket, and quick thinking science officer Pom Pom on their most important mission yet! Hippopotamister by John Patrick Green (2016): The zoo isn't what it used to be. It's run down, and Hippo hardly ever gets any visitors. So he decides to set off for the outside with his friend Red Panda. To make it in the human world, Hippo will have to become a Hippopotamister: he'll have to act like a human, get a job, and wear a hat as a disguise. He's a good employee, whether he's a construction worker, a hair stylist, or a sous chef. But what he really needs is a job where he can be himself. |