[Artemesia Posts: 3,790 Status: Offline WWW]

So I've been on a graphic novel reading binge lately. I've recently read the amazing masterpiece MAUS by Art Spiegelman (a holocaust memoir), the very funny and charming NIMONA by Noelle Stevenson and Lumberjanes Vol 1&2 by Noelle Stevenson and others, Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol about a Russian immigrant girl trying to fit in and the ghost she befriends, Through the Woods by Emily Carroll, a collection of five short stories which were creepy and chilling and had beautiful artwork, and Beautiful Darkness by Kerascoet and Vehlmann, which was weird and strange and kind of wonderful.

I also read Understanding Comics and Making Comics by Scott McCloud and Graphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative by Will Eisner.

Anyone else read any good graphic novels lately? Anyone else working on a graphic novel?

[Claudine Gueh Posts: 65 Status: Offline WWW]

I love Matt Phelan's graphic novels, especially AROUND THE WORLD. I'm going to track down the titles you've mentioned here.

[HDWestlund Posts: 951 Status: Offline writer and bookseller]

If you haven't yet read AMERICAN BORN CHINESE, you should. I think it's pretty brilliant. ROLLER GIRL by Victoria Jamieson is also very good--much more in the realistic camp than what you've been reading, though. I also really liked CASTLE WAITING by Linda Hedley. It's often shelved in kids, but it's a bit more mature than most kids' graphic novels--not in a way that kids would necessarily pick up on, but there's layers in the stories for all ages.

[Artemesia Posts: 3,790 Status: Offline WWW]

The first two you mentioned are on my TBR list, Holly, and I will look for the third as well! Thanks!

And Claudine I've heard of Matt Phelan's work and definitely need to make sure I put it on my TBR list. Thanks for the rec!

I also really want to read the Hark! A Vagrant! Books by Kate Beaton. And Zita the Space girl by Ben Hatke. And Descender by Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen, and ApocalyptiGirl by Andrew MacLean. And and and...lol (I actually am compiling quite a lengthy GN TBR list, lol)

[Barbara Etlin Posts: 2,257 Status: Offline WWW]

LETTERS FROM CAMP by Kate Klise and illustrated by M. Sarah Klise is a very funny middle-grade graphic novel.

[nilaffle Posts: 55 Status: Offline Shut the front door! ...No seriously it's cold. WWW]

So many good GNs listed (loved ANYA'S GHOST)! I need to pick up ROLLER GIRL and Emily Carroll's latest, I'm curious about both. I've been trying to read more kids GNs lately. I cannot rave enough about EL DEAFO Cece Bell and both SISTERS and SMILE by Raina Telgemeier. Read THIS ONE SUMMER by Jillian and Mariko Tamaki a few months ago, a thoughtful story. I've got Gene Yang's BOXERS & SAINTS sitting in my TBR pile, I really need to get started. Augh, too many books! Also, just read LITTLE ROBOT by Ben Hatke, a quick read but very cute.

It's not out yet, but I got my hands on an arc of Faith Erin Hicks's upcoming THE NAMELESS CITY, and that's definitely one to watch for!

As for working on, I've always got a comic in the works... they just take so long to draw! I'm collaborating with a writer on one I'm really excited about, in the meantime my webcomic keeps me busy: http://www.mfkcomic.com

[olmue Posts: 3,528 Status: Offline WWW]

I'm enjoying Lora Innes's The Dreamer series. It started as a web comic (www.thedreamercomic.com) that she's turned into print. There are three volumes out and she's maybe 2/3? 3/4? of the way through the story as far as the online part. Modern Bostonian girl starts dreaming she's in 1776--and things start to get real when she starts living through historical events she never paid attention to in school. The art is fantastic, the history well researched, the friends and boys spot on... A great, original YA GN.

[marla-lesage Posts: 383 Status: Offline Write. Illustrate. Revise.]

I recently read Two Generals by Scott Chantler (not a children's GN) and was surprised how much I enjoyed it. I've never been Into GN's. But I thought it might be a good medium for a story idea I have so I'm starting to read them. Roller Girl is fantistic - I really really enjoyed it. And I really want to read Child Soldier: http://www.kidscanpress.com/products/child-soldier , but it's not at my library so I have to wait.

