Fresh Start by Gale Galligan (Graphix, 288 pages, grades 3-7). Ollie is used to starting over at a new school, since her diplomat father’s career means moving every year or two. She tells herself she doesn’t care, sometimes finding a reason to get mad at a friend before leaving. But this time around, her parents announce that they’ve decided to stay in Chestnut Falls, Virginia. Ollie’s excited to discover a group of girls as devoted to anime and manga as she is, and before long, she’s made some new friends, one of whom shares her Thai heritage. The two of them wind up in a Thai dance group, courtesy of their mothers, despite Ollie’s aversion to both dance and wearing the feminine clothes and make-up that are part of the performance. That’s not the only place Ollie struggles with her parents, who are constantly butting heads with her younger sister Cat. As Ollie learns more about herself through the year, she finds herself regretting the ties she cut with friends after each move and also starts to feel more empathy for Cat, putting her in the role of family negotiator. By the end of the year, she’s realized the importance of her connections to friends and family members and is starting to appreciate the feeling of putting down roots. Includes an author’s note, photos, bonus comics, and additional information about Thai language and traditions.
The many fans of middle grade novels/memoirs will enjoy this latest entry by the author of some of the Baby-Sitters Club graphic novels as well as Freestyle. Gale Galligan addresses the issues of fitting in, family dynamics, and racial, cultural, and gender identities with a story featuring manga-inspired artwork and a spunky protagonist. The back matter about their own childhood makes it even more interesting.
The Cartoonists Club by Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud (Graphix, 288 pages, grades 3-7). Makayla and Howard love creating comics: Makayla had endless story ideas, while Howard can draw anything she imagines. Encouraged by their librarian Ms. Fatima, they decide to start a comics club and soon are joined by Art, a maker with all kinds of interests, and Lynda, a talented artist who is shy about sharing her work. Led by Ms. Fatima, they take turns teaching each other about comics, including step-by-step directions for making minicomics and the importance of facial expressions, body language, and combining words and pictures. The newly-named Cartoonists Club is thrilled to be selected for participation in a local comics convention, where they meet one of their favorite artists and soon develop a following of their own. Includes interviews with Raina and Scott, a glossary, a list of comics jobs, the steps involved in making the book, and lists of additional resources and museums for learning more about comics.
I was delighted to receive an advance copy of this book (it comes out in April) and read it in a single sitting. While Raina’s legion of fans may be a little disappointed that it doesn’t have quite the involved storylines of her previous works, they will be excited to get so many interesting and useful tips for making their own comics. While that’s the main emphasis, the four characters still have engaging stories of their own. The two things that struck me the most about this book are: 1. The respect shown to young comic fans and artists that will encourage them to take their work seriously (but not too seriously!), and 2. Raina’s down-to-earth humility and sincere appreciation for other comic artists, even with her enormous success.