Review: The Dumbest Idea Ever! by Jimmy Gownley

 
Title: The Dumbest Idea Ever!
Author: Jimmy Gownley
Illustrator: Jimmy Gownley
Publisher: Scholastic Graphix
Copyright: 2014
Price: $11.99

ISBN: 978-0545453479
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Summary and Quick Thoughts: Being a teenager sucks, but for Jimmy, he's having a tough time. First he gets sick and misses school, then he gets sick AGAIN and misses more school. He stops caring about school and starts focusing on his comics. A friend suggests a comic book idea for him, but he decides it's the dumbest idea. Only when his first idea flops, does he give it a chance and lands on possibly the best idea ever. As Jimmy rise in fame, he's also dealing with normal teenage things like first loves and changing friendships.
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Recommended Audience: Middle School
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Things to be aware of: Nothing.
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Further Thoughts:  Jimmy Gownley is probably best known for his Amelia Rules series, which is very popular (it is in my library), so this will probably be snatched up by readers who love the series. To be honest, readers will probably read this because it's a Scholastic middle school slice of life graphic novel with praises from Jeff Smith (Bone), Raina Telgemeier (Smile, Sisters), and Jeff Kinney.

Take all that away though and you have a great biographical story about how Jimmy Gownley's teen years helped him become a graphic novel artist. He shows how he did research, practiced drawing, and had a good support system, including supportive parents. This graphic novel is perfect for any budding artist, writer, or creator to see how Jimmy survived his teen years and made it.

There are a few fantastical elements that help him. Jimmy talks to the Grim Reaper, showing at least twice how he thinks he wants to die, only to realize he wanted to press on. For me, this was a strong point in the story and helped me become invested in it. When it ended, I didn't want it to end. Thankfully there's an afterward that expands on it.


Overall feeling: Cartoonish art, inspiration, slice of life, and teen years combine for a powerful story that begs to be read multiple times and shared with friends. A must have.
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Bonus: Jimmy Gownley is from PA (according to the bio). He spoke at PaLA in 2008.
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Source: Library/Review copy

The Stratford Zoo Midnight Revue Presents: Macbeth

Title: The Stratford Zoo Midnight Revue Presents: Macbeth
Author: Ian Lendler
Illustrator:  Zack Giallongo ; Colors by Alisa Harris
Publisher: First Second (:01)
Copyright: 2014
Price: $12.99
ISBN: 978-1596439153
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Summary and Quick Thoughts: Have you ever wondered what the zoo animals do at night after everyone has left? At the Stratford Zoo, the animals break from their cages and put on a play for each other. On this particular night, readers witness Shakespeare's Macbeth, adapted for a zoo setting, including comments from the audience.
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Recommended Audience: Upper elementary
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Things to be aware of: cartoon violence
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Further Thoughts: Let me just start off that I am not familiar with Macbeth, the play, so I have no idea how close this is to the actual play.

But, let me say that I did enjoy this adaption.

The Lion is Macbeth  He is hungry for something more than a very large hot dog. What he learns is that he's hungry for POWER. Following the prophecy by the three witches, Macbeth spirals downward until finally he is dethroned. The elements of the play are here: key phrases, key characters, key plot points, but there's so much more! Lady Macbeth is a cheetah, a fact lost on her until late in the story and ends up adding to her demise in a swath of bubbles and soap (it's almost comedic). The man who brings down Macbeth is a stork and of the "hard boiled" detective type. There are audience members (mostly two kid monkeys) making comments throughout the story and lots and lots of ketchup.


Overall feeling: A great adaption with comedic timing for a Shakespearean tragedy. A great introduction to Shakespeare's great work Macbeth. I really hope this team adapts more (the last page hints that the next night is Romeo & Juliet).

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Source: Library/Review

Best of the Best Reading 2014

Source: OpenClipart.org

Normally, I don't do "Best of" lists but after seeing a few other librarians saying that they're reading them or just trying to expand on their reading, I decided to join in as well. Why? Mainly because I tend to believe I should read what I find interesting, not what everyone else thinks is cool. I do admit that if a book becomes wildly popular, it is very hard for me to read it during the hype. I have to get to it either before the hype or way, way after the fact.

On the flip side, I'm missing out on a lot of great stuff. Just looking at some Best of lists for Youth books, I've done ok in YA but missed a lot of chapter books and picture books (remember, I'm a Youth Librarian by day). I'm generally aware of what's getting the hype, but don't always read it or I save it for later. So enter my reading the Best of Lists.

