Archives:
The Professor’s Daughter
Author/Illustrator: Joann Sfar & Emmanuel Guibert Publisher: First Second Grade levels: 9-12, Higher Education Subject: History/Social Studies Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Romance Special Attractions: Female Lead Characters, For adults too Synopsis: Imhotep IV is an Egyptian mummy who’s just opened his eyes for the first time in 3,000 years. Lillian Bowell is the daughter of a renowned Egyptologist. One day, when the Professor’s away, the two go out for an afternoon on the town. The heap of trouble that they land in–brought on by Mozart, afternoon tea, and a passing gentleman’s sensitive nature–only deepens when they learn Imhotep IV’s father is in town. Can Imhotep […] Read More
Rudyard Kipling’s Just So Comics
Author/Illustrator: Rudyard Kipling /Pedro Rodriguez Publisher: Stone Arch Books/ Capstone Grade levels: 2-3, 4-5, 6-8 Subject: History/Social Studies Genre: Mythology and Folktales Special Attractions: Adaptation, Anthropomorphic Characters Synopsis: Ever wonder how the leopard got his spots? In this comics anthology of Just So Stories, famed author and worldwide explorer Rudyard Kipling travels from the Horn of Africa to the deserts of India and discovers the truth behind some of the world’s wildest beasts. Titles in this series: -Rudyard Kipling’s Just So Comics: Tales of the World’s Wildest Beasts -How the Leopard Got His Spots -How the Elephant Got His Trunk -How the Camel […] Read More
Rocket Robinson and the Pharaoh’s Fortune
Author/Illustrator: Sean O’Neill Website: Rocket Robinson Grade levels: 4-5, 6-8 Subject: History/Social Studies Genres: Mystery, Adventure Special Attractions: Anthology, Child Lead Characters, Webcomic Synopsis: Cairo, 1933. The Egyptian capital is a buzzing hive of treasure-hunters, thrill-seekers, and adventurers, but to 12-year-old Ronald “Rocket” Robinson, it’s just another sticker on his well-worn suitcase. All that changes when Rocket and his pet monkey, Screech, find a strange note written in Egyptian hieroglyphs which launches Rocket into an adventure more incredible than anything he’s ever seen at the Saturday matinee. Publishers Weekly review Geek Dad review Boing Boing review Awards: GeekDad.com – One of the Best […] Read More
Laika
Author/Illustrator: Nick Abadzis Publisher: First Second Grade levels: 4-5, 6-8, 9-12 Subject: Science, History/Social Studies Special Attractions: For adults too Synopsis: Laika was the abandoned puppy destined to become Earth’s first space traveler. This is her journey. Nick Abadzis masterfully blends fiction and fact in the intertwined stories of three compelling lives. Along with Laika, there is Korolev, once a political prisoner, now a driven engineer at the top of the Soviet space program, and Yelena, the lab technician responsible for Laika’s health and life. This intense triangle is rendered with the pitch-perfect emotionality of classics like Because of Winn Dixie, Shiloh, […] Read More
First In Space
Author/Illustrator: James Vining Publisher: Oni Press Grade levels: 4-5, 6-8, 9-12 Subject: Science, History/Social Studies Special Attractions: For adults too Synopsis: In the early 60s, the space race was moving towards its climax. Prior to manned spaceflight, both Americans and Soviets were launching animals up in rockets in order to test the biological viability of manned spaceflight… often with tragic results. Extensively researched, First in Space is based on the true story of Ham, a chimpanzee that NASA trained for the first sub-orbital spaceflight. This rousing adventure provides a snapshot in time of mankind’s early steps at conquering the final frontier. (from the […] Read More
Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales
Author/Illustrator: Nathan Hale Publisher: Abrams Grade levels: 4-5, 6-8 Subject: History/Social Studies Genre: Historical Fiction Special Attractions: For adults too Titles in this series: Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales: One Dead Spy: Nathan Hale, the author’s historical namesake, was America’s first spy, a Revolutionary War hero who famously said “I regret that I have but one life to give for my country” before being hanged by the British. In the Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales series, author Nathan Hale channels his namesake to present history’s roughest, toughest, and craziest stories in the graphic novel format. One Dead Spy tackles the story of Hale himself, who was […] Read More
Crogan Adventures
Author/Illustrator: Chris Schweizer Publisher: Oni Press Grade levels: 4-5, 6-8, 9-12 Subject: History/Social Studies Genre: Historical Fiction, Adventure Special Attractions: For adults too Titles in this series: Crogan’s Vengeance: Sixteen individuals, three centuries, one family. It all starts here! CROGAN’S VENGEANCE, the first in an ongoing series of adventure graphic novels spanning continents and centuries as cartoonist Chris Schweizer climbs through the various branches of the Crogan clan’s family tree! Volume one of THE CROGAN ADVENTURES series introduces us to “Catfoot” Crogan, an honest sailor who finds himself thrust into a life of piracy! Crogan never wanted to be a pirate […] Read More
The Shark King
Author/Illustrator: R. Kikuo Johnson Publisher: Toon Books Grade levels: 2-3, 4-5 Subject: History/Social Studies, Language Arts Genre: Mythology and Folktales Special Attractions: Child Lead Characters, Multicultural Lead Characters Synopsis: From the islands of Hawaii comes the electrifying tale of Nanaue, who has to balance his yearning for Dad’s guidance with his desire for Mom’s nurture. Award-winning cartoonist R. Kikuo Johnson transports young readers to the lush, tropical shores of his native Hawaii. Emerging readers, fluent or not, will be thrilled when they experience the transformative powers of this stirring literary work. (from the publisher’s site) Publisher’s Weekly review Kirkus review Publisher’s book […] Read More
American Born Chinese
Author/Illustrator: Gene Yang Publisher: First Second Books Grade levels: 6-8, 9-12 Subject: Social Studies Genre: Fiction Special Attractions: Multicultural lead characters, Teen lead characters, Social issues, For adults, too Synopsis: Jin Wang starts at a new school where he’s the only Chinese-American student. When a boy from Taiwan joins his class, Jin doesn’t want to be associated with an FOB like him. Jin just wants to be an all-American boy, because he’s in love with an all-American girl. Danny is an all-American boy: great at basketball, popular with the girls. But his obnoxious Chinese cousin Chin-Kee’s annual visit is such […] Read More