Today's read... Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger

Today's read is one I've been excited to dive into. This is the first in a series of graphic novels adapted from the best-selling series, Keeper of the Lost Cities. I know there are very differing opinions about the idea of creating graphic novels from popular series like this one...both with good points. Either way, I know more than a few middle graders who adore graphic novels, and I bet that this one might be quite the read.

Let's see if the adaptation has been well met or not!

KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES

The Graphic Novel, Part 1

by Shannon Messenger

Adapted by Celina Frenn

Illustrated by Gabriella Chianello

Aladdin

Middle Grade Fantasy / Graphic Novel

352 pages

ages 8 to 12

The first book in the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling Keeper of the Lost Cities series is being reimagined as a graphic novel with the first half of the epic novel adapted to this new format with beautiful artwork!

Twelve-year-old Sophie Foster has never quite fit into her life. She’s skipped multiple grades and doesn’t really connect with the older kids at school, but she’s not comfortable with her family, either. The reason? Sophie’s a Telepath, someone who can read minds. No one knows her secret—at least, that’s what she thinks…

But the day Sophie meets Fitz, a mysterious (and adorable) boy, she learns she’s not alone. He’s a Telepath too, and it turns out the reason she has never felt at home is that, well…she isn’t. Fitz opens Sophie’s eyes to a shocking truth, and she is forced to leave behind her family for a new life in a place that is vastly different from what she has ever known.

This stunning graphic novel retelling of the first half of the thrilling first novel comes to life with all the adventure and epic worldbuilding the Keeper of the Lost Cities series is known for.

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MY TIDBITS

Adventure and a magical world set the scene for a heroine with heart, who has plenty to learn.

At twelve-years-old, Sophie is already known as a prodigy, which despite her loving family...ignoring her younger sister's taunts...leaves her feeling out of place. Not to mention that she has been able to hear everyone's thoughts since she was five. When a class trip to the museum has her bumping into a strange boy, things change and her life will never be the same again.

I was excited to get my hands on a copy of this one, especially since I remember the release day of the original novel years ago and enjoyed it quite a bit. This book only covers the first half of the novel (to around chapter 25 or so), and that does leave it feeling a bit incomplete. In other words, the strong plot line is missing, since it's clear that it's only the first half. That's not an issue, but needs to be mentioned since the story really unfolds over two books and not just one. Obviously, the graphic form also flows differently than the original novel in some aspects. The depth and richness isn't there. Yet, it manages to work in the major aspects and keeps the same flair. So, although different, I still enjoyed this graphic version quite a bit.

Sophie and the other characters are nicely done and come across with the right amount of emotions, quirks, and personality. Especially Sophie's sadness, awe, confusion and such hit well and make her easy to root for. The details and dialogue bring the world to life and make it easy to sink into the story. There's enough tension to grab, and despite the length, it's an easy, quick read. Too bad we need to wait for book two because there is the strong desire to continue this one to see where it's headed next.

The illustrations are bright and carry a nice mix of imaginative fantasy and tension. The style isn't quite my thing on the characters end, they are well done. It carries a nice balance between the text and imagery, letting both play their role nicely. According to the author notes, quite a bit of thought and effort went into the creation of this version...and it's noticeable. The book is well done.

I enjoyed reading this quite a bit and have no doubt that even those who haven't read the series before will enjoy it.

Today's read... Cupcake Diaries: Katie and the Cupcake Care by Coco Simon

 Today's read has been around for almost a decade as a regular novel for middle graders but is now coming out in graphic novel form. I hadn't read this series before (so many books out there) and was more than happy to take a peek at this one. It might have had something to do with the super cheerful girl on the cover and the idea of cupcakes...just maybe.

THE CUPCAKE CLUB:

KATIE AND THE CUPCAKE CURE

by Coco Simon

Simon Spotlight

Middle Grade Contemporary / Graphic Novel

160 pages

ages 8 to 12

The Cupcake Club gets its start in this first book of a sweet treat of a series!

