Kind of boring, plus the binding sucks and it falls apart immediately. Also some fat-hating here. Because kids need to learn that fat is bad. It's so...moreKind of boring, plus the binding sucks and it falls apart immediately. Also some fat-hating here. Because kids need to learn that fat is bad. It's so glorified these days that all kids want to be fat, so it's good that something funny like this crazy original comic criticizes it and shows kids how ridiculous all fat people are.(less)
Done in the diary style of Wimpy Kid, The Popularity Papers reports the story of two fifth graders trying to figure out how to become popular. They st...moreDone in the diary style of Wimpy Kid, The Popularity Papers reports the story of two fifth graders trying to figure out how to become popular. They start by observing the popular kids, then they try to dye their hair, dress like a grown-up, and do popular activities. They both find ways to infiltrate the popular group, but what will it mean for their friendship? The story is told by both Lydia and Julie, alternating between neat printing with great drawings and cursive writing with stick drawings.
I enjoyed this book well enough, but it seemed super odd to me that they were supposed to be in 5th grade. 7th would have made a lot more sense. Even though it follows a pretty familiar story arc and includes an afterschool special-esque "diverse" cast of characters, it doesn't get didactic.
I'd recommend it to fans of Wimpy Kid, but I'm not sure if it would appeal as much to boys.
All done in comic form, this book goes over some of the stories in Greek mythology. Fans of Percy Jackson will be interested in reading about the orig...moreAll done in comic form, this book goes over some of the stories in Greek mythology. Fans of Percy Jackson will be interested in reading about the original Perseus, or finding out about why children of Athena might be afraid of spiders. There are also other stories like King Midas's golden touch and Pandora's box. All of them are done in a silly style (the author/illustrator also does the Kit Feeny series), with a running joke about stupid sheep making an appearance in almost all of the stories.(less)
Ginny's scrapbook is full of to-do lists, school assignments, newspaper clippings, notes from her mom, and cartoons from her brother. Through all thes...moreGinny's scrapbook is full of to-do lists, school assignments, newspaper clippings, notes from her mom, and cartoons from her brother. Through all these collectible objects, Ginny tells her story of her first year in middle school.
This book has some funny points (haikus about meatloaf), and the story actually moves along really well even though there isn't a real narrator. The humour is pretty generic with no real lough out loud moments, and the story has a pretty typical arc with the regular sort of resolutions. Overall an okay read, and one I'd recommend to kids who like Wimpy Kid but not for the absurd humour (this does not measure up), and kids who read girl-centred coming of age books.(less)
A pretty good end to the story started in Malice, but not as scary as the first book. Still, I liked that not everything is wrapped up in a neat littl...moreA pretty good end to the story started in Malice, but not as scary as the first book. Still, I liked that not everything is wrapped up in a neat little package by the end.(less)
Greg seems oddly young in this book. He believes in Santa, and not just as a thing he hasn't outgrown. It's just a given that Santa exists. Also, his...moreGreg seems oddly young in this book. He believes in Santa, and not just as a thing he hasn't outgrown. It's just a given that Santa exists. Also, his middle school has playground equipment? I know this series is popular with kids much younger than the original target audience, but these details make it much more baby-ish than the earlier books. I'd recommend it to a 7-year old with no qualms, but if an 11-year-old came in looking for a funny book that wasn't for little kids, I would hate to only have this volume of the series on hand. I'm really disappointed in the direction this series is going, especially since this book doesn't seem to even have an overall plot. Even the "cabin fever" in the title doesn't happen in the book until the last twenty pages! The tangents were funny as always, but hopefully the next one has more of a general story and is less baby-ish.
Fun characters, a good size of adventure, and mystery enough to let the world before and after the story fill out and leave you wanting more. But some...moreFun characters, a good size of adventure, and mystery enough to let the world before and after the story fill out and leave you wanting more. But some details left unexplained only undermined the fullness of the story--like, what about the mother's footprints? Where was she? That felt more like a flaw than something that would be explained in a sequel, but I'd read on.
So few strips were left out that I wish it had been a complete collection instead of an "essential" one, although the preamble about essentializing th...moreSo few strips were left out that I wish it had been a complete collection instead of an "essential" one, although the preamble about essentializing the queer women's experience played into the title nicely. I didn't read this strip when it came out--in fact, I disliked it whenever I saw it in the local queer newspaper--but I decided to read it after I fell in love with Bechdel's Fun Home. It was great reading them all in one sitting, because the more dramatic strips actually made sense. I was surprised at how topical it still seems to be in so many areas. Kind of makes you depressed about what kind of progress society has made since the strip started!
As for the characters and the story arcs, I loved the breadth of the characters. Such diversity is hard to find in most other things, and so effortlessly too. I didn't feel like anyone was just a token, and a lot of the characters discuss complex issues about their individual places in the world without it reading like an afterschool special. Although, if there were an afterschool special version of DTWOF, I would probably watch it. It's funny, smart, and it reflects queer lives in a way that nothing else I've read has.
