Sometimes the simplest explanations are the best ones. In the case of my book Boom! the idea came to me because, in my experience as a dog and cat owner, this is how dogs and cats act in thunderstorms. Dogs that I’ve owned have always been terrified, while our cat was amused by the light show and the noise. When a thunderstorm came she would sit in a window and watch quietly, twitching her tail as the sky grew bright and the noise got louder. Our dogs, on the other hand, would find a bathtub or closet to hide in, and shake uncontrollably. Usually my wife or I would have to hold them until the storm passed.
BOOM! isn’t a book about fear per se. It’s more about how amusing cats and dogs can be. Cats have that air of supreme confidence, while dogs, especially in a thunderstorm, are anything but confident. The wide eyed expression of “make it stop” are what appealed to me when I drew the dog in BOOM! I often draw dogs with that crazed look that dogs make when they’re happy, sad, or scared. Dogs are so emotive. You can always tell how a dog is feeling by the expression on its face. Cats play it much closer to the vest. They’re good poker players.
BOOM! is the first I Like to Read Comics that I’ve created. I played with some of the conventions of comics with the use of the textured, lined walls. The oversized hand-drawn type is also reminiscent of traditional comic book style.
The dog in BOOM! became the superhero and made the storm go away because dogs tend to be eternal optimists. The dogs we’ve had always believed they could catch that squirrel, even after failing a thousand times. They always thought if they sat, they’d get another treat…and they were always right. They always thought if they pushed their nose into your hand they’d get that ear scratch, and they were always right. And they always thought if they barked, whined, and fussed long enough, they’d get to go outside, and they were always right. And so I believe, although petrified, dogs probably do think they can will a storm away!
Our cat didn’t really care about too much. Eating? Whatever. Playing? Maybe, if she felt like it. Purring in your lap? Actually, that was a no brainer! The cat in BOOM! is similar to our cat— she did things on her schedule, no matter what was happening, even a thunderstorm. You have to admire cats for being so “chill”.
I think children will enjoy talking about how the dog and the cat approach the storm differently. Along with a teacher or adult, children might enjoy comparing and contrasting the dog and the cat’s behavior. And I hope children also enjoy the resolution and recognize their own superhero dog, if they have one.
As I get older, I am much more like the dog.
Published June 6th, 2023 by Holiday House
About the Book:BOOM! A funny story about a panicky dog, a nonchalant cat, and a loud thunderstorm.
This early graphic novel from two-time Theodor Seuss Geisel Honoree Paul Meisel is perfect for first graders learning to read on their own.
Dog and Cat are sleeping peacefully when–BOOM! A thunderstorm comes. While Cat is happy to spend the noisy night playing with toys, Dog frantically tries find the just the right hiding spot.
Easy-to-read text and energetic, cartoon-style artwork make for an accessible story filled with personality and visual humor. The recipient of two Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Books,Paul Mesiel brings young readers on a silly, nighttime adventure.
Comics-lovers can now share the fun with their kids, students, siblings, and younger friends who are learning to read!
I Like to Read® Comics are perfect for kids who are challenged by or unengaged in reading, kids who love art, and the growing number of young comics fans. Filled with eye-catching art, humor, and terrific stories these comics provide unique reading experiences for growing minds.
I Like to Read® Comics, like their award-winning I Like to Read® counterpart, are created by celebrated artists and support reading comprehension to transform children into lifelong readers.
We hope that all new readers will say, “I like to read comics!”
About the Author: I SEE A CAT, a Holiday House I Like To Read book, was named a 2018 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Award winner by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association. SEE ME RUN was a 2012 ALSC Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor winner. SEE ME DIG and SEE ME GO are two other books in the series. I SEE A BAT, another book in the I Like to Read series for new readers, is available now.
I’m the author/illustrator of a dozen books with more on the way. Here’s a link to a review in the New York Times Book Review of MY AWESOME SUMMER BY P. MANTIS (Holiday House). AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prizes named MY AWESOME SUMMER BY P. MANTIS a 2018 finalist for best books of the year in the Children’s Science Picture Books category. MY HAPPY YEAR BY E. BLUEBIRD, MY STINKY SUMMER BY S. BUG, and MY TINY LIFE BY RUBY T. HUMMINGBIRD are three other titles in the Nature Diary series. YOU POOP HERE is a humorous and simple potty training book which I authored and illustrated, available also as a board book. BOOM! is a new Holiday House I Like to Read Comics book for emerging readers about a dog who’s scared of thunder and his cat friend who’s not.
I wrote and illustrated GOOD NIGHT, BAT! GOOD MORNING, SQUIRREL! and ANNA AND SAMIA: THE TRUE STORY OF SAVING A BLACK RHINO. I also illustrated DOGS LOVE CARS, written by Leda Schubert.
