Teaching With Comics
ZIG AND WIKKI IN SOMETHING ATE MY HOMEWORK
By Chris Wilson Editor-in-Geek STORY SYNOPSIS No kid wants to hear those dread words: “Your homework is late again.” For kids like Zig it’s a common occurrence. He and his friend, Wikki, are making a trip to grandma’s house to pick up a pet for Zig’s classroom zoo. They get a bit off track, thanks to too much gaming, and their space ship ends up near Earth.
STINKY
By Chris Wilson Editor-in-Geek STORY SYNOPSIS Stinky the monster and Wartbelly his pet toad are a couple of dirty little guys. They root and play in filth, eat pickled eggs and pickled bananas, and enjoy all things … well, stinky. The two are wary of the very scary, and very clean, kids on the other side of the swamp. He has no use for the sanitary little buggers; he steers clear.
RED TED AND THE LOST THINGS
By Chris Wilson Editor-in-Geek STORY SUMMARY The cuddly and sweater-clad Red Ted finds himself in the lost-and-found at the train station. Unlike the other toys, he is not content to sit on the shelf and await rescue. He and his fearful crocodile inmate hopped off the shelf and sojourned through the busy city streets trying to get back to Stevie.
ONE STORMY NIGHT
By Kevin Hodgson Staff Writer STORY REVIEW Two cats can’t agree over who eats a mouse caught in the house of the old woman, and after both argue and fight over the mouse, the old woman accidentally tosses them out into the cold wintry night where they realize that neither was right in the fight over the mouse.
JACK AND THE BOX
By Chris Wilson Editor-in-Geek STORY REVIEW When I first found out that Pulitzer Prize winning comic creator Art Spiegelman started a comics company for primary aged children, I was ecstatic – couldn’t contain my excitement. Comics for little ones! He’s the perfect person to take such an undertaking because 1) he understands the importance of great storytelling and 2) he learned to read by looking at comics.
LUKE ON THE LOOSE
By Chris Wilson Editor-in-Geek STORY SYNOPSIS Luke is bored. What child doesn’t spin and shake in the wake of his father’s incessant jabbering with a neighboring dad? Luke does what kids do: He observes a flock of pigeons cooing and when they fly the coop, so does Luke. It’s all innocent enough; he simply follows what he finds interesting.
HIRO: DRAGON WARRIOR
By Kevin Hodgson Staff Writer STORY REVIEW This short graphic novel is one of a series that is being put out by Innovative Kids under the banner of Phonics Comics. HIRO: DRAGON WARRIOR tells the story of a young dragon, Hiro, who must learn the ancient ways of the Dragon Claw dojo (taught by the patient Master Fu). Hiro is sent on a quest by Master Fu to recover seven Power Jades that were once stolen by the nemesis, Master Gomi. Along the way, Hiro recruits his former bullies to become his allies and uses his new understanding of harnessing […] Read More
TALE OF SAND
By Kevin Hodgson Staff Writer STORY SUMMARY Surreal is the only way to really describe TALE OF SAND, which is a graphic novel based on a lost screenplay by Jim Henson, of Muppet fame, and his writing partner, Jerry Hujl. The screenplay was found collecting dust in the Henson archives and was given over to the very talented graphic novelist Ramon K. Perez, whose vivid illustrations tell the tale of a stranger known only as “Mac” set in motion on an adventure in the American southwest. I can’t even begin to do the story tangents justice here, except to say […] Read More
BENJAMIN BEAR IN FUZZY THINKING
By Chris Wilson Editor-in-Geek REVIEW Benjamin is a fuzzy little bear with fuzzy little friends. His adventures in life are simple and kind and quite amusing. The 27 short stories of Benjamin are designed for young hands and young readers to enjoy without being overpowered as each story is made up on 4-6 panels and only one page.
WAR STORIES: Vol. 1 & Vol. 2
By Ellen Ma Staff Writer REVIEW Garth Ennis brings you this series that consists of eight standalone short stories taken place during World War II, with one set in the Spanish Civil War. Although Ennis is the main writer, each story is taken on by a different artist.