Treasure Island

Title: Treasure Island: The Graphic Novel
Author: Tim Hamilton

ISBN: 978-1-59961-119-8

Publisher: Spotlight Puffin Books

Copyright Date: 2005

Genre: Classic, Graphic Novel

Reading Level/Interest Age: 13-18

Awards: none

Plot Summary: When Jim Hawkins finds a treasure map he goes off in search of the buried treasure but not without battling Long John Silver and a few other pirates first.

Critical Evaluation: These black and white illustrations are reminiscent of newspaper comic strips – laid out in separate square and rectangle boxes. Although the lack of color is slightly disappointing – these pencil and ink illustrations succeed in animating this story and bringing it to life. Most of the characters faces are not displayed in much detail, giving the reader pause when the occasional detailed close-up is featured — only a handful of times throughout the novel.

Reader's Annotation: The treasure map adventure of Jim Hawkins and the pirates.
Booktalking Ideas: Adventure

Challenge issues if any: Some violence, but mostly in the spirit of sword fighting and adventure.

Why did you include this book: High School students might prefer this graphic adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson original novel for the simple fact that it is illustrated, and teachers can feel confident that it retains much of the original text. This version would also be beneficial in an art class, as students can analyze the techniques that Hamilton graciously shares at the back of the book. Readers will see the several stages the artwork goes through before it is final, as well as view some of the photographs of the muses that the illustrations were modeled after.
Quote: I now felt for the first time the joy of exploration. The isle was uninhabited; my shipmates I had left behind, and nothing lived in front of me but dumb brutes and fowls.

Graceling

Title: Graceling
Author: Kristin Cashore
Author's Website: http://kristincashore.blogspot.com/

ISBN: 978-0-15-206396-2

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Copyright Date: 2008

Genre: Fantasy

Reading Level/Interest Age: 15-18

Awards: Booklist starred, 2008. Publisher's Weekly starred, 2008. Kirkus Reviews starred, 2008.

Plot Summary: Katsa, the niece of a King, has an exceptional skill in being able to kill anyone with her bare hands. This skill, coupled with her two toned eyes, mark her as a Graceling. Unbeknownst to her uncle, she protects the innocent throughout the seven kingdoms. When she meets Po, a mind reader, the two pair together to save multiple kingdoms from evil Graceling, Leck.

Critical Evaluation: Cashore moves the story along with great speed. While this book quickly becomes a page turner, there is a lack of development and a certain level of predictability. 

Reader's Annotation: Katsa and Po, two Gracelings with the skill to read minds and kill, help protect the kingdoms with which they live. 

Booktalking Ideas: Good vs. Evil
Challenge issues if any: There is some level of violence, however Katsa goes out of her way to try and avoid killing anyone.

Why did you include this book: This is a fast paced fantasy story, one that takes you out of the everyday world and into one where more things are possible. 
Quote: "They would all say, when they woke to their headaches and their shame, that the culprit had been a Graceling boy, graced with fighting, acting alone. They would assume she was a boy, because in her plain trousers and her hood she looked like one, and because when people were attacked it never occurred to anyone that it might have been a girl."

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.

The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins

Title: The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins
Author: Barbara Kerley
Author's Website: www.barbarakerley.com

ISBN: 978-0-439-11494-3

Publisher: Scholastic

Copyright Date: 2001

Genre:  Non-fiction

Reading Level/Interest Age: 15-18

Awards: Booklist, 2007. Caldecott Medal Honor, 2002. School Library Journal, 2001.

Plot Summary: The true story of Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins – one of the first to create life size molds of dinosaurs in 1853. This story is entertaining and educational at the same time. Not only will readers learn how Waterhouse created his molds, but it could also inspire a passion in students for paleontology or a similar scientific realm. Readers instantly like Waterhouse and will feel equally invested in the molds that were destroyed when he comes to America. Readers are also provided with significant information at the back of the book including extensive author and illustrator notes.

Critical Evaluation: These gorgeous, vibrantly colored illustrations are truly what bring this story to life. Although meant for an older audience, both older and younger readers will be drawn to these stunning paintings. Selznick even includes a couple of double page spreads with no text at all. Readers will want to linger on each page and soak up as much of the intricate detail as they can.

Reader's Annotation: The true story of Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins – one of the first to create life size molds of dinosaurs in 1853.

Booktalking Ideas: architecture, dinosaurs

Why did you include this book: This non-fiction tale brilliantly depicts a true story very rarely taught in schools. Although meant for an older audience, both young and old readers will find the story and illustrations compelling.

Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verse

Title: Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verse
Author: Marilyn Singer
Illustrator: Josee Masse
Author's Website: marilynsinger.net

ISBN: 978-0-525-47901-7

Publisher: Dutton Childrens Books

Copyright Date: 2010

Genre: Poetry

Reading Level/Interest Age: 15-18

Awards: Booklist, 2010. Horn Book, 2010. School Library Journal, 2010. ALA Notable Book, 2010.