To date I have illustrated more than 90 books, including early readers, picture books, eight books in the HarperCollins Let’s-Read-And-Find-Out Science series (LIGHT IS ALL AROUND US, ENERGY MAKES THINGS HAPPEN, FORCES MAKE THINGS MOVE, and others), and a number of mass market books. Two chapter books written by my son, Peter, and illustrated by me, are STINKY SPIKE THE PIRATE DOG and STINKY SPIKE AND THE ROYAL RESCUE.
I graduated with a BA in Fine Art from Wesleyan University, where I also played on the squash team. I studied in Rome at the Tyler School of Art my Junior year. I received an MFA in Graphic Design from Yale University and worked briefly as a graphic designer before becoming a full time illustrator and author.
In addition to children’s trade books I also work in editorial, educational and advertising illustration. I illustrate traditionally and digitally, and use a combination of both.
When not illustrating and writing or spending time with the family I like to play tennis, pickleball and garden. Coco, our labradoodle seen in the picture above, is no longer with us but she was an avid runner and digger and the inspiration for a number of my books.
Instagram: @pdmeisel
Facebook: Paul Meisel
Thank you, Paul, for this introduction to the animals of your book and the conversations that they can start!
Recently, a few of my very close friends (incredible parents who I could not survive without) asked for book recommendations. Because recommending books is the thing that brings me the most joy, I am going to share a few upper elementary and middle grade titles that my kids have enjoyed recently. I will share the age that the books are marketed towards, but I won’t share reading levels because I don’t believe in them (see this article or this post).
Every family is different. Please pre-read the texts if you are nervous about content. I feel comfortable giving any of these books to my 1st and 4th graders, but I am okay with giving them anything that doesn’t have strong/graphic sexual content or graphic violence. Please be sure to talk with your child about the books, too, to unpack themes and ideas they are reading.
In most cases, I posted the first book’s name within the series to make it easier to search for book one.
The Titles Are In No Particular Order
FANTASY/SCI FI
Zita the Spacegirl series by Ben Hatke,Marketed ages 8-12.
Zita’s life took a cosmic left turn in the blink of an eye.
When her best friend is abducted by an alien doomsday cult, Zita leaps to the rescue and finds herself a stranger on a strange planet. Humanoid chickens and neurotic robots are shocking enough as new experiences go, but Zita is even more surprised to find herself taking on the role of intergalactic hero. Before long, aliens in all shapes and sizes don’t even phase her. Neither do ancient prophecies, doomed planets, or even a friendly con man who takes a mysterious interest in Zita’s quest.
Zita the Spacegirl is a fun, captivating tale of friendship and redemption from Flight veteran Ben Hatke. It also has more whimsical, eye-catching, Miyazaki-esque monsters than you can shake a stick at.
HiLo series by Judd Winick, Marketed Ages 8-12
Take off on an action packed adventure with HILO Book 1! Dog Man meets Big Nate in this hilarious New York Times bestselling graphic novel series that kids love!
BOOM! CLANG! CRASH! D.J. and Gina are totally ordinary kids. But Hilo isn’t! Hilo just fell out of the sky and doesn’t know where he came from, or what he’s doing on Earth. (Or why going to school in only your underwear is a BAD idea!) . . . But UH-OH, what if Hilo wasn’t the only thing to fall to our planet? Can the trio unlock the secrets of Hilo’s past? Can Hilo survive a day at school? Find out in HILO-a laugh-out-loud, epic story of friendship! Adventure! (And the occasionaly mutant space robot).
Wings of Fire series by Tui T. Sutherland, Marketed Ages 8-12
(Also in novel form.) The New York Times and USA Today bestselling series soars to even greater heights with a new prophecy and five new dragonets ready to claim their destiny! Daring mission… or deadly mistake?Winter has been a disappointment to his royal IceWing family his whole life. When his sister, Icicle, runs away from Jade Mountain Academy, fleeing terrible crimes and possibly planning to commit more, Winter knows that they both need a second chance to make things right — if only he can find her. Winter’s new clawmates, Moon, Qibli, and Kinkajou, won’t let him make this dangerous journey alone. They don’t seem to understand that IceWings, the most superior of all dragon tribes, can fix their own problems. When their search leads the dragonets straight into Queen Scarlet’s vicious talons, Winter is grateful to have some help. But even the bravest dragons can’t follow him to the Ice Kingdom, where he’ll have to face the greatest threat of all: his own family.
Guardians of Horsa series by Roan Black, Marketed Ages 5-9
In the first installment of the action-packed Guardians of Horsa graphic novel series, four young horses from clashing herds must join forces to solve a mystery and save magic.
Welcome to the realm of Horsa, a world of magic, wild horses, and danger. The four elemental herds of Horsa live in uncertain peace, which is to stay out of each other’s way and all will be fine. But when signs of a mysterious prophecy about a yearling with untold magical powers appear, four young horses from each herd are called to action. Now these elemental enemies must work together to solve the prophecy, find the yearling, and restore balance to Horsa.
