Erica says...
Hello, Universe is a sweet story about a timid boy named Virgil, a boy named Chett who acts like a bully, a girl named Valencia, who is deaf and has accepted the idea of not needing friends, and a girl named Kaori, a self-proclaimed psychic. The story line is simple, but engaging. This story is largely about friendship, the connection between people, and the idea that good things are not just coincidences. It's a very feel-good read with positive messages. Rating: 5/5
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Erica says...
Wow. This is just a beautiful book! The story is beautiful, the writing is beautiful, the characters are beautiful. This story is written by author Katherine Applegate, and is told by a peaceful gorilla named Ivan. Ivan is such a lovable character and this is a surprisingly deep, meaningful, emotional story- all conveyed through the simple and sincere Ivan. I highly recommend this book to readers of all ages. The story contains messages of courage, love, loyalty, emotional awareness, friendship, acknowledging trauma/hurt, healing, and selflessness. This is a great family book. It does contain sad instances of animals being injured or killed, but without graphic descriptions. Rating: 5/5 Erica says...
I've been in a graphic novel craze recently, and the Zita the Spacegirl trilogy have been the best graphic novels I've read so far! These books are exactly what I've been looking for in a graphic novel- clean, fun, exciting, neat characters, great artwork, positive messages, family-friendly, and enjoyable for any age (probably starting around 8 years old +). I was reluctant to try these books at first because of all the hype! But now I see that these books get a lot of attention for very good reason! Zita is a very caring girl who is loyal to her friends, is strong and courageous, and wants to get back home (after being transported onto another planet to rescue her friend- who she accidentally sent into outerspace...) Love these books! I'd rate the series 5 out of 5! Rating: 5/5 Erica says...
Crush by Svetlana Chmakova is a wonderful graphic novel about a middle school boy navigating his first crush. At first he is in complete denial, but eventually he comes to terms with the situation and tries to navigate it the best he can- often resulting in awkward silences and blurting out whatever words first come to mind. This was a fun, great read, with positive messages about forgiveness, friendship, and respecting others. It also addresses the issues of respecting other people's bodies and speaking respectfully about others. The main character, Jorge, is a positive role model who is very respectful and stands up for others who get picked on. The graphic novel was very family friendly, but did contain 2 or 3 instances of swearing (used in positive slang describing how cool something was). I'd recommend this to middle school aged kids and up. It was a very enjoyable read for me, as an adult! I'd give it 5 out of 5 stars! Rating: 5/5 Erica says...
I received a free digital Advanced Reading Copy of this book in exchange for giving an honest review. This book is by John Owens and is completely made up of illustrations, without any words. For me, it was a reflection on nature, slowing down, and being present in the beautiful outdoors. I felt the book came to an end a little too quickly. The feel of reading this book is more like flipping through a photo album than reading a novel (or even a graphic novel). Like I said, my only wish is that it was a bit longer. It felt like it created a slow, relaxed environment, but then suddenly came to an end. I'd like it to be drawn out a bit more. If you're looking for a book with only pictures that evokes a calming, relaxing feel, this could be a great read for your family! It would be a great book for young kids who are learning to love nature and the environment. They can enjoy the artwork in this book without needing your help to read the words! This book is being published in September 2020! Erica says...
Pashmina is a beautiful graphic novel by Nidhi Chanani that explores the complexities of living between two worlds- two cultures, two countries, two identities. The artwork is beautiful and I love the messages in this book. The pashmina shawl is an especially beautiful symbol of how our idealistic, yet sometimes unrealistic, hopes and dreams motivate us to make major life decisions, which turn out to be essential in creating our life path and our personal character... even though the path turns out to have it's own struggles and isn't always as perfect as we had imagined. Pashmina is an authentic and sweet story. Erica says...
This was a beautiful graphic novel. So real. I loved how genuine it was. It is a memoire of the author's, Robin's, experiences moving from Korea to the U.S. as a young person. (SPOILER ALERT) Her mom told her they were going on a vacation to Alabama... turns out that her mom actually surprised Robin while in Alabama, telling her that she was getting married so they would be staying in Alabama. Robin was shocked and devastated. She hadn't brought her things from Korea, and hadn't even said goodbye to her friends. This novel is all about the difficulties, successes, heart-breaks, and joys of moving from Korea to America at that age. She hardly knew English, and it took a long time for her to make any real friends. She was treated cruelly by some of her peers. This book also dives into some of the struggles she faced not only with American culture, but also with Korean culture. The novel beautifully addresses the issue of not quite fitting in in either place- she felt like she didn't really fit in in America or Korea. She had to learn to define herself and embrace her unique situation. The story is beautiful and I think it's really important for everyone to become more familiar with the issues addressed in this book. This is a young adult graphic novel and contains some language that may or may not bother different individuals. Even the language used demonstrates the challenges of being surrounded by a completely new culture and language. Erica says...
This was a really enjoyable and educational graphic novel. I think it's a great resource for parents and for teens and young people! This novel helps to normalize menstruation and issues surrounding it. I think it's a great resource for parents to use in teaching their daughters and sons. It would be helpful for a girl to be able to read this before entering the unknown world of menstruation and puberty! It would also help a young man to be able to read this, so that the topic can be normalized for him, and so he can be a help rather than a hinderance to his female peers and female figures throughout his life. Also, the story is just really delightful and charming. The four main characters give a wonderful example of true friendship, making mistakes, forgiving, and helping each other in hard situations. This was a really great read and such a unique and well done graphic novel. The art is beautiful too! Another issue that is very briefly, some-what discreetly, referred to in the novel is same-sex attraction. Personally, I think it's a valuable conversation starter for parents and children, regardless of your beliefs surrounding the topic. Overall, I think this novel is not only a very enjoyable read, but also an approachable, genuine, and inspiring conversation piece, especially helpful as a resource for parents/guardians in teaching children. It's a positive and approachable introduction into feminist and equality issues. Erica says...
I loved this graphic novel by Jen Wang. It is a juvenile fiction and I think it would be a great book for kids (8-10ish or older), teens, and adults! I thought it was a beautiful, touching, and very real story. It left me feeling very uplifted and satisfied, and was a relaxing 1-2 hour leisure read! You know the books that just leave your heart feeling warm, content, and inspired? This graphic novel was one of those for me. The story is about Christine and Moon, two young girls who form a beautiful friendship. But their friendship doesn't go perfectly smoothly. The bumps along the road they experience, as well as how they learn to deal with a range of challenges (from jealousy, personality conflicts, insecurity, parents' expectations, and even financial and medical challenges), make the story beautiful and meaningful. I'd definitely recommend this one! And I'd rate it 5/5! Rating: 5/5 Erica says...
The Okay Witch by Emma Steinkellner is a teen (juvenile fiction) graphic novel. This was a fun and easy read about a girl trying to find herself and where she belongs in the world. To add a twist to the already tumultuous teenage years... at age thirteen she discovers she is a witch! It probably only took me a few hours to finish the entire novel. The story is simple and sweet, and the artwork is really fun. This book was voted as a good book to pick up for reluctant young adult readers, and I agree that it would be a great book to help a teen (or young adult) jump into reading. It was a perfect relaxed afternoon read for me. |