Graphic Novel Resources

Although it did not end up being a nominee, I was impressed by this book while reading through the entries for the Excellence in Graphic Literature Awards. Island Book is a gripping adventure story that also offers a great message about courage and perseverance.The main character here is Sola, and she is a humanish creature who lives in a seemingly idyllic island. Only her life is not so rosy, as the inhabitants all shun and isolate her because when she was younger a giant monster wreaked havoc as it sought her out. Now she is associated with this gigantic, mysterious creature and they think she is bad luck.
So, she leaves the confines of home and sets out to find this monster and learn its secrets. On her journey, she ends up in strange, new lands and meets a number of very different peoples and creatures. She ends up recruiting a couple of other adventurers to accompany her, though they have their own motives for the search. I am not going to spoil what happens to them all, but I will say that their journey is rewarding, perilous, frustrating, and informative, though it also lacks resolution.


Above is the opening page of the book, and as you can see the artwork is clean and bright. The characters are well designed, unique, and bold. They have strong personalities, and they work well together as an ensemble cast. The scenery and backgrounds can be vast and epic or small and personal, as suits the narrative. The storytelling was economic and intriguing, which kept me rapt and wanting more.

What I loved about this book was how each chapter ratcheted up plot and suspense, casting new light on this world and the beings that live in it. This book features the most excellent sort of adventure tale, full of bravery and daring deeds while tempered by real stakes and consequences. It held me spellbound, and I cannot wait to revisit this world. This is the first book in a series, and book 2 has not been solicited yet, but I'm eagerly looking forward to it.

This book was created by Evan Dahm.  He has a few different series under his belt, including Riceboy and Vattu, which were originally published as webcomics.  He speaks about his works and career in this interview. For fans of Island Book, he's even created a soundtrack to accompany the book, which you can buy here.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been positive. Caitlin Rosberg called it "the perfect all-ages read for kids with a lot of empathy and curiosity." Francis Bass wrote, "Dahm’s imaginative, iterative world-building is on full display here, and it is a delight to explore." Publishers Weekly praised the "polished, sure storytelling skills," and added, "Dahm offers shipwrecks, battles, and unflagging action. Underlying the story’s events is an allegory about how real knowledge comes only from seeing for oneself." Carrie McLain called it "an unconventional looking book about facing the unknown and coming back with the understanding that not everything in the world is to be understood or solved or conquered and accepting that."

Island Book was published by First Second, and they offer a preview and more here.

Jim Ottaviani and Maris Wicks are two of the best graphic novel creators who work in the arena of science. They collaborated years ago on Primates, which is one of my favorite books about biology, and here they combine forces again to chronicle the history of women and space flight. They chose to do it through the eyes of Mary Cleave, a veteran of two Space Shuttle flights, which I think gives the whole enterprise a specific and detailed account that makes everything more personal and engaging, even funny at times.
Cleave was involved for a good while with NASA, and so she had all sorts of information about the prerequisites for being an astronaut, the laborious application process, and the intense training program. Along the way, we are privy to info about how astronauts go to the bathroom in space, how they eat, and how they learn to live together in the confinements of their vehicles. I really like how the science here is well balanced with mundane features of space travel. And I got a good look into the workings of the Space Shuttle program as well.

Those looking for general information about women astronauts will also not be disappointed. Even with all the specificity, this book is chock full of other information, including a look at the Soviet space program and Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman to go to space (in 1963!). It took a long while for the US to involve women as astronauts in the space program, mainly due to sexism and relatively few women trained as pilots or engineers. And we get insight into this era also.

The artwork is very attractive and colorful. This book features strongly rendered characters as well as lots of technical details. Emotions shine through well, and we also get to see all the buttons, gadgets, and other doo-dads in clear fashion. It is a substantive and entertaining book that I could see being used for lots of purposes, in a classroom as well as for a free reading choice for the science-curious.

In addition to their collaboration on Primates, these creators have a sizable corpus of science-themed books. Ottaviani has written a number of great graphic novels about scientific inquiry including ones about the early days of paleontology, the space race, physicist Niels Bohr, women science pioneers, and the biographies Hawking and Feynman. Wicks tends to focus mainly on biological topics like Coral Reefs and Human Body Theater.

All of the reviews I have read of this book have been glowing. It received starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews and Publishers Weekly. KR summed it up, "Exhilarating—as well as hilarious, enraging, or both at once depending on the reader." PW remarked positively on Cleave's "colloquial storytelling, humorous observations, and asides are highlights—Wicks and Ottaviani skillfully capture Cleave’s infectious enthusiasm up to the last page." Corey S. Powell wrote, "Its only real shortcoming is that the book leaves you wanting more; fortunately, it ends with a helpful bibliography and list of resources."

Astronauts was published by First Second, and they a preview and much more here.

