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Adventures in Cartooning #3
Ogres Awake!
The knight and her horse, Edward, have made a startling there are three huge ogres asleep at her doorstep! When they wake up, the kingdom is in big trouble! The knight, Edward, and some garden gnomes fight back, not with swords and shields, but with potato peelers and spoons. It turns out that ogres are pretty friendly when they have full stomachs!
40 pages, Hardcover
First published July 12, 2016
4 people are currently reading
244 people want to read
About the author
James Sturm
55 books129 followersJames Sturm is the author of several award-winning graphic novels for children and adults, including James Sturm’s America, Market Day, The Golem’s Mighty Swing and Satchel Paige: Striking Out Jim Crow. He is also the founder of the Center for Cartoon Studies and the National Association for Comics Art Educators. He created Adventures in Cartooning with collaborators Alexis Frederic-Frost and Andrew Arnold. Sturm, his wife, and two daughters live in White River Junction, Vermont.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/jamess...
http://us.macmillan.com/author/jamess...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
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July 12, 2016Yay!
It's another charming, delightful Adventures in Cartooning Jr. graphic novel from James Sturm, Andrew Arnold, and Alexis Frederick-Frost.
And this one has OGRES!
It's another charming, delightful Adventures in Cartooning Jr. graphic novel from James Sturm, Andrew Arnold, and Alexis Frederick-Frost.
And this one has OGRES!
January 31, 2017
Amazing book with so much rich storyline and plot. the characters were just amazing. Especially the ogres. Shrek looks upon them with satisfaction. I loathe any person who would dare to dislike this masterpiece of a book.
October 16, 2019
A noise like thunder attracts the Knight's attention while she and her horse Edward are playing fetch. But it's not an impending storm, it's OGRES, and she's sure they'll attack the kingdom once they wake up. The Knight rushes back to the castle to tell the king, who assures her that everything is in hand - they have a PLAN. The Knight is relieved and does what she can to help out, even though the Plan seems kind of weird to her as it doesn't seem to involve any fighting or magic or defense or attack. Whatever. When the ogres DO wake up, it's to a dinner invitation - sweet potato stew is on the menu, and they are happy to accept. War is averted, but their table manners leave something to be desired. Cute illustrations and a Very Enthusiastic and Alarmed Knight!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 30, 2024
This is a very entertaining book with a bunch of different cool illustrations in the form of a comic/graphic novel. Throughout this book the Knight, Edward, and garden gnomes around the kingdom are taking care of the garden, while also preparing to fight the ogres. They think the ogres are going to smash and destroy the kingdom when they wake up. It turns out in the end they just wanted food when they woke up, and the potato stew helps them get rid of their crankiness. I think this book could play a role in any classroom library by giving children something fun and exciting to read. Having a graphic novel in a classroom library could also give students a chance to explore a new genre they might be interested in.
February 3, 2023
I originally thought this was going to be a pre-school/ kindergarten level book that I could read for storytimes but it turns out it would be better suited for first grade and above as it is in a comic book style that small kiddos would have a hard time following.
Beyond that, I loved this book! The eager knight learned many wonderful lessons about patience, kindness, and not judging others by appearances. Paired with wonderfully colored images and spunky characters, I would highly recommend this book to young readers.
Beyond that, I loved this book! The eager knight learned many wonderful lessons about patience, kindness, and not judging others by appearances. Paired with wonderfully colored images and spunky characters, I would highly recommend this book to young readers.
November 14, 2016
This isn't my favorite Little Knight adventure, but it is cute and has an important message. The "How to Draw" bits inside both covers are fun as always (love the Elvis Ogre). This time Little Knight sees some sleeping ogres and she rushes to warn the king. He tells her she is just in time to help with their plan...which is out of the ordinary. In the end, Little Knight learns that there are peaceful ways to solve big problems. A good lesson for us all.
November 18, 2016
Oh no! There are sleeping ogres outside the castle! The knight and Edward rush to warn the king but he has a plan...that includes potato peelers! What? Yes, potato peelers ;0
All the fun and silliness of the previous Knight and Edward books including the How to Draw instructions. And there are ogres!
All the fun and silliness of the previous Knight and Edward books including the How to Draw instructions. And there are ogres!
October 10, 2017
Make stew, not war!
This was a funny, beginning reader graphic novel. Set in a fantasy land, a gung ho knight can't wait to start battling the ogres sleeping in front of the castle, but wiser, pacifist minds prevail. No need to fight when you can feed your enemies.
