Harry & Hooper

Wild, M. (2011). Harry & Hopper. New York, NY: Feiwel and Friends. ISBN: 978-0-312-64261-7

Author: Margaret Wild
Website: No Author Website
Illustrator: Freya Blackwood
Website: http://www.freyablackwood.net/

Media Used: Laser print on watercolor paper with watercolor, gouache, and charcoal.

Summary: Harry and Hopper, a boy and his dog, are the best of friends.  Until one day Harry comes home to find out that Hopper isn't there.  This is the comforting story of healing after the loss of a beloved pet. 

Personal Thoughts: The loss of a beloved pet can be a hard thing for a person of any age to deal with.  This book captures the feelings and memories of growing up with a dog - raising it from a puppy to a grown dog - and dealing with its unexpected (or possibly expected) loss.  Harry copes with Hopper's loss by sleeping on the sofa (since his bed reminds him of Hopper).  At night he dreams that his dog has come to visit him one last time - running and playing.  The illustrations, with the charcoal sketchy lines, capture the mood and tones of the story wonderfully.  A great book for anyone dealing with losing a pet, or the possibility of losing one.

Energy Island: How one community harnessed the wind and changed their world

Drummond, A. (2011). Energy island: How one community harnessed the wind and changed their world. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN: 978-0-374-32184-0

Author & illustrator: Allan Drummond
Website: http://www.allandrummond.com/

Media Used: Ink and wash illustrations

Summary: This is the true story of how an ordinary island decided to do something extraordinary and become almost completely energy independent by utilizing renewable energy sources such as sunlight, rivers, biofuels, and wind.

Personal Thoughts: This book is a great way to introduce what renewable energy is and how it can be implemented in real life.  The fact that it is based on a real island, rather then on theory, makes it so much more interesting.  The book really stresses that the reason that the island of Samso has been able to reduced its carbon emissions by 140 percent in just ten years is because every person on the island is contributing in a small or large way.  The green sidebars contain wonderful information that expands or defines different energy topics mentioned in the story text, such as global warming, renewable energy, and nonrenewable energy.  The illustrations are light and colorful, which capture the constant wind present on Samso. 

Lesson Plan #5: Renewable vs. Non-Renewable Energy

Curricular Connection: Grade 6 Science
California Standard: Resources 6. Sources of energy and materials differ in amounts, distribution, usefulness, and the time required for their formation. As a basis for understanding this concept:

a. Students know the utility of energy sources is determined by factors that are involved in converting these sources to useful forms and the consequences of the conversion process.

b. Students know different natural energy and material resources, including air, soil, rocks, minerals, petroleum, fresh water, wildlife, and forests, and know how to classify them as renewable or nonrenewable.

Trickster: native American Tales: A graphic collection

Dembicki, M. (Editor). (2010). Trickster: Native American tales: A graphic collection. Golden, CO: Fulcrum. ISBN: 978-1-55591-724-1

Editor: Matt Dembicki
Website: http://matt-dembicki.blogspot.com/

Illustrators: There are 45 total illustrators involved in the creation of this collection.  For more information, check out the "contributors" section at the back of the book.

Media Used: Full color illustrations were created using a mixture of styles and techniques, including but not limited too: pen, pencil, ink, brush, watercolor, and computer graphic.

Summary: 21 Native American trickster tales, presented by a variety of artists in this graphic novel collection, tell of the different mischievous activities that different tricksters (coyote, raccoon, raven, rabbit) get in and out of. 

Personal Thoughts: I love trickster tales because they are usually a perfect mixture of humor and teaching.  Sometimes these tales teach about creation (ex: how the stars were put in the sky), about animals (ex: how alligator got his skin), or about morals (ex: why you shouldn't steal from the dead or why you should help a stranger in need).  Some of the tales in this collection I've heard before (Rabbit and the Tug-O-War) and some were new to me (Azban and the Crayfish).  The different styles of illustration work wonderfully to make each story stand out on its own while the trickster theme helps make the stories work together.  I think the use of a graphic novel format really helps the reader visualize what is happening in the stories and helps to move the stories forward.  It's too hard for me to choose my favorite trickster! but its a close race between coyote and rabbit.  A Must read for children, teens, or adults - there's bound to be at least one story in there for a reader to enjoy. 

