Graphic Novels
The leak : for the love of truth
Kate Reed Petty
jGRAPHIC NOVEL Petty
Graphic Novels, Kids
"Ruth Keller is brash and precocious; she argues with her dentist, her parents, and her teachers. So, when she discovers a strange black slime in the man-made lake of her suburban neighborhood, she decides to investigate. Fortified by the encouragement of those around her, Ruth seeks the truth at all costs, even if it means taking on the rich local country club owner, who she believes is responsible for the pollution. Between the teasing of former friends, and a sudden viral spotlight, Ruth discovers how difficult it is for a journalist to take a stand for what's right in the face of critique and controversy. From writer Kate Reed Petty and illustrator Andrea Bell, comes a story about corruption, pollution, and freedom of the press, and the young journalist at the center of it all."--Provided by publisher.
Nightwing
Tom Taylor
COMIC Nightwing 2016 Taylor
Graphic Novels
"Nightwing is back-and his drive to keep Blüdhaven safe has never been stronger! But his adoptive city has elected a new mayor with the last name Zucco. When Nightwing enlists Batgirl's help in investigating the politician bearing the same name as the man who murdered his parents, she unearths details that will shock and fundamentally change the hero. Dick Grayson's big heart has protected those persecuted by bullies in his youth, combated evil alongside Batman as Robin, and pledged his newly inherited wealth to enriching Blüdhaven as Nightwing. His kindness and generosity have always guided his life. But now a new villain stalks the back alleys, removing the hearts of the city's most vulnerable. Who is this terrifying new menace named Heartless, and will he be able to resist plucking out the biggest heart in all of Blüdhaven?"--
Before reading this, I hadn't read a superhero comic in... *checks Goodreads* over a year. They, for whatever reason, didn't appeal to me during the ongoing pandemic. What it took to get me back was a writer I like writing my FAVORITE superhero. Nightwing: Leaping Into the Light by Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo is exactly what I wanted: More character work than fighting and playful, energetic art. It's a perfect jumping on point if you've never read a comic about Dick Grayson. I highly recommend it. -Brian
Marshmallow & Jordan
Alina Chau
jGRAPHIC NOVEL Chau
Graphic Novels
"Jordan's days as the star player for her school's basketball team ended when an accident left her paralyzed...Now, she's still the team captain, but her competition days seem to be behind her...until an encounter with a mysterious elephant, who she names Marshmallow, helps Jordan discover a brand new sport. Will water polo be the way for Jordan to continue her athletic dreams--or will it just come between Jordan and her best friends on the basketball team?"--
I was instantly drawn to this graphic novel when I saw it on the bookmobile shelf. The illustrations are bright, bold and beautiful and the characters are loveable immediately. I love how strong the protagonist is and that the reader learns about Hindu and Indonesian culture, as well as some exciting sports moments. Plus the elephant Marshmallow is SO CUTE. -Mari
Witches of Brooklyn
Sophie Escabasse
jGRAPHIC NOVEL Escabasse Witches
Graphic Novels
"Effie moves to Brooklyn to live with her strange aunt and soon discovers that she might be a witch"--
I am beyond obsessed with these aunts! I love the illustration style and the story moves really quickly, just picked up the sequel "What the Hex?!" and can't wait to dive in! -Mari
Himawari House
Harmony Becker
GRAPHIC NOVEL Becker
Graphic Novels, Read Woke
"When Nao returns to Tokyo to reconnect with her Japanese heritage, she books a yearlong stay at the Himawari sharehouse. There she meets Hyejung and Tina, two other girls who came to Japan to freely forge their own paths."--Provided by publisher.
Incredible design, a wide breadth of illustration styles, strong female friendships, humor, and polyglots adjusting to life abroad. Himawari House is a delectable slice of life through and through! -Casey
The legend of auntie Po
Shing Yin Khor
jGRAPHIC NOVEL Khor
Graphic Novels, Historical Fiction
"Aware of the racial tumult in the years after the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act, Mei tries to remain blissfully focused on her job, her close friendship with the camp foreman's daughter, and telling stories about Paul Bunyan--reinvented as Po Pan Yin (Auntie Po), an elderly Chinese matriarch"--
I loved the story, the characters, the illustration style and the historical context. -Mari
Seek you : a journey through American loneliness
Kristen Radtke
155.92 Radtke
Science, Graphic Novels, Memoir
"When Kristen Radtke was in her twenties, she learned that, as her father was growing up, he would crawl onto his roof in rural Wisconsin and send signals out on his ham radio. Those CQ calls were his attempt to reach somebody--anybody--who would respond. In Seek You, Radtke uses this image as her jumping off point into a piercing exploration of loneliness and the ways in which we attempt to feel closer to one another. She looks at the very real current crisis of loneliness through the lenses of gender, violence, technology, and art. Ranging from the invention of the laugh-track to Instagram to Harry Harlow's experiments in which infant monkeys were given inanimate surrogate mothers, Radtke uncovers all she can about how we engage with friends, family, and strangers alike, and what happens--to us and to them--when we disengage."--
A great mixture of autobiographical and social science examination. I loved this unique graphic format and felt very relevant in the pandemic world with more isolation. -Mari
Through the woods
Emily Carroll
GRAPHIC NOVEL Carroll
Graphic Novels, Horror
"A collection of five spine-tingling short stories"--
A journey Through the Woods is not for the faint of heart. Here you'll find perfectly lovely and horrifying original fairytales, just right for the fall season. -Casey
The Tea Dragon Society
Katie (Cartoonist) O'Neill
jGRAPHIC NOVEL O'Neill
Graphic Novels
After discovering a lost Tea Dragon in the marketplace, apprentice blacksmith Greta learns about the dying art form of Tea Dragon caretaking from the kind tea shop owners.
Katie O'Neill's Tea Dragon series is lovely and a great read to warm you up! I'm excited to start this series all over again. -Casey
Yorick and Bones
Jeremy Tankard
jGRAPHIC NOVEL Tankard Yorick
Graphic Novels
"Yorick is a skeleton who was just dug up after a few hundred years of sleep. He speaks like it too. 'Forsooth, my joy, I barely can contain!' Bones is the hungry dog who did the digging. Though he cannot speak, he can chomp. What will become of these two unlikely companions? Will Yorick ever find the friend he seeks? Will Bones ever find a tasty treat that does not talk back? The course of true friendship never did run smooth."--Provided by publisher.
Dost thou seek a true and worthy friend? I fain would give thee Bones, the dog most loyal. And a skeleton, as yet undead. -Casey
Join Ruth as she uncovers a shocking pollution scandal in her town and persists in trying to get to the bottom of it despite setbacks and discouragement. A nuanced look at the tough work of journalism (Ruth makes some mistakes along the way and learns that not everything is black-and-white, good-versus-evil), the book remains accessible to young readers. You'll want to stand up and cheer for Ruth's courage and commitment to freedom of the press, justice, and protecting her town and its citizens. The blocky illustrations with slightly fuzzy, crayon-like outlines are so satisfying visually as well. -Anne W