This was a funny, beginning reader graphic novel. Set in a fantasy land, a gung ho knight can't wait to start battling the ogres sleeping in front of the castle, but wiser, pacifist minds prevail. No need to fight when you can feed your enemies.
September 26, 2017
I love short, picture-book-like graphic novels. This was fun, even though I had no idea what the main character was
April 19, 2018
Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
July 8, 2019
Pretty cute
October 9, 2019
This is a fun, short comic book/picture book series.
December 17, 2019
Ridiculous cute fun.
January 5, 2021
A great graphic novel recommendation for early readers. It's short, full of laughs, and the large text size and simple font is sure to welcome beginning and reluctant readers.
May 10, 2025
Super cute book. Just read it to work on my yearly reading goal.
March 13, 2017
A wonderful graphic novel for beginning readers that is funny while simultaneously presenting a different perspective on conflict resolution. From the Adventures in Cartooning folks, the end papers show how to draw some of the characters in the book!
July 14, 2016
http://openbooksociety.com/article/og...
Ogres Awake
By James Sturm
ISBN 978-1-59643-653-4
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Scott
Review:
Any graphic novel that includes a “How to draw the characters” section earns brownie points in my books. Ogres Awake by James Sturm, just happens to have that and more. A whimsical flight of fancy, with young adults its target audience, this charming tale of cutting the Gordian Knot will definitely entertain and amuse. The tale of The Knight, his trusty steed Edward, and the impending doom of giant ogres in the meadow waking up and destroying the kingdom, will provide hours of entertainment (especially if you get into drawing the characters). It’s a light read, keenly suitable for young children, and imparts thematic trust into the fold.
Written in pure dialogue, Ogres Awake reads exceedingly well. The writing is terse, but definitely conveys the main characters’ attitudes. From the overzealous Knight, to the wise old King, character stereotyping makes it all too easy to immediately identify with the dramatis personae, and almost brings a suspension of disbelief in and of itself. Witty interactions (Edward is the only horse I have seen fetch), and a growing pacing towards the ogres awakening propel this graphic novel. It’s almost hard to believe that the pacing was so well done in so few pages (comparatively speaking within the genre). A perfect read for youngsters, Ogres Awake will be sure to delight and entertain. I even had a few giggles now and then. Some adults may find the writing too simple, but hey, they are not the target demographic here. The plot is linear and succinct, with a few twists and turns that keep the story flowing. It isn’t packaged as a “read in sections” style; rather, it is meant to be devoured in one sitting. The writing suits this style of plot and it’s a big, imagination stimulator.
The artwork, as mentioned previously, contains a “How to Draw” section, so the characters are clean, dynamic and simple. In fact, Sturm’s artwork is deceptively simple. Designing characters with young children’s drawing abilities in mind is no small feat – care has to be placed into the designs of the panels so that they are easy to read, reproducible for young readers and dynamic enough to let the inner child roam free giving the Knight (and Edward) new adventures. This entire package deal is a prize in itself, as it makes the graphic novel interactive with the young reader, a fact that it lost in so many children’s books today ignore. That being said, the artwork is what it is. Adults will probably find the artwork too simple but then they are also the ones whose imaginations can guide a child through one of the greatest joys of life – drawing and creating their own adventures.
All and all, for the young reader, say 4-9 years of age, Ogres Awake will inspire tales of the brave Knight for years to come. It is a simple story, set in simpler times, and has a fantastic moral at the end of the story, like all good children’s books have. The drawing exercises were a delight to see, and brings new creativity to the fold. Designed to be used as a springboard for the imagination, Ogres Awake will provide endless enjoyment to aspiring artists, those heroes who are knights in shining armor and protectors of the realms from grumpy ogres.
Ogres Awake
By James Sturm
ISBN 978-1-59643-653-4
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Scott
Review:
Any graphic novel that includes a “How to draw the characters” section earns brownie points in my books. Ogres Awake by James Sturm, just happens to have that and more. A whimsical flight of fancy, with young adults its target audience, this charming tale of cutting the Gordian Knot will definitely entertain and amuse. The tale of The Knight, his trusty steed Edward, and the impending doom of giant ogres in the meadow waking up and destroying the kingdom, will provide hours of entertainment (especially if you get into drawing the characters). It’s a light read, keenly suitable for young children, and imparts thematic trust into the fold.