Smile

Telgemeier, R. (2010). Smile. New York, NY: Graphix. ISBN: 978-0-545-24182-3

Author: Raina Telgemeier
Website: http://goraina.com/
Color by: Stephanie Yue
Website: http://jellycity.com/
Media Used: Pencil drawing outlines (done in a cartoon style) with full color illustrations

Summary: Starting in sixth grade when Raina falls and injures her two front teeth and ending in tenth grade when her braces finally come off, this graphic novel tells the very true tale of a normal girl growing up.

Personal Thoguhts: I really like that this book discusses real worries and issues that teens have when growing up.  Based on the author's real like experience, Raina severly damages her two front teeth which then take years of dental work to correct.  No teenager likes being made different.  Raina struggles with physical changes (teeth, acne, puberty) as well as social ones (making and breaking friendships, boyfriends, bullying).  This story brought back my own memories about having braces. A great story to share with any tween, teen or adult.

13 Words

Snicket, L. (2010). 13 words. New York, NY: HarperCollins. ISBN: 978-0-06-166466-3

Author: Lemony Snicket
Website: http://www.lemonysnicket.com/

Illustrated By: Maira Kalman
Website: http://www.mairakalman.com/
Media Used: Oil painted illustrations

Summary: 13 words are woven into a tale about a "despondent" bird and the dog who tries to cheer her up.  The story is then followed by a short song that retells the story using the 13 words.

Personal Thoughts:  The words in this story range from simple ( ex: baby, bird, cake) to sophisticated (ex: despondent, haberdashery, panache).  The story's plot is simple enough - the dog wants to cheer up his friend bird who is sad - but the way the language is used makes it appropriate for older readers as well as young.  The way the book is presented reminded me of the story of how/why Seuss created Green Eggs and Ham - because of a wager in which he was challenged to write a book using only 50 words.  While there are far more then just 13 words used in Snicket's book, there is still the sense of challenge in its composition. 

Lesson Plan Idea (under construction): A great writing exercise for older readers would be having them select a certain number of words from a box and then have to write a story using those words.  This book, as well as Seuss's, could be used to introduce the concept.

It's a Book

Smith, L. (2010). It's a book. New York, NY: Roaring Brook. ISBN: 978-1-59643-606-0
Author & illustrator: Lane Smith
Website: http://www.lanesmithbooks.com/

Media Used: Illustrations were done in brush and ink.  The textures were created using oil paints on a hot press illustration board which were then sprayed with acrylic spray.  Images were scanned into Photoshop for final touches.

Summary: While a monkey is reading a book, a jackass comes along and wonders what it is by comparing the book to modern digital media such as blogging and texting.

Personal Reaction:  "Can it text? No. Tweet? No. Wi-Fi? No."  I love the inqusitive jackass's questions as he trys to figure out what a book is by comparing it to the popular digital media that he is familiar with.  His questions could be those of any small child, trying to relate the unfamilar to the familar.  The big monkey is extremely patient (much like an older family member) with the jackass, saying simply that "It's a book."  I think in order to appreciate the humor of the book you need to be older (5th grade & up).  Though we have 5 copies at my local library, so maybe there are lots of parents out there that enjoy reading it?  Defintely check it out - whether you have a kid to read it too or not.  

Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword

Deutsch, B. (2010). Hereville: How Mirka got her sword. New York, NY: Amulet. ISBN: 978-0-8109-8422-6
Book Website: http://www.hereville.com/

Author & Illustrator: Barry Deutsch
Website: http://www.amptoons.com/

Colors By: Jake Richmond
Website: http://jake-richmond.livejournal.com/

Media Used: Images were drawn and colored on a computer using Photoshop and a Cintiq tablet.

Summary: Eleven year old Mirka would rather fight dragons then knit. But before she can get the sword she needs, Mirka will need to first dodge bullies, a talking pig, and a witch.

Personal Thoughts:  This adventure/fantasy book was unique in that it was about a girl's life in an Orthodox Jewish village.  Mirka's relationship with her step-mother is healthy - they argue constantly but in a good natured way.  The way her and her mother debate issues teaches Mirka to think fully about the decisions she makes and to defend her choices.  Mirka also stands up to the bullies that are harassing her little brother in a very real way.  Actually most of the book is a wonderful blend of realism and fantasy.  The village, the knitting, and the bullies act in very normal human ways.  The witch, the talking pig, and the trolls are added in a way that makes you wonder if in was a dream or if it really happened.

