See You In Memories

Rating: 4 out of 5|Artwork and artist reflection is fabulous

My Thoughts:

It feels like the first 50 pages are just artwork, but the fine line drawings are fabulous and the more pictures you look at, the closer you look at them. At first I was rushing through to get to the story, but keep your binoculars on and see what story the pictures are telling. I had to "read" this book 3 times. The first time, I got about 10 pages in and realized I was reading my pdf backwards. 

The second time I read it, I understood the weird time lapse in the sketchbook and was not surprised when she fell, but I was sad about what "See You in Memories" meant to the two characters. Time in this story is very confusing. Read it more than twice. 

The third time, I read the sketches at the beginning: people out, people in. 

This was a lovely experience and I appreciated the ability to read for three different purposes.

From the Publisher:

A lost memory. A mysterious sketchbook. A city full of secrets. See You in Memories is a lyrical journey through loss, art, and self-rediscovery. Billie, once an online music sensation, is found unconscious and amnesic, clutching a sketchbook of Hong Kong’s streets. Following her own drawings, she retraces a city she no longer remembers, blurring the lines between past and present, reality and imagination, until she uncovers the truth of who she is.

A once promising singer-songwriter is found unconscious on the street with only a sketchbook full of drawings of Hong Kong, sending her on a profound journey as she rediscovers what she's lost and what is to come.

Billie once basked in the spotlight as an internet singer-songwriter until her fame faded and her songs drew only harsh criticism. Urged by her father to give up her “star dream,” she fled home in a storm of emotion. Three years later, she wakes up and discovers she was found unconscious on the street with no memory of her disappearance, clinging to a sketchbook filled with evocative drawings of Hong Kong’s streetscapes. As Billie retraces the vivid locations within her sketches, she embarks on a profound, otherworldly journey through memory and place—seeking not just what she has lost, but who she has become.

This slipcase edition includes both See You In Memories and a reproduction of Billie's sketchbook, inviting readers to follow her through her Hong Kong.

Publication Information:

• Author: Pen So
• Translator, Letterer: Book Buddy Media
• Publisher: Nakama Press
• Publication Date: May 26, 2026
• Print Length: 124 pages

 

Magical Girl Dandelion, Volume I

 

Rating: 3 out of 5| Both creepy and cute?

My Thoughts:

Tampopo (dandelion in Japanese) loses both her parents when they were killed by a fiend. She is raised by her grandfather and her "best friend" Shade, who is himself a fiend. He has always protected Tampopo by killing other fiends, which is both creepy and cute because again, he is a fiend, complete with razor sharp teeth and psychopathic smile. 

As she gets older, she is sought after because she will be a magical girl. Her scores are off the charts. This is not good for Shade. How can he keep her to himself if they are going to make her into a fiend killer? 

Read more volumes as Tampopo learns about her growing "magical girl" powers. 

From the Publisher:

Tanpopo Ohanami’s quiet days are interrupted by a life-changing offer to become a magical girl! But she has one big, bad, serrated-toothed secret: Her best friend, Shade, is a fiend in a world where fiends are villains to humankind.

Shade is none too pleased with the idea of Tanpopo joining the ranks, but there’s more than their friendship at stake when Tanpopo’s grandpa falls victim to fiendhood!

Publication Information:

• Author: Kaeru Mizuho
• Publisher: VIZ Media LLC
• Publication Date: March 3, 2026
• Print Length: 160 pages

High Class Homos, Volume 2

 

Rating: 3 out of 5 - If students read the first one, they are going to need to read this one, obviously. 

My Thoughts:

Princess Sapphia is staying in Phthia until Prince August can finally propose. It is a little early and they are too young, but at least they have fooled their parents and everyone else. But have they? Just because they have the perfect engagement plot (based on Volume 1), they are still pretty clueless on navigating "love."  It is also harder from Prince August and Princess Sapphia because their love interests are not royals. In addition, Prince August still has to be "manly." Poor boy. 

Princess Sapphia gets sent home and given an ultimatum and deadline of one month. I donʻt know what will happen for these friends, but volume 2 is just one series of unfortunate events after another. 

