Rapunzel’s Revenge by Shannon and Dean Hale is another graphic novel that caught my attention. Rapunzul is not your traditional damsel in distress. She lives in the American Wild West and does not require any rescuing. She comes across Jack, yes from the beanstalk, to join her in her quest. This is not your mother’s fairy tale! The beautiful artwork helps to tell a story that will become a sure fire favorite!
I am beginning to enjoy graphic novels, as long as they are written and illustrated as well as this! I enjoyed this book because of the empowerment of Rapunzel and the inferences to traditional fairy tales.
Review:The dialogue is witty, the story is an enticing departure from the original, and the illustrations are magically fun and expressive. Knowing that there are more graphic novels to come from this writing team brings readers their own happily-ever-after.–Cara von Wrangel Kinsey, New York Public Library --Cara von Wrangel Kinsey (Reviewed September 1, 2008) (School Library Journal, vol 54, issue 9, p214)
What a great book to compare and contrast with the original Rapunzel tale. The illustrations can also be studied and appreciated. This is a book that would attract both boys and girls. Students could use this story as an inspiration to write or draw their own versions of characters from other fables and fairy tales.
A Kick in the Head by Paul Janeczko explores the world of poetry. The book provides a collection of different types of poems, from shape poems to haiku.
What a delight to read! I enjoyed every page and laughed out loud.
This book is a wonderful teaching tool for younger and older students. Younger students can simply enjoy the poetry and play with different types of oral language. The older students can also enjoy the poetry orally, but extend their learning by trying their hands at writing different types of poetry. This book would be a good model for teachers to use while writing with this form.
Review: Readers will have the good fortune to experience poetry as art, game, joke, list, song, story, statement, question, memory. A primer like no other.–Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library --Wendy Lukehart (Reviewed March 1, 2005) (School Library Journal, vol 51, issue 3, p230)
The poems in this book are great for a lower grade storytime, but also for writing with the older grades. This book explores the types of poetry and the forms of each. Students can use their language skills to develop poetry on their own, modeled after this book. Students could also use math skills by voting on their favorite type of poem or favorite poem.
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang is a graphic novel with three tales that are interwoven. The first tale is a of the Monkey King which comes from a familiar Chinese fable. The second tale is of Jin, a Taiwanese born émigré. The third tale is of Danny and unexpected origin. All three are uncomfortable with who they are. The mixings of their stories provide a good life lesson.
I am not one to read graphic novels, but after getting over the influx of visual information, I began to appreciate the genre more. This cultural story provides a look at stereotypes that can open up a discussion between students. The illustrations and colors of the book make the story come alive.
Review: As alienated kids go, Jin Wang is fairly run-of-the-mill: he eats lunch by himself in a corner of the schoolyard, gets picked on by bullies and jocks and develops a sweat-inducing crush on a pretty classmate. And, oh, yes, his parents are from Taiwan. This much-anticipated, affecting story about growing up different is more than just the story of a Chinese-American childhood; it's a fable for every kid borninto a body and a life they wished they could escape. The fable is filtered through some very specific cultural icons: the much-beloved Monkey King, a figure familiar to Chinesekids the world over, and a buck-toothed amalgamation of racist stereotypes named Chin-Kee. Jin's hopes and humiliations might be mirrored in Chin-Kee's destructive glee or the Monkey King's struggle to come to terms with himself, but each character's expressions and actions are always perfectly familiar. True to its origin as a Web comic, this story's clear, concise lines and expert coloring are deceptively simple yet expressive. Even when Yang slips in an occasional Chineseideogram or myth, the sentiments he's depicting need no translation. Yang accomplishes the remarkable feat of practicing what he preaches with this book: accept who you are and you'll already have reached out to others. (Sept.) --Staff (Reviewed June 12, 2006) (Publishers Weekly, vol 253, issue 24, p36)
American Born Chinese can be used in a variety of ways. Research on Chinese cultural and immigration to the United States, Chinese fables, and even anime’ could be done in the library and enhanced by this book. Character education could also be taught with this book. Getting comfortable with who you are is one typical topic for teens. Because of some of the language and stereotypical themes, I would use this book with middle school and higher.