I See the Promised Land: A life of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Flowers, A. R. (2010). I see the promised land: A life of Martin Luther King, Jr.. [Chennai], India: Tara Books. ISBN: 978-93-80340-04-3

Author: Arthur Flowers
Website: http://aalbc.com/authors/arthurflowers.htm

Illustrator: Manu Chitrakar
Website: No illustrator website

Design By: Guglielmo Rossi
Website: http://guglielmorossi.com/

Media Used: Painted using traditional Bengali scroll art

Summary: Oral storytelling meets traditional Bengali scroll art to create this graphic novel which tells about the life of Martin Luther King Jr. - the Baptist preacher, Nobel Peace Prize winner, African American civil rights leader - who was assassinated in 1968.

Personal Reaction: Since the text was created by a blues singer who is also a master oral storyteller, I really shouldn't be surprised that the text in this book was so wonderfully put together.  The rhythm of the words draw the reader in with its distinct beat.  You can see Flowers perform excerpts of the book here.  At first I thought that the different font sizes and scattered text would interrupt the flow of my reading, but it had the opposite effect.  The way the text was laid out on the page enhances the rhythm of the story.  The 2 page spreads with large white text on a black background make you sit up and take notice of the direct quotes from King. The artwork is wonderfully done, helping to drive the story forward, and depicting scenes the struggles of the time.  A wonderfully book that is an easy edition to any classroom or school library. 

Use of Rhythm: The entire book is set to a particular rhythm making it a good choice for reading aloud.

Curricular Connection: 7th to 12th grade - Civil Rights History & the life of Martin Luther King Jr.

Lesson Plan (under construction): talk about the civil rights movement.

Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty

Neri, G. (2010). Yummy: The last days of a southside shorty. New York, NY: Lee & Low Books. ISBN: 978-1-58430-267-4

Author: Greg Neri
Website: www.gregneri.com/

Illustrated by: Randy DuBurke
Website: www.randyduburke.com/
Media Used: Black and white illustrations done in pencil and ink.

Summary: This graphic novel is based on the true story of eleven-year old Robert "Yummy" Sandifer who appeared on Time magazine in September 1994 after shooting a 14 year old girl and then being shot by members of his own gang. 

Personal Reaction: Wow, this is the kind of sad heart wrenching type of story that could only come from a real life tragedy.  Neri writes that after all the facts came out "there are no winners in this story, only losers." The narrator, a fictional character, struggles to make sense of everything that happened - comparing the thug Yummy to the child Robert.  Yummy is like many at risk youths who come from a broken home, are in and out of the system, and are looking for a sense of belonging and control.  Neri posts a copy of the original Time magazine article on his website. A short read (only took me 20 mins), this book is a great opening book to start a discussion about gangs, neighborhood violence, and what could have been done differently - by the government, by neighbors, by police, and by family - and what type of preventative programs need to be in place.   

Non-Fiction in Graphic Novel Format

Twilight: The Graphic Novel, Volume 1

Meyer, S. (Author), & Kim, Y. (Adapter) (2010). Twilight: The graphic novel, volume 1. New York, NY: Yen Press.
ISBN: 978-0-7595-2943-4

Author: Stephenie Meyer
Website: http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/

Adapted & Illustrated By: Young Kim
Website: No illustrator website - Interview: http://www.twilightnews.co.uk/2010/03/24/qa-with-young-kim/

Media Used: Pencils and a sketchbook were used to create the initial thumbnails.  Sketches were then digitalized using a computer, tablet and tablet pen.  The drawing and coloring were done in Corel Painter, and the toning and final touches were done in Adobe Photoshop.  Mostly black, white, gray, and brown illustrations with some scenes in color.

Summary: The mega hit book and movie series is now available in graphic novel format! Follow Bella as she moves into the town of Forks, meets Edward and the rest of the Cullens family, and discovers their dark secret.

