Graphic Novel: Ghosts

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Telgemeier, Raina. 2016. GHOSTS. New York: Graphix. ISBN 0545540629.

PLOT SUMMARY

Catrina, her little sister and her parents are trading their sunny southern California life for one in cool, humid northern California is hopes of making her little sister, Maya’s, life better. Maya has cystic fibrosis and her parents hope that moving to Bahia de la Luna’s ocean air will benefit her health. Catrina is not happy that they are having to uproot their life just for her little sister. After they are settled in their new home they begin to her rumors that their new town is haunted by the friendly ghosts of their neighbor’s loved ones. Catrina doesn’t buy it but her little sister is intrigued. It doesn’t help when they meet Carlos, a boy whose job it is to give people tours of haunted locations. Carlos drags the sisters around the town where they eventually come fact-to-face with a ghost. The ghosts seem friendly enough but Catrina is still suspicious. The girls finally come to terms with their ghostly neighbors when Carlos invites them to the community Day of the Dead festival and meet some new ghostly friends who make Catrina really think about the importance of life and family.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The story of Catrina and Maya will appeal to many young readers. In Ghosts, the character’s deal with themes such as sibling bonds, family, culture and death. Many students will be able to relate to Catrina’s struggle with Maya’s illness. Catrina resents the fact that her family’s life is limited by Maya illness. They must move, Catrina and Maya can’t stay out late, Maya takes expensive breathing treatments. The sisters also must navigate their family’s culture. Their mother is Mexican American while their father is white and each have their own culture and customs.

The setting helps the reader become immersed in the story. Raina Telgemeier does a great job illustrating all the details about the town. Each location has a dreamy quality about it and will keep the reader looking for ghostly faces. Readers are truly able to abandon their own life while reading this story and take up residence in Bahia de la Luna.

Ghosts explores the themes of life and death extensively. Catrina is constantly worried about Maya and has not yet come to terms with the fact that her sister will most likely live a very short life. On the other hand, Maya fully understands her disease and the visits she gets from the ghosts helps her to feel more comfortable about her illness. The end of the book provides you with a satisfying ending when Catrina begins to understand the hard truth about her sister’s illness. Raina Telgemeier writes tells this story with a very distinct style. Her writing allows the reader to connect with the characters, enjoy the scenery and step into the story themselves. 

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

ALA Notable Book for Children

KIRKUS REVIEWS: "Telgemeier's bold colors, superior visual storytelling, and unusual subject matter will keep readers emotionally engaged and unable to put down this compelling tale."

BOOKLIST: "Telgemeier has her finger on the pulse of middle-grade readers, and this might be her best yet."

PUBLISHER’S” WEEKLY: "The story is consistently engaging; the plot is tightly built."

CONNECTIONS

*Students may enjoy exploring the Mexican holiday, the Dia de los Muertos after reading this story.

*Students may want to further research how children like them handle living with a life-changing illness.

*Look for these other graphic novels written and illustrated by Raina Telgemeier:

Telgemeier, Raina. DRAMA. ISBN 0545326990

Telgemeier, Raina. SISTERS. ISBN 0545540607

Telgemeier, Raina. SMILE. ISBN 0545132061

Graphic Novel: Babymouse

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Holm, Jennifer L. & Holm, Matthew. 2005. BABYMOUSE: QUEEN OF THE WORLD. New York: Random House. ISBN 0375832297.

PLOT SUMMARY

Babymouse is a sassy young lady with curly whiskers and big dreams. All Babymouse wants is to be queen of the world and best friends with Felicia Furrypaws, the most popular girl in school. Babymouse is not content with the humdrum of daily life and is constantly daydreaming to pass the time. In her dreams she becomes a princess, sheriff and an astronaut, the stars of their own show.  When Babymouse hears about Felicia’s sleepover party, Babymouse decides she will do anything to get invited. She patiently waits for her invitation but when it never comes, Babymouse is extremely disappointed. She gets her opportunity when Felicia forgets her book report. Babymouse offers to let Felicia turn her in for a grade and in return, Felicia invites Babymouse to her party. All of Babymouse’s dreams have come true. The only down side is that she had already planned to have a sleepover with her friend Wilson. She decides to go the Felicia’s instead and finds out the party is not what she thought. It was extremely boring. Babymouse finally realizes she is the Queen of her own show and doesn’t have to answer to anyone.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Readers will identify with the character of Babymouse. She is raucous, funny and a daydreamer. Students will easily identify with Babymouse attitude towards school and friendships. Many students will find that they have through the same efforts Babymouse must do to become friends with a popular student.