[Artemesia Posts: 3,790 Status: Offline WWW]

Nilah, MFK has been on my list for a while. I've actually had it open in a web browser for a few days, and have read the first bit. Your work is awesome!

I'm just in the research and planning stage for my first true GN, but really, most of my work has had GN influence.

Thanks for all the great recs! Our GN board is so quiet most of the time, I'm really glad to see others here are reading GNs and comics too!

[HDWestlund Posts: 951 Status: Offline writer and bookseller]

Olmue, the Dreamer series sounds fantastic. I'll have to look for it.

I also have to say that I've had the privelege of being an early reader for Mike Lawrence's STAR SCOUTS, which is coming out in...2017? It's a little ways out, but I want other people to be as excited about it as I am.

[dinalapomy101 Posts: 1,875 Status: Offline Happy writing to all! WWW]

Fans of ROLLER GIRL and Raina Telgemeier should definitely try SUNNY SIDE UP by the Holms sibs and AWKWARD by Svetlana Chmakova. Both charming and thoughtful and clear.

[christripp Posts: 1,211 Status: Offline WWW]

Also a big fan of Matt Phelan's GN's, "Storm in the Barn" is amazing and was his first. A few years ago now I attended a weekend SCBWI conference held at the Highlights Foundation retreat (WOW, what a place, if you ever get a chance to stay there GO, free access to hagen daz Ice cream day and night and a gorgeous building, grounds:)
Matt Phelan ran the 2 day GN workshop for Illustrators and it was eye opening (eye POPPING actually). Till then I was struggling with a story that I thought should be a pic book (because I wanted to Illustrate it of course) but the topic was NOT really suited to the under 6 age group. At that workshop it suddenly dawned on me, hell, it's a GN!!!:) So much work but such freedom for an Illustrator to "TELL" their story!

[christripp Posts: 1,211 Status: Offline WWW]

There's also the mega award winner (Caldecott honour, GG winner for Illustration, NYT notable children's books etc etc) "This One Summer" http://jilliantamaki.com/books/this-one-summer/

I believe Matt has at least 4 GN Titles out.

And for beginning readers there's the very cute "Baby Mouse" series.

[Artemesia Posts: 3,790 Status: Offline WWW]

Oh, my stepdaughter loves Baby Mouse. It's super cute!

And that conference sounds amazing, Chris! (And I've also got one of those PBs that really should be a GN stories!)

[dinalapomy101 Posts: 1,875 Status: Offline Happy writing to all! WWW]

Yesterday I read:
SACRED HEART by Liz Suburbia, which had won a YMA Alex Award, but I will say after reading it and buying it for my YA collection, I'm going to move it to adult due to the on-screen sex. However, other than that, I still didn't really *get it.* Did anyone else read it?

I also just read the "Art Masters" first release in the US: VINCENT by Barbara Stok, a beautiful biography of Van Gogh that uses his style in the art panels. Lovely! PABLO comes out next.

[Shari Posts: 236 Status: Offline WWW]

I haven't read many, but I recently read and loved ROLLER GIRL. I also loved EL DEAFO, a graphic memoir.

[christripp Posts: 1,211 Status: Offline WWW]

Wow, WOW, Dina, that looks like some powerful GN!!! I haven't read it but there's a number of "look inside" pages and it's so upsetting to think this is based on the Author/Illustrators life:( I can only imagine that if it were a text novel only, it would be less disturbing but the Illustration takes it right over the top. Which is GOOD but makes it ... well... a more graphic story, must have been very hard to read the whole thing. From the reviews you can see another person who says they too were left in that same Catholic orphanage, just unbelievable, so, so sad!!!

Cyndi, have you started your GN once pic book? I'm such a procrastinator. All the way back from that con I was so excited, determined to start right away and then the sheer work of such a thing overwhelmed me. Haven't done more then a few pages since then:(

[christripp Posts: 1,211 Status: Offline WWW]

Oops, just noticed the Authors name for the GN Sacred Heart you posted about Dina. I ended up finding an entirely different GN and didn't notice the Author of it was not Liz. Sorry about what must have seemed to you a very confusing comment above:) Here's the one I was reacting to, By Kathy O'Connell.
http://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Heart-Orphanage-Story-Autobiography/dp/144866960X

[Artemesia Posts: 3,790 Status: Offline WWW]

I'd be very interested to read that, Chris. My mom and her siblings were in an orphanage in Saskatchewan for several years after her mother abandoned them and she did not have a happy experience.

