GROG - The Eternal Smile

Title: The Eternal Smile
Author: Gene Luen Yang and Derek Kirk Kim

Illustrator: Gene Luen Yang and Derek Kirk Kim
Copyright: 2009

Price: $16.95

ISBN: 978-1-59643-156-0
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Summary: In three simple stories by a leading duo, three distinct characters make decisions regarding the reality of their lives. In Duncan’s Kingdom, Duncan and the other knights are challenged to find the Frog King, bring his head to the Princess, and she will marry the winner. Duncan prepares for the quest, but can’t shake a scary dream. In Gran’pa Greenbax and The Eternal Smile, we meet the frog Gran’pa Greenbax (think Disney’s Scrooge McDuck) as he comes up with another money making scheme so that he may have a pool of gold deep enough to dive into without hitting his head. In Urgent Request, Janet Oh receives an e-mail from a “Nigerian Prince” (reminiscent of the e-mail scam) and shares her information and creates a dream world of the Nigerian Prince.
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Thoughts: The Eternal Smile is a beautifully done work with three stories. It took a lot of browsing and reading before I realized that all three stories were connected in the fact that characters were facing realities they knew or did not know about. The Eternal Smile could provide a great book discussion book on the topics of reality and escaping it, especially in the third story. Overall, it was a good read and I enjoyed the work.

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Will Teens Like It? Probably not. If a school was considering purchasing this, I would say provide in a high school collection. It won’t be a high circulating book, but it will provide readers with a book that will make them think.

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Things to be aware of: brief discussion of porn in regards to virtual life/worlds; teen looks at porn (mention); brief mention of abuse
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Bonus: I did not realize that Gene Luen Yang had also won the Eisner Award for American Born Chinese (Printz winner). I was also informed by The Philosopher Musician that American Born Chinese is considered one of the best in the Indie circle.


Read and reviewed a library copy.

And now...

Back to our regularly scheduled graphic novel reviews!

I'm sorry for the lack of updates, but believe me, I have quite a few up my sleeve that you will get a bonus update on Wednesday this week and it looks like next week as well.

Some reasons as to why these have been slow coming:

1. I read many titles at once.
2. School
3. I'm easily distracted by other, pretty books, craft projects or KITTIES.
4. School
5. I write up the reviews and have to wait for The Philosopher Musician to edit the reviews.

Hope you enjoy!

GROG - The Good Neighbors: Book 2 - Kith

Title: The Good Neighbors: Book Two - Kith
Author: Holly Black
Illustrator: Ted Naifeh
Copyright: 2009
Price: $16.99
ISBN: 978-0-439-85563-1
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Summary: Some time has passed since Rue discovered her mother isn’t actually dead. The faerie realm is slipping more and more into the everyday world of the humans. Rue watches as her father changes, her friends change, and most importantly, her boyfriend changes. Determined to discover the truth, Rue slips into the true faerie world and find her mother alive and well, dances with her Grandfather, and learns of his plot to turn the town into a faerie paradise. Rue must determine which side she is on: Human or Faerie?
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Thoughts: While I enjoyed this title, I didn’t find it as gripping as the first book (review to come) for some reason. I suspect that the time between the publishing of the first volume and the second volume was a bit too long for me or it feels like a “middle book” so not a lot of plot occurs. The drawing and writing style is still beautiful, haunting, and high quality despite my lowered enthusiasm. I patiently await the next book in this series as I really don’t know what to expect from it.
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Will Teens Like It? High school, dark fantasy readers, although the format may not appeal to them.
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Things to be aware of: sexual implications: boy caught in van with girl, boyfriend is naked with three faeries. Minor nudity (nothing shown)

Welcome to 2010!

Happy New Year!

Last night I celebrated with a bunch of good friends, and while the night ended a little weakly, the entertainment was fun (although, I currently have some reservations about this). This morning I learned that people are still alive and not too terribly hurt.

In other news, my Twitter feed is alive with information about the CYBIL Finalists being announced. As a Y.A. Librarian, I have to look at the middle school and Y.A. categories. As a comic nerd, I have to look at the Graphic Novel list. Honestly, I like the Middle Grade list and I will be trying to read them (I like lists and always think "I'm going to read those!"). The Y.A. though, I have mixed feelings about. I totally agree with The Dreamer as it was a web comic before a book (and one I discovered through a friends blog layout of all places), but aside from Outlaw (a Junior Library Guild selection), I don't know any of these titles, even the ones that came through my "library filter." They do look interesting though and if I get a chance to read them, I'll post reviews.

Otherwise, expect more reviews in the upcoming year (graphic novels, my YA are posted at the work blog), and now that I'm following CYBIL, I will be finding my favorite graphic novel of 2010 and nominating it.

GROG - Love*Com (Lovely Complex) Volumes 4-7

(Or "The Philosopher Musician thinks plotting is like a glacier" and "Why am I still reading this?")