Written in pure dialogue, Ogres Awake reads exceedingly well. The writing is terse, but definitely conveys the main characters’ attitudes. From the overzealous Knight, to the wise old King, character stereotyping makes it all too easy to immediately identify with the dramatis personae, and almost brings a suspension of disbelief in and of itself. Witty interactions (Edward is the only horse I have seen fetch), and a growing pacing towards the ogres awakening propel this graphic novel. It’s almost hard to believe that the pacing was so well done in so few pages (comparatively speaking within the genre). A perfect read for youngsters, Ogres Awake will be sure to delight and entertain. I even had a few giggles now and then. Some adults may find the writing too simple, but hey, they are not the target demographic here. The plot is linear and succinct, with a few twists and turns that keep the story flowing. It isn’t packaged as a “read in sections” style; rather, it is meant to be devoured in one sitting. The writing suits this style of plot and it’s a big, imagination stimulator.
The artwork, as mentioned previously, contains a “How to Draw” section, so the characters are clean, dynamic and simple. In fact, Sturm’s artwork is deceptively simple. Designing characters with young children’s drawing abilities in mind is no small feat – care has to be placed into the designs of the panels so that they are easy to read, reproducible for young readers and dynamic enough to let the inner child roam free giving the Knight (and Edward) new adventures. This entire package deal is a prize in itself, as it makes the graphic novel interactive with the young reader, a fact that it lost in so many children’s books today ignore. That being said, the artwork is what it is. Adults will probably find the artwork too simple but then they are also the ones whose imaginations can guide a child through one of the greatest joys of life – drawing and creating their own adventures.
All and all, for the young reader, say 4-9 years of age, Ogres Awake will inspire tales of the brave Knight for years to come. It is a simple story, set in simpler times, and has a fantastic moral at the end of the story, like all good children’s books have. The drawing exercises were a delight to see, and brings new creativity to the fold. Designed to be used as a springboard for the imagination, Ogres Awake will provide endless enjoyment to aspiring artists, those heroes who are knights in shining armor and protectors of the realms from grumpy ogres.
Read
February 24, 2017A game of fetch with Edward is interrupted by loud rumbling. It can't possibly be thunder because the sky is blue with fluffy white clouds. When the Knight looks in the same direction as Edward, she gets a shock. Ogres Awake! (First Second, an imprint of Roaring Brook Press, July 12, 2016), the third title, takes a tantalizing turn.
John Schumacher, Scholastic's Ambassador of School Libraries, revealed this cover on his blog, Watch. Connect. Read.
My full recommendation: http://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2...
John Schumacher, Scholastic's Ambassador of School Libraries, revealed this cover on his blog, Watch. Connect. Read.
My full recommendation: http://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2...
June 12, 2016
Our favorite hero is back! The knight, along with the trusty steed Edward, are off to warn the king that giant ogres are in the kingdom. They are sleeping now, but everyone knows that when they awake they will destroy everything in their path. But when the warning is delivered (once the king stops reading his comic book and pays attention), the plan seems to involve vegetables rather than weapons. The knight is confused, "We're making war, not a salad!" How can a bunch of garden gnomes, a knight, and a horse protect the kingdom from being crushed?
With the signature style and humor we've come to expect from the Adventures in Cartooning team, this story shows that there are always options in how we deal with a situation - even if the situation has sleeping ogres in it. The drawing guides on the end papers encourage young readers to try creating their own versions of the knight, Edward (my favorite is Edward as space explorer), the gnomes, and even the ogres. These easy to follow examples can guide the art-challenged and budding Picassos alike.
Fans of Shrek and other fantasy stories will appreciate this latest amusing adventure of a knight who is willing to go "the distant shores of the unknown" for king and country.
I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.
December 12, 2015
(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)
The knight and her horse, Edward, have made a startling discovery: there are three huge ogres asleep at her doorstep! When they wake up, the kingdom is in big trouble! The knight, Edward, and some garden gnomes fight back, not with swords and shields, but with potato peelers and spoons. It turns out that ogres are pretty friendly when they have full stomachs!
I recently read Sleepless Knight by the same authors and I do think this is is a better book.
This story was quite a bit of fun - ogres waking up and Edward, the Knight, thinking they were going to destroy the kingdom. He goes to some extraordinary lengths to quell the savage beasts. It was a fun story to read.
The one thing that put this above the previous book of theirs I read was the illustations - still a bit wacky and fun, this time, however, I noticed a lot more detail in the artwork (like the ogre using a sheep as a pillow and the look on the sheep's face just made me laugh) and that gained a higher rating.
