what took me so long?

We're just tipping into the first full week of summer and I've been to the public library three times. This is good. Summer reading is an activity that all my kids and I enjoy. I have to thank my daughter Jenna for bringing home a really great graphic novel: The Secret Science Alliance and the Copycat Crook.

Usually, I don't read the comic books, junior manga or graphic novels that my kids bring home. I'm delighted that they are reading them.....but graphic novels slow me down. I don't want to have to look at all the pictures to get the story. I just want to read the words and get the story that way.

The Secret Science Alliance and the Copy Cat Crook was different in that once I started reading it I just settled into the fun of the story of three kids with passions for science and inventing. Greta, Ben and Julian are all science-nuts....so much so that they try to hide it so as not to be considered too geeky by their peers at school. The three work on their inventions in a secret underground lab that they have built and hang out in. While they are building, each of them helps the others not feel so geeky or out of step with their real worlds...very positive message for kids that like learning.

One day, one of the inventions devised by the S.S.A has literally landed them inside the confines of a local research laboratory where a grouchy old scientist steals the kid's notebook of invention ideas while shoo-ing them away as silly, prattling children. However, the kids soon learn that the scientist begins to rip off their ideas, gaining fame and fortune. In the process of stealing their prized notebook back, the kids discover that grouchy Dr. Stringer is planning a heist of the city's history museum. Quickly, the kids devise a plan to not only get their notebook out of the clutches of the mean old copy cat scientist but to foil the heist and save the day.Will the kids accomplish the tall order of all their plans and remain a Secret Science Alliance? Only those who read the book to its conclusion will find out.

The Secret Science Alliance and the Copycat Crook is a book that each of my kids brought to me and said, "Mom, you've gotta read this one." I'm glad I did. I love that this book makes it cool to be smart and that the heroes are regular kids, worried about being geeky but supported in their love of learning by their friends. It's a great message inside a very cool book full of diagrams, maps, sidebars, charts....all sorts of cool graphics that make the book feel like a scientists invention notebook. I don't know what took me so long to pick up one of their graphic novels to enjoy.....some of them are really cool books!

The Secret Science Alliance and the Copycat Crook has earned the following awards:


Book List “Top 10”

Cybils Award …an award for graphic novels

YALSA Great Graphic Novels for Teens

New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing

Young Hoosier Book Award Nominee


Davis, E. The Secret Science Alliance. New York: Bloomsbury, 2010. Print.

Page by Paige

I had a wonderful chance to read a new book by a new author yesterday: Page by Paige by Laura Lee Gulledge. Laura Lee is a 97 graduate of Osbourn Park HS, attended Marsteller MS and Coles ES. So, I was already inclined to enjoy the book by this local author. And, I know Laura Lee’s mom—we’re writing buddies and she’s kept me up to date on progress of the book as it’s developed. After I read the book, however, all I could think was Wow! And Thank you Laura Lee for an incredible read!


Page by Paige is a graphic novel….but so, so, so much more. First, the story is fabulous, especially for teen girls. The main character in the book, Paige Turner (her parents are writers) is a teen artist struggling to share all the sides of herself with her parents and friends. She’s scared, shy, sneaky, funny, loving, curious, brave and smart….and lives mainly inside her head. How’s a girl to share all that without coming across as too self-absorbed?! Through the story, Paige figures “it” out through art. First, she starts with a new best friend in the form of a  sketch book and some art “rules” passed on to her from her grandmother. Then, as Paige begins to blossom…..she blooms bright in a way that solidifies friendships, leads to romance and a satisfying understanding of her relationship with her parents.

I’m a mom and teacher librarian who has been learning lots about graphic novels in the past few years. Most people unfamiliar with them see them simply as comic books….and to some extent they are. The artwork of graphic novels is very comic-book-ish. However, the artwork in Page by Paige is more expressive than typical graphic novel art. There is shading, attention to detail and depth that truly move the story graphically. My favorite graphic in the whole book is of Paige hugging her cat with what looks like thousands of arms….doesn’t hugging a purring cat just feel like layers of hugs (for us cat lovers, anyway). Another great moment is when Paige says she bites her tongue and shows what that really feels like----her ideas bleed out of the corners of her mouth.