Personal Reaction: Okay so I didn't enjoy the movie and also didn't enjoy the book series until the getting to the last book.  Bella, as the main character, seems like a whiny and weak person - which is in direct opposite of the type of female characters I enjoy reading about.  So why did I read the graphic novel? 1) the series is so popular, I keep trying to see it from a different point of view and 2) a different format can sometimes change the tone of a story.  The graphic novel was definitely my favorite version of the story and I think this was because Bella's whininess was cut back.  A lot of her inner dialogue was adapted (cut out) to fit the graphic novel format and more of the visual aspects of the story were brought to the forefront.  Overall, I'm glad I read this version of the story because I enjoyed it the most.  Volume 1 of the graphic novel covers the first half of the first book - from Bella moving into Forks, until Edward takes Bella to the meadow in the woods to show her his secret.

Fiction in Graphic Novel Format

The Lightning Thief: The Graphic Novel

Riordan, R. (Author), & Venditti, R. (Adapter) (2010). The lightning thief: The graphic novel. New York, NY: Disney/Hyperion Books. ISBN: 978-1-4231-1696-7

Author: Rick Riordan
Website: www.rickriordan.com/
Adaptor: Robert Venditti
Website: www.robertvenditti.com/
Illustrated by:
Attila Futaki (art) http://attilafutaki.blogspot.com/
José Villarrubia (color) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Villarrubia
Orpheus Collar (layouts) http://www.orpheusartist.com/
Chris Dickey (lettering) No illustrator website
Media Used: Full color illustrations done in a classic comic book format. 

Summary: Percy, Poseidon’s half mortal son, Grover the satyr, and Annabeth, Athena’s half mortal daughter, must go on a quest to find Zesus’s stolen lightning bolt, along the way battling the Furies, and Ares, the god of war.

Personal Reaction: I've read the books, I've seen the movie, and now I've read the graphic novel.  Out of all of them, I prefer the book version the best, but the graphic novel definitely comes in at second.  The illustrations are well done and the story was well adapted.  The book has a lot of action going on from chapter to chapter and that action is a good fit in a graphic novel format.  There are some details in the graphic novel that were changed or left out such as Percy's fight with Luke at the end (doesn't happen in the GN) and Percy's battle with the Furies on the bus is mentioned but not illustrated.

Excalibur: The Legend of King Arthur, a graphic novel

Lee, T. (2011). Excalibur: The legend of King Arthur, a graphic novel. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2011. ISBN:978-0-7636-4644-8

Author: Tony Lee
Website: http://www.tonylee.co.uk/
Illustrator: Sam Hart
Website: http://www.samhartgraphics.com/
Media Used: Illustrations were created digitally.  The book's text was set in Wild Words and Archetype.

Summary: In this graphic novel, we learn about the boy, Arthur, who pulls the sword from the stone, travels with the wizard Merlin, and trains in Avalon in order to become king, build Camelot, and fight Morgana and Mordred.

Personal Reaction: I liked this version of Arthur's life.  It glosses quickly over Uther Pendragon's pack with the Unseelie court (Winter/Night fae) in order to gain Ingraine as a wife.  It shows Arthur growing up with Ector and Cei, his pulling the sword out to protect them, then training in the Seelie court (Spring/Day fae).  It shows the tragic love stories of Arthur and Vivianne, the lady of the lake, as well as that of Lancelot and Guinevere.  It also tells the stories of some of the fae and knights - though not much.  The art is well done with different spread being drawing on a background of dominating color such as purple, red, orange, or blue backgrounds. 

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The graphic novel

Austen, J. (Author), Grahame-Smith, S. (Author), & Lee, T. (Adapter) (2010). Pride and prejudice and zombies: The graphic novel. New York, NY: Del Rey. ISBN: 978-0-345-52068-5

Author: Jane Austen
Website (Wikipedia): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Austen
Author: Seth Grahame-Smith
Website: http://sethgrahamesmith.com/
Adapter: Tony Lee
Website: http://www.tonylee.co.uk/
Illustrator: Cliff Richards
Website (Interview): http://www.glasshousegraphics.com/creators/pencilers/cliffrichards/
Media Used: Classic comic book style in black and white pencil and ink.

Summary: A strange plague is taking over England turning those infected into "unmentionables" (aka zombies).  Those left are devoted to mastering the deadly arts and Elizabeth Bennet is one of the best.  Now she must battle wits with the conceited Mr. Darcy.

Personal Reaction: A good book for those who like gruesome zombie slayings and who are familiar with the original Pride and Prejudice by Austen (or maybe the written edition of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Grahame-Smith).  I think having a background knowledge would help since the graphic novel jumps right in to the storyline and is a bit chaotic with zombie attacks happening every few pages.  I also had a hard time figuring out which character was which at the beginning - names weren't used to frequently at first and all the characters looked the same at first to me as well.  Near the middle of the book though I was able to sort the characters out and simply enjoy the story.  Enjoyable enough that I would consider searching out the written edition by Grahame-Smith to read as well as some of the other zombie-spin off novels that are out there.

Anne Frank: The Anne Frank House authorized graphic biography

Jacobson, S., & Colon, E. (2010). Anne Frank: The Anne Frank House authorized graphic biography. New York, NY: Hill and Wang.  
ISBN: 978-0-8090-2684-5

Author: Sid Jacobson
Website (Wikipedia): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sid_Jacobson


Illustrator: Ernie Colón
Website (Wikipedia): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernie_Col%C3%B3n
Media Used: Full color illustrations in a comic book format.  Panels images were adapted from rare photographs of Anne and her family provided by the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam.

Summary: This graphic novel tells how Anne's parents met, the family's life in Frankfurt, their move to Amsterdam, life in the Annex, the betrayal, life in the concentration camps, Anne's death, her father's survival, and the publication of her diary.

Personal Reaction: This graphic novel goes beyond the diary telling about how Anne's parents met, the family's day to day life in Frankfurt and Amsterdam, life in the Annex, how the family was betrayed and arrested, their lives in the concentration camps, how they were split up, how or when they each died, and Anne's father's life after being freed.  I was never really happy with how the diary ended when I read it as a student.  I wanted to know more about Anne's life and death.  This graphic novel does that by giving you a better overview of the life lived by all the family members.  Definitely a must read for students, either on its own or as a supplement to The Diary of Anne Frank.  The illustrations are in a comic book style, but a good amount of realism was incorporated into those drawings by using real photographs as models. 

Non-Fiction in Graphic Novel Format

Lesson Plan (under construction): Read a Anne Frank graphic novel and compare to the diary.  Read Maus and compare and contrast their experiences to those in Anne Frank's graphic novel.   

Stephen King's N.

King, S. (Author), & Guggenheim, M. (Adapter). (2010). Stephen King's N. New York, NY: Marvel Worldwide. ISBN: 978-0-7851-3453-4

Author: Stephen King
Website: www.stephenking.com/

Adapted By: Marc Guggenheim
Website (Wikipedia): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Guggenheim

Illustrated By:
Alex Maleev (art) http://www.maleev.com/
Chris Eliopoulos (lettering) http://www.desperatetimes.com/
Media Used: Full color illustrations done in a classic comic book style.  Dark shadows, dusty colors, and backgrounds mimicking the sunset fit this tale of horror.

Summary: In a rural field in Maine where a circle of stone pillars stand, something evil watches and waits for release.  N. discovered the stone's secret and died rather then allow its escape. Now others follow the clues left he behind.

Personal Reaction: First I read 30 Days of Night, and now this book by the King of horror.  I am starting to appreciate graphic novels as the perfect vehicle for horror stories.  I've never been a fan of horror movies - finding them unbelievable, too gruesome/bloody, or victims of bad effects/makeup.  Horror novels were a little more suspenseful but can sometimes drag depending on the author's ability to set a proper mood.  Graphic novels on the other hand provide direct images which convey the tone, suspense, and setting of the story wonderfully which allows the reader to focus more on the story itself.  It is no wonder that King is a master at providing suspense - Rose Red, Carrie, Children of the Corn anyone? King and Guggenheim wrote this tale with the intent of it being made first into a series of twenty-five 1.5 minute webisodes which would then be created into a graphic novel.

Use of Symbol: The circle of stones symbolize a doorway between our reality and another dark reality of gruesome monters.  The stone gate also represent a gate in our minds which separates of sanity from insanity.  Odd numbers in the story represent the door opening, while even numbers represent the door closing.

Troublemaker Book One

Evanovich, J., & Evanovich, A. (2010). Troublemaker book one: A Barnaby and Hooker graphic novel. Milwaukee, OR: Dark Horse Books. ISBN: 978-1-59582-488-2

Author: Janet Evanovich & Alex Evanovich
Website: http://www.evanovich.com/

Illustrated by: Joëlle Jones
Website: http://www.joellejones.com/

Additional illustrations by:
Ben Dewey (background pencils) http://www.benjamindewey.com/
Andy Owens (inks) No illustrator website
Dan Jackson (colors) No illustrator website
Nate Piekos of Blambot (letters) http://www.blambot.com/

Media Used: Full color illustrations in a classic comic book format with large picture panels that are arranged in an easy to read format. 

Summary: Barnaby and Hooker, together again, in their first graphic novel.  Called to Miami to find a missing friend, they escape exploding dolls, dodge Hooker's mom, go trash diving, escape a black voodoo cult, and that's just the beginning.

Personal Reaction: I'm a fan of Evanovich's numbers series.  Her writing style and humor make for fun and action packed reading.  Troublemaker is actually the third book in her Alex and Barnaby series [the first two titles of the series were released in novel format].  Mom (Janet) & daughter (Alex) teamed up to create the rest of this series in a purely graphic novel format.  It's an interesting concept, to move an existing novel series into a purely comic format, but I think it works.  Adult fans may now be tempted to pickup a graphic novel while the new format is definitely appealing to teens who will want to search out the novels.

The Alchemist: A Graphic Novel

Coelho, P. (Author), & Ruiz, D. (Adapter). (2010). The alchemist: A graphic novel. New York, NY: HarperOne. ISBN: 978-0-06-202432-9

Author: Paulo Coelho
Website: http://www.paulocoelho.com/

Adapted By: Derek Ruiz
Website: http://twitter.com/#!/DerekRuiz

Illustrated By: Daniel Sampere
Website: http://danielsampereart.blogspot.com/
Media Used: Full color illustrations done in a classic comic book style.

Summary: Coelho's story, The Alchemist, has been adapted into a graphic novel format.  Follow the shepard boy, Santiago, as he travels from Spain into the Egyptian desert in search of the pyramids and treasure while discovering his own Personal Legend.

Personal Reaction: I never had the chance to read Coelho's The Alchemist.  I had only heard of the title after I started library school and started skimming school reading list on a regular basis.  Reading this graphic novel has me wanting to go out and read the original book.  The graphic novel was so well crafted, understandable, and well drawn that I was left wanting more - but in a good way.  I would suggest this book to a relucant reader or for it to be used as a supplement to the original material - though the graphic novel is certainly able to stand alone.  The illustrations were colorful and full of detail.  They definitely helped to expand my knowledge of what was happening in the story and in Santiago's travels. 

Fiction in Graphic Novel Format

Won-Ton: A cat tale told in haiku

Wardlaw, L. (2011). Won-Ton : a cat tale told in haiku. New York, NY: Henry Holt.

ISBN: 978-0-8050-8995-0

Author: Lee Wardlaw
Website: http://www.leewardlaw.com/
Illustrated by: Eugene Yelchin
Website: http://www.eugeneyelchinbooks.com/
Media Used: Graphite and gouache on watercolor paper.

Summary: The life of a cat - in the shelter, on the ride home, his naming, his adjusting to a new home, eating and exploring - is told from his point of view, entirely in haiku.

Personal Reaction: A haiku is a form of Japanese poetry typically featuring three unrhymed lines containing 17 syllables (divided 5-7-5).  In high school, I remember enjoying learning and constructing haiku for class.  This book was also very enjoyable to read.  The illustrations fit with the haiku wonderfully to tell the story and give insight into how a cat may view being adopted.  The cat's eyes peering out from under a dark bed and the cat rolling around in his boy's socks are my favorite illustrations.  My favorite haiku -"Hel-looo. I'm waiting./ Put down that pesky pencil/ and fetch the catnip."

Single Book Length Poem

My Top Ten

Lesson Plan #1: Haiku

Curricular Connection: Grade 6 to Grade 12 English-Language Arts & Reading
California Standard: Grade 6 English-Language Arts - 3.4 Define how tone or meaning is conveyed in poetry through word choice, figurative language, sentence structure, line length,
punctuation, rhythm, repetition, and rhyme. Grade 6 to 12 Reading [Poetry] - Includes classical through contemporary works and the subgenres of narrative poems, lyrical poems, free verse poems, sonnets, odes, ballads, and epics by writers representing a broad range of literary periods and cultures.

Odetta, the Queen of Folk

Alcorn, S., & Thornhill, S. (2010). Odetta, the queen of folk. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.
ISBN: 978-0-439-92818-2

Concieved and illustrated by: Stephen Alcorn
Website: http://www.alcorngallery.com/

Poem by: Samantha Thornhill
Website: http://www.samanthaspeaks.com/

Media Used (discussed in detail): The text was set in Adobe Garamond Pro Regular and the display type in Davida BT.  The illustrations were done in casein paint on paper.  The illustrations are wonderfully done, full of movement and detail.  The young Odetta carries around a bird in a cage, representing her voice that is trapped inside her waiting to be released.  That same bird flies out of an older Odetta's mouth when she finally is allowed to sing.  The "White's Only" drinking fountain has the words spelled out in the water's foam as it crashes around a small Odetta being held by her mother.  A face rising from the smoke of the train and a hand pointing down from the sky, lightning shooting from the fingertips, represents encounter Odetta had with the Jim Crow laws forbidding her family from boarding the whites only train car.

Summary: This book chronicles the life of Odetta, an African American folk singer, as she grows up in Alabama, travels to Los Angeles with her family, learns to sing and play, and shares her music with the world.

Personal Reaction: I really enjoyed this book.  Each spread of illustrations is a wonderfully complete piece of art that you might see on display.  The pictures help to show the love and solidarity Odetta's family shares with one another.  The child Odetta understands the Jim Crow laws to be a person - "President Jim Crow," a white man with glacier blue eyes and smoke colored hair.  Later as she grows, Odetta understands that the Jim Crow isn't a man but "a bunch of silly laws that made black folks pause and feel bad about themselves."  This is really a great book about Odetta, about folk music, and about this time in America. The poem doesn't rhyme but it certainly flows wells, possessing its own special rhythm when read aloud.  

Single Book Length Poem

Curricular Connection: Grade 8 History & Grade 9 to 12 Music
California Standard:  History 8.11.3 - Understand the effects of the Freedmen’s Bureau and the restrictions placed on the rights and opportunities of freedmen, including racial segregation and “Jim Crow” laws. Music 3.0 Historical and Cultural content - Understanding the Historical Contributions and Cultural Dimensions of Music. Students analyze the role of music in past and present cultures throughout the world, noting cultural diversity as it relates to music, musicians, and composers. 3.3 Describe the differences between styles in traditional folk genres within the United States.

Moby Dick (Graphic Novel)

Melville, H. (Author), & Stahlberg, L. (Adapter), (2010). Moby Dick. New Delhi: Campfire Graphic Novels.
ISBN: 978-93-80028-22-4

Author: Herman Melville
Website (Wikipedia): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herman_Melville 

Adapted by: Lance Stahlberg
Website: http://roguewolf.blogspot.com/ 

Illustrated by: Lalit Kumar Singh
Website: No Illustrator Website
Media Used: Watercolor and Ink 

Summary: Despite warnings, Ishmael boards a whaling vessel captained by Ahab who is out for revenge after being severely injured by an encounter with a whale. 

Personal Reaction (provided by J. Knell): Ishmael joins a crew of sailors to work aboard the Pequod, a whaling vessel captained by Ahab who seeks revenge after being injured during a whaling expedition. Despite Captain Ahab’s angry reputation, Ishmael embarks upon what turns out to be a turbulent ride. Readers will enjoy reading the dialog bubbles which are interchanged with antique looking scrolls. The text and illustrations capture the intellectual, emotional and intense aspects of Melville’s classic American maritime story, Moby Dick. It makes for an enjoyable and thought provoking read for older readers interested graphic novels and those reluctant to read the lengthy unabridged version.

"The Classics Revisited" Group Project - Check out our group's presentation of this and other literary classic graphic novel adaptations that we have suggested for high school students. 

Fiction in Graphic Novel Format

Curricular Connection: High School English & Social Studies
To extend and supplement the story, educators may draw student attention to the last few pages of the book where information about wailing and the historical significance it had on society during that era is discussed.