The artwork in this volume covers as wide a range of pallettes as it does subjects. Some, like Shauna Grant's take on Maya Angelou, are more manga-inspired and cartoonish. Others, like Rebecca Mock's account of Ida Lewis, hew a little more to reality. I think all of the stories are extremely well illustrated, and the worst thing I can say about this book is that some seem more fleeting and slight than others. 8 pages is not a lot of space to work with, and some of the entries are more dense, in terms of panels and information, than others. Still, this is a great book full of excellent stories. It's a wonderful introduction to these women and a jumping off point for those seeking out further reading.
The mix of creators in this book is admirable, with more seasoned creators as well as new faces. For me, the most notable entries were Emil Ferris's bio of Mary Shelley, Lucy Knisley's look at Julia Child, Molly Brooks's tale of Kate Warne, and Jackie Roche's account of Nellie Bly. But there is not a clunker in the bunch. More context about the book and the process of making it can be found in this interview with editor Erin Bried.

The reviews I have read of this book have been positive. Kate Sánchez called it "a great graphic novel with beautiful and important stories." Nicole Drum wrote that it "may be geared towards young readers, but anyone can pick this up and not only be entertained and inspired, but perhaps even learn something, too." Publishers Weekly called it a "tasting menu of short biographical comics...[that] serves up enticing bits of history for an array of readers with varying interests."

I love, love, love, LOVE the Nathan Hale Hazardous Tales books, and Major Impossible, the ninth(!) entry in the series focuses on John Wesley Powell. He was an abolitionist and aspiring scientist who served in the Civil War. He rose in the ranks to brevet lieutenant colonel, and also lost most of his right arm. In 1869, he gathered nine men, four boats, and provisions for ten months to explore the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon. Not everyone made it back, but those who did chronicled their arduous journey well with journals. Those primary sources offered lots of great material that appears in this book.

One of the best features of this book is its attention to those historical details and facts. I learned much about exploration of the American west over the course of this book, but the characters are made to be engaging and interesting, too. Also rewarding about this book is its meta-narrative that builds in elements from other books. Of course, we see more interactions between the narrator Nathan Hale, the hangman, and the proctor:

These pages introduce the book, and they reward longtime readers of the series but also offer a quick introduction to new readers. I just gave this book to my 11-year-old nephew, and he got into it quickly and did not want to put it down. The combination of facts, vivid characterization, and a good dose of humor make this another excellent entry in a consistently strong series.

If you have been reading my blog for any length of time, you likely know that I love Nathan Hale's comics and graphic novels. This nonfiction series Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales is the gold standard for historical graphic novels, as far as I am concerned. I loved his takes on fairy tales and the southwest, Rapunzel's Revenge and Calamity Jack. And I really liked his original sci-fi graphic novel One Trick Pony as well as his scifi/horror tale Apocalypse Taco, also released this year.

I have not been able to find many reviews of this book online, but the ones I have read praise the book. Vic Sage wrote, "The greatest gift that Hale’s books give is not just knowledge but an entertaining education – there has not been a book yet where I didn’t find myself going down a rabbit hole trying to find out more about what I’ve read in a Hazardous Tales offering." You can see a selection of other reviews at Goodreads, where the book currently has a 4.19 (out of 5) star rating.

Major Impossible was published by Amulet Books, and they offer a preview and more info about it here.

Peter & Ernesto is just like the title says, a tale of two sloths. Day after day they live in the same tree, eat the same food, and play the same game where they name the shapes they see in the clouds. One day, however, Ernesto announces that he wants to see not just that piece of sky but the whole sky, so he embarks on a grand journey. Peter is more of a worrier and homebody, and he warns Ernesto about the many potential dangers out there, including bears, but to no avail. Not to spoil anything, but the rest of the book follows Ernesto on his trek while Peter eventually decides he should follow up and check on his friend. Both of them, in turn, have their own set of discoveries and adventures.
This simple yet affecting tale was fun to read. It's the best kind of all ages book, and I feel that  contains a good amount of detailed world-building in terms of if its locales and characters. I very much liked Ernesto's spirit of adventure and optimism. I also admired Peter's sense of loyalty and reluctant bravery. Both run into a motley array of other creatures, and they all have strong personalities that are entertaining to boot. The various settings Ernesto sees are all simply yet strongly portrayed. Overall, I loved the amount of energy and information the author conveys in his line work.

Graham Annable was that author, and he has been creating comics and animated work for a good while now. He has been celebrated in both fields and is one of the few folks to have been nominated for both a Harvey and an Academy Award. I know him best from his work on Grickle and also the various comics he shares via his Instagram account. Others would probably be more familiar with his work on animated features like Coraline and The Boxtrolls.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been very positive. In a starred review for the School Library Journal Jennifer Costa likened it to the Elephant and Piggie books and summed it up, "Recommended for beginning reader shelves and elementary graphic novel collections." Dustin Cabeal called it "delightful. It’s full of positive energy and gives you so many ways to be inspired." Publishers Weekly stated that "Annable’s gift for caricature and zippy dialogue shines through, as he celebrates his characters’ contrasting temperaments without a hint of snark."

