Published in 2006.
64 pages (according to amazon.com, as the pages aren't numbered).
Robert F. Sibert Honor Book in 2007.
To Dance, a children's graphic novel recommended to me by my goodreads friend george, is a delightful look at the life of an aspiring ballerina.
2008.63
Published in 2008.
176 pages (according to amazon.com, as the pages are not numbered).
From the back cover: The coolest clique of misfits plays cupid and becomes entangled in affairs of the heart. People Loving Art In Neighborhoods (P.L.A.I.N.) goes global once the art gang applies for a grant from the National Foundation for the Arts. And the Janes will discover that in art and in love, general rules don't often apply.
What I thought: I loved The Plain Janes, and I loved this sequel. Maybe it's just my inner teenage-girl - but I truly hope for more episodes in this Minx graphic novel series.
2008.60
Published in 2007.
176 pages (according to amazon.com, as the pages are not numbered).
I first heard about the young adult graphic novel The Plain Janes from Dewey, who reviewed it and then sent a copy to me and my daughters. (Thanks again, Dewey!) Sugar Plum (age 12) read the book the same day it arrived, immediately emailed the author because she liked it so much, and claimed our copy as her own. Last month I happened upon the book in Sugar Plum's bedroom and decided it was time for me to read it. I started it late one Friday before bed and finished it the next morning. Like Sugar Plum, I fell in love with the book!
The Plain Janes is a story about art, fear, belonging, being yourself, and making a difference. I think those are topics to which each of us, regardless of age, can relate. The Plain Janes is Castellucci's first graphic novel, but a sequel Janes in Love is due out soon.
I'm new to the world of graphic novels - but I've so enjoyed the ones I've read so far (two volumes of Fashion Kitty, American Born Chinese, and this one). I'm also going to check out some of Castellucci's novels.
2008.50
Published in 2007. 96 pages.
Back in October, my daughter and I read Fashion Kitty for our mother-daughter book club. It was my first experience with graphic novels, and I found Fashion Kitty to be a delightful character and the novel to contain a number of meaningful messages that I hoped would continue in the sequel.
This second in what I hope will be a long-lived series did not disappoint me. Bullying and consequences. Individuality and family. The color pink and correct spelling. All this and more in the adventures of Fashion Kitty!
2008.15
Published in 2006. 233 pages.
2007 Printz Award Winner.
With its themes of race, identity, and self-acceptance, this graphic novel (only the second I've ever read) was a great follow-up read to Nothing but the Truth (and a Few White Lies). Three separate stories that come together in the end, this is a quick read. I started it on Tuesday while sitting in the high school parking lot waiting for my daughter and finished it last night while eating an egg roll and a fortune cookie. The more I think about the book, the more I like it. Author Gene Luen Yang's discussion of the origins of the book (here) brought me nearly to tears. I think this is a book that everyone ought to read!
2008.12
When Graphic Novels Challenge host Dewey first announced this challenge for 2008, she said, "I really hope that some people who don’t usually read graphic novels will consider joining." Since that statement certainly fits me, I decided I ought to take on the challenge!
The requirement is to pick six graphic novels and read them during 2008. There is a challenge blog here. My preliminary picks are as follows:
