How to Clean a Hippopotamus

Jenkins, S., Page, R. (2010). How to Clean a Hippopotamus: A Look at Unusual Animal Partnerships. New York: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. 

This delightful book is a colorful depiction of an ordinarily dry subject.  Teaching children about symbiosis between unlikely animals, the comic strip design makes information much easier to absorb and the illustrations are smooth and easy to enjoy.  Readers of all ages are sure to enjoy the informational content of this book in it’s concise and perfunctory manner.  This is a great resource for children doing research on symbiosis or animal relationships and the back of the book includes an appendix full of facts and details about each animal introduced in the book.  A great read and highly recommended! (Grade 3 and up). 

Babymouse: Beach Babe

Holm, J., Holm, M. (2006). Babymouse: Beach Babe.  New York: Random House. 

This pink book, and I mean in the way that every page including the front and back cover are shades of pink, is designed for the young feminine reader.  She is an endearing heroine who daydreams and fantasizes about things like surfing and mermaids and then she actually gets to try surfing.  Her visit to the beach includes the typical sunbathing, sand-castle building, and searching for seashells with a tag-along little brother.  The book unfolds the relationship between the siblings and the resolution is sweet. (Grade 1 and up).

The Storm in the Barn

Phelan, M. (2009). The Storm in the Barn. Boston, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press.

The Storm in the Barn is a graphic novel providing another story of the dust bowl in the mid-west in the early 20th century.  Eleven-year-old Jack is trying to find a way to fit in, to be helpful, a place to belong but he is the outcast among friends and even deemed useless by his father.  His sister Dorothy has dust pneumonia and people in town say Jack has a dementia caused by the dust.  Jack sees mud in a barn amidst miles of dust and confronts his suspicions.  He comes face to face with Rain and in a battle for life, power, and rain, Jack faces his fears in the old barn. (Grades 2 and up).

American Born Chinese

Yang, G.L. (2006). American Born Chinese. New York: First Second.

A National Book Award Finalist and Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature Winner, this graphic novel portrays some difficult issues for Chinese Americans growing up in an American school system.  It is very well written and illustrated with three separate stories finally converging into one at the end.  Readers will most likely empathize with Jin Wang and his perspective on trying to fit in.  The stories about Danny and the Monkey King seem largely symbolical until it all comes together at the end.  Can Jin Wang find a way to fit in and even more important, will Jin Wang ever learn to accept himself for who he is?  Find out while reading this very entertaining, brightly illustrated graphic novel.  (Grade 7 and up). 

Trickster: Native American Tales

Dembicki, M. (2010). Trickster: Native American Tales: A Graphic Collection. Golden, CO: Fulcrum Books. 

Matt Dembicki, editor of Trickster, began researching the graphic novels available for Native Americans and found a nearly non-existent selection.  He then compiled storytellers and allowed them to select from a pool of illustrators and together these artists were able to document and forever preserve a collection of Native American tales.  This is a collection of 21 stories, each uniquely illustrated and told.  Each story is a quick and easy read.  The storytellers include James and Joseph Bruchac among other popular artists.  (Grade 7 and up).

Ghandi: A Manga Biography

Ebine, Kazuki. (2010). Gandhi: A Manga Biography. New York, NY: Penguin Books.

This is a graphic novel of Gandhi's influential life.  Beginning with Gandhi as a young boy this book portrays all of Gandhi's emotional evolution as he learns to be selfless and speak in front of huge crowds using Indian teachings that are thousands of years old.  His non-violent methods created waves of movement first in South Africa and then in India.  By telling Gandhi's story through a graphic novel this valuable lesson in history becomes available to many more readers.  Unfortunately, several spelling errors, one even in Gandhi's name may deter readers, but the series by Penguin is one to watch in order to provide this information to reluctant readers. (Grades 5 and up).

Around the World

Phelan, M. (2011). Around the World. Boston, Massachussets: Candlewick Press. 

A Scott O'Dell winner for historical fiction, this book is a fantastic graphic novel.  It begins with the introduction of men sitting around a card table discussing the amazing feats of man and one man dares to challenge the others that he can circle the globe in eight days or less.  This is the beginning of a novel that inspires the three following short stories: Thomas Stevens, a former miner, who circled the globe on one of the earliest bicycle designs, Nellie Bly, female reporter, and Joshua Slocum, a retired captain mourning the death of his first wife.  The stories are extremely inspirational and attract enthusiasm and a desire for more information.  (Grades 2 and up).