I own it, lend it, and re-read it. A good investment!(less)
First off, this book is confusing. The preamble refers to "the film," but never says what film it's talking about (apparently it's called The Fog--oop...moreFirst off, this book is confusing. The preamble refers to "the film," but never says what film it's talking about (apparently it's called The Fog--oops). As a prequel to a film I've never seen, it makes not a lot of sense, which is frustrating because I think prequels when properly written can introduce new fans to a story. Since I didn't know who any of the characters were, I thought I'd get to know them, but none of them develop a personality. This book really depends on readers already knowing who everyone is. It also flips between characters with no transitions, so it seems like suddenly a character will get fat and grow a moustache. I had to keep re-checking all the pages to see if I'd already met Tom or Philip or whoever it was who was getting a nasty rash next.
Second, this book doesn't really have much of a plot. Some people get rashes? There's a Chinese curse with no real origin or meaning or continuity. One village gets eaten by invisible animals, another gets burnt flesh? Also there's some dude who maybe skinned a Chinese worker because he likes the smell of flesh or something? Without reasons for these "spooky" things, they are not actually scary or even mildly creepy. They are just examples of ineffective storytelling.
The illustrations are fine enough--enough detail to tell who people are but not so much as to make the frames cluttered. Not altogether spooky, though.
Overall, this book shouldn't be read if you haven't seen the movie, and maybe not even if you have.(less)
So cute! A hamster as self-involved as Greg Heffley tells snippets of his everyday life around the time of his birthday, leading up to the big event....moreSo cute! A hamster as self-involved as Greg Heffley tells snippets of his everyday life around the time of his birthday, leading up to the big event. I loved the illustrations, and the unfinished feeling of each story that leaves readers to make their own judgments. Some littler kids might not find this type of fill-in-the-blank humour funny, but it is appropriate for all ages.(less)
I won't be sure of how I truly feel about this book until I read it another two or three times, but I did find it thoroughly enjoyable the first time...moreI won't be sure of how I truly feel about this book until I read it another two or three times, but I did find it thoroughly enjoyable the first time through. I was expecting to have the same reaction to it as I had to Fun Home, but it is quite different. This book focuses on emotions more than storytelling, but is less emotional for it. But just because I was expecting to cry while reading it doesn't mean that the book failed in any way. It makes sense that it is a more emotionally distant memoir, and, intellectually, I like that about it. I'll definitely add it to my own collection, but the amount of people I will force to read it will probably be smaller because it was less of a profound experience for me when I read it. That may change with subsequent readings, though, and the list of people I think need to read this is still pretty large.(less)
Definitely love Kibuishi's style. It's so clear and easy to follow. When I started this story, I thought I might be missing something, like it wasn't...moreDefinitely love Kibuishi's style. It's so clear and easy to follow. When I started this story, I thought I might be missing something, like it wasn't the first in a series, but I quickly came to respect the way the story was told, like these characters have a long history together and we don't need to see it all to understand who they are or where they are coming from. Nicely done character development for such a short book. I liked the world it was set in, and I liked that the world wasn't explained. I like to be given that kind of credit as a reader, where not every single thing has to be explained. Points for imagination, for inspiring further imagination on the part of the reader, and for suspense- and action-packed scenes. A rarity in a comic book with such a cute style--way better than the horrible smudge effect superhero comic artists are doing these days to communicate action.
All in all, a smart little short story done in a very pleasant and readable style of comic.(less)
I'm waffling between 2 and 3 stars for this one. I thought it was just okay, but I liked its ambition and its subject matter a lot, so I'm giving it 3...moreI'm waffling between 2 and 3 stars for this one. I thought it was just okay, but I liked its ambition and its subject matter a lot, so I'm giving it 3.
I like the tenuous connection between the two characters. There is very little that is similar between them, but being a teen who committed random acts of destruction for no apparent reason helped me identify with Kyle and see how he might feel similarly desperate and anti-authoritarian as Ken, despite his extremely more privileged situation. They both feel displaced and resentful and take similar actions, but the difference between their situations is made apparent by the forgiveness they both find. (view spoiler)[It is striking that Ken seems to identify his situation with Kyle's, and by relating his story to the boy he ends Kyle's own self-pitying identification as a displaced person. Imagine hearing the person you stole from liken him forgiving you to a soldier allowing him to get away with reclaiming the symbols of hope he needed in order to survive in an internment camp the government forced him into! But at the same time, it acknowledges and respects (via Ken) the desperation a teen like Kyle would feel in his situation. (hide spoiler)]
I'll echo what a lot of people say about the drawings: the wordless panels are beautiful, but also make it difficult to know exactly what is happening or who is whom. The end notes are fantastic and informative, but I wish it had been clearer in the panels.
I might like this book more later, but I think I go into Japanese internment stories with certain questions and I never get the answers I am looking for.(less)
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