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.

Maus: A Survivor's Tale - Part I: My Father Bleeds History

Spiegelman, A. (1986). Maus: A survivor's tale. Part I: My father bleeds history. New York, NY: Pantheon Books.
ISBN: 0-394-74723-2

Author: Art Spiegelman
Author's Website: http://www.barclayagency.com/spiegelman.html

Illustrator: See Author
Media Used: Black ink on a white background.

Summary: Maus tells the story of Art Spiegelman's father, Vladek Spiegelman, a Polish Jew and Holocaust survivor. The story simultaneously tells of Vladek’s life before and during World War II as well as his life later in New York.

Personal Reaction: Once I picked up this book, I was unable to put it down.  It illustrates what daily life was like for Jews before and after the Nazi's came into power.  The hardships and fear they lived with.  Vladek's story of life in Poland is interrupted by his present day life - which improves the telling of the story rather then distracts from it.  The stark black and white illustrations fit the story's material well.  A great recommendation for students learning about the Holocaust.

Metaphor Use: The Jews in the story are represented as skinny mice, the polish as plump pigs, and the Nazis as big buff cats.  Spiegelman used different groups of animals to represent the different nationalities, religions and races involved in the war.  All the animals within a group were identical to one another except for their clothing which helped to highlight how people during that time viewed other's by their race or religion first and foremost.  Characters who were hiding by pretending to be of another race were represented as wearing another animal's face as a mask. 

Non-Fiction in Graphic Novel Format
Curricular Connection: 10th Grade World History
California Standard 10.8: Students analyze the causes and consequences of World War II.

Awards: Pulitzer Prize Special Award Winner (1992)

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (DVD)

Bagdasarian, Jr., R., Karman, J. (Producers), Thomas, B. (Director), Vitti, J., Aibel, J., & Berger, G. (Writers). (2010). Alvin and the chipmunks: The squeakquel [DVD]. Beverly Hills, CA: 20th Century Fox Entertainment.

Interest Level: Ages 8 to 14
Rating: PG
Running Time: 89 minutes
Subjects/Themes: Family, Chipmunks, Talking Animals, High School,

Plot: The movie starts with Alvin and the Chipmunks playing at a benefit concert in Paris where Dave, their guardian, gets injured.  Dave is forced to recover in Paris while the Chipmunks go ahead home where Aunt Janice is suppose to take care of them.  Unfortunately Aunt Janice also meets with an accident and her grandson, Toby, ends up taking care of the Chipmunks instead.  The Chipmunks start school for the first time and end up having to deal with some bullies.  Alvin's desire to be popular starts to drive the brothers apart.  Meanwhile the Chipmunks old enemy Ethan signs the Chipettes and wants to use them to get back at the Chipmunks.  The two groups end up falling for one another.  Ethan puts the Chipettes in a cage and plans to force them to perform for him.  Alvin goes to their rescue and the two groups perform together in a musical competition to save the school's music program.

Personal Thoughts: Alright I'm a chipmunk fan from way back.  I think the squeaky remakes of popular songs is awesome rather than annoying.  If you can't stand the squeakiness you probably can't stand this movie.  But for tweens who love talking animals, this is another movie they'll probably enjoy.  The Chipmunks have to deal with bullies and the issue of choosing popularity or choosing to stand by your family.  The fighting between the chipmunks is fighting that you could see among any group of siblings or friends.  Alvin doesn't seem to realize the importance of his family until after he misses the song competition and let's his brothers down.  Learning from his mistakes, Alvin understands what he did and makes up for it.  Some popular songs that are featured in the movie include "All the Single Ladies," "You Spin Me Round (like a record)," and "Shake Your Groove Thing."

Prequel: Alvin and the Chipmunks (2008)

Awards/Recognition:
Kids' Choice Award Winner for Favorite Movie (2010)

Inuyasha (Manga Series)

Takahashi, R. (2003). Inuyasha. San Francisco, CA: Viz Comics. ISBN [Vol. 1]: 1-56931-947-2

Interest Level: 13 to 18
Subjects/Themes: Manga/Anime, Friendship, Fantasy, Romance, Action/Adventure, Monsters/Demons, Past and Present, High School

Plot: Kagome, a modern Japanese high school student, can travel back and forth to feudal Japan through a well at her family's shrine.  In feudal Japan, Kagome comes across Inuyasha who is sealed to a tree and releases him.  Inuyasha, a half dog demon and half human hybrid, was sealed to the tree by the priestess Kikyo whom Kagome is the reincarnation of.  Kagome brought back with her the Sacred Four Souls Jewel which Kikyo had tried to destroy.  Now monsters keep attacking her trying to steal the jewel for its power.  The jewel is accidentally shattered and now Kagome must search the land to find the jewel shards and prevent them from being used for evil.  Inuyasha decides to travel with Kagome because she is the only one who can sense the hidden shards and he wants the power of the jewel for himself.  Their travels form a friendship and an almost romance complicated by the fact that Inuyasha was in love with Kikyo before he met Kagome.  They gather a group of friends (a lecherous monk, a sweet child like fox demon, and a demon slayer) who help them in their search.   

