Miss Annie: Freedom (Book 1)

Title: Miss Annie: Freedom (Book 1)
Author: Frank Le Gall

Illustrator: Flore Balthazar & Robin Doo
Publisher: Graphic Universe

Copyright: 2011

Price: $29.27

ISBN: 978-0-7643-7884-6
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Summary and Quick Thoughts: Four month old kitten Miss Annie thinks she’s all grown up. She’s determined to get outside and somehow, someday she will. Until then, she’s going to defend the house (from leaves) and chat with her best friend, a mouse, she dubs Keisha after Sarah’s (one of her humans) best friend. Miss Annie does get outside, only to discover that freedom isn’t exactly what she thought it was.

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Recommended Audience: upper elementary (due to events in book 2)

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Things to be aware of: N/A
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Further Thoughts: This does not compare to Chi. Do not compare to Chi. This is not Chi who is the most adorable kitten to read about.

Ok, since this isn’t Chi, but another import and another title about a kitten, this one is interesting it its own way. It takes a Charlie Brown view of humans (excepting the way they talk) where we only see their feet, and Miss Annie’s observations of her humans are silly, yet enjoyable. She does get into cat antics, but in a way, they are not as numerous as…a real cat’s world it seems. Obviously, Sarah wanted the cat, but she doesn’t seem to care for it like her parents do. Huh.

This is a full color comic, which helps it, although Miss Annie’s patterns change periodically, which confused me. How is she supposed to be? Tuxedo? Just black and white?

Miss Annie: Freedom is an enjoyable title and might strike a chord in fans of Erin Hunter’s Warriors series. The first book mainly sets the stage, while the second book focuses more on what happens to Miss Annie in the world. It is no Chi’s Sweet Home though, especially in appeal. The first volume is accessible to all ages, but as Miss Annie matures, my thought is that it will immediately change into a title more appropriate to upper elementary and fans of the Warriors series.

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Source: Library copy.

Zoe and Robot: Let's Pretend

Title: Zoe and Robot: Let’s Pretend
Author: Ryan Sias

Illustrator: Ryan Sias
Publisher: Blue Apple Books

Copyright: 2011

Price: $10.99

ISBN: 978-1-60905-063-4
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Summary and Quick Thoughts: Zoe and Robot are going to climb Mt. Pillow, that is if Robot would just pretend. Like many adults, he can’t see what Zoe sees. A pile of pillows is a snow-covered mountain, the fan is a mountain breeze. Not to Robot. Is all lost or will Zoe figure out a way to help logical Robot pretend?

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Recommended Audience: Children, K-3

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Things to be aware of: Nothing.
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Further Thoughts: Robot sees only a pile of pillows. This story is Zoe’s attempts to get Robot to see the mountain. In an age where I think imagination is disappearing, Zoe’s reminder to just pretend something is not what it is reminds us of the pleasures of pretend playing. Also, Zoe reminds us in the first panel not to spend all our time on video games, which is where she finds Robot when she wants to play. She successfully tears him away for adventures.

This is a simple graphic novel (really more of a comic book) for the beginning reader. Pairing pictures, words, and actions, readers can determine the story. Plus, it is a fun story about logic versus imagination. The illustrations are fun and the text simple, making this a great addition to early comic reader collections.

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Bonus:

Source: Library copy.

Nursery Rhyme Comics

Title: Nursery Rhyme Comics
Author: Editor Chris Duffy

Illustrator: Various
Publisher: First Second (:01)

Copyright: 2011

Price: $18.99

ISBN: 978-1-59643-600-8
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Summary and Quick Thoughts: Nursery Rhyme Comics is a collection of 50 artist renditions of popular and unknown nursery rhymes for kids. The introduction discusses the collection and why it was done for parents. The afterward discusses a little more about nursery rhymes. Each spread is about 1 page to 3 pages long, perfect for those who are interested in bite sized readings.

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Recommended Audience: all ages

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Things to be aware of: None.
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Further Thoughts: This title got a lot of buzz before it was released. I remember it being mentioned in a webinar or an article. Kids were getting copies of pages and were getting really excited for the book to come out. It got great ratings and it is easy to see why.

Take your favorite nursery rhyme and think about it. What images does it conjure for you? For the sake of this, I’m going to think about “Hickory Dickory Dock.” When I was a kid, I had a toy of sorts for the rhyme. It was a basic clock with a mouse running up the side, then down. In this collection, “Hickory Dickory Dock” is illustrated with a little mouse whose duty is to ring the bell. That is certainly different than what you may have pictured. That is exactly how Nursery Rhyme Comics goes.

I can’t pick a favorite. I won’t pick a favorite. Each spread has something to love in it from the hint of a recurring rhyme to a completely reimagining of Little Bo Peep (who looks older and smarter than she is typically portrayed). Each comic has something to it from being in the real world, to being in space, to covering different races of children. All walks of life are represented here and I think that really helps this collection. The artists also represented in this work are the best of the best from Craig Thompson of Blankets to Kate Beaton of the web comic “Hark! A Vagrant” to children’s illustrators David Macaulay (those gorgeous building books) and Nick Bruel (of Bad Kitty fame).

Nursery Rhyme Comics has something for everyone and is a winner in the library, especially for those looking to round out their children’s graphic novel sections.

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Source: Library copy.

Scenes from an Impending Marriage

Title: Scenes from an Impending Marriage
Author: Adrian Tomine
Illustrator: Adrian Tomine
Publisher: Drawn & Quarterly
Copyright: 2011
Price: $9.95
ISBN: 978-1-770460-32-8
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Summary and Quick Thoughts: Oh engagement! The next to last step to the marriage that will tie people together until death –or divorce- do they part. In Scenes from an Impending Marriage readers follow along as Sarah and Adrian try to plan their wedding. From guests to DJs to just trying to do things together, planning this wedding is hard. Tomine uses various art styles to evoke their frustrations about wedding planning and also give readers a little inside humor to wedding planning. It’s enjoyable and something I want[ed] on my wedding planning shelf for a little humor (Note: Pretty sure I read this BEFORE my wedding).
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Recommended Audience: Adults
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Things to be aware of: N/A
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Further Thoughts: The adorable cover of the couple rushing to get married (or away from the altar into their new lives together?) does not show you what is inside the book. The little hard cover book tells the story of Adrian and Sarah as they plan their wedding. Anyone who had planned a wedding (or tried to or dreads it) will understand what happens in this collection of strips showing their ups and downs. The humor is perfectly timed and consistent. The art is fun and I enjoyed the different styles used to tell this (Family Circus, Charlie Brown). A perfect gift or must read for the newly engaged.

Well worth the wait and hunting for this book (I heard about it and waited a while before a library got it).
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Source: Library copy.