Title: Love*Com (Lovely Complex) Volumes 4-7
Author: Aya Nakahara
Illustrator Aya Nakahara
Copyright: 2001 (Japan) 2008 (Viz)
Price: $8.99 each
ISBN:
Vol. 4: 978-1-4215-1538-0
Vol. 5: 978-1-4215-1738-4
Vol. 6: 978-1-4215-1739-1
Vol. 7: 978-1-4215-1740-7 (Library copy labeled “Printed in Canada”)
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Summary: Risa and Otani are still the crazy comedy duo in their class with their public fights. While the fights take a more slapstick turn in these volumes, they still seem to only communicate by yelling at each other. In volume 4, everyone but Otani recognizes who Risa has a crush on, but she is still determined. In volume 5, while Risa is feeling bummed by events in the last book, a chance encounter with her and Otani’s favorite musician and his family renews her hope. In volume 6, Otani finally reciprocates her Valentine’s Gift only to get sick the day before. At the pressuring of her friends, she goes to visit him, has her first kiss, only to learn he doesn’t remember it. There is also the introduction of a new rival. In volume 7, Risa tells Otani she is going to quit, once and for all, but he tells her not to. Are her feelings finally being returned?
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Thoughts: Risa and Otani seem to FINALLY become a couple at the end of volume 7, but it is still not confirmed. I’m also finding and not enjoying that Risa is letting herself be yanked around quite a bit and, in some ways, being abused by Otani (physically and emotionally). Risa and Otani seem to be two average middle school students instead of third year high school students. In volume 7, the topic of “going out” is discussed and a must read for anyone wondering what kids these days mean by this. While the verbal and physical abuse on both sides is a bit annoying and slapstick, this is one of the few “clean” romances I’ve seen geared toward high school teens.
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Will Teens Like It? Probably, but mainly those who like romantic comedies.
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Things to be aware of: Surprisingly not much! Slapping, punching, fighting in school, typical teen situations.
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Bonus: The books I reviewed were library copies. 

The Philosopher Musician thinks I’m nuts to keep reading this series. I’ve complained about it a lot because the characters are taking FOREVER to get to become a couple! Yet, I can’t seem to put it down when I start reading.

At least up to volume 7, this is one of the few graphic novels I’d recommend for a school setting as it is clean of language, sexual situations, and nudity. This is very rare in popular manga.

Still Here

I had to put off posting for a while as I had to determine my username for here and for work (wanted them separate). It was possible I was going to have to change this one. Luckly enough, I figured out a new username for there to keep the one here. YAY.

In other news, I'm progressing SLOWLY through Love*Com. Why did I agree to read this one? I mean, I saw a review in passing, started reading it and to me, it's a little better than a soap but he's yanking her around way to much to make me happy. She was sure, confident and then fell in love and is all weak and whiney. UGH. At least volume 7 shows some progress which makes me wonder what volume 8 looks like. Unforutnately, the next batch I'm reviewing is Love*Com 4-7. It is surprisingly clean though and perfect for the teen angst/drama club (I can't stop reading for the drama. The Philsopher Musician is surprised I'm still reading it).

I really have to point you to this post (a good friend of mine). When in doubt about graphic novels, all I can say is read them. Unless you know someone like me who will grab a copy of League [of Extraordinary Gentleman] and say "Oh, here's a naughty bit, oh and this one, and this one..." and show them to you because I've read it. Although, I don't remember the implied stuff like in Wish (which I'll have to re-read).

SLJ Cover - Yet another voice

So, the library book review blogosphere is buzzing with the controversy over School Library Journal's "November Cover."

For a recap, here's the link...with comments from others.

What are this Little Librarian's thoughts on it? Well, thanks to ReadingRants on Twitter, I knew the photo shoot was 1.) during daylight hours and 2.) no drinking was really occuring. Either way, the choice of a bar for the photo still didn't make sense to me until someone mentioned (in the comments) the quote is a play off of a beer ad. To be frank, that was a creative idea and I really enjoyed the "This Blog's for You!" as a hook to get me to look at the article.The article itself is very well written and I gained a lot of new knowledge and resources in preparing this blog ("graphic novel reviews for librarians by a librarian who loves graphic novels and other stuff").

The photo: Well, I really don't have any thoughts on it. As a 20-something librarian, I am not surprised about the drinking side of things. Librarians drink. Only about 10% of the librarians I know don't drink (me included for personal reasons). Think back to the last conference you attended. Think back to the latest SCHOOL librarian conference you attended. Every social event included some sort of drinking event at least once a day. I met a favorite author at a drinking thing. I ran into my mentors at open bar in the hotel lobby. Both at a school librarian conference. On the other hand, at public librarian conferences it seems expected we drink.

Friends, librarians drink (water, beer, wine, tea, coffee, chocolate milk, etc).

Also, who sees SLJ in your school? If you are good about your mail, it goes in a box and you read it in the office because heaven forbid you should be caught reading it at the desk (this is my opinion - I could be wrong, but that's me). Also, the only people who see this professional title are other teachers and yourself. Students generally don't know it exists. Believe me on this one. Photos don't influence children and teens to drink, people do. Besides, by the time a child is six, they know about bars and drinking. How they understand that is different. In my opinion, the cover is harmless and at first glance, you don't know it's a bar, especially from a distance. Heck, I had to search for the martinis because I didn't realize they were there.

In fact, the children's librairan and myself discussed this cover and we were saying "Who do you think is the more friendly person?"

If you have a problem with the cover, I am going to be blunt: wake up. Realize we are human and realize we drink. Realize that the "tea-drinking" librarian is a stereotype and it's time to move on or you'll be left behind.