Most of the story takes places in two locations, school and Felicia’s sleepover. Readers will be very familiar with the setting of the story and will not need to suspend belief when reading the story. Scenes in which Babymouse is daydreaming are characterized with black or pink edged pictures. This helps readers understand when Babymouse is leaving behind reality to visit her imagination.

The theme of this book is extremely relatable to students. All Babymouse wants to do is be popular. Many students go through their own school career wanting the same thing. The idea that each person needs to accept themselves as the unique person they are will resonate with readers going through this situation. Friendship also plays a huge part in the theme of the story. Throughout the book, Babymouse ignores her best friend repeatedly to try and gain Felicia’s friendship. Towards the end of the book, Babymouse realizes that having true friends is better than trying to be friends with someone who doesn’t really like you. 

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

BOOKLIST: "Cute, smart, sassy Babymouse is fun and funny, and this book, like its predecessors, will draw reluctant readers as well as Babymouse fans."

THE HORN BOOK: "Nobody puts Babymouse in the corner!"

KIRKUS REVIEW: Young readers will happily fall in line to follow Babymouse through both ordinary pratfalls (“Typical!” is her watchword) and extraordinary flights of fancy—both of which continue in Babymouse, Our Hero

CONNECTIONS

*WINNER 2006 - Gryphon Award

*WINNER 2006 - ALA Notable Children's Book

*WINNER 2006 - New York Book Show Awards

*Students may be interested in watching how Baby Mouse came to be: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UASwbHZVHrY

*Continue Babymouse’s story with these graphic novels:

Holm, Jennifer L. & Holm, Matthew. BABYMOUSE: OUR HERO. ISBN 0375832300

Holm, Jennifer L. & Holm, Matthew. BABYMOUSE: BEACH BABE. ISBN 0375832319

Holm, Jennifer L. & Holm, Matthew. BABYMOUSE: ROCK STAR. ISBN 0375832327

Fantasy: The Graveyard Book

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Gaiman, Neil. 2010. THE GRAVEYARD BOOK. New York: Harper Collins. ISBN 0060530944.

PLOT SUMMARY

The Graveyard Book starts out with a grisly murder. A young boy’s family is killed in their home while he escapes to the nearby cemetery.  A kind, ghostly couple called the Owens decide to adopt him at the request of his dead parents and receives the name Nobody ‘Bod’ Owens because he looks like nobody but himself. He is given the gift of the Freedom of the Graveyard. This allows how to see and speak to ghosts and all manner on fantastical creatures. Silas is a man who is given the task of taking care of Bod. Silas is one of the only characters in the novel who can leave the graveyard. As Bod gets older he becomes more accustomed to all the creatures he meets and comes into contact with. He meets a young girl named Scarlett with whom he becomes friends but she eventually moves away. Bod eventually learns that the creatures and characters in the graveyard are his family and friends but he can’t stay amongst the dead forever. Several events cause Bod to come to terms with the fact that he is not meant for the Graveyard and that he will eventually have to leave and create a new life for himself among the living.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Fans of Tim Burton will love this novel. The setting of the Graveyard will excite many fantasy lovers. The setting really helps to immerse the reader in the creepy story of death, friendship and growing up. The tone of the books eerie as well. Many readers will love Neil Gaiman’s prose and how it is able to transform the reading experience. 

The fantastical elements of the story are also very prevalent. It is hinted throughout the book that Silas is a reformed vampire and Miss Lupescu is a werewolf. The ghoul gate is another aspect of the book that fantasy lovers will enjoy. The living are able to transport themselves to land of the dead.

Neil Gaiman has said multiple times that the Graveyard in the book is a metaphor for a library. Each headstone represents a different character and world that Bod explores. When Bod is learning how to read, the headstones are his books. With the Ghoul Gate, the headstones are literally able to take you on a voyage the same as many say books do.

