Meanwhile

Title: Meanwhile
Author: Jason Shiga
Author's Website: www.shigabooks.com

ISBN: 978-0-8109-8423-3

Publisher: Amulet Books

Copyright Date: 2010

Genre:  Graphic Novel

Reading Level/Interest Age: 15-18

Awards: Booklist, 2010. ALA Notable Books, 2010. School Library Journal, 2010.

Plot Summary: A graphic novel version of a choose-your-own-adventure book about a young boy who enters an ice cream shop. The flavor he chooses is only the start of his fate.
Personally, I found this book to be slightly confusing. Each glossy page has a tab that can take you to a page further along in the book, or you follow a specific colored line to the following page. Quite a few of the paths lead you back to where you started, and there are quite a few dead ends. Once you gather your bearings on how the book works, readers will appreciate the unique story lines and teenagers will enjoy having the authority to choose their path.

Critical Evaluation: These simple, brightly colored cartoon illustrations are reminiscent of the Simpsons. Each small illustration is within a box, with several boxes to a page, very similar to a regular graphic novel. The captions all appear in white bubbles within the box and instead of reading them from left to right, readers need to follow the tubes (some leading up, then right, then down and then backwards).

Reader's Annotation: A graphic novel version of a choose-your-own-adventure book about a young boy who enters an ice cream shop. The flavor he chooses is only the start of his fate.

Booktalking Ideas: Graphic Novels and how illustrations help move the story along.
Why did you include this book: I included this book for the graphic novel fans, as well as students who are weary of graphic novels. I assumed that a choose-your-own-adventure would be a good start.