Again, I would recommend this book for parents looking for a solid, but simple, story to read with their children or for a first book for "I can read alone" kids.
Paul
ARH
The knight and her horse, Edward, have made a startling discovery: there are three huge ogres asleep at her doorstep! When they wake up, the kingdom is in big trouble! The knight, Edward, and some garden gnomes fight back, not with swords and shields, but with potato peelers and spoons. It turns out that ogres are pretty friendly when they have full stomachs!
I recently read Sleepless Knight by the same authors and I do think this is is a better book.
This story was quite a bit of fun - ogres waking up and Edward, the Knight, thinking they were going to destroy the kingdom. He goes to some extraordinary lengths to quell the savage beasts. It was a fun story to read.
The one thing that put this above the previous book of theirs I read was the illustations - still a bit wacky and fun, this time, however, I noticed a lot more detail in the artwork (like the ogre using a sheep as a pillow and the look on the sheep's face just made me laugh) and that gained a higher rating.
Again, I would recommend this book for parents looking for a solid, but simple, story to read with their children or for a first book for "I can read alone" kids.
Paul
ARH
June 23, 2016
Ogres Awake! by James Sturm, Alexis Frederick-Frost, and Andrew Arnold is a children's graphic novel currently scheduled for release on July 12 2016. while this is a return to the world of the Knight and her horse Edward, young readers do not need to read this series in any order. They are all good fun as stand alones or together.
The knight and her horse, Edward, have discovered that there are three huge ogres asleep at her doorstep! When they wake up, the kingdom is in big trouble because of course ogres like to rampage and destroy things when they wake up! The knight wants to prepare for a fight, but the king and his garden gnomes are all ready to protect the kingdom, not with swords and shields, but with potato peelers and spoons. It turns out that ogres are pretty friendly when they have full stomachs!
Ogres Awake! is another delightful read from the Adventures in Cartooning series. I love the enthusiasm of the Knight, the pragmatic calm of Edward, and the twists that keep things interesting. I like that stew, rather than warfare, was the answer. The idea of being smart and thoughtful being more important that being a great warrior is a repeating theme that seems to tie all these books together, and is one that I can get behind.
Ogres Awake! is another win for young readers.
The knight and her horse, Edward, have discovered that there are three huge ogres asleep at her doorstep! When they wake up, the kingdom is in big trouble because of course ogres like to rampage and destroy things when they wake up! The knight wants to prepare for a fight, but the king and his garden gnomes are all ready to protect the kingdom, not with swords and shields, but with potato peelers and spoons. It turns out that ogres are pretty friendly when they have full stomachs!
Ogres Awake! is another delightful read from the Adventures in Cartooning series. I love the enthusiasm of the Knight, the pragmatic calm of Edward, and the twists that keep things interesting. I like that stew, rather than warfare, was the answer. The idea of being smart and thoughtful being more important that being a great warrior is a repeating theme that seems to tie all these books together, and is one that I can get behind.
Ogres Awake! is another win for young readers.
July 19, 2016
This new addition to the Adventures in Cartooning series presents the knight and her horse, Edward with a new challenge. When the knight spots the ogres sleeping, she knows that they will soon show up at the castle. Naturally, her first inclination is to prepare to fight them, but the king has another plan in mind. I really appreciated the fact that while the knight's first inclination is to fight, that is not the wiser king's plan. So many books, movies, TV show, and other forms of media suggest that fighting/violence is the solution to one's problems, especially if one is being threatened with violence. I appreciated the fact that this story shows the value of trying other solutions first. Most of this book is the story, but the end pages show how to draw the knight, Edward, the gnomes, and ogres. This is a short fun comic book style read for younger readers who aren't yet ready for full-length graphic novels. This may also send young readers looking for the longer and more detailed original stories that not only tell stories but also teacher how to create comics. A fun new addition to the series.
June 1, 2016
Ogres Awake
James Strum
Adventures in Cartooning
Juvenile
Review: The Knight and her horse, Edward have to save the kingdom, Ogres are asleep not far from the kingdom. When they awake they will eat everyone inside. What will the knight do to save the kingdom?
I loved this story. It was so cute and funny. The end had a twist that I did not see coming at the beginning, but was really well down. Also the how to draw at the beginning and the end was a wonderful idea.
I recommend this story to young readers who are starting to read books with more words in it. I also recommend this to young readers who enjoy a silly tale with mythical creatures.
I received a free ecopy of this book from Netgalley for my honest opinion.