Giants Beware series by Rafael Rosado and Jorge Aguirre, Marketed ages 6-9
Make way for Claudette the giant slayer in this delightful, fantastical adventure!
Claudette’s fondest wish is to slay a giant.But her village is so safe and quiet! What’s a future giant slayer to do?
With her best friend Marie (an aspiring princess), and her brother Gaston (a pastry-chef-to-be), Claudette embarks on a super-secret quest to find a giant—without parental permission. Can they find and defeat the giant before their parents find them and drag them back home?
Giants Beware! offers up a wondrous, self-contained world in the tradition of the very best of Pixar. Claudette and her friends will have you laughing out loud from page one.
The action of Moana meets the humor of books like Dog Man in this sidesplitting graphic novel about a young Berzerker who has to rescue her fellow warriors from the evil villain Witch Head before he destroys the world!
Barb is a Berzerker, one of a group of warriors sworn to protect the land of Bailiwick from the scourge of monsters that plagues it. But the fearsome crew seem to have met their match in the nefarious Witch Head. Using power from his magical sword, he tricked the Zerks and took them captive. Only Barb was able to escape—and she took Witch Head’s Shadow Blade with her.
Now it’s up to Barb to free her fellow warriors so they can stop Witch Head from taking over Bailiwick. On the way, she’ll battle vampire goat fiends, snot goblins, and a giant with serious foot odor issues (but don’t mention that to him—he’s very sensitive about it). Luckily, she’s got her best friend, Porkchop the yeti, to help her.
But the power of the Shadow Blade has a mind of its own, and the deeper Barb gets into her quest, the harder it is to keep the blade’s awesome power under control.
City of Dragons series by Jaimal Yogis & Vivian Truong, Marketed ages 8-12
Grace and her friends must protect a newly hatched dragon from mysterious evildoers.
When Grace moves to Hong Kong with her mom and new stepdad, her biggest concern is making friends at her fancy new boarding school. But when a mysterious old woman gifts her a dragon egg during a field trip, Grace discovers that the wonderful stories of dragons she heard when she was a young girl might actually be real–especially when the egg hatches overnight.
The dragon has immense powers that Grace has yet to understand. And that puts them both in danger from mysterious forces intent on abusing the dragon’s power. And now it’s up to Grace and her school friends to uncover the sinister plot threatening the entire city!
Aru Shah and the End of Time series by Roshani Chokshi, Marketed ages 8-12
(Also available in novel form) Best-selling author Rick Riordan introduces this adventure by Roshani Chokshi about twelve-year-old Aru Shah, who has a tendency to stretch the truth in order to fit in at school. While her classmates are jetting off to family vacations in exotic locales, she’ll be spending her autumn break at home, in the Museum of Ancient Indian Art and Culture, waiting for her mom to return from her latest archeological trip. Is it any wonder that Aru makes up stories about being royalty, traveling to Paris, and having a chauffeur? One day, three schoolmates show up at Aru’s doorstep to catch her in a lie. They don’t believe her claim that the museum’s Lamp of Bharata is cursed, and they dare Aru to prove it. Just a quick light, Aru thinks. Then she can get herself out of this mess and never ever fib again. But lighting the lamp has dire consequences. She unwittingly frees the Sleeper, an ancient demon whose duty it is to awaken the God of Destruction. Her classmates and beloved mother are frozen in time, and it’s up to Aru to save them. The only way to stop the demon is to find the reincarnations of the five legendary Pandava brothers, protagonists of the Hindu epic poem, the Mahabharata, and journey through the Kingdom of Death. But how is one girl in Spider-Man pajamas supposed to do all that?
The Cardboard Kingdom by Chad Sell, Marketed ages 8-12
Grace and her friends must protect a newly hatched dragon from mysterious evildoers.
When Grace moves to Hong Kong with her mom and new stepdad, her biggest concern is making friends at her fancy new boarding school. But when a mysterious old woman gifts her a dragon egg during a field trip, Grace discovers that the wonderful stories of dragons she heard when she was a young girl might actually be real–especially when the egg hatches overnight.
The dragon has immense powers that Grace has yet to understand. And that puts them both in danger from mysterious forces intent on abusing the dragon’s power. And now it’s up to Grace and her school friends to uncover the sinister plot threatening the entire city!
The Five Worlds are on the brink of extinction unless five ancient and mysterious beacons are lit. When war erupts, three unlikely heroes will discover there’s more to themselves—and more to their worlds—than meets the eye. . . .
Oona Lee, the clumsiest student at the Sand Dancer Academy, is a fighter with a destiny bigger than she could ever imagine.
An Tzu, a boy from the poorest slums, has a surprising gift and a knack for getting out of sticky situations.