Personal Thoughts: This anime is for older teens as it does have some suggestive situations, violence, and alcohol or tobacco use.  The series is of the shonen manga genre which means it is primarily targeted towards a junior high and high school boy demographic with lots of action, humor, and camaraderie.  The illustrations in each volume are well detailed and composed of black and white sketchings.  There is also a "ani-manga" version of the series that uses color scenes from the anime cartoon based on the same storyline.  This manga is a constant battle between good and evil.  A lot of unfortunate events happen to the different characters that help to form who they are and how they act.  There is a lot of action and subtle romance throughout the series.  The cartoon anime series is very closely based on the manga.

Awards:
Shogakukan Manga Award for best shōnen title of the year (2002)

Similar Materials: Fruits Basket [My Review]; Naruto Series Anime & Manga;

Fruits Basket (Anime Cartoon)

Daichi, A, & Miyazaki, N. (Directors). (2001). Fruits Basket [DVD]. Tokyo, Japan: FUNImation Entertainment.

Takaya, N. (1999). Fruits basket. Los Angeles, CA: Tokyopop. Vol. 1 ISBN: 9781591826033

Interest Level: 10 to 18
Subjects/Themes: Shojo Manga, Anime, Friendship, Orphans, Fantasy, Romance
Running Time: 26 episodes; 21 minutes each
Rating: Unrated

Plot: After her mother's death, Tohru Honda begins living in a tent in the woods in order to stay in school while her grandfather's house is being remodeled.  She also works part-time cleaning office buildings in order to pay for her tuition.  She had promised her mother that she would finish school no matter what.  Yuki Sohma, the most popular guy in her high school, discovers Yuki's living conditions and invites her to live with him and his cousins.  In return for room and board, Tohru cooks and cleans the house.  Unfortunately, the Sohma family is cursed.  As a result of the curse they turn into the animals of the Chinese Zodiac when under extreme stress or when hugged by the opposite sex as Tohru quickly finds out.  Tohru promises to keep their secret.  If Tohru fails in some way, then the head of the Sohma family will demand that her memory and therefore her firendship with the Sohma family be permently erased.      

Personal Thoughts: This anime is extremely uplifting as well as being sweetly sad.  The characters are dealing with inner turmoil and trying to make the best of life.  Tohru is an extremely uplifting personality, without being stupidly naive or fake.  She's mourning her mother's death, struggling to find her identity, and despite everything trying to do what's right.  Throughout the series different themes about self-identity, bullying, standing up for yourself, speaking your mind, and friendship are explored.  The boys in the series are strong academic as well as martial art students.  The Sohma family is full of dark secrets, most of which are only hinted at during the story.

Notes: This review is based mostly on the anime series and not the manga series.  The anime is closely based on the first eight volumes of the manga series.  The manga series has 23 volumes total.

Awards (for Manga version):
Kodansha Manga Award in the shōjo manga category (2001)
American Anime Awards "Best Manga" (2007)
Animage Anime Grand Prix Award (2001)

Similar Materials: Sailor Moon cartoon series; Tokyo Mew Mew manga series;

High School Musical (DVD)

Schain, D. (Producer), Ortega, K. (Director), & Barsocchini, P. (Writer). (2006). High school musical [DVD]. Burbank, CA: Walt Disney Home Entertainment.

Interest Level: Ages 8 to 18
Rating: G
Running Time: 98 minutes
Subjects/Themes: High School, Friendship, Cliques, Athletes, Musical,

Plot: Troy, a high school basketball star, and Gabriella, an academic genius, meet on New Year's Eve and perform a karaoke duet.  A week later they meet again at school where Gabriella is new.  The friendship that they started on New Year's Eve continues and they end up auditioning for the school musical to the shock of all their friends.  Their friends want don't want either of them wasting their time on the musical and try and sabotage their relationship.  Meanwhile Sharpay and Ryan, the top drama students, are also out to stop them. 

Personal Thoughts: This is a corny but great movie.  The acting is way over the top.  The characters and cliques are exaggerated.  And yet it totally works.  Which is probably why there are two sequels.  The songs are cute and catchy.  There are also some good themes relating to friendship, expectations, and peer pressure.  I really liked the "status quo" song about not doing only what everyone expects of you.  Troy and Gabriella start a revolution in their school by being the first to do the unexpected and what they love to do.  A Must See Movie for tweens and teens of all ages.     

Sequel: High School Musical 2 (2007); and High School Musical 3: Senior Year (2008);