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
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
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
A Treasury of XXth Century Murders series
Author/Illustrator: Rick Geary Publisher: NBM Publishing Grade levels: 6-8, 9-12, Higher Education Subject: History/Social Studies Genre: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Biography/Autobiography Special Attractions: Nonfiction, Social issues, For adults too Synopsis: New Brunswick, New Jersey, Thursday, September 14, 1922. Reverend Hall and Mrs. Eleanor Mills take a stroll in the town’s park in the evening. Shots are heard. 2 days later, their bodies are found laying on the ground very neatly next to each other with her hand on his thigh, love letters strewn around them, the scarf on her neck covering up the deep bloody slit in it. Reverend Hall, himself married, was in an […] Read More
A Game for Swallows: To Die, to Leave, to Return
Author/illustrator: Zeina Abirached Publisher: Graphic Universe Grade levels: 6-8, 9-12 School Subject: History/Social Studies Genre: Biography/Autobiography, Political Special Attractions: Nonfiction, Female Lead Characters, Child Lead Characters, Multicultural Lead Characters, Social issues, For adults too Synopsis: When Zeina was born, the civil war in Lebanon had been going on for six years, so it’s just a normal part of life for her and her parents and little brother. The city of Beirut is cut in two by bricks and sandbags, threatened by snipers and shelling. East Beirut is for Christians, and West Beirut is for Muslims. When Zeina’s parents don’t return from a visit […] Read More
At the Amusement Park
Author/Illustrator: Paul Yoon, Lorence Na Publisher: Ykids Grade levels: 4-5, 6-8 Subject: Science Special attractions: Child lead characters Synopsis: Dreamland, the biggest amusement park to open in town, is throwing a science tournament for elementary students across the country. Every kid in school is talking about the tournament and Daniel, Lucy, Christine and Sam decides to sign up. But things do not go as expected. The questions in the tournament are linked to the rides in Dreamland and the friends face strong competition form all round. Publisher’s book page