Great graphic reads: these new books are packed with comic-book elements and visual surprises to hook young readers.Lunchroom Lizard [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] By Daniel Kirk. Putnam, 2004; 32 pages; $15.99. Gr. PreK-3. When Gil the Gecko gecko (gĕk`ō), small or medium-sized lizard of the family Gekkonidae. The more than 300 species are distributed throughout the warm regions of the world, mostly in the Old World. Despite folklore to the contrary, their bite is not poisonous. takes a field trip to the cafeteria, the drama of lunchtime is exposed! Most of the dialogue is in balloons. Challenge students to rewrite the story by giving them pre-cut, empty word balloons. Elslna's Clouds By Jeanette Winter. Farrar, Straus & Giroux Farrar, Straus & Giroux Publishing company in New York City noted for its literary excellence. It was founded in 1945 by John Farrar and Roger Straus as Farrar, Straus & Co. , 2004; 40 pages; $16. Gr. PreK-3. A young African girl paints her house with colorful designs to implore im·plore v. im·plored, im·plor·ing, im·plores v.tr. 1. To appeal to in supplication; beseech: implored the tribunal to have mercy. 2. her ancestors to send rain. As students read, enhance their understanding of the visual cues by asking, "How can you tell if Elsina is speaking or thinking?" The Incredible Water Show By Debra Frasier. Harcourt, 2004; 40 pages; $16. Gr. 1-3. When students transform a project on the water cycle into a play, science becomes theater. The art carries the water theme ingeniously, and all dialogue is contained in word (or should that be water?) balloons. Mutton mutton, flesh of mature sheep prepared as food (as opposed to the flesh of young sheep, which is known as lamb). Mutton is deep red with firm, white fat. In Middle Eastern countries it is a staple meat, but in the West, with the exception of Great Britain, Australia, Soup: More Adventures of Johnny Mutton By James Proimos. Harcourt, 2004; 48 pages; $16. Gr. 1-4. Johnny Mutton's zany antics are showcased in this third volume of his adventures, told in comic-strip format. Use the book to discuss how icons convey information. For example, what does a glowing light bulb represent? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Geronimo Stilton By Geronimo Stilton. Scholastic; 122 pages; $5.99. Gr. 2-4. This rollicking rol·lick·ing adj. Carefree and high-spirited; boisterous: a rollicking celebration. rol , pseudonymous Refers to a pseudonym, which is a fictitious name or alias. Pronounced "soo-don-a-miss." Contrast with anonymous, which means nameless. series relates the adventures of a troupe of sophisticated rodents. Though they don't employ panels, these books do make use of expressive lettering. Encourage students to experiment with punctuation and various fonts in their own writing! Seadogs: An Epic Ocean Operetta operetta (ŏpərĕt`ə), type of light opera with a frivolous, sentimental story, often employing parody and satire and containing both spoken dialogue and much light, pleasant music. By Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by Mark Siegel. Atheneum ath·e·nae·um also ath·e·ne·um n. 1. An institution, such as a literary club or scientific academy, for the promotion of learning. 2. A place, such as a library, where printed materials are available for reading. , 2004; 40 pages; $16.95. Gr. 2-5. This canine production is told completely in brilliantly-colored comic panels. Most of the text is in a separate accompanying poem. Have students try to figure out what's happening without reading the words. Drawing conclusions through inference is called "closure" in the world of comics. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ms. Frizzle's Adventures: Medieval Castle By Joanna Cole, illustrated by Bruce Degen. Scholastic, 2003; 48 pages; $15.95. Gr. 2-5. The fabulous team that brought us Ms. Frizzle friz·zle 1 v. friz·zled, friz·zling, friz·zles v.tr. 1. To fry (something) until crisp and curled: frizzled the bacon. 2. used call outs and insets in the science-oriented Magic School Bus books. They explore history the same way in their new series. As a class, discuss how these techniques relay information. Votel By Eileen Christelow. Clarion, 2004; 48 pages; $5.95. Gr. 2-5. Children will learn how the election process works by reading about a young girl whose mom runs for office. Snappy watercolor illustrations include lots of word-balloon dialogue, and informational text outside the comic frames provides a broader context. When Bugs Were Big, Plants Were Strange, and Tetrapods Stalked the Earth By Hannah Bonner. National Geographic, 2003; 48 pages; $16.95. Gr. 3-6. This description of the Paleozoic Era Paleozoic era (pā'lēəzō`ĭk), a major division (era) of geologic time (see Geologic Timescale, table) occurring between 570 to 240 million years ago. is packed with information. Silly cartoons, like those featuring a reptilian TV weather forecaster, are inserted to emphasize specific facts. As a follow-up, have students draw cartoons that accentuate (and help them remember) facts from your current curriculum. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Adventures in the Ice Age By Linda Bailey, illustrated by Bill Slavin. Kids Can Press, 2004; 48 pages; $14.95. Gr. 3-6. This latest episode in the Good Times Travel Agency series takes the three Binkerton children to a time when all anyone can do is chill. As you read, ask students how they know if someone is yelling, whispering, or singing. How do cartoonists get this across? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Alia's Mission: Saving the Books of Iraq By Mark Alan Stamaty. Knopf, 2004; 32 pages; $12.95. Gr. 3-8. In 2003, with war inevitable, the Basra librarian worried about how to protect the volumes in her charge. With the aid of neighbors, she smuggled smug·gle v. smug·gled, smug·gling, smug·gles v.tr. 1. To import or export without paying lawful customs charges or duties. 2. To bring in or take out illicitly or by stealth. 30,000 books to safety. Compare this story to editorial cartoons about the war. They're both based on current news--what's the difference? Tales of the Dead Tales of the Dead was an English anthology of horror fiction, published in 1813 by the publishing house White, Cochrane and Co. Origin The collection had its origin in Das Gespensterbuch : Ancient Greece The term ancient Greece refers to the periods of Greek history in Classical Antiquity, lasting ca. 750 BC[1] (the archaic period) to 146 BC (the Roman conquest). It is generally considered to be the seminal culture which provided the foundation of Western Civilization. By Stewart Ross, illustrated by Richard Bonson and Inklink. DK, 2004; 32 pages; $14.99. Gr. 3-7. This one's a twofer: an excellent reference book packed with facts and a complete graphic novel whose strips snake around every page. Students can read either one in its entirety without partaking of the other, or read them in tandem--a great way to learn how to synthesize information. Amella Earhart: Free in the Skies By Robert Burleigh, illustrated by Bill Wylie. Harcourt, 2003; 48 pages; $16. Gr. 3-5. This novel is part of the American Heroes collection, a series rendered in full-color and with the feel of a traditional comic book comic book Bound collection of comic strips, usually in chronological sequence, typically telling a single story or a series of different stories. The first true comic books were marketed in 1933 as giveaway advertising premiums. . After reading, challenge students to write a book report as a six-panel strip. They'll have to think critically about what to include! Regarding the Sink By Kate Klise, illustrated by M. Sarah Klise. Harcourt, 2004; 144 pages; $15. Gr. 4-7. Not a graphic novel in the typical sense, this hilarious mystery is a collection of newspaper clippings, e-mails, and letters. Try gathering the flotsam and jetsam “Ligan” redirects here. For the Swedish basketball league, see Ligan (basketball). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Roman Army By Dyan Blacklock, illustrated by David Kennett. Walker, 2004; 48 pages; $17.95. Gr. 4-8. This picture book for older readers mimics comic-book layout, but its spectacular art puts it in a class by itself. Students can either collect information from the graphic elements or sink into a paragraph and read it in one fell swoop. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Edgar Allen Poe's Tales of Mystery and Madness By Edgar Allen Poe, illustrated by Gris Grimly. Atheneum, 2004; 135 pages; $17.95. Gr. 6 and up. Poe becomes more accessible to students with this collection of spine-chilling stories, which uses sequential, macabre art to accompany the unabridged text. The Black Brothers By Lisa Tetzner, illustrated by Hannes Binder. Front Street, 2004; 146 pages; $16.95. Gr. 7 and up. This expose of child labor child labor, use of the young as workers in factories, farms, and mines. Child labor was first recognized as a social problem with the introduction of the factory system in late 18th-century Great Britain. from 1941 focuses on the working conditions of young Italian chimney sweeps. Readers will applaud the way panels and insets are utilized to heighten emotion. RELATED ARTICLE: GRAPHIC GROWTH Seeing graphic novels everywhere? This format is on the rise! More publishers will launch graphic imprints next year: [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * Scholastic will introduce Graphix in January. "Our mission is to bring the visual literacy of graphic novels to children ages 6-14," says Jean Feiwel, editor-in-chief of Scholastic. * Roaring Brook plans to publish a line of graphic novels in late 2005 to accommodate the "array of talents working in the format," says Mark Siegel, editorial director. * A Korea-based comics publisher will launch Edu-Comics in the U.S. next year. This series of comic books has the look of popular Japanese manga maNga is a popular Turkish nu metal/rapcore band. Their music is mainly a fusion of alternative metal and hip hop music, with a touch of Anatolian melodies; with heavy use of turntables, invoking comparisons with modern American nu metal bands. , but focuses on science and math topics. Lynne T. Burke is a children's literacy specialist in Minneapolis, MN. |
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