The Audio book format of this book is a truly fantastical way to consume the story. The audiobook boasts a variety of cast members who perfectly transform you into the story and truly make you feel as if it is you who are living in the graveyard. Each character has their own voice and tone that master their character’s behaviors and motives. Each performer gives you a look into that character’s life and drags you into the magical story.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “The child Bod's behavior is occasionally too precocious to be believed, and a series of puns on the name Jack render the villain a bit less frightening than he should be, though only momentarily. Aside from these small flaws, however, Gaiman has created a rich, surprising, and sometimes disturbing tale of dreams, ghouls, murderers, trickery, and family.”

BOOKMARKS MAGAZINE: “Critics praised each illustrated chapter as its own little gem, with moments both tender and terrifying—and each equally exciting. The Graveyard Book is sure to become a book to last the ages.”

KIRKUS REVIEWS: “Wistful, witty, wise—and creepy. This needs to be read by anyone who is or has ever been a child.”

HORN BOOK: “Lucid, evocative prose and dark fairy-tale motifs imbue the story with a dreamlike quality. …this ghost-story-cum-coming-of-age-novel as readable as it is accomplished.”

CONNECTIONS

*Newberry Medal Winner

*Carnegie Medal Winner

*New York Times Bestseller (over 1 million copies)

*Students may want to listen to this book as an audiobook. The audiobook is read by a full cast including: Neil Gaiman, Derek Jacobi, Robert Madge, Clare Corbett, Miriam Margolyes, Andrew Scott, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Emilia Fox, Reece Shearsmith, Lenny Henry.

*Read another creepy read by Neil Gaiman:

Gaiman, Neil. CORALINE. ISBN 0380807343

Fantasy: Savvy

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Law, Ingrid. 2005. SAVVY. New York: Puffin Books. ISBN 0142414336.

PLOT SUMMARY

Mississippi, Mibs for short, lives in a magical family. Very person in her family gets a magical power, or Savvy, on their thirteenth birthday. The only downside is that they must hide it from the world. In the days prior to Mibs’ birthday her father, Poppa Beaumont, gets injured in an accident that calls her mother and brother and hour away. On the morning of her birthday, Mibs believes she has received the savvy that will allow her to wake things up. In her excitement, she believes that she can wake up her father from his injuries. She sets off on the journey to help her father and unfortunately her brother, Fish, her younger brother, Samson and two friends tag along. The only problem is they make a mistake and end up travelling in the opposite direction from the hospital. On their way to the hospital, Mibs finds out that her savvy is not waking people up but hearing people’s thought when there is ink on their skin. Through a series of misadventures and new friendships, Mibs and her friends are finally able to make it to Poppa Beaumont.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The main theme of growing up is told through the lens of fantasy and magic. Students will enjoy reading what would be just a regular child becomes teen story that is punctuated by magic. Middle School readers will share a lot of feelings with Mibs as she starts on her teenage journey. Mibs must deal with family dynamics, friendships and loyalty all within the secret of her family’s magic.

The bus that the kids travel on serve as the vehicle that moves our story along. Each of the Beaumont kids learns more about their own savvy as they travel along with the bus. Each person and friend on the bus come away with a completely different lesson learned or friendship made. They grow up as the bus trudges along.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

KIRKUS REVIEW: “Law displays both a fertile imagination...and a dab hand for likable, colorful characters...[a] marvel-laden debut.”

PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY: “Law's savvy? She's a natural storyteller who's created a vibrant and cinematic novel that readers are going to love.”

BOOKLIST: “Law's storytelling is rollicking, her language imaginative, and her entire cast of whacky, yet believable characters delightful...wholly engaging and lots of fun.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “With its delightful premise and lively adventure, this book will please a wide variety of audiences, not just fantasy fans...Definitely an author to watch.”

CONNECTIONS

*Newberry Honor Winner

*New York Times Bestseller

*Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Award

*Oprah’s Reading List Pick

*Al Roker's Book Club for Kids Pick

*An ALA Notable Book for Children

*Students may want to have conversations about the importance of family and the unique traditions each family has.

*Read the New York Times bestsellers and companions to Savvy!:

Law, Ingrid. SCUMBLE. ISBN 0142419621

Law, Ingrid. SWITCH. ISBN 0803738625