Great Graphic Novel 2012 - Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol

Brosgol, V. (2011). Anya's Ghost (p. 221). New York, New York: First & Second.

Themes: Family, Friendship, Ghost
Characters: Anya, Dima, Sasha, Anya’s Mom, Siobhan, Emily, Sean, Elizabeth

Summary:

Anya is an ordinary girl except her family is from Russia.  Her mom encourages her to befriend Dima, a fellow Russian student. Anya falls in a hole one day and finds a skeleton. A ghost rises from the skeleton and introduces itself as Emily. Anya escapes the hole and take a piece of Emily’s skeleton with her, unknowingly. At school, Emily reappears and helps Anya pass a biology test. She also helps Anya talks to her crush, Sean.

Sean, Elizabeth (Sean’s girlfriend), Anya, and Emily go to a party and find out that Sean is a creep. She notices Emily changing; her hair and clothes. Anya wants to solve Emily’s murder, so she goes to the library. There, Dima helps Anya find that Emily actually killed her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend. Emily finds out she can move things and injured Anya’s mom. Sasha, Anya returns the bone to the hole and decides to help cover the hole with the help of her fellow classmates.

The major strengths of the book is that you should take your family or your heritage for granted.  Anya is the perfect example of doing this.  It isn't until her mom gets injured, she realizes her love for her mom.

 

Aristotle and Dante by Benjamin A. Saenz

Saenz, B. (2012). Aristotle and Dante discover the secrets of the universe (p. 368). New York: Simon & Schuster.

Themes: Ari (Aristotle), Dante, and their parents

Characters: Identity, Sexuality, Love

Summary:

Ari and Dante are friends that meet one summer at the pool. Dante offers to teach Ari how to swim. Ari is an angry, loner. He came from an estrange family – his brother is a jail, his dad has PTSD. Dante is playful and artistic, coming from a professional family. His dad is a professor of English Lit. The story is about their love for each other. It first starts off as a friendship and grows into lovers. Ari is in denial of his sexuality and his love for Dante. Ari receives a red Chevy truck and takes Dante to the desert and they just talk. Dante uses words Ari has never heard of, it like he’s a new universe. Ari learns how to let go of the anger and he confides to his parents of his love from Dante.

The story hits home on tradition Mexican gender roles. Males are supposed to be machismo (manly and strong) and females are caretakers and housewives.  Homosexuality is still taboo in the Mexican culture. As a Mexican-American, we are taught to have tradition roles in the household. The lesson from the story is that it is okay to be yourself and love who you choose. 

Love in the time of Global Warming by Francesca Lia Block

Block, F. (2013). Love in the time of global warming (p. 240Ne). New York: Henry Holt and.Co

Themes: Love, Adventure, Family, Loss

Characters: Penelope (Pen), Venice, Kronen, Hex, Noey, Ez, Ash, Merk

Summary:
Los Angles has been hit by a severe natural disaster. Pen has lost her family – her parent, Venice (brother) and dog (Argos). She stays in her home and survives on her family’s dooms day food reserve. One day, Merk and his crew brakes into Pen’s home. Merk provides a van and map to find Pen’s family. During Pen’s travels, she meets Hex, Ash and Ez. Their quest to Las Vegas mimics Homer’s The Odessey. They encounters giants, sirens, lotus flowers, and gods. Hex has the Odyessey and they use it as a guide to help them.  Pen has an attraction to Hex, who is a transgener boy. Whenever Pen and her crew were on the right path, monarch butterflies would appear.

I would recommend the second book, Island of Excess Lovers. It is a continuation of the first book, since the ending stops abruptly.

Great Graphic Novels: Will and Whit by Laura Gulledge

Gulledge, L. (2013). Will & Whit (p. 194). New York: Ambulet Paperbacks.

Themes: Grief, Fear, Healing, Friendship

Characters: Wilhelmia (Will), Autumn, Noel, Aunt

Summary:
Will lives with her aunt, who owns an antique shop. Her parents have died in a car crash.  Will is very crafty, she likes to make lamps made of trinkets. We find out she is afraid of the dark. A hurricane, Whitney, come through the town and knocks down the power.  The town does not have any light, and Will is scared, but has to face her fears. She confides to her friends about her fears and her parent’s death.

The lesson from the story is that not everyone is not perfect and some need healing. It also helps children face their fears and helps them deal with their emotions.

Printz Winner - Where thing come back by John Corey Whaley

 
Whaley, J. (2011). Where things come back: A novel (p. 240). New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Themes: Grief, Suicide, Friendship, Family

Characters: Cullen, Cabot, Gabriel, John Barling, Benton, Alma, Lucas

Summary:

The story is about the Witter family and their life in Lily, Arkansas. Cullen is a high school senior who is dealing with his cousin’s death. He and his friend, Lucas, go on a double date with Alma. Alma is recently divorced. Later that night, we find out Cullen’s younger brother, Gabriel, gets kidnap. The news of the kidnapping takes a step back because John Barling has discovered a Lazarus, an extinct bird. At the same time, we learn about Belton. He goes to Ethiopia on missionary. He return and attends the University of Atlanta. He meets Cabot, his new roommate and Alma’s boyfriend. He and Alma get married because of a pregnancy scare. During Christmas, Belton commits suicide. Cabot goes through Belton’s things and is convinced he need to do God’s work.  Alma files for divorce and moves back home, Lily, Arkansas.