Additionally, graphic novels contain all the elements of a novel such as: a story that holds from beginning to end, well developed main and supporting characters, plot, theme, chapters. Page by Paige delivers all of the above beautifully. Best of all, there is definitely room for a continuation of the story in an upcoming book. I want to know more about how Paige and where her sketch-book leads her.

You may be wondering who I think should read this book? I gave Page by Paige to my ten year old and twelve year daughters to read….it’s not so much for my 8 and 7 y.o. sons. Although, I won’t keep it away from the boys. If they want to read it, or more likely just look at the graphics, that’s fine with me. My ten year old is very much an artist at heart and as she read the book she “ooooohed” and “ahhhhhhed” over the fantastic way that Paige’s ideas are expressed graphically. That was fun for me to listen to as she read.

I have no problems allowing my daughters to read this book. However, I would categorize this book as a true YA book and will highly encourage 12-18 year olds to read it. The level of self-reflection and the honest description of feelings of this teen character are very much those of someone in 8th grade or older. There is no sexual content (outside of a couple of jokes spoken between characters)….it’s more because Paige is discovering her true self in a way that most pre-teen and younger readers just don’t get yet.

Reviewers are giving Page by Paige lovely reviews (see Page by Paige at Amazon.com). I'm delighted that the book has been well recived. It is a wonderful example of how important art is for artists and all of us trying to understand who we are as people. If all of us made friends with a sketch book, wouldn't the worldd be a better place? Page by Paige is an inside, truthful and positive look at how teens today are thinking and working to make their way in our world. I’m giving Page by Paige book two thumbs up and cannot wait for volume II to come out. 

Gulledge, L. Page by Paige. New York: Amulet Books, 2011. Print.

2011 Adult Books with Teen Appeal

Yay! It is another snow day in Northern Virginia. In between calls of "mom, MOM," I am catching up on some reading. I just started this year's Newberry Winner: Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool and am enjoying being snowed in with a great story.

I also caught up on some American Library Association reading and saw a list of the Alex Awards. Alex Awards are given to the 10 best adult books that appeal to teen audiences by the American Library Association. I thought my several friends with pre-teen and teens might want to see these titles. Please know that I haven't read even one of these books. I cannot endorse any of them yet. If you read one or if your child read's one or more, please let me know what thoughts are on the book(s).

• The Reaper's are Angels: A Novel by Alden Bell
  
• The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake: A Novel by Aimee Bender
  
• The House of Tomorrow by Peter Bognanni
  
• Room: A Novel by Emma Donoghue
  
• The Vanishing of Katharina Linden: A Novel by Helen Grant
  
• The Radleys by Matt Haig
  
• The Lock Artists by Steve Hamilton
  
• Girl in Transition by Jean Kwok
  
• Breaking Night: A Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival and My Journey from Homeless to Harvard by Liz Murray.
  
• The Boy Who Couldn't Sleep and Never Had To by DC Pierson
  

For an amazing and complete list of Youth Media awards presented at the American Library Association Mid-Winter Conference 2011, go to: http://www.ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/news/pr.cfm?id=6048

GON by Masashi Tanaka, great series for reluctant and ambitious readers

Ah, summer when the reading is easy. My family enjoys a series of books titled: Gon by Masashi Tanaka that is worth sharing. These books are super for reluctant readers and new readers because they are wordless books. However, even my super reader becomes completely absorbed in the Gon stories and enjoys retelling them in detail.

Gon is a dinosaur, a feisty dinosaur, which escaped extinction and now roams the world saving small and defenseless animals from bigger and meaner creatures. Despite some suspenseful violence, many, many scenes are comical and I often hear my kids laughing out loud as they read.