Peter & Ernesto was published by First Second, and they offer a preview and much more here. There is a sequel already slated for next year, and it is called The Lost Sloths. I will definitely check it out!

A review copy was provided by the publisher.

Kaptara is a strange, funny adventure story of some astronauts from Earth who get caught up in some outer space anomaly and end up trapped on a strange planet that is a warped version of Eternia. As you can see from the image below, the welcome wagon is not a friendly one:
Our heroes end up teaming up with the strange inhabitants of this land, including a man-at-arms, a boastful prince, a naked wizard, a cat woman, and a floating orb that does not speak but displays positive affirmations and pithy sayings. This motley band ends up encountering all kinds of strangeness, from a village of crass, Smurfish, cannibalistic trolls to insect people who have small lifespans but large appetites for revelry and sport. Part of what makes this book appealing is how kooky and inventive it is, what with all the fantastic characters, creatures, and elements. But additionally there is a lot of humor injected into the story via characters' personalities, their vocal patterns, and short asides. Just check out this early sequence:

This book is the product of writer Chip Zdarsky and artist Kagan McLeod. Zdarsky specializes in humor titles and currently writes Howard the Duck, Jughead, and the award-winning Sex Criminals. McLeod is a successful commercial artist for many high profile publications, and he also created one of my favorite graphic novels Infinite Kung Fu. Together, they are a dream team, with Zdarsky providing the jokes while McLeod delivers on the inventive critters and action sequences. Both creators talk about their inspirations and work on Kaptara in this interview.

This volume collects the first five issues of an ongoing series. Mariah Senecal called the book "beautifully illustrated" and the writing " a nice concoction of sarcasm, wit, and vulgarity."  Publishers Weekly was less than taken with this book, writing "Zdarsky and McLeod pack the pages with off-kilter action, but the cartoonish style is the wrong fit for this adventurous but wildly uneven John Carter of Mars/John Waters SF comedy mash-up." Personally, I enjoyed the book pretty well. I got caught up in the story and appreciated the jokes, even though some fell sort of flat for me. Simply put, I liked it but did not love it.

Fear Not, Tiny Alien was published by Image Comics, and they have more info and previews available here.

This book features strong language, violence, and some adult situations so it is recommended for readers who can handle those things. I want to say that it is recommended for mature readers, though the puerile (not to say unenjoyable) tenor of the humor wants me want to type ironical quotation marks. So, for "mature" readers.

Oregon Trail: The Road to Destiny is the account of 11 year-old Rebecca Weston's family's trek across the USA from Baltimore to Oregon in 1848. It is chock full of historical details, family drama, sadness, triumph, trials, and tribulations. At the beginning when the family prepares for the journey, it feels much like the classic video game about the same topic, but as matters progress I felt more and more connected to this family and their experiences.

I love the simply realistic artwork, here in black and white. It very much captures the grit and texture of life in the 19th century with its cross hatching. Traveling by wagon train was no easy thing, and the rigor and hardship, both physical and mental, is well portrayed. The artwork also is great at relaying the characters' emotions and capturing the various vistas and cityscapes the Weston family find themselves in.

Although this book is fictional, it is based on many different journal accounts of similar trips west. It is also very well researched, which is evident in scenes based on photographs, several maps, and occasional infographics such as the following one about the Pawnee:
I feel it would be an excellent addition to any classroom library and well suited for use in upper elementary or middle school classrooms.

This book's authors, writer Frank Young and artist David Lasky, also collaborated on The Carter Family: Don't Forget This Song.  The book's creators also have a blog that shows pictures in process, lots of photo references for the book's images, various school signings, and other interesting goings-on related to this book.

I could not find many reviews for this book, which is unfortunate given how well done it is, but the two I found were very positive. Teddy Rose wrote, "I didn't pay that much attention to history in school.  I found the old text books dull and boring.This book is very engaging." Corey Blake commented that Young and Lasky "tell an engaging story" and that the book is "targeted to preteens but it’s smart enough for older readers."

Oregon Trail: Road to Destiny was published by Sasquatch Books and they have more info here. There is a preview available at Amazon.

Ernest Shackleton was a British explorer who made multiple forays to Antarctica during what was called The Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. Many of the journeys he was a part of were historically significant, and the one chronicled in this book, the Imperial Trans-Antarctica Expedition, is considered the final journey in that Heroic Age. It is a harrowing tale of survival, with men facing adversity and life-threatening conditions in the pursuit of traversing the southern continent. This book presents various episodes in the trek, some technical and others very personal. It is an excellent balance of human drama and historical documentary.