From the Publisher:

Princess Sapphia of Mytilene and Prince August of Phthia return for the next volume in the collection of the hit series, High Class Homos. After crafting the perfect engagement plot (marrying each other to continue pursuing their own romances), things only get more exciting from there! With royal balls to plan, outfits to decide, friendships to make, and enemies to encounter, romantic high jinks are bound to ensue. 

Will Sapphia and August be able to convince their families to agree to the engagement? Will Sapphia continue her relationship with Marla, or will someone else catch her eye? Will August EVER confess his feelings to Percy? Follow these high-class homos as they navigate life, love, and (occasionally) their actual jobs.

Publication Information:

• Author/Illustrator: Momozerii
• Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
• Publication date: May 5, 2026
• Print length: 176 pages

I'm the Grim Reaper, Vol. 1,

Rating: 3 for ethical dilemma conversations

My Thoughts:

The saturated red illustrations are fabulous and fitting to the theme. Also, although this is labeled as volume 1, it gives a good amount of story in this volume. Similar to Demonslayer, Scarlet, despite her bargain with Satan, is not all bad. In the high school classroom, use these popular manga to talk about complex ethical decisions that create characters that are complicated. Use this for sociology class too. It will be a great way to link to studentsʻ interest before going into something like Frankenstein.

From the Publisher:

When Scarlet finds herself doomed to eternal punishment in Hell for a sinful life she can’t even remember, Satan himself offers her a deal: return to earth and kill one marked sinner per day…as his grim reaper!

Using the power of Hell, Scarlet quickly learns the ropes of being a reaper: bring in one sinner per day, regardless of their sins, and avoid the ninth circle herself. This work brings her into the path of Chase, a disgraced former detective trying to solve a high-level case that seems wrapped up in Scarlet’s former life. Scarlet decides to partner with Chase to find the answers to her locked memories—as long as Chase doesn’t discover Scarlet’s bloodstained bargain with Satan first.

This volume collects episodes 1–16 of the popular WEBTOON, exclusive never-before-seen content, and a bonus short story!
 

Publication Information:

Author: Graveweaver

Publisher: Viz Media LLC (September 10, 2024)

Print length: 240 pages

Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, and Other Curiously Named Classic Chinese Dishes: A Graphic Cookbook

 

Stars: 4 for interest factor and foodie factor

My Thoughts:

This book would not necessarily be for this blog. I do have a specific cooking blog, The Rubber Slipper Contessa, which is actually a repository of family recipes more for my kids so that when my daughters in law or sons ask me where a certain recipe is, it is on the blog. 

On the other hand, I found some of my old kid's cookbooks that I used to use to feed my littles and I gave them to my oldest granddaughter (she is 4). She loves to read it like a book, see the pictures and try some of the recipes. That got me thinking that this middle and YA reading blog is right where this graphic cookbook belongs.

First, the graphics are hilarious and crisp. They are a great stand in for the text sometimes. The story behind the names of the recipe are really lovely to read. There are some nuggets from the author and illustrator that just talk about family food stories, like the little vignette about learning to use starter chopsticks from her grandmother, and then as a mother, trying chopsticks for her son and instead focusing on finger foods that he would like. This particular story comes before the mango spring rolls which look yummy. I actually go and seek out mooncakes at my local Chinatown after this book. My granddaughter appreciated when I brought mooncakes because of the Netflix animated movie Over the Moon. 

I think these recipes may be a little more difficult for young cooks. The sourcing of ingredients are difficult if you do not have an Asian market nearby. I guess Amazon, but there is something about taking young chefs to source their ingredients locally that makes it more real for them. I also think that these stories and recipes for middle and young adults will motivate aspiring cooks/chefs to have conversations with their own grandmothers about the food stories from their own family meals in the same way that the author talks about her own upbringing with her grandmother. It changes the way we look at food. If this, as an adult reader, motivates you to read more foodie books, I would suggest The Last Chinese Chef  by Nicole Mones. I see tofu in a very different way. I think Buddha Jumps Over the Wall will do the same thing for budding foodies, chefs, Chinese food fans. Personally we are going to try the Husband and Wife Lung Slices for the name and the spicy factor.

From the Publishers:

Storytelling is one of the most universal and collaborative components in every culture. In Chinese culture, dishes are often connected to a classic legend, a famous person, or a historical event, underlining the importance of food.
In this delightful graphic novel-style recipe book, Chinese American cookbook author Ying Chang Compestine explores the folkloric stories behind beloved Chinese dishes and gives easy-to-follow recipes for each, such as:

• Mapo Tofu, a savory dish named for the “old lady with a pockmarked face” who invented it
• Goubuli Baozi (translation: "ignored by doggy stuffed buns”), classic buns with minced pork and vegetables made popular by an unusually taciturn village boy
• Tear-inducing Heartbreak Jelly Noodles that combine chili oil, peppercorns, and other fiery ingredients and are believed to cure the sadness of a broken heart
• Steamed Milk Custard, one of the most beloved desserts in China, originated during the Qing Dynasty by a hungry young cattle farmer as a way to preserve milk

These are dishes Ying grew up with, cooked with her grandmother, and prepares for her own family today. Stories and recipes are illustrated and presented in panel layout, with art by award-winning children’s book illustrator Vivian Truong.

Publication Information:

Author: Ying Chang Compestine

Illustrator: Vivian Truong

Publisher: Chronicle Books (March 4, 2025)

Paperback: 184 pages

Miles Morales Suspended: A Spider Man Novel (audiobook)

 

Stars: 4 stars for being a boy book magnet and a catchy listen.

My Thoughts:

Jason Reynolds has a style that appeals to middle level readers because he is able to capture the voice of inner city youth. This audiobook is about Miles' day in suspension, well after he saves the world from a super baddy, but that seems to be how it goes for him. Nothing is ever easy peasy for our young superhero. I don't know if trouble finds him or that he is literally the only one that can protect his neighborhood. If you don't like termites, this one will make you itchy.

The same characters in the Morales as Spiderman franchise are still here and Reynolds adds in his angsty, crush obsessed, teen writer voice by using a mixture of quick pacing, poetic stylings, repetition of key terms and humor. 

If older teens are looking for a similar pacing and drawn out angst as this, have them try Reynolds' Twenty-Four Seconds from Now. . .: a LOVE story.

The audiobook itself with the two voices of Guy Lockard and Nile Bullock makes this short read at almost 4 hours fun and engaging. I stayed in the parking lot so I could finish.

From the Publisher:

Miles Morales is just your average teenager. He has unexpectedly become totally obsessed with poetry and can never seem to do much more than babble around his crush. Nothing too weird. Oh! Except, just yesterday, he used his Spidey superpowers to save the world (no biggie) from an evil mastermind called The Warden. And the grand prize Miles gets for that is…

Suspension.

But what begins as a long boring day of in-school suspension is interrupted by a little bzzz in his mind. His Spidey Sense is telling him there’s something not quite right here, and soon he finds himself in a fierce battle with an insidious…termite?! His unexpected foe is hiding a secret, one that could lead to the destruction of the world’s history—especially Black and Brown history—and only Miles can stop him. Yeah, just a typical day in the life of your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.

Publication Information:

Author: Jason Reynolds

Narrators: Guy Lockard, Nile Bullock

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio (May 2, 2023)

Listening Length: 3 hours 53 min

Two Tribes, graphic memoir

 

My Thoughts:

This graphic story inspired by Emily Bowen Cohenʻs life, is about Mia who lives with her mom and new stepfather. She is sent to Jewish day school and as a family, they practice Jewish traditions. But Mia is also part Muskogee from her biological fatherʻs side. Like her mom, her dad lives with his new family in Oklahoma. Mia sticks out at her Jewish day school because she does not look like her classmates, and that just makes her hungry to get to know her Native American side of her identity. Her plan is to take her bat mitzvah money and sneak away to Oklahoma to visit her dad and his new family. It is a little disturbing that her mother does not seem to see her or that the teachers at the Jewish school do not curb the ethnic shaming by the students, especially when Semitic attacks are prevalent in the world. 

Her mother eventually finds out and is very upset that Mia left and was staying with her dad and his family, but eventually she understands that the divorce is not about Mia and Mia should not be isolated from both sides of her family. 

As teachers we cannot control parents, but it is our job to ensure that all students understand their identity as well as the gifts that come with being and/both, not one or the other. 

This is another book out of Heartdrum, a Native-focused imprint of Harper Collins Children's Books. 

From the Publisher:

Mia is still getting used to living with her mom and stepfather, and to the new role their Jewish identity plays in their home. Feeling out of place at home and at her Jewish day school, Mia finds herself thinking more and more about her Muscogee father, who lives with his new family in Oklahoma. Her mother doesn’t want to talk about him, but Mia can’t help but feel like she’s missing a part of herself without him in her life.

Soon, Mia makes a plan to use the gifts from her bat mitzvah to take a bus to Oklahoma—without telling her mom—to visit her dad and find the connection to her Muscogee side she knows is just as important as her Jewish side.

Publication Information:

Author, Illustrator: Emily Bowen Cohen

Publisher: Heartdrum (August 15, 2023)

Sci Fu Volume 1 (Graphic)

 

My Thoughts:

8th grader Wax is a budding DJ who has skills on the mixer even if his rap is a little less skilled. Set in1980s Brooklyn (the home of hip hop), DJ Wax's spinning for his crush Pirate Polly catches the attention of some extraterrestrial baddies by creating a "colossal sonic disaster." In this Afrofuturist tale,Wax, best friend and pizza deliverer Cooky P, ice cream truck vendor Uncle Rashad, super smart and straight up little sister The D get transported to Discopia, a Blade Runner style color-saturated realm. Wax soon finds out that they are there because he has accidentally killed King Chug Chug, Discopia's ruler. He finds a mentor, Kabuki Snowman who teaches the teenager Sci-Fu, a mix between martial art and music used to fight with sound waves. 

For an 80's kid, this reminds me of watching Kung-Fu movies at my local Chinese theater, specifically "The Five Deadly Venoms" mixed with characters reminiscent of Netflix's "The Get Down." In other words this is a nice combination of science fiction, kung fu, and hip hop set in a unique future with a diverse cast of characters and the Brooklyn swagger. Looking beyond the slick style, like "The Get Down" you see creative grit through failure and love. 

From the Publisher:

Hip-Hop, Sci-Fi and Kung Fu all hit the turn-tables for the mash-up mix of the year! Cartoonist/force of nature Yehudi Mercado (Pantalones, TX, Rocket Salvage) sets his sights on 1980s Brooklyn and Wax, a young mix-master who scratches the perfect beat and accidentally summons a UFO that transports his family, best friend, and current crush to the robot-dominated planet of Discopia. Now Wax and his crew must master the intergalactic musical martial art of Sci-Fu to fight the power and save Earth. Word to your mother.

Author/Cartoonist: Yehudi Mercado

Publisher: Oni Press

Publication date: March 14, 2018

Wash Day Diaries

 

Publication Date: June 14, 2022

My Thoughts:

This graphic of shorts gives a glimpse of  four friends as they navigate mental health, work, dating and what black girl magic means for these young women. This is a like showing up in the middle of a play that is already going. Don't worry about the beginning or the end. Just keep up. 

My one niggling caution, though is how Cookie comes over to Davene's apartment and notices that Davene's apartment is not like her, but when Davene confesses that she is not well and she is in thereapy thinking of taking medication, Cookie says no and gives her a citrine. Cookie's solution is to be more positive. At one point, Cookie says, "Is it really that serious? You seem fine." Mental health needs to be taken seriously and friends need to support each other and not just shrug it off. This is dangerous to feel that Davene's closest friends do not see the red flags and rally around her friend, even to the point of not shaming her if she wants to be on Prozac. 

Some nudity, brief sex scene. This is for YA and older teens. 

From the Publisher:

Wash Day Diaries tells the story of four best friends—Kim, Tanisha, Davene, and Cookie—through five connected short story comics that follow these young women through the ups and downs of their daily lives in the Bronx.

The book takes its title from the wash day experience shared by Black women everywhere of setting aside all plans and responsibilities for a full day of washing, conditioning, and nourishing their hair. Each short story uses hair routines as a window into these four characters' everyday lives and how they care for each other.

Jamila Rowser and Robyn Smith originally kickstarted their critically acclaimed, award-winning slice of life mini comic, Wash Day, inspired by Rowser's own wash day ritual and their shared desire to see more comics featuring the daily lived experiences of young Black women. Wash Day Diaries includes an updated, full color version of this original comic—which follows Kim, a 26-year-old woman living in the Bronx—as the book's first chapter and expands into a graphic novel with short stories about these vibrant and relatable new characters.

In expanding the story of Kim and her friends, the authors pay tribute to Black sisterhood through portraits of shared, yet deeply personal experiences of Black hair care. From self-care to spilling the tea at an hours-long salon appointment to healing family rifts, the stories are brought to life through beautifully drawn characters and different color palettes reflecting the mood in each story.

At times touching, quiet, triumphant, and laugh out loud funny, the stories of Wash Day Diaries pay a loving tribute to Black joy and the resilience of Black women.

Kick Push: Picture Book

 

Publication date: March 29, 2022

My Thoughts:

This is packaged as a picture book, but because Frank Morrison is an award-winning illustrator with a street art styling, this first book of his as an author/illustrator "reads" more like a graphic novel than a picture book. 

The story is about a skateboarding phenom named Epic who moves to a new neighborhood and kind of loses his desire to do his tricks on the skateboard because he does not know anyone in his new neighborhood. His passion for skateboarding, though, allows him to quickly find his mojo again and his skateboarding introduces Epic to his new home. 

This is a simple story of stepping forward with your passion, but the real value of this book is Morrison's dynamic artwork and graffiti styling. 

From the Publishers:

Epic has tricks you won't believe. He's the kick flipping, big rail king. When his family moves to a new neighborhood, he can't wait to hit the street with his skateboard. But his old moves don't feel fresh without a crew to see 'em. Epic thinks about giving up his board to fit in, but an encouraging word from his dad helps him see that the trick to making new friends is to always be yourself. Be you. . . be epic!

Award-winning illustrator Frank Morrison offers a heartwarming, dynamic celebration of self-expression, inspired by his own journey through fatherhood.

1000 Storms: Graphic

 

YA, brief nudity

Author, artist Tony Sandoval

Publication date August 17, 2021

My Thoughts:

I think I got the story on the first read, but after I finished, when I read the synopsis from the publisher, then I was able to really focus in on the parts of the story that were important. In other words, I let go of the weird skips in the story that were bothering me. One reviewer said to read this like a series of episodes and that made much more sense because the gist is below, but the reader is left with many more questions and it is ok, because perhaps they are saved for the next episode. 

What makes this a 4 out of 5 star book, though is that the weird girl gets redeemed and is the hero. But more than that, the art. . . Sandoval's art is hauntingly beautiful. The loneliness seeps off the page. Who needs questions answered when there is art. 

From the Publisher:

Lisa is a lonely girl who enjoys wandering nature and collecting odd bones and pebbles. The other kids think she’s kinda weird, maybe a witch, and avoid her. When one day she discovers a tree that allows passage to a parallel world, she finds herself in the middle of a demonic invasion plot, faced with saving the very children who ridiculed her.

In this magical tale (set in the same world as WATERSNAKES), Tony Sandoval takes readers back to his world of mysterious adolescence and surreal beauty. Like WATERSNAKES, and DOOMBOY before it, the reader is faced with recognizable feelings of solitude and longing mixed with danger and adventure through a visual wonderland.

Girl Haven

 

Oni Press

Lilah Sturges (author), Meaghan Carter (illustrator), Joamette Gil (cartoonist)

My Thoughts:

Graphic novels, comics, manga, have always been gender fluid and Girl Haven is no exception with the main character, Ash, being at the brink of a personal realization that he is a trans girl even if others see him as a boy. It is not shocking to bring this type of resource into a middle school classroom. What I know for sure is that comics, especially manga have androgynous and even feminine male characters with big eyes and high cheekbones. It never was a shock and I have been reading manga (in Japanese and in Japan) since the mid 1970s. 

What is different about this book, though, is the note about identity at the end of the book. It makes it more obvious that this is for a younger audience who would like some questions answered around gender identity, gender expression and sexuality. When the stories put characters in a fantasy world to work out issues around fears, gender and the power of love, we are able to get away from the trauma around social "norms" that haunt our children who are targeted as "different," "abnormal," and "queer."

This is another have in the classroom and let it wait for the right child kind of book. Thanks to Oni Press for continuing to allow stories to unfold like this without plastering LGBTQIA and queer youth on the cover or in the merchandising, which sometimes scares the curious reader who just wants to learn more, but also enjoy an adventure. 

From the Publisher:

Full of wonder, humor, and heart, Girl Haven is the newest original story from the author of Lumberjanes.

Three years ago, Ash’s mom left home and never returned, leaving behind a husband and child and a shed full of mystical curiosities related to the all-girl fantasy world she’d created as a child—Koretris. One day Ash invites a new group of friends from Pride Club over, and they try one of the spells to enter Koretris. To their amazement, they’re all transported to a magical realm filled with human-sized talking animals who are fiercely protective of their world and are ready to fight to protect it. But if Koretris is real, why is Ash there? Everyone has always called Ash a boy—shouldn’t the spell have kept Ash out? And what does it mean if it let Ash in? 

Teaching Artfully

 

My Thoughts:
This comic/graphic/textbook/MEd thesis is not necessarily a YA book, nor is it a middle grade book which is what this blog is for. HOWEVER, this book fits in on this blog because it is going to speak to someone in my class. The who and when is not important. In fact, it is inconsequential to purchasing and passing along this book. 
It makes me want to go back to grad school and get another doctorate in curriculum studies, just so I can get my hands on creating and tinkering. This comic is a master's thesis done in comic form. Considering I wrote my dissertation as a multi genre, six chapter metaphor around the word moʻo, I loved, loved, loved this book. I have already passed it on or passed it forward to some of my own English teacher alum with a little note to do curriculum more artfully.
It truly is so inspiring that I just want to get back into the classroom and weave joy into every unit.  This is definitely going to be a part of my language arts methods class in the fall. Yay!

From the Publisher:
A groundbreaking sensation: a Master's thesis done in comics form! Now Teaching Artfully, is a compelling graphic novel! If you loved Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud or Unflattening by Nick Sousanis you will fall in love with this revolutionary and delightful book. In fact Sousanis provides a fascinating introduction!
Teaching Artfully draws the reader in as it presents the growth and explorations of an early-career art teacher, the author Meghan Parker. Parker comes to understand both her teaching and art-making practices through making insightful comics. The reader, too will find themselves illuminated and inspired and entertained! Teaching Artfully looks at daily teaching practices, visual literacy, the teacher's experience, relationships, and engagement with life inside and outside of schools. It uses a unique visual form to emphasize the importance of learning to understand and communicate using images.
First created as a Masters thesis in the Faculty of Education at Simon Fraser University, Teaching Artfully playfully and earnestly encourages us to see the arts as a way to connect with one another and find our common humanity. Creative people, educators and the general public are sure to connect with the call for meaningful engagement with the arts.

Riverdale: The Ties that Bind

 

As a kid I loved to read the Archie comic books because there was a stack of them at my dentist's office. The kids were teenagers, but there was an innocence about the kinds of trouble they got into that made it endearing for me as a tween. But when CW started the Riverdale series, these teens from the 50s suddenly are depicted as angsty, angry, dark teens. Even the virginal Betty is not virginal. Between the usual relationship drama and school rivalries, it seems like these teens are haunted by the sins of their parents and must continue to face stalkers, murderers, serial killers. . .oh my! 

The dark colors of this comic and the odd, almost alien pigments of the pictures makes it clear that Riverdale is a dark space and there is no safety in dark spaces. This particular comic takes the teens on their own harrowing experiences, but the teens and the readers need to wait for the next book in order to find out what the connection to their experiences are with the strange symbol that Jughead found. All we know is that the same symbol is oddly present in every character's experience, but they may not have seen that symbol. They are just happy to be alive and together at the end of the night, but that is not even half of the story. As readers, we are left just as clueless. Stay tuned!

Publication date: May 4, 2021

From the Publishers:

Jughead's locked in and left behind with Moose at Stonewall Prep, Veronica is trapped with Cheryl at a nearby suburban shopping mall, Betty and Polly are stalked by a possible madman when a girls' night goes horribly awry and Archie is held hostage by a 'long lost relative' of Fred's who's come to town seeking payback of any and every kind.

Will Archie and company even make it to sunrise? If they do, will they ever be the same again?

Black Heroes of the Wild West

 

Black Heroes of the Wild West: Featuring Stagecoach Mary, Bass Reeves, and Bob Lemmons

My thoughts:

The look of this book reminds me of those old western dime novels. It just has a similar style, but the historic importance of these stories is to highlight the fake narrative around America's wild west. The American west was not, in fact, made up of white cowboys (the heroes and outlaws) and the "savage" Native Americans as the only two groups existing on the frontier. By resurrecting these hidden stories through text and graphics, readers are introduced to these unsung heroes and suddenly our American narrative is much more accurate,  rich, and diverse. I would definitely love to see an animated short on each of these historical figures. Thanks to the author, the ancestors seem ready to jump off the page into more adventures. 

These are stories that need to be shared in a genre and style that is also a talk back to the western dime novels of our American literary history.

Quincredible, Vol. 1: Quest to be the Best

 

My Thoughts:

Although Black Panther has been around since 1966 in the Marvel Universe (I believe he first appears in one of the Fantastic Four comics), the movie has brought on a hunger for Black superheroes. Pair that with Spider Man: Miles Morales, and there is an even greater hunger for the superhero as nerd, weakling, average teen. Quincredible fits into this Miles Morales mold. Quin is invincible, but that does not make him incredibly strong. Instead, it makes him into a perpetual punching bag for the bullies. He is in desperate need of a mentor and a coach, but he really also just wants to get the girl and be invisible for as long as he can. 

I find Quin to be believable as the weakling, awkward, New Orleans teen who tries to hide his problems from his loving, yet clueless parents.  When his mentor, "Glow" shows up not so much as a coach, more like a facilitator, Quin is challenged to find his inner strengths. What he finds, in end scenes that remind me of the shenanigans on the Home Alone movies, is that his strengths really were always in him, and they have nothing to do with the meteor shower "Event" that made certain people into superheroes. That is really the message - your power is in you. You have always had it. This is volume 1 out of 11, so I hope he continues to use his real super powers to save his community. 

From the Publishers: 

Invulnerability is a pretty useless superpower if you’ve only got a one-hundred-pound frame to back it up. That’s what Quinton West’s life became when he went from “small guy who got beat up” to “small guy who can’t get hurt” after the meteor shower dubbed “The Event” gifted him the power of invulnerability, but no other powers to compliment it.

But there’s more to Quin than meets the eye, and after some encouragement from his new mentor—a local New Orleans–based superhero named Glow—Quin realizes that he can use his quirky hobby of creating Rube Goldberg devices to outsmart the opposition. But being a hero paints a target on your back, and Quin’s got to risk it all to join the ranks of the superheroes he looks up to. It’s a good thing he can take a punch.

Strange Fruit II

My Thoughts:

This graphic historical non-fiction highlights vignettes of black Americans living from the period of slavery to right before the civil rights movement. Because of this dark time in history, none of the stories are very uplifting except the story of Victor Green. The rest of them show different kinds of heroism but because these are real people's histories in an anti-black America, most of the lives in here are also about the effects of systemic racism in America. 

The one "uplifting" story is about Victor Green, a postal worker who decided to publish the Green Book for the Negro Motorist. The first printing was in 1936. In it he identified safe gas stations, bathrooms, restaurants and resorts across America for the African American traveler. His goal was to eventually not need to publish this type of book anymore. Although it lasted a few years after the Civil Rights act, the last publishing of the Green Book was in 1967. 

In truth, the rest of the stories are disheartening, however the references at the back, the artwork and the limited text are perfect for the middle school reader to do further research. We need more of these types of graphic works built on primary resources. It is time that our social studies curriculum told history from the point of view of the downtrodden too, and not just the victors.