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Book Reviews -
Secondary/YA Graphic Novels
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Written by Holly Black, Illustrated by Ted Naifeh
 This is a black and white graphic novel. It was a little hard to understand because it is book two in the Good Neighbors series. Rue, who is half fairy/human, has a group of friends and terrible things start happening and Rue uncovers events in her family's past that is causing these mishaps... maybe in book one it lets you in on what her family did but I could not pick it up from this book.
Review by Diana Moosman, Hillsdale Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Jr High - High School
Kith (The Good Neighbors, Book 2)
Graphix / Scholastic
111 pages
ISBN: 978-0-439-85563-1
Release Date: Oct 2009
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Book Reviews -
Secondary/YA Graphic Novels
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Written and Illustrated by Matt Phelan
 In his first graphic novel, established children’s illustrator Matt Phelan depicts the story of Jack, a boy growing up on a forlorn Kansas farm in the midst of the American Dust Bowl of the 1930s. Without rain, there is nothing much for Jack to do on the dead farm. His sister is sick with dust pneumonia, his father will not allow him to help with anything, and he is bullied by older kids in town. While dejected and exploring one day he finds something mysterious and truly frightening locked in the neighbors’ abandoned barn. Will he confront this menace and save the town?
The book consciously echoes the Jack stories of American folklore and Baum’s Wizard of Oz tales, all while making a bridge from these through its comic strip format to the stories of Superman and other comic book superheroes, which had their origins in this same time period. Although there is text, this is a story told mainly through pictures. The sketched illustrations and subtle colorings are extremely evocative of the desperate landscape and the even more desperate people. In an afterword, the author/illustrator describes his indebtedness to the “stark black-and-white images” of the WPA photography of the Dust Bowl Years. The roughness, intensity and raw emotion of the times are all on display here.
This is a fascinating and unique work that really brings this period of history to life, and will be a great pull for reluctant readers/students. Recommended for jr. high and even upper elementary, but be aware of one unfortunate minor swear word in the first pages (a character curses the “damn dust”) and some violence (Jack is beat up by bullies, and there is a meant-to-be-disturbing scene of violence against animals).
Review by Joshua Whiting, Library Media Department, Granite School District
Rating: ★★★★✩
Interest Level: Grades 5-9
The Storm in the Barn
Candlewick Press
204 pages
ISBN: 978-0-7636-3618-0
Release Date: Sep 8, 2009
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Book Reviews -
Secondary/YA Graphic Novels
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Written by Holly Black, Illustrated by Ted Naifeh
 Rue was a normal girl - she had good friends, hung out, and went to class. For fun she liked to break into abandoned buildings to explore in them. When her mother disappears she finds out that she had been a faerie. Her father was a human. Then her father is arrested for killing her and one of his grad students. However, the story is not that plain and simple. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to her, Rue is a faerie, like her mother. Rue now goes on a quest to find and save her father and to find her mother. After discovering her roots, Rue sets out to understand herself and her role in the world, for a battle is brewing between the faerie world and our world.
Review by Cindy Dunn, District Library Media Specialist, Granite School District
Rating: ★★★★✩
Interest Level: Grades 7-12
The Good Neighbors: Kin (Book One)
Graphix / Scholastic
117 pages
ISBN: 978-0-439-85562-4
Release Date: Oct 1, 2008
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Book Reviews -
Secondary/YA Graphic Novels
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Written by Xavier W. Niz, Illustrated by Jesus Aburto
 Skateboard enthusiasts will probably enjoy this book; those who aren’t may not understand some of the vocabulary used or appreciate the description of the skateboarding moves. Besides being about skateboarding, this story deals with friendship and loyalty. The use of graphic novel format and traditional text is a good way to introduce students to the graphic novel genre.
Review by Keri Crane, Library Media Assistant, James E. Moss Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 3-9
Drop in to the Deep End: Skateboarding with the Z-Boys
Stone Arch / Capstone Press
50 pages
ISBN: 978-1-4342-1581-9
Release Date: Aug 15, 2009
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Book Reviews -
Secondary/YA Graphic Novels
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Written and Illustrated by Jeff Smith
 The humorous conclusion of the Bone series. The illustrations are as delightful as the previous books. I love the color illustrations. The story includes adventure and humor. If you have only one set of graphic novels (comic books), this would be it for me. I highly recommend the entire series.
Review by Jean Hagen, Library Media Specialist, West Lake Jr. High
Rating: ★★★★½
Interest Level: Grades 4+
Crown of Thorns (Bone #9)
Graphix / Scholastic, Inc.
212 pages
ISBN: 978-0-439-70632-2
Release Date: January 2009
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