Plot Summary: This absolutely genius book shares poems about popular fairy tales such as Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty etc. and then shows the same poem in reverse (bottom to top) which presents a very different meaning. Each page is dedicated to a different poem and its reversed version – dubbed the “reverso” by Singer. Students will be amazed at what a difference punctuation can make in the meaning of a sentence as reversos only allow changes in punctuation and capitalization.

Critical Evaluation: These brightly colored illustrations are just as impressive as the creative dueling poems. Each gorgeous illustration is split down the middle depicting both meanings – but somehow each illustration is seamlessly appears as one. An exceptionally noteworthy illustration shows a happy red riding hood, running through the forest eating berries. On one half of the page we see a sly, hungry looking wolf who somehow morphs into forest trees on the second half of the page.

Reader's Annotation: A collection of poems that are shown reversed – which then reveals an entirely new poem.

Booktalking Ideas: Poetry, Punctuation

Why did you include this book: This book serves as an excellent introduction to poetry.
Quote: A beast can love beauty.

Daughter of Smoke & Bone

Title: Daughter of Smoke & Bone
Author: Laini Taylor

Author's Website:

ISBN: 978-0-316-13402

Publisher: Little Brown

Copyright Date: 2011

Genre:  Fantasy

Reading Level/Interest Age: 15-18

Awards: Children's Choice Book Award Nominee for Teen Choice Book of the Year (2012),  Andre Norton Award Nominee for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy (2011)

Plot Summary: A talented art student living in Czechoslovakia who has always felt different from her peers, accidentally discovers how unusual she really is.  By traveling through a magical door which opens onto any street in the world, Karou has spent her young life running strange errands to purchase teeth for her adopted family, a family of creatures who resemble monsters but who treat her kindly and rear her with love.  Her life changes on one such trip to Morocco when a beautiful Angel tries to slay her.  Her search to understand why leads her to question what is good and evil, beauty and ugliness, angelic and demonic, but mostly, where she fits in.
Critical Evaluation: This is a rich, satisfying fairy tale of a book where "good" and "bad" are not what they first seem;  Beautiful angelic conquerors can be demonic in their actions and the monstrous creatures pressed into slavery can be as pure-of-heart as angels, but only if the world is seen with eyes truly open.

Reader's Annotation: Can Karou find out the truth about who she is, where she came from, what and who are truly good in her world and what is worth fighting the save.

Booktalking Ideas: The nature of good and evil, seeing beyond the surface, worlds at war

Challenge issues: A few references to religion that might be offensive to some and a few religious terms used like demon and angel, though they aren't used in a religious context.  Discreet sexual scene that is still appropriate for older teen readers.
Why did you include this book: The writing is so lyrical, rich and atmospheric, but still accessible to readers of this age, that this is a must-read.  Unusual locations in Czechoslovakia and Morocco.
Quote: "Once upon a time, a little girl was raised by monsters. But angels burned the doorways to their world, and she was all alone."

The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain

Title: The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain
Author: Peter Sis
Author's Website: www.petersis.com

ISBN: 978-0-374-34701-7

Publisher: Frances Foster Books

Copyright Date: 2007

Genre:  Fiction

Reading Level/Interest Age: 15-18

Awards: Horn Book, 2008. Caldecott, 2008. Booklist, 2007. School Library Journal, 2007. ALA Notable Books, 2008

Plot Summary: This book is narrated by very simple one text sentences. However, the illustrations themselves each have (what can almost be described as) a caption. This is where the real information lies – information about the influence of Western Culture, and important dates in the soviet union’s history. The story is broken up by informational timelines from Sis’s personal journal. Also breaking up the story are colorful double page spreads. This simply told story is powerful in its impact, and teenagers are sure to identify with the themes of rebellion, fear and art.
Critical Evaluation: Most of the panels are created in black and white with only one or two colored accents which help to draw in the reader’s eye. The double page spreads however, are bursting in color, one in particular illustrates two members of the Beatles playing guitar on sunny green hills with other bits and pieces of Western Culture scattered throughout: Allen Ginsberg, Harlem Globetrotters etc. Sis easily highlights the contrast between Czechoslovakia and the West just by use of color (or lack thereof).

Reader's Annotation: The true story of what life was like growing up in a communist Czechoslovakia and how America influenced Peter's life.Booktalking Ideas: Telling stories through illustration, communism, activism

Why did you include this book: This book shares some brief communist history in a unique and interesting way through text and illustrations.

Quote: "A group of guys with long hair meet in front of the National Museum and get chased by the police. When they are caught, the police pull out scissors and give them haircuts."