Cabot follows her and finds out she is dating Culler. Cabot attempts to kidnap Culler but kidnaps Gabriel. As Cabot and Gabriel are waiting, a news caption read “No chances in Lily, Arkansas.” Cabot takes that as a sign and return Gabriel.

I would recommend the age group for this book to be 14 – 18. The book does contain violence and suicide.

 

Printz Winner - Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedwick

Sedgwick, M. (2013). Midwinterblood (p. 272). New York: Roaring Brook Press.

Themes: Reincarnation, Love, Death, Life

Characters: Eric (Eric Seven, Eric Carlsson, Erika, Eirik, King Eirikr), Merle (Melle and Queen Melle), Tor (Thorolf), Edward, David, Bridget, Gunner, Henrik, Rebecka, Benjamin, Nancy, Isabella, Mat, Maya, Jane, Wulf

Summary:

The story is divided into seven sections. In each section, Eric and Merle are, in some way, interconnected and love each other. The story starts in 2073 and ends in the 10 century.

 It starts with Eric Seven who is sent on assignment to research the island called Blessed. He meets Merle and is immediately drawn to her. He ends up on a stone table able to be killed. In part 2, an archeologist named Edward is looking for Viking remains. He meets Eric and his mother Merle. He finds a grave with two bodies holding each other. Part 3, introduces Lt. David Thompson who parachuted from his plane. He meets Rebecka, Erik and Benjamin, who take care of him and his broken ankle.  Erik demands David to burn everything because soldiers are looking for him. He manages to save his wallet, containing a picture of his daughter Merle. At the end Erik is killed and David returns to his daughter which he outlives.

Part 4 is about Merle and her mother Bridget who live on Blest Island. Merle is curious about a church in the western part of the island. Eric Carlsson, a famous painter, lives there. Merle and her mother take care of him. He is currently painting Midwinterboold, a painting of a king on a stone table being sacrificed. On day, Bridget checks on Eric and finds him death with a paintbrush in his hand.  He has painted Merle into the picture. Part 5 is a story of two twins. Their mom, Laura, tells them a tail of two lovers that are forbidden to be together. The children are so scared they go downstairs and find the real Laura. A ghost had recited that story. The real Laura recognizes the story, but it was two females (Erika and Merle) who were in love. In part 6, Melle is reminiscing about her past. Her dad and uncle (Wulf and Tor) come home from a voyage. She and her twin brother, Eirik, find out that Tor is their biological father. Wulf kills Tor and he becomes a vampire. One night, Eirik goes missing. Melle thinks Tor and Eirik are in a grave holding each other. In the last part, King Eiriki is ready to sacrifice himself to save his kingdom from crop failure. As he dies, he asks his Queen (Melle) to follow him because he will live seven lives . She says yes.

Teachers can use the book in meaning ways. You can have the students create a “family tree” showing how these characters are connected. They can also write another story of Eric and Merle and try their previous encounter in some way or form.

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

Westerfeld, S., & Thompson, K. (2009). Leviathan (p. 440). New York: Simon Pulse.

Themes: WWI, Courage, Science

Characters: Deryn (Dylan), Prince Alek, Dr. Nora Barlow, Wildcount Volger, Otto Klopp, Hoffman, Bauer, Jasper, Tazza

Summary:

Prince Alek is from Austria who has recently become an orphan.  Volger, his trusty fencing coach, and Otto, his master of mechanics, take Alek from his room to escape the Germans. Deryn is a girl who is dying to become a pilot for the British Air Service, but her gender is stopping her.  Her brother, Jasper, helps her dress as a boy and helps Deryn (Dylan) accomplish her dream. During her flight, a storm is approaching and the Huxley (jellyfish-like ship) started to fall. The Leviathan, a massive ecosystem ship, attempts to save them by tossing a rope. She joins the crew of the Leviathan.

Later, the ship crashes where Alek and his men were hiding in an hour castle. Deryn and Alek met and immediately Deryn know something is wrong. Captain Hoffes informs the crew they have to let the Leviathan go in order to save the crew. Deryn follow Alek to the castle and see a walker (Alek’s crew) coming towards them. Deyrn holds Alek as hostage and demands food in exchange. Volger agrees and Dr. Barlow goes with the clankers. The next day, they see two German zeepplins. During the battle, Alek stands in front of the walker and reveals himself a prince. The Leviathan’s engines are destroyed, Alek comes up with the idea of replacing it with the engine from the walkers. As the Leviathan adapts to the new engine, she comes back better than ever.

Since the book is the part of a trilogy, I would recommend reading the second and third book. The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman is also a steampunk book filled with adventure