Katie Brown is miserable when her best friend is invited to join the Popular Girls Club and Katie is left out. Is there an Unpopular Girls Club she can join? Fortunately, Katie finds her way with a great new group of friends—Mia, Emma, and Alexis—and together they form the Cupcake Club. Sometimes starting from scratch turns out to be the icing on the cupcake!

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MY TIDBITS

Sweetness cures so many ills in this fun tale about friendship, determination, and...for all things...cupcakes.

Katie has no clue what's going on with her best friend, but ever since she returned from her summer camp right before the first day of middle school, she's been giving Katie the cold shoulder. Instead, the girl has joined the 'mean' girls to form a Popular Girls Club. They make it more than clear that Katie does not belong. But soon, Katie meets several new girls, and the four of them decide to start their own club, the Cupcake Club. What starts out as a cupcake every Friday soon turns into much, much more.

This is a graphic novel for the lower end of the middle grade audience and swirls around everyday school life and friendship's ups and downs. Katie is a nice girl, who simply hasn't turned her interests to boys and fashion like some of those around her. The situation is one that many readers will relate with, especially when Katie's troubles concerning her once best friend arise. There is some bullying and taunting, which readers will also recognize and sympathize with. Even the forming of new friendships is nothing new and soon overshadows the more negative sides.

The graphics are done with a bubbly sweetness, which gives them a cuter atmosphere than those for older readers. They fit the friendship and cupcake atmosphere wonderfully. Each scene does a nice job at letting the story flow, balancing out well with the text. It's easy to read, draws in, and comes across very naturally.

It's a wonderful read about girls, friendship, and middle school and is sure to delight graphic novel fans.

And here she is...

From cupcakes to ice cream and donuts! Having written over thirty books about middle school girls and cupcakes and ice cream, Coco Simon decided it was time for a change; so she’s switched her focus to her third favorite sweet treat: donuts! When she’s not daydreaming about yummy snacks, Coco edits children’s books and has written close to one hundred books for children, tweens, and young adults, which is a lot less than the number of cupcakes, ice cream cones, and donuts she’s eaten. She is the author of the Cupcake Diaries, the Sprinkle Sundays, and the Donut Dreams series.

Review: Diary of an 8-Bit Warrior Graphic Novel: An OP Alliance by Pirate Sourcil, Jez and Doone

When I was offered today's book, I was pleasantly surprised. I'd accidentally met the author during one of my own signings awhile ago and can honestly say that I'm super excited that the series is still doing this well. My kids loved Mine Craft and the younger two still play every now and then. Considering this one is also a graphic novel, it's really not a wonder that it does so well. 

So here we go!

DIARY OF AN 8-BIT WARRIOR

GRAPHIC NOVEL: AN OP ALLIANCE

by Pirate Sourcil

Jez Oddolone

Andrews McMeel Publishing

Middle Grade Graphic Novel

96 pages

ages 6 to 12

For the first time ever, fans of Minecraft and the hit series Diary of an 8-Bit Warrior can enjoy these fun and fully illustrated graphic novels.

This new graphic novel series is an adaptation of the best-selling Diary of an 8-Bit Warrior series. Readers will reconnect once again with their favorite characters in a familiar Minecraft world and embark on new, heart-pounding adventures.
 
Runt is not a village boy like all the others. Growing carrots doesn’t really interest him and selling them interests him even less. All he wants is to be a warrior! One day, he gathers up all his courage and decides to head off on a journey. He meets a zombie who dreams of being a human, and together, they set off on an extraordinary journey. Follow these two unlikely friends as they trek across the Minecraft universe in search of excitement and a little bit of danger—now in graphic novel format. 

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BOOK BLINK

                                * Graphic Novel

                                * bright, well-done illustrations

                                * vocabulary great for age group (reluctant reader friendly)

MY TIDBITS

While this is the first book I've ever read connected with this series, I had no trouble diving right into the characters and the world. But then, my own kids were and still are huge MineCraft fans. 