I've wondered as I see how much my children love these books of pen and ink art, are they reading? And, I've come to the conclusion that they are. Gon is divided up into episodes that are read from the back of the book toward the front as many graphic novels and manga books are designed. In order to understand the story of each episode and how each episode of the book is part of the larger story, readers must understand who the characters are, what the action is and where the scene is taking place. The title page for each episode includes sometimes one or two words or a couple of paragraphs. This is great for kids that don't enjoy reading….because by the time they get to these few words they are hooked enough by the story to read to the end. I also love how the ending to each Gon novel is "to be continued…" so that the reader is already looking forward to the next book in the series.

Gon is published by CMX publishers, a trademark of DC Comics. CMX kindly includes a "Know What's Inside" label inside the back (in this case front) cover of the Gon books for adults so that they can decided if the reading material is appropriate for their reader. Gon is rated T for "teen" as opposed to "E" for everyone, T+ "Teen Plus" for ages 16 and older or "M" for mature. Since I am very new to the world of graphic novels and manga, I appreciate this label description. The "T" for the books my children, who are not yet teens, covers the violent nature of some drawings. None of the drawings that I've read are more suspenseful or violent than the Spiderman, Hulk, Star Wars or other action/adventure comics we've checked out of the Juvenile section of our local library. Gon is shelved in the Juvenile comic book (Dewey numbers 741) section of our library alongside our favorite Marvel and DC comics for kids.

Gon books are fun….definitely different than what I grew up with but appealing to today's kids.

American History Graphic Novel

The Dreamer: The Consequence of Nathan Hale

What a fun read! The Dreamer: The Consequence of Nathan Hale by Lora Innes is a YA graphic novel that leads readers into America of 1776 when patriots were fighting for their lives against the British war machine. Dreamer, opens with a great two page summary of the American Revolution, "which brings us to the events described in the following pages…" Modern teen Beatrice Whaley is in love with the man of her dreams, literally. Every time Beatrice falls asleep she dreams of hunky Alan Warren a historical figure from America's Revolution who rescues her from being held hostage on British General Howe's ship in Long Island Sound. Soon after, Warren tries to engage historical figure Nathan Hale into delivering her safety to Boston just as British troops invade Long Island and General Washington is retreating with the entire Continental Army to Manhattan.

As in any good action story, Beatrice lands right in the middle of a battle in the Jamaica Pass as it was fought in Revolutionary War times. Rescue of the Damsel in distress by Hale, additional historical figure Thomas Knowlton and Warren all become parts of the exciting plot as guerilla warfare and life behind the Continental Army lines are portrayed.

In life between dreams, Beatrice cannot convince her friends of the conflict that is ongoing for her which complicates friendships and a new romance with a boy that she's had a crush on for years who is finally showing interest. By the end of the novel readers are offered a link to learn more about the story and characters of Dreamer which looks to be the beginning of a series. Hooray! http://www.thedreamercomics.com/ At the site, the author also sells additional historical short stories that look interesting—although I did not buy any. Innes maintains a blog that fans can read in and participate in. The author has a true passion for this historical period.

Dreamer is a true YA graphic novel (look in the 741 Dewey numbers of the library for graphic novels) which means it has the look of a comic book but all the elements of a novel: the story is carried in chapters with consistent setting, characters and plot from beginning to end. What I enjoy about Dreamer is its appeal to female teens who may be reluctant readers of American History. There are a few words, and artwork that seats this novel securely on the YA shelf and not in the Juvenile section– be aware if you offer this novel to younger, high-level readers. I would say the content is similar and even a bit tamer than that of a daytime soap opera as far as age appropriateness. The love story is definitely "girl-ish" in nature…but a great way of making history more interesting than a typical text or even difficult to read 18^th century primary sources for young women. I look forward to seeing more from this author. Additional helpful reviews can be found at Amazon.com