And no, I haven't started adapting the PB to GN yet. I'm in the middle of three other projects, and it's on my to do list. So many projects, so little time. Lol. And yeah, the sheer amount of work in a GN looks overwhelming, but after I did four 80 page KPC books in a little over a year I feel like I can get through almost anything lol.

[dinalapomy101 Posts: 1,875 Status: Offline Happy writing to all! WWW]

Chris -- Now I am interested in that other Sacred Heart GN!

[Vijaya Posts: 7,164 Status: Offline Encourage WWW]

Some great titles here for me to check out.

My family loves the Tin-Tin books and we've enjoyed the Marvel comics. In newer books, I loved Invention of Hugo Cabaret. Stitches by David Small was an incredible memoir.

Vijaya

[nilaffle Posts: 55 Status: Offline Shut the front door! ...No seriously it's cold. WWW]

Ahhhh how could I forget AWKWARD! It is so, so good. And if you're into urban fantasy/supernatural, the creator's other series NIGHTSCHOOL is a lot of fun.

I need to get back to THE DREAMER too. If there are any Hamilton fans on the board itching for more tales from the American Revolution, THE DREAMER is a must-read.

Ahhh Artemesia, thank you, I'm glad you've got it on your to-read list! Kids' graphic novels is a market I'd love to see grow. It has been getting bigger in recent years, but we can always use more titles!

[Marissa Doyle Posts: 2,946 Status: Offline Charles Bewitched: out now! WWW]

Vijaya, if you and they love Tin Tin (we do too!), you should try the Asterix the Gaul series!

Not kidlit per se (though it could entirely be YA) but I loved The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage, which starts with historical figures (early computing pioneers Ada Byron Lovelace and Charles Babbage) and launches them into wonderful steampunk adventures. The author/illustrator did an amazing amount of historical research so that the clothes and backgrounds are all historically correct for the period...and then just takes it all ten notches higher. Huge fun.

[Artemesia Posts: 3,790 Status: Offline WWW]

Marissa, Asterix was a favorite of mine when I was a kid!! My brother read them, so of course I did too, lol.

[dinalapomy101 Posts: 1,875 Status: Offline Happy writing to all! WWW]

Seriously, at this point in time I cannot keep MG graphic novels on my shelf at the library if they are in the vein of Raina Telgemeier. We get more questions from (usually girls) who have read DRAMA, ROLLER GIRL, SUNNY SIDE UP, EL DEAFO, AWKWARD, and other colorful, coming-of-age GNs who want "more like that!" To whoever has the power to write and illustrate them, please keep going! Right now there is still a HUGE demand.

[Artemesia Posts: 3,790 Status: Offline WWW]

That's so great to hear, Deena!

[TanjaW Posts: 61 Status: Offline Illustrator/Writer WWW]

Seriously, at this point in time I cannot keep MG graphic novels on my shelf at the library if they are in the vein of Raina Telgemeier. We get more questions from (usually girls) who have read DRAMA, ROLLER GIRL, SUNNY SIDE UP, EL DEAFO, AWKWARD, and other colorful, coming-of-age GNs who want "more like that!" To whoever has the power to write and illustrate them, please keep going! Right now there is still a HUGE demand.

  Good to know! I'm finally submitting my first GN proposal to agents this year. Took forever while I went down a few unexpected paths as author/illustrator, but it's finally ready to become a real graphic novel.

[Artemesia Posts: 3,790 Status: Offline WWW]

Tanja! You're back! So glad to see you posting again!

[dinalapomy101 Posts: 1,875 Status: Offline Happy writing to all! WWW]

Yay Tanja! Wishing you the best of luck so I can [selfishly] have more books to give the kids/teens at my lib! ;-)

[SarahW Posts: 304 Status: Offline The extraordinary in the ordinary. WWW]

A friend of mine thinks I should read Trans-metropolitan.

But I'm really craving graphic novels that read like graphic Haruki Murakami.