Youth

For Youth, I've selected the Notable Children's Books of 2014. It's short and sweet with about 6-10 books in each section. I can do that.

After that, I'm going to try School Library Journal's Best of 2014 list. At 70 books, that seems like a lot, but I'm hoping some ground has been covered in the first list.

Graphic Novels

I really hate to admit I have no idea where to start in finding a "Best of 2014 Graphic Novels List." That's not good and won't do. In the spirit of being a better resource (because if this week showed me anything, it's that people see me as a resource), I started to seek out lists.

To make it easy on myself I've started with these since they cover a lot of the same ground and are sources that the average person might use:

• Publisher's Weekly Best of 2014 Comics List - at 5 books, this should be easy.
• The AV Club's Best Comics of 2014 List - This is their Graphic Novels and Archival list. It's a little more hefty but at a glance, seems to cover some good ground. Plus, Husband is always reading AV Club so...I may have just picked them from name recognition.
• GoodReads Choice Awards: Best Graphic Novels & Comics 2014 - I vote in it. You probably do too. I missed a bunch in their list (as usual). This covers a slightly different ground but a lot in common with the above. Plus I've already read a few! Yay!

Now, if I really feel up to it, I might poke at this list from ComicsAlliance. It looks fun with all their "Best of Categories" but it was originally 5 parts and is a hefty list. I don't want to
overwhelm myself (a bad habit I have) so I'm listing it for you to check out. I will also look at ALA's list for teens when it comes out at the end of the month and will probably grumble about half of it like I usually do.

EDIT (1/13/15): Here's another list to consider: IGN's Best of Comics List.

Will there be reviews of graphic novels? Maybe. It depends. Some I do have on hand because I was already supposed to review them for the county library sysem. If you want to see reviews, let me know either in person on in the comments.

In Real Life by Cory Doctorow & Jen Wang

Title: In Real Life
Author: Cory Doctorow
Illustrator: Jen Wang
Publisher: First Second (:01)
Copyright: 2014
Price: $17.99
ISBN:  978-1596436589
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Summary and Quick Thoughts: The story opens with new-ish to town Anda, still getting used to Arizona. Yes, she misses San Diego, but seems to be settling into Arizona ok. She has friends, plays games, and takes a computer class/club. It is in this computer class/club, Anda is introduced to Coarsegold Online: an MMORPG (massive multiplayer online role playing game...think Minecraft or World of Warcraft or the oldie Runescape*). Anda joins and is sucked into a world of fun until she meets a "gold farmer" who is a low level avatar that collects cool stuff to sell to players. It's a rule breaking issue but when Anda "meets" the boy behind the farmer, she begins to question what she knows.
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Recommended Audience: YA. Middle School and up.
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Things to be aware of: Nothing out of the ordinary.
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Further Thoughts: I want to like this. I really, really do, but all it reminds me of is some "after school special" thing or The Tale of One Bad Rat. Basically, it's a nicely done graphic novel with a message or two.

I felt that the message is beaten over your head quite a bit before you even read the story. First there's the giveaway in the book jacket. Follow that with the intro by Cory Doctorow, which should have come as an afterward if it was needed at all, and at this point, my teen self is whining "stop! I get it. Life isn't fair and blah, blah, blah! I played Runescape. I watch Steam's trading cards during the sales." (Although, funny thing, I don't exactly remember the message except something about exploitation like this happens in all kinds of settings). Either way, I read all this text and thought "teachers will have a field day with this."


I started to read the story. The art is pleasant. Anda is interesting. She's a nerd of sorts and she knows her computer stuff. Then comes the special commercial from Liza McCombs who is from Australia (confusing point later) and "has a special deal for you! Girl gamers, buy the game, pay the monthly fee, and you can be in the special clan that Lizanator has in the game! Since I'm the game's creator, I can do this and we need more girls in this game!"

Ok, how'd she get into the classroom to advertise this and how did the boys feel? Yeah, we need more girl gamers, but how is this even cool in the classroom? Am I just out of touch with what happens in the classroom? And Anda's mom just kinda goes along with it as long as Anda talks to girls her own age? We really need an explanation about how looks are deceiving here. At least Anda is like every teen and just wants on the game.

