It's All About the Story: Manga, Comics & Graphic Novels

 This month I found two very different but equally awesome books to share with you. Tommie Smith shares his story of the Civil Rights movement, his decision to speak out in a wordless but iconic gesture from the awards podium at the Olympics and the consequences he faced upon returning home.  This compelling story has an even greater impact as a graphic novel. Who doesn't love desserts?  This historical journey through the history of some of our favorite yummy treats (along with recipes) is told in a sweet and fun style using magical fairies as the storytellers, enabling the reader to hear the stories, examine the facts and learn of conflicting origins but still keep a light airy style overall.  The only downside to this book is how hungry you'll be for some sweet treats while reading it (and afterwards as well).  I also love that you could read this as an adult or a teen, or TO a young child in small doses and then trying recipes.  Fun! Educational! Yummy!...

  Booth has written a fun and interesting twist on the "mistaken identity" trope by adding in a set of twins; one of whom has changed from private school to public and is dressing more masculine (actually borrowing a lot of her twin's clothing).  Everyone assumes she is a lesbian, without actually asking her, and no one knows about her twin (whom she now strongly resembles with a similar haircut & his wardrobe)....so of course mistakes occur and lots of craziness ensues.....all culminating at the dance at the end of the year.   Booth kept the story light but didn't shy away from complex issues (like gender expression and exploring your identity).  This isn't a perfect book, but is fun and is definitely worth a read I really loved vol 1 of this, and am so happy that vol 2 lived up to its predecessor.  Our superhero is continuing to fight the good fight, but is emotionally exhausted and bruised by the constant arguments from his mother, who refuses to acc...

 So, I am going to talk about one of the comics I read this month that is new; but thought it would be fun to also go back and talk about 2 comic series that are on Netflix right now. In Welcome to St Hell, Lewis Hancox explores and shares his journey as a trans-man.  He focuses on his high school years with a bit of college thrown in and by having his current self inserted into the story, the reader gets some extra nuance and context on the situations.  It really adds to the story to see "well, I know this now, but back then I was so confused" because maturing and living definitely gives perspective but also because being transgender can be really confusing and isolating.  Hancox's approach helps answer some of the questions cisgendered people often have without having to interrupt the flow of the narrative.   Everyone's journey is different, but this book was interesting and I encourage you to try it. Now for the "retro" I am sure I'm not the only one ...

  I am not a huge basketball fan, but everyone was talking about this book so I felt obliged to check it out.  I am glad I did!  This is another fictionalized true story of the author discovering the school's basketball team and its beloved coach.  As he learns more and gets deeper into everyone's head, he brings the reader along.   This isn't a book that is for everyone but if you're looking for a thoughtful look at exploring sports from an outsider perspective, this is a really good choice. This is a fun look at 10 lesser known people from LGBTQ+ history.  The author keeps it personal as to why they were chosen and does a brief biography of each person.  I would recommend this to anyone wanting a starting place to explore history as it is a quick yet educating read. I had no idea what this was about, but it was recommended by someone so I took a chance....and boy am I glad I did.  Author, The Kao, translates and combines transgender issues ...

  This comic focuses on two girls and their art (photography), one is augmented due to an accident the other is a very human looking AI.  Each girl has their own lives and their own way of looking at the world, but the human is definitely more judgemental....but as they get to know each other you can see not only less judging, but also more blending making it less easy to define "human" from "not-human". I wanted more from this, but I can't explain what that was, because it is a good story and the use of art to show humanity and imagination was really well done.  Maybe read it and tell me what you think. This trilogy takes place after the conclusion of The Sandman series and focuses on the troubles Daniel is having as the new Dream.  As expected, it is amazing and intricate.....Gaiman's mind is a wonderland.  I don't want to say too much but suffice to say, it uses elements from the originals but twists them in unexpected ways to make a story so satisfyi...

  I decided to reread the entire series, and finally got to read v 4 (bought it for myself, and hope to have a copy for the library soon). I am looking forward to the Netflix series, but am always worried they will mess it up. So, Heartstopper is sweet and awesome....if you haven't read it, you should.  In v. 4 Oseman dives deeper into depression, eating disorders and family issues but the optimistic spirit and the love still shines through......sigh......so lovely.

Hi All, I am back again with another graphic novel hit! I was assigned this book for Garden State Teen Book Awards (where librarians and library staff read books at vote to determine which ones make it to the official ballot for teens to vote). I enjoyed this book a lot, I was happy to be assigned it because I do not think I would've picked it up otherwise.  It is about a girl who struggles with her sexuality. It goes through multiple iterations of her thinking she is gay, brushing it off just for it to happen again. I think this is a common occurrence for those in the LGBTQ+ community, so this might provide some comfort/justification for someone struggling to come to terms with their sexuality.  It was a quick read, humorously written. I would recommend it to all of you to try it, and it is available at SBPL! Enjoy!