Runt is a villager, which means he's destined to a life of farming and milling around. Even though his friends are satisfied with their only calling in life, he dreams of becoming a warrior. Although it should be impossible, he challenges fate and takes off on a journey to achieve his dreams. When he runs into a Zombie, he's shocked to find someone, who also has an impossible dream just like him. The Zombie wants to be human, not a monster. And so the true adventure begins.

The characters in this tale really surprised me. Runt is impossible not to root for. Not only does he have an inspiring dream and is an obvious underdog, but the idea of a villager wanting to become more speaks to the heart. I've always felt sorry for those poor villagers in the game, who just wander around as if stuck in a loop. So, Runt had me cheering from the first page.

The adventure is quick and fun. There's a great balance of humor, determination and tension, which make it impossible to put down until the end. The two characters form a wonderful friendship and are constantly faced with unexpected...or sometimes, slightly expected...adventures. And it's a treat to accompany them as they overcome every obstacle. It's definitely a great read even for reluctant readers.

While I find this book amazing, my daughter had a slightly different opinion. She would jump up every now and then, and whine that certain things were completely wrong. Turns out that little aspects and details do steer away from the MineCraft game, but then, as I pointed out to her, this isn't a true MineCraft book. It was funny to watch her read, really. She continued to point things out, every now and then, but never once grew tired of reading it. She devoured the whole book in one sitting and liked every page. So, I'm calling this one a winner.

Review: Far Out Fairy Tales

FAR OUT FAIRY TALES

Classic Tales with Modern Twists

by Joey Comeau, Louise Simsonson, Sean Tulien, Otis Frampton

Illustrated by Omar Lozano, Jimena Sanchez S, Fernando Cano

Stone Arch Books

Middle Grade Comic/Graphic Novel

 176 pages

ages 7+

What do you get when classic fairy tales are twisted about, turned inside out, and reworked for the graphic novel format? Far Out Fairy Tales! Discover what Snow White would be like if she were raised by robots. Find out how Cinderella's story plays out when she walks the path of the ninja. Play along when three billy goats named Gruff get stuck inside a video game. Chase down the Big Bad Wolf with the help of a superpowered Red Riding Hood! Each fairy tale revision holds true to the spirit of the original while adding a modern twist to the classictales we know and love. Experience fairy tales like never before in this innovative series of full-color comic books for kids!

The individual tales are already available.

The collection is expected to be released on

APRIL 1, 2016!

MY TIDBITS

As a fan of fairy tale retellings, I was thrilled to get my hands on this, and I was not disappointed. 

The cover and title fit perfectly to what one finds inside--all the favorite fairy tales but from a point of view that is totally unexpected and tons of fun. Written in the good ole comic book style, each 'section' takes one fairy tale and tells it from a completely new direction. Cinderella the ninja wants to meet the prince, but not for the reasons those traditional tellings suggest. And Red Riding Hood is up against a wolf unlike the world has ever seen--good thing she has some secret talents of her own. 

This collection is power packed with the flair of super heroes and adventure modern kids are more than accustom to. But the author doesn't want to let those traditional tales fall away and collect dust either. So to help readers maintain a thread to the original tales, there's a one page summary of the traditional tale at the end of each story. To make it even more clear which far out twists are added to the stories, there's a list of each change at the very end. Although I found the summaries of the original tales a great idea, the detailed list of 'twists' seemed unnecessary and almost too much (but that might just be me.) 

The illustrations in this are fantastic, exactly that what is to be expected from a graphic/comic book style. They are bright, full of energy and will keep kids hooked. The stories flow well from one scene to the next, never leaving any room for confusion. I wanted to punch and fly right along with the heroes, and cheered when victory was theirs. 

As to the original meaning behind fairy tales. . .well, some of the stories convey the message better than others. Adventure, action and excitement take the spotlight in these tales.

Summed up, this is a exciting twist of fairy tales that kids 6+ are sure to enjoy.