Jax Amboy is the star athlete who is beloved by an entire galaxy, but what good is that when he has no real friends?
When these three kids are forced to team up on an epic quest, it will take not one, not two, but 5 WORLDS to contain all the magic and adventure!
REALISTIC FICTION
Two Tribes by Emily Bowen Cohen, Marketed ages 8-12
In her poignant debut graphic novel inspired by her own life, Emily Bowen Cohen embraces the complexity, meaning, and deep love that comes from being part of two vibrant tribes. Mia is still getting used to living with her mom and stepfather, and to the new role their Jewish identity plays in their home. Feeling out of place at home and at her Jewish day school, Mia finds herself thinking more and more about her Muscogee father, who lives with his new family in Oklahoma. Her mother doesn’t want to talk about him, but Mia can’t help but feel like she’s missing a part of herself without him in her life. Soon, Mia makes a plan to use the gifts from her bat mitzvah to take a bus to Oklahoma—without telling her mom—to visit her dad and find the connection to her Muscogee side she knows is just as important as her Jewish side. This graphic novel by Muscogee-Jewish writer and artist Emily Bowen Cohen is perfect for fans of American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang. It is published by Heartdrum, an imprint that centers stories about contemporary Indigenous young people.
Doodleville series by Chad Sell, Marketed ages 8-12
For fans of Svetlana Chmakova’s Awkward and Raina Telgemeier’s Smile comes an inventive new story from Cardboard Kingdom creator Chad Sell about a group of young artists who must work together when one of their own creations becomes a monster.
Levi won’t be easily tamed, and it seems there is a link between the monster’s bad behavior and Drew’s feelings. With the help of her loyal art club friends, will she be able to save Doodleville–and Levi–before it’s too late?
Drew is just a regular artist. But there’s nothing ordinary about her art. Her doodles are mischievous . . . and rarely do they stay in Doodleville, the world she’s created in her sketchbook. Instead, Drew’s doodles prefer to explore the world outside. But after an inspiring class trip to the Art Institute of Chicago–where the doodles cause a bit too much trouble–Drew decides it’s time to take her artistic talents to the next level. Enter the Leviathan–Levi, for short. He’s bigger and better than anything Drew has ever created before. He’s a monster, but a friendly one. That is, until Levi begins to wreak havoc on Drew’s other doodles–and on the heroes her classmates have dreamt up.
Squished by Megan Wagner Lloyd and Michelle Mee Nutter, Marketed for ages 8-12
From the Eisner-nominated duo behind the instant bestseller Allergic comes a fun new graphic novel about finding your own space… especially when you’re in a family of nine!
Eleven-year-old Avery Lee loves living in Hickory Valley, Maryland. She loves her neighborhood, school, and the end-of-summer fair she always goes to with her two best friends. But she’s tired of feeling squished by her six siblings! They’re noisy and chaotic and the younger kids love her a little too much. All Avery wants is her own room — her own space to be alone and make art. So she’s furious when Theo, her grumpy older brother, gets his own room instead, and her wild baby brother, Max, moves into the room she already shares with her clinging sister Pearl! Avery hatches a plan to finally get her own room, all while trying to get Max to sleep at night, navigating changes in her friendships, and working on an art entry for the fair. And when Avery finds out that her family might move across the country, things get even more complicated.
Megan Wagner Lloyd and Michelle Mee Nutter have once again teamed up to tell a funny, heartfelt, and charming story of family, friendship, and growing up.
Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson, Marketed for ages 8-12
For fans of Raina Telgemeier’s Smile, a heartwarming graphic novel about friendship and surviving junior high through the power of roller derby.
Twelve-year-old Astrid has always done everything with her best friend Nicole. So when Astrid signs up for roller derby camp, she assumes Nicole will too. But Nicole signs up for dance camp with a new friend instead, and so begins the toughest summer of Astrid’s life. There are bumps and bruises as Astrid learns who she is without Nicole…and what it takes to be a strong, tough roller girl.
Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas, Marketed for ages 8-12
Bree can’t wait for her first day at her new middle school, Enith Brigitha, home to the Mighty Manatees–until she’s stuck with the only elective that fits her schedule, the dreaded Swim 101. The thought of swimming makes Bree more than a little queasy, yet she’s forced to dive headfirst into one of her greatest fears. Lucky for her, Etta, an elderly occupant of her apartment building and former swim team captain, is willing to help.
With Etta’s training and a lot of hard work, Bree suddenly finds her swim-crazed community counting on her to turn the school’s failing team around. But that’s easier said than done, especially when their rival, the prestigious Holyoke Prep, has everything they need to leave the Mighty Manatees in their wake.
Can Bree defy the odds and guide her team to a state championship, or have the Manatees swum their last lap–for good?