History + fart joke = Awesome

The artwork is expressive, informative, and extremely expert in terms of its storytelling. Sometimes the characters blend together, but just marvel at how much gets packed into this two-page spread that opens the book, summing up what has transpired before these events:


The full array of tools available to sequential artists and graphic novel readers are on display here.

Author/artist Nick Bertozzi is an accomplished graphic novelist who has created a number of excellent nonfiction works, including Houdini: The Handcuff King, Jerusalem, and Lewis & Clark. He also created the historical fantasy romp, The Salon, and recently published a collection of his webcomic, Persimmon Cup. He speaks more about his many works in this interview.


A preview and much more are available here from the publisher First Second.

Thank you, Gina, for the review copy!

Army Shanks sounds like a tough customer, and that name is true to form with the main character of Far Arden. A version of Popeye by way of Canada, he is a sailor, student of history, and explorer who is obsessed with finding the mythical land of Far Arden. This uncharted island lies near the North Pole but is somehow lush and tropical. During his quest he runs afoul of government agents, double-crossers from his past who want his map, a circus owner and a giant man who wrestles bears, a pack of angry orphans, a couple of college students, an ex-girlfriend, and a boy who dresses like a wolf and wants to avenge his father. Many of these folks appear to be one-off characters but are strikingly well developed.

To say this is a fantastical journey is an understatement. There is romance, melancholy, regret, fisticuffs, and intrigue aplenty here, and the story takes many twists and turns which are enhanced by the playful, cartoony art and clever sound effects. I was charmed so many ways by a plot masterfully spun in a complex but not convoluted manner. However the ending is sharply bittersweet, and I am glad to know there is a sequel Crater XV, which is currently appearing serially in the superb digital comic anthology Double Barrel, even if not all the characters make it.

This comic's creator Kevin Cannon has a growing number of impressive works under his belt, including the collaborations with Zander Cannon (no relation), Evolution, The Stuff of Life, T-Minus, and  Bone-Sharps, Cowboys, & Thunder Lizards. His art and storytelling are exemplars of economy, wit, and energy. He speaks more about his career and this book in this excellent interview with Tom Spurgeon from 2009.

Far Arden was nominated for an Eisner Award for "Best Publication for Teens." Other reviews I have read about it concur with this praise and comment on the mix of humor, artistry, and adventure. Matt Peckham gushed, "Far Arden is like breathing that atmosphere laced with caffeine and laughing gas, a romping shaggy-dog story with a not-so-shaggy twist ending, the best practically pocket-sized adventure fiction I’ve read in years." J. Caleb Mozzocco called it "definitely one of the funniest—and most fun—books I’ve read this year." I agree wholeheartedly with Theodore Anderson, who wrote, "His art is a joy to read: characters leap across the page with noodle-limbed physiques, but he can wring surprising emotional depth from their exaggerated features when he chooses." Jen Vaughan wrote, "Far Arden is one of those books you plow through in an excited and ecstatic manner only to slow down towards the end in order to savor every page turn," which is a feeling I can easily relate to in my own reading.

The entire book is available online here, but this is a fun book well worth owning. The hard copy is published by Top Shelf.

Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were two Virginians selected by President Thomas Jefferson to explore, study, and chart territory across the North American continent, including the newly acquired Louisiana Territory and the contested Oregon Country. Their exploits have long been considered classic tales of American heroism and exploration. This graphic novel puts a very human face on their journey, showing their interactions with local politicians, various Native American clans and tribes who have their own agendas, trappers, British, and Spaniards. The author shows them dealing with obstacles, difficult terrain, flatulence, in-fighting, and their necessarily Spartan regimen. These various events are told in episodic fashion, with dates and labels helping make sense of what happened when.

This beautifully rendered book is the work of Nick Bertozzi, a prolific comics creator who is best known for his graphic novel about the major players in the Modernist scene in Paris, The Salon, his art in the Houdini: The Handcuff King graphic novel, and his series Rubber Necker. That last work won 2003 Harvey and Ignatz Awards, and he was also awarded the Harvey for Best New Talent. Bertozzi also regularly contributes comics to the online Act-i-vate. He describes his artistic process in this entry from the Drawing Words and Writing Pictures blog.

Like much of Bertozzi's work, this graphic novel has been extremely well received. Beth Hewitt praises the book, citing Bertozzi's great craft in navigating the chronology of events and capturing the voices and personalities of historic figures. The Comics Journal's Rob Clough called the book "a clever, well-crafted and exciting mainstream story with a number of deeper flourishes" and also applauded Bertozzi's ability to make deceptively simple-looking work. The Graphic Novel Reporter wrote that it is "an intimate tale of a great American epic."

A preview is available here from the book's publisher, First Second.
More information and reviews, including one from famed documentarian Ken Burns is available here.

A big Thank You to Gina for the review copy!