A light, comical approach to biography and history that makes it more palatable for those who find more traditional...
From the creators of Action Philosophers comics comes this first in a series of graphic biographies about American presidents beginning, appropriately, with George Washington.
With the assistance of two kids, a black boy and a white girl, and a muscular turkey who move readers in and out of the historical storyline, Van Lente and Dunlavey cover the whole of Washington’s life, with highlights on his roles as a slave owner, officer in the French and Indian War, commander of the Continental Army in the War for Independence, and first president of the United States. Amid the jokey narrative is solid biographical information about Washington and historical facts about his times. Particularly insightful is the depiction of Washington’s presidency, which readers might be surprised to find had plenty of detractors. The creators reveal that partisan politics has been a part of America from the beginning. The black-and-white art is exaggeratedly cartoonish and fun. Readers who appreciate a goofier approach to history, such as Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales, will enjoy this graphic biography. One unfortunate oversight is the omission of recommendations for age-appropriate further reading.
A light, comical approach to biography and history that makes it more palatable for those who find more traditional approaches hard to swallow. (maps, timeline, glossary, bibliography) (Graphic biography. 8-12)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-239405-7
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Nov. 26, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2017
With young readers diagnosed with anxiety in ever increasing numbers, this book offers a necessary mirror to many.
Young Raina is 9 when she throws up for the first time that she remembers, due to a stomach bug. Even a year later, when she is in fifth grade, she fears getting sick.
Raina begins having regular stomachaches that keep her home from school. She worries about sharing food with her friends and eating certain kinds of foods, afraid of getting sick or food poisoning. Raina’s mother enrolls her in therapy. At first Raina isn’t sure about seeing a therapist, but over time she develops healthy coping mechanisms to deal with her stress and anxiety. Her therapist helps her learn to ground herself and relax, and in turn she teaches her classmates for a school project. Amping up the green, wavy lines to evoke Raina’s nausea, Telgemeier brilliantly produces extremely accurate visual representations of stress and anxiety. Thought bubbles surround Raina in some panels, crowding her with anxious “what if”s, while in others her negative self-talk appears to be literally crushing her. Even as she copes with anxiety disorder and what is eventually diagnosed as mild irritable bowel syndrome, she experiences the typical stresses of school life, going from cheer to panic in the blink of an eye. Raina is white, and her classmates are diverse; one best friend is Korean American.
With young readers diagnosed with anxiety in ever increasing numbers, this book offers a necessary mirror to many. (Graphic memoir. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 17, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-545-85251-7
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Graphix/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 11, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2019
A tighter focus would make this fascinating life story even more intriguing.
In this graphic memoir by sports journalist Shah, a ninth grader pursues his passion in the face of familial expectations pushing him toward a medical career, while also navigating the perils of high school social life.
It’s 1995, and Indian American Amar is desperate to meet the Chicago Bulls—Michael Jordan, in particular—when they stop by his Orlando, Florida, school. A lucky break leads him to his first sports interview, with Phil Jackson, and his tenacity takes him further, leading to multiple conversations with Shaquille O’Neal. But Amar’s luck in journalism doesn’t spill over to his relationship with his crush, blond Kasey Page (“like a mixture of Cameron Diaz, Tinkerbell, and heaven”), or his efforts to remain close with best friends Rohit and Cherian, who start spending more time with other classmates. The work relies on captions as much as plot developments to propel the story. It also follows a broad cast of characters—close and former friends, antagonists, supportive adults, and famous athletes—who appear in multiple storylines. The story accurately depicts the complexities of life as a young teen, though overlapping life challenges pull it in multiple directions, leaving some threads underexplored and hastily wrapped up. Doucet illustrates the characters using loose, disjointed outlines that give the artwork a sense of movement, and the colorful backgrounds use patterns and action lines to indicate a wide array of emotions.
A tighter focus would make this fascinating life story even more intriguing. (author’s note, photographs) (Graphic memoir. 9-12)Pub Date: Aug. 5, 2025
ISBN: 9781546110514
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Graphix/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: June 13, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2025
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