She gets on, starts playing, and then meets a gold farmer. This is when she starts to realize things are not right in the world. As the story progresses, Anda talks to the gold farmer and finds out he's from China and works in sweatshop-like conditions with little pay. This angers her, so she starts to try to find ways to fix this. In the meantime, her dad's company is having trouble and the factory workers strike. This gives Anda an idea, but just makes the situation a thousand times worse and leads to Anda's banning from the game by Liza who hasn't returned to Australia. Will Anda figure out how to help her new friend in China? Will Liza do something to stop this in her game? Read on to find out.

If you take away all the contextual text, it really makes for a nice story with a few unbelievable parts (to me) like Anda meeting a gold farmer who is a boy from China, not a bot, or how Liza's "deal" for girl gamers is "ok" with everyone**. I also really feel if the foreword was actually an afterword, it'd have a bigger impact. Instead, teen me is freaking out before the story and educator/librarian me is noticing how this can be used as a book discussion book. On the flip side, teens might skip all that text and go straight for the story.

Overall feeling: It was ok. Loved the art.
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*I played Runescape and it was cool for a while. I don't play there any more.

**Granted, this was written before the video gaming drama going on right now, but even then, I'd think at least one guy in the story would be like "wait a minute..."
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Source: Netgalley

Reader's Advisory - SEPLA Workshop Thoughts and Such

For two months now I've been toying with the idea of dusting this place off. I told myself I would think about it...indefinitely because I think I have good ideas that turn out to be too much work and I only have so much time. Also, right now, I really don't need to add something into the mix.

Right now, I'm working on NaNoWriMo and am slated to reach my count by Nov. 23. (Side note:it has been so entertaining/wonderful to see librarians getting into this. I'm happy but it's like shiny and new to librarians but I've been aware of it since 2000-something and this is my second official year participating). Also, I have an orchestra concert this week which means my next two days are this: morning routine, work, hour-ish dinner break, rehearsal until who-knows-when (2-3 hours), NaNoWriMo, with Friday being the concert. (I'm pretty stoked, honestly. We sound great and it is awesome to be part of the community this way). Not to mention, we have a toddler of a 1-year old cat who thinks it is a great idea to do things to get us up between 3-6 AM.

So why now? Why did I decide, "sure, I'm going to give it another go and if it doesn't stick, I seriously need to consider giving up for good?"

I attended PaLA's SEPLA annual meeting and workshop today. Our special guest was Becky from RA for All. At this workshop/meeting, she talked about RA and how we have all the tools to be "virtual superstar librarians." She spoke a lot on "bridging the physical-virtual divide" and brought up lots of points I hadn't considered before. Some points are:

• take your RA in the the library to virtual spaces to create a seamless experience
• keep your voice the same or similar to how you are in real life (something I've been struggling with on this blog) 
• RA really highlights your backlist. The new stuff gets enough attention when it comes out; don't worry about it now.

Other takeaways I had from looking at the blog and from the workshop included blogging for yourself, that the review format I have is very similar to what was on other RA blogs, and well, I have this energy that I want to use now, but can't (not a bad thing. I just would hate to jump in only to discover I have to shift gears quickly).

I honestly started this blog because I always seem to get fellow librarians in real life (irl) saying "You know about graphic novels, can you help me with XYZ." So, I wanted to share what I read. What stopped me recently (apparently in May) is that I was forcing myself to read new stuff and was growing annoyed I couldn't read what I wanted to read that was new because of money (yes, I'm on Netgalley, but when you have a manga fix, Netgalley doesn't always work). I want to buy manga but at $10 a pop with 15 volumes to a series easily vs. my 16 year old cat with asthma (in May it was the 17 year old Orange Cat with cancer who we lost in July) vs. the car REALLY needed new tires vs. music stuff and other stuff, the comic money I had as a teen is just not there (helloooooo adulthood).

But I still read comics and I am currently, sorta on a manga kick. My original intent was to blog about whatever I was reading graphic novel-wise. More recently, I thought I had to read what was new. I also felt that I couldn't cover YA because it is so overdone (in my opinion).

Thinking about the workshop and exploring the blogs today shows me I should just go back to my original intent: covering graphic novels (and YA occasionally). Eventually, I want to cover my idea of a "core collection." I want to index the reviews by titles (OMG). I have a few other ideas too...so...

OK Go - Here It Goes Again from OK Go on Vimeo.