James Strum
Adventures in Cartooning
Juvenile
Review: The Knight and her horse, Edward have to save the kingdom, Ogres are asleep not far from the kingdom. When they awake they will eat everyone inside. What will the knight do to save the kingdom?
I loved this story. It was so cute and funny. The end had a twist that I did not see coming at the beginning, but was really well down. Also the how to draw at the beginning and the end was a wonderful idea.
I recommend this story to young readers who are starting to read books with more words in it. I also recommend this to young readers who enjoy a silly tale with mythical creatures.
I received a free ecopy of this book from Netgalley for my honest opinion.
November 11, 2015
I've thoroughly enjoyed all of the adventures of Knight and Edward that I've read so far! In this adventure, there are ogres sleeping nearby and Knight runs off to the King to warn him - and the King sets him to work on his brilliant plan to fight off the ogres. It is not, however, the plan that Knight had in mind. But of course Knight helps out anyway and of course the King's plan works beautifully! As always, I especially loved the directions in the frontispiece and endpages of the book that show exactly how to draw all of the characters, so children (and adults!) can have fun drawing their own comic adventures!
March 18, 2016
My kids thoroughly enjoy the Knight & Edward series by James Sturm, so when I saw this for review on NetGalley, you better believe I requested it!
In this installment, the Knight and Edward, her trusty steed, discover that there are OGRES asleep just outside the castle! As she tries to rally the king into an armed response (taking the king away from his comic book, rude!), she is pressed into service in quite a different way - in the the kitchen. There's more than one way to deal with an Ogre invasion!
This was as cute book, in a great series. I can't wait to get my hands on the print version for kids (they're not quite up for ebooks yet).
In this installment, the Knight and Edward, her trusty steed, discover that there are OGRES asleep just outside the castle! As she tries to rally the king into an armed response (taking the king away from his comic book, rude!), she is pressed into service in quite a different way - in the the kitchen. There's more than one way to deal with an Ogre invasion!
This was as cute book, in a great series. I can't wait to get my hands on the print version for kids (they're not quite up for ebooks yet).
September 28, 2016
Ogres Awake is another graphic novel style picture book. I love this type of book because it's all dialogue, and there are great emotions. This story is about a tiny knight and his steed who see sleeping ogres in the land outside the castle. They rush to tell the king and are confused when he isn't concerned. The ending wasn't what I was expecting, nor what the knight was expecting, but it was a good resolution. There were actually a lot of words in this book even though it's written as a comic strip. There are others in this series too. I'll have to check them out.
http://www.momsradius.com/2016/09/juv...
http://www.momsradius.com/2016/09/juv...
July 14, 2016
This is the third storybook in this series. Rather than teaching drawing throughout the book, it tells a story but the end pages have drawing instructions. At the front, as usual, are diagrams on drawing the knight and Edward (the horse). At the back are diagrams for drawing new characters to this book: gnomes and ogres. The story is cute. The ogres are waking up and headed for the castle. The knight frantically calls everyone to arms but the King and his kitchen have a plan already in place that will take care of the ogres in a more friendly manner.
November 6, 2016
The Knight and his trusty sidekick, a loyal horse named Edward, eagerly anticipate doing battle, but when they spy several sleeping ogres outside the castle, they rush to inform the king. He seems unconcerned and simply sends them off to do duty in the garden and in the kitchen. As it turns out, ogres are particularly grumpy when they first awaken and need nourishment. Once they have supped their fill of the vats of stew prepared for them, they leave the castle and go on their way. I smiled because I didn't expect this ending or the king's reaction.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 9, 2023
Three author-illustrators got together to do a series of "adventures in cartooning". They came up with this story about a knight and his/her horse Edward who want to defend the castle against Ogres.
The King and his garden gnomes have other ideas. The drawings are cute....the story has a happy ending and it is relevant to the whole world. When we are hungry we threaten the peace and a good meal can solve the world's problems and someone's low blood sugar!
I plan to use this graphic novel again in my visit to 3rd grade classrooms.
The King and his garden gnomes have other ideas. The drawings are cute....the story has a happy ending and it is relevant to the whole world. When we are hungry we threaten the peace and a good meal can solve the world's problems and someone's low blood sugar!
I plan to use this graphic novel again in my visit to 3rd grade classrooms.
January 12, 2016
I loved this story so much! This little graphic novel tells a story and give a lesson of being nice and understanding others that are different from you. I loved the "low blood sugar is no joke" line. Too cute. My daughter loved it too.
I received an advanced copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
I received an advanced copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews