Archives:
Logicomix: The Epic Search For Truth
Author/Illustrator: Apostolos Doxiadis, Christos H. Papadimitriou, Alecos Papadatos, and Annie Di Donna Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Grade levels: 6-8, 9-12, Higher Education Subject: Math Genre: Historical Fiction, Biography/Autobiography Special Attractions: Nonfiction, Teaching comics, For adults too Synopsis: Covering a span of sixty years, the graphic novel Logicomix was inspired by the epic story of the quest for the Foundations of Mathematics. This was a heroic intellectual adventure most of whose protagonists paid the price of knowledge with extreme personal suffering and even insanity. The book tells its tale in an engaging way, at the same time complex and accessible. It grounds the philosophical […] Read More
Levitation: Physics and Psychology in the Service of Deception
Author/Illustrator: Jim Ottaviani and Janine Johnston Publisher: G.T. Labs Grade levels: 2-3, 4-5, 6-8 Subject: Science Genre: Biography/Autobiography Special Attractions: Nonfiction Synopsis: Hypnotic gestures. Fancy clothes. Lovely assistants. These things may make the magician, but science makes the magic. Levitation tells the amazing true story of the most dazzling illusion ever performed on stage, and features a cast of characters that seems too good to be true — The Scientist: John Neville Maskelyne, the oh-so-proper British magician and the trick’s inventor. The American: Harry Kellar couldn’t buy the illusion, so he found another way to get it. The Inventor: Guy Jarrett, the […] Read More
Inventions and Discovery series
Author/Illustrator: Heather Adamson, Jameson Anderson, Jennifer Fandel, Andrea Gianopoulos, Jessica Gunderson, Katherine Krohn, Donald B. Lemke, Connie Colwell Miller, Ellen S. Niz, Xavier W. Niz, Michael O’Hearn, Kay Melchisedech Olson, Nathan Olson, Trina Robbins, David Seidman, and Scott R. Welvaert Publisher: Capstone Grade levels: 2-3, 4-5 Subject: Science Genre: Biography/Autobiography Special Attractions: Nonfiction, Teaching Comics Synopsis: World-changing events unfold before your eyes in these amazing tales of inventions and discovery. Inventors, scientists, and businesspeople shape our world through their will and determination. See their captivating stories come to life with vivid illustrations and easy-to-read text. An additional information section provides key facts […] Read More
How to Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less
Author/Illustrator: Sarah Glidden Publisher: Vertigo Grade levels: 6-8, 9-12, Higher Education Subject: History/Social Studies Genre: Biography/Autobiography, Political Special Attractions: Nonfiction, Female Lead Characters, Multicultural Lead Characters, Social issues, For adults too Synopsis: A stunningly accomplished debut graphic novel, HOW TO UNDERSTAND ISRAEL IN 60 DAYS OR LESS is Sarah Glidden’s charming and funny travel memoir of her trip through Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, the Golan Heights, Masada and other historic locales, brought to life with lush watercolors in all of their quirky and breathtaking detail.At the same time, ISRAEL is a sensitive, deeply thoughtful and personal examination of a highly charged issue, an account […] Read More
Friends with Boys
Author/Illustrator: Faith Erin Hicks Publisher: First Second Grade levels: 6-8, 9-12, Higher Education Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction Special Attractions: Female Lead Characters, Teen Lead Characters Synopsis: Being homeschooled and raised with three brothers had its problems, but Maggie’s life is about to get a lot more complicated as she faces her greatest trial yet – entering public school for the first time! New York Times review Kirkus review Author’s site
Kat and Mouse
Author/Illustrator: Alex De Campi, Federica Manfredi Publisher: Tokyopop Grade levels: 6-8, 9-12 Subject: History/Social Studies, Science, Math Genre: Mystery Synopsis: From first issue: “When Kat’s dad gets a job as a science teacher at a posh private school, things seem perfect—that is, until Kat’s rich, popular classmates shove her to the bottom of the social heap just for being smart. And bad turns to worse when an anonymous student blackmails Kat’s dad to give the class better grades! Can Kat and her new friend, the rebellious computer nerd Mouse, find the real culprits before Kat’s dad loses his job?” Titles in […] Read More
Factoring with Mr. Yang and Mosley the Alien
Author/Illustrator: Gene Yang Website: Factoring with Mr. Yang Grade levels: 6-8, 9-12 Subject: Math Genre: Science Fiction Special Attractions: Nonfiction, Multicultural Lead Characters, Teaching Comics Synopsis: An online comics-based unit teaching factoring, a difficult concept covered in Algebra 2. The Beat review TeachersFirst review Sequential Smarts review Author’s site
Building Blocks of Mathematics
Author/Illustrator: Joseph Midthun and Sam Hiti Publisher: World Book Grade levels: K-1, 2-3, 4-5 Subject: Math Genre: Humor, How To Special Attractions: Nonfiction, Teaching Comics Synopsis: Building Blocks of Mathematics is a great new series of mathematics books from World Book! Quirky characters drawn in exciting comic-book style introduce and demonstrate critical basic mathematics concepts in this new six-volume series books. Story problems help to develop students’ conceptual understanding of the mathematical operations and teach them techniques for solving real-life math problems. Designed in collaboration with elementary mathematics education experts, this series is appropriate for kids who are just learning these concepts and […] Read More
Around the World
Author/Illustrator: Matt Phelan Publisher: Candlewick Grade levels: 4-5, 6-8 Subject: History/Social Studies Genre: Historical Fiction, Biography/Autobiography Special Attractions: Nonfiction, Female Lead Characters Synopsis: As the nineteenth century wound down, a public inspired by the novel Around the World in Eighty Days clamored for intrepid adventure. The challenge of circumnavigating the globe as no one ever had before–a feat assuring fame if not fortune–attracted the fearless in droves. Three hardy spirits stayed the course: In 1884, former miner Thomas Stevens made the journey on a bicycle, the kind with a big front wheel. In 1889, pioneer reporter Nellie Bly embarked on a global race […] Read More
A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge
Author/Illustrator: Josh Neufeld Publisher: Pantheon Grade levels: 6-8, 9-12, Higher Education Subject: History/Social Studies Genre: Historical Fiction, Biography/Autobiography, Political Synopsis: A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge is a masterful portrait of a city under siege. Cartoonist Josh Neufeld depicts seven extraordinary true stories of survival in the days leading up to and following Hurricane Katrina. Here we meet Denise, a counselor and social worker, and a sixth-generation New Orleanian; “The Doctor,” a proud fixture of the French Quarter; Abbas and Darnell, two friends who face the storm from Abbas’ s family-run market; Kwame, a pastor’s son just entering his senior year of high school; and the young […] Read More