Hoops by Matt Tavares, Marketed for ages 8-12
A work of fiction inspired by a true story, Matt Tavares’s debut graphic novel dramatizes the historic struggle for gender equality in high school sports.
It is 1975 in Indiana, and the Wilkins Regional High School girls’ basketball team is in their rookie season. Despite being undefeated, they practice at night in the elementary school and play to empty bleachers. Unlike the boys’ team, the Lady Bears have no buses to deliver them to away games and no uniforms, much less a laundry service. They make their own uniforms out of T-shirts and electrical tape. And with help from a committed female coach, they push through to improbable victory after improbable victory. Illustrated in full color, this story about the ongoing battle of women striving for equality in sports rings with honesty, bravery, and heart.
When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed, Marketed for ages 9-13
Heartbreak and hope exist together in this remarkable graphic novel about growing up in a refugee camp, as told by a Somali refugee to the Newbery Honor-winning creator of Roller Girl.
Omar and his younger brother, Hassan, have spent most of their lives in Dadaab, a refugee camp in Kenya. Life is hard there: never enough food, achingly dull, and without access to the medical care Omar knows his nonverbal brother needs. So when Omar has the opportunity to go to school, he knows it might be a chance to change their future . . . but it would also mean leaving his brother, the only family member he has left, every day.
Heartbreak, hope, and gentle humor exist together in this graphic novel about a childhood spent waiting, and a young man who is able to create a sense of family and home in the most difficult of settings. It’s an intimate, important, unforgettable look at the day-to-day life of a refugee, as told to New York Times Bestselling author/artist Victoria Jamieson by Omar Mohamed, the Somali man who lived the story.
Twins by Varian Johnson and Shannon Wright, Marketed for ages 8-12
Coretta Scott King Honor author Varian Johnson teams up with rising cartoonist Shannon Wright for a delightful middle-grade graphic novel!
Maureen and Francine Carter are twins and best friends. They participate in the same clubs, enjoy the same foods, and are partners on all their school projects. But just before the girls start sixth grade, Francine becomes Fran — a girl who wants to join the chorus, run for class president, and dress in fashionable outfits that set her apart from Maureen. A girl who seems happy to share only two classes with her sister!
Maureen and Francine are growing apart and there’s nothing Maureen can do to stop it. Are sisters really forever? Or will middle school change things for good?
Play Like a Girl by Misty Wilson and David Wilson, Marketed for ages 8-12
Debut author Misty Wilson chronicles her seventh-grade experience as the only girl on her town’s football team in this empowering graphic memoir about teamwork, friendship, crushes, and touchdowns.
Misty never shies away from a challenge, on or off the field. So when the boys tell her she can’t play football, there’s only one thing to do: join their team and show them what she’s got.
But the training is rougher than she thought—and so are the other guys, who aren’t thrilled about having a girl on their team.
Middle school isn’t so easy, either. Misty wants to fit in with the popular kids, but they think a girl playing football is “weird.” Even her best friend doesn’t get it.
El Deafo by Cece Bell, Marketed for ages 8-12
Starting at a new school is scary, even more so with a giant hearing aid strapped to your chest! At her old school, everyone in Cece’s class was deaf. Here she is different. She is sure the kids are staring at the Phonic Ear, the powerful aid that will help her hear her teacher. Too bad it also seems certain to repel potential friends.
Then Cece makes a startling discovery. With the Phonic Ear she can hear her teacher not just in the classroom, but anywhere her teacher is in school — in the hallway… in the teacher’s lounge… in the bathroom! This is power. Maybe even superpower! Cece is on her way to becoming El Deafo, Listener for All. But the funny thing about being a superhero is that it’s just another way of feeling different… and lonely. Can Cece channel her powers into finding the thing she wants most, a true friend?
This funny perceptive graphic novel memoir about growing up hearing impaired is also an unforgettable book about growing up, and all the super and super embarrassing moments along the way.
Sunny Side Up series by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm, Marketed for ages 8-12
When is a summer vacation not really a summer vacation? Sunny Lewin has been packed off to Florida to live with her grandfather for the summer. At first she thought Florida might be fun — it is the home of Disney World, after all. But the place where Gramps lives is no amusement park. It’s full of . . . old people. Really old people.Luckily, Sunny isn’t the only kid around. She meets Buzz, a boy who is completely obsessed with comic books, and soon they’re having adventures of their facing off against golfball-eating alligators, runaway cats, and mysteriously disappearing neighbors. But the question remains — why is Sunny down in Florida in the first place? The answer lies in a family secret that won’t be secret to Sunny much longer. . .
Drama by Raina Telgemeier, Marketed for ages 10-14
PLACES, EVERYONE!
Callie loves theater. And while she would totally try out for her middle school’s production of Moon Over Mississippi, she can’t really sing. Instead she’s the set designer for the drama department stage crew, and this year she’s determined to create a set worthy of Broadway on a middle-school budget. But how can she, when she doesn’t know much about carpentry, ticket sales are down, and the crew members are having trouble working together? Not to mention the onstage AND offstage drama that occurs once the actors are chosen. And when two cute brothers enter the picture, things get even crazier!
The Smile series by Raina Telgemeier, Marketed for ages 8-12
Raina just wants to be a normal sixth grader. But one night after Girl Scouts she trips and falls, severely injuring her two front teeth, and what follows is a long and frustrating journey with on-again, off-again braces, surgery, embarrassing headgear, and even a retainer with fake teeth attached. And on top of all that, there’s still more to deal with: a major earthquake, boy confusion, and friends who turn out to be not so friendly. This coming-of-age true story is sure to resonate with anyone who has ever been in middle school, and especially those who have ever had a bit of their own dental drama.
Measuring Up by Lily LaMatte and Ann Xu, Marketed for ages 8-12
Twelve-year-old Cici has just moved from Taiwan to Seattle, and the only thing she wants more than to fit in at her new school is to celebrate her grandmother, A-má’s, seventieth birthday together.
Since she can’t go to A-má, Cici cooks up a plan to bring A-má to her by winning the grand prize in a kids’ cooking contest to pay for A-má’s plane ticket! There’s just one problem: Cici only knows how to cook Taiwanese food.
And after her pickled cucumber debacle at lunch, she’s determined to channel her inner Julia Child. Can Cici find a winning recipe to reunite with A-má, a way to fit in with her new friends, and somehow find herself too?
Katie the Catsitter series by Colleen AF Venable and Stephanie Yue, Marketed for ages 8-12
A new middle-grade graphic novel series about growing up, friendship, heroes, and cats (lots of cats!).
Katie is dreading the boring summer ahead while her best friends are all away at camp–something that’s way out of Katie and her mom’s budget, UNLESS Katie can figure out a way earn the money for camp herself. But when Katie gets a job catsitting for her mysterious upstairs neighbor, life get interesting.
First, Madeline has 217 cats (!) and they’re not exactly . . . normal cats. Also, why is Madeline always out EXACTLY when the city’s most notorious villain commits crimes?! Is it possible that Katie’s upstairs neighbor is really a super villain?
Can Katie wrangle a whole lot of wayward cats, save a best friendship (why is Beth barely writing back? And who’s this boy she keeps talking about?!), AND crack the biggest story in the city’s history? Some heroes have capes . . . Katie has cats!
The New Kid series by Jerry Craft, Marketed for ages 8-12
A graphic novel about starting over at a new school where diversity is low and the struggle to fit in is real.
Seventh grader Jordan Banks loves nothing more than drawing cartoons about his life. But instead of sending him to the art school of his dreams, his parents enroll him in a prestigious private school known for its academics, where Jordan is one of the few kids of color in his entire grade.
As he makes the daily trip from his Washington Heights apartment to the upscale Riverdale Academy Day School, Jordan soon finds himself torn between two worlds—and not really fitting into either one. Can Jordan learn to navigate his new school culture while keeping his neighborhood friends and staying true to himself?
Invisible by Christina Diaz Gonzalez and Gabriela Epstein, Marketed for ages 8-12
For fans of Twins and Allergic, a must-have graphic novel about five very different students who are forced together by their school to complete community service… and may just have more in common than they thought.
How can you be yourself when no one sees the real you?
Five students meet in the school cafeteria when they’re forced to complete their school community service hours.
There’s Jorge: the brain
Sara: the loner
Dayara: the tough kid
Nico: the rich kid
And Miguel: the athlete
They immediately know that they have nothing in common with each other… even though their school administration has decided that they all belong together.
None of the kids wants to be there, and each has their own issues they’re dealing with in their life outside of school. But when they encounter someone who truly needs their help, they might just be able to come together to work as a team—and help their community—after all.
Christina Diaz Gonzalez, award-winning author of The Red Umbrella, and Gaby Epstein, illustrator of the Baby-Sitters Club graphic novel adaptations, have created a vibrant and relatable graphic novel about unexpected friendships and being seen for who you really are.
Awkward series by SvetlanaChmakova, Marketed for ages 10+
Cardinal rule #1 for surviving school: Don’t get noticed by the mean kids.
Cardinal rule #2 for surviving school: Seek out groups with similar interests and join them.
On her first day at her new school, Penelope–Peppi–Torres reminds herself of these basics. But when she trips into a quiet boy in the hall, Jaime Thompson, she’s already broken the first rule, and the mean kids start calling her the “nerder girlfriend.” How does she handle this crisis? By shoving poor Jaime and running away!
Falling back on rule two and surrounding herself with new friends in the art club, Peppi still can’t help feeling ashamed about the way she treated Jaime. Things are already awkward enough between the two, but to make matters worse, he’s a member of her own club’s archrivals–the science club! And when the two clubs go to war, Peppi realizes that sometimes you have to break the rules to survive middle school!
I’ll continue to add books to this list as more are released! Let me know if I missed one of your favorites in the comments section, and I’ll add it!Happy Reading!
“Top Ten Books I Recommend” by Anja K., 2022-23 7th grade
This book is so good; I really don’t get why people don’t read it! It is about a girl that goes to school in Paris and meets a boy that she really thinks is cute. I really thought it was a cute moment when St. Clair took Anna to his secret spot!! So Romantic!!! I REALLY RECOMMEND!!
This book is such a great book!! It is about 4 kids that are in suspicion for killing a young man in the same grade. I REALLY RECOMMEND!! (I definitely recommend it for people that are interested in mystery!!)
This book is SO GOOD! It has a lot of action and a bit of blood, but if you like action, this book is for you! It is about students that go to a school and learn how to be heroes. Great! Amazing! Recommend!!
I think this book was a really cute book!! It is about this girl that found a smelly pet and does not know what it is so she tries to find out what the animal is and how it got there. This was a very interesting and funny book to read!! Really recommend for people that like funny content!!
This series is so good!! I am trying to finish the series and you can get some of the books in the HCMS library!! This series is about a boy named Tanjiro and his sister which turns into a demon and fights with him in the Demon Slayer Corps.
I really recommend this book it is so good!! It has a nice theme to it about twins, their competitiveness, and how they live!! It was a cute little book!!
This book is such a good book!! I totally recommend this!! It is about a girl that is allergic to mainly dogs and all animals with fur so she tries to get a pet, and it does not work out so well.
This book is about kids that learn how to do Yo-Yo tricks and dancing. I really recommend this book for kids that like graphic novels that have dancing in it. This book is a little different from others though.
A Silent Voice is about a girl that is deaf and a boy that makes fun of her and how he tries to make up with her in High School after Middle School. I really loved how it had a cute message to it!! If you like this summary, I totally recommend this book for you!!
I really loved how this book had 2 twins that wanted to be different and not the same as the other twin because people kept on messing up there identities I really recommend!!
“Ten Favorite Books” by Meghan K., 2022-23 7th grade
A girl who wants to play football with the boys but everyone is judging her….She does not care what people think and she follows her dream. I recommend this book because girls can do anything boys can do. Also, this book made me really happy to read because I was in a similar situation when I started playing football with the boys.
A family moves to a new town, They meet this boy and he claims the town is haunted, Only to their surprise he is right….. I recommend this book because it was interesting! I could not stop reading it.
A girl named Pip thinks Sal did not murder Andie Bell. Will she find the real murderer. I LOVE this book!! SO many twist and turns. Always kept me interested.
A girl who does not want to have a Quince. Her family convinced her but it went differently for what she suspected. I really like this book because the mom finally realizes that the girl should wear what she likes and do what she likes.
A girl who wanted a pet dog until she found out she was ALLERGIC… So she decided to get a rat, still allergic. Ends up finding a way to keep her cute little rat friends. I Love Allergic! Definitely a 5 out of 5. Amazing book. I Understand because I have a lot of pets and I thought I was Allergic to my cat and I was sooo sad. But it ended up that I was not!
A girl who wants to be just like her dream Tik Toker. One day she wished for her to be 22 just like the famous Tik Tok star she wanted to be. Really good book! Kept me interested. Definitely worth reading. I loved it!
A big family has to share a tiny house. Second oldest child is not too happy with her older brother because he does not have to share a room, so they find a solution. I can relate to this book because my middle sister got the biggest room and I always wanted it but when she moved out I got it! Definitely miss my sister though.
When girls were brought down because they wanted to do other things besides chores. Jane Goodall did not care and did what she loved…Studying chimpanzees. I love reading books where women do what they want to do and do not let people judge them!! Pretty good book.
A young Otter learns to follow his mothers footsteps and be just as good as her. I like this book a lot because as family you always need to stick together even through ups and downs.
Stacy has to go to babysit this family… They go to the beach and Stacy falls in love. How does Marry Anne feel about having to watch over all the kids by herself while Stacy is off with this guy. I recommend this book because it shows that you should stick with your friends over a guy! Don’t just push your BFF over a guy you just met.
“Ten Books I Enjoyed from my School Library” by Teresa Z., 2022-23 7th grade
This book is really good. I enjoyed it!
It was about a kid that just went to a new school which has rich kids and more bullying involved with it but I thought it was really good!!
I love this book because it teaches you how to reach your goals.
I like this book. Overall it’s good, but it is really dark.
This book is so good. I love how they learned how to overcome their differences and be friends.
I love this book–it’s so good! I love love stories!
I love this book it teaches how to go through stuff, and it’s so fun to read.
This book is good; it teaches a really good lesson.
This book is really good, and it’s really fast to read. I love it so much!
This book is really good–I 100% recommend this book.
“Recommended: The Clique by Lisi Harrison” by Silvia S., 2022-23 8th grade
The Clique books felt exclusive and special. I truly enjoyed the drama and how Lisi Harrison created their own slang and inside jokes with hidden meanings. Reading the clique allowed me to live a fantasy quite similar to Mean Girls with girls my age with real insecurities. I do wish the clique continues and that some of the characters undergo some character development. The Clique will always be a series I recommend because it deserves every star it gets. I hope that you are as interested in the clique as I was.
Ever dream of that fashionista and luxurious lifestyle with the perfect friend group? Meet The Pretty Committee comprised of 4 girls Massie, Alicia, Dylan, and Kristen. Massie the girl meant to lead and conquer with her miu miu lace cami, who can turn any fashion-don’t into a fashion-yes. Alicia is the exotically beautiful and stylish runner-up that can get any boy with a hair flip. Dylan the polished redhead daughter of a tv star surrounded by cameras and all you can hear of clicks and flashes. Kristen is the smartest and sportiest girl in the pretty committee with her secret double life.
On the night of the nationwide New Year Yve’s party where everything comes to place by the drop of a handbag. Massie Block trapped as a beta in The Ahnnabeees (the wanna-be clique) at Presbyterian Middle, has amazing ideas for them but is neglected. Alicia Rivera eager to guide and lead her dance studio squad with their caption on vacation, gets her one in a lifetime to shine and perform at Merri-Lee Marvil’s New Year Yves party. Dylan Marvil always sweet-talked because of her mother’s fame she has had no one ever bother standing up to her. Kristen Gregory needs to leave planet loser and change up her life this year. Claire Lynons the sweet naive Orlando girl psyched to win a last-minute invite to the New Year Yves party but has to sneak out before the countdown to midnight ends.
Massie goes to a physics telling her she will now be the leader and connect 5 gems by midnight and she should have purple because royals like Massie always had purple. Alicia with her determination “offends” one of her teammates and gets in great trouble but who can let a chance of being the next star go like that? But it’s not meant for her; she trips on a bracelet charm. Claire was held in a room before getting her first kiss from a star until her parents come in to take her out after seeing her on tv. Dylan struggling to fit in her size 2 pants doesn’t know her mother’s stylist has put skinning mirrors is told the truth by Massie and wonders who that girl is. Massie after telling a girl her pants are not going to fit no matter what bumps into someone and her charms come falling out.
Kristen who happened to come in and sees Dylan out asking to switch clothe seems rich enough to enter the party sees a girl looking for something and goes to help. Each girl finds a charm and goes to Massie to give her the charm and they realize they are meant for each other after discussing how each of their lives is missing something. Massie and Alicia decide to move schools to Octavian Day and The Clique begins. But where is the last gem?
Thank you so much to my student voices today and their recommendations!
Pigeon Private Detectives #1: The Case of the Missing Tarts Author: Christee Curran-Bauer
Published August 29th, 2023 by Union Square & Co.
Summary: The Pigeon Detectives are looking forward to devouring a delectable platter of jam tarts—until the tasty treats are stolen from right under their beaks! With tummies grumbling, the PPD are on the hunt for clues, but can the detectives recover the tarts in time before they are all eaten—or worse—stale? As the list of suspects grows longer, our heroes wonder if they’ll ever catch the thief jam-handed.
Pigeon Private Detectives: The Case of the Missing Tarts, Christee Curran-Bauer’s author-illustrator debut, pokes fun at detective procedurals with kid-friendly humor!
Praise:
“[W]ith a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor and plenty of puns. The narrative, told through a mix of comic book–style panels and prose, is brought to life with crisp-lined cartoons with mostly pastel tones and a bit of film noir thrown in when the mood is right. An enjoyable homage to the dramatic mystery.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Readers will flock to Curran-Bauer’s lighthearted mystery. A glossary defining detective terms and a fact sheet conclude.” —Publishers Weekly
“Full of clues and coos, The Case of the Missing Tarts is a delightful and delicious detective tale!” –John Patrick Green, author of the InvestiGators series
About the Author: Christee Curran-Bauerhas a BFA from Pratt Institute in communications design/illustration, and is a proud member of The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Christee is a Jersey girl currently living in Virginia Beach with her family and spoiled French bulldog. She invites you to visit her at christeewithadoublee.blogspot.com and on Twitter at @ChristeeDoubleE.
Review:This book is going to be a great ladder between early readers and longer chapter books as it is an introduction to pages with a bit longer text but it is mixed with paneled pages. This aspect, combined with the cartoon-esque illustrations, is going to lend itself to finding so many readers. Oh, and everyone loves a mystery, and this series is off to a great start with its first case. I also was a fan of the three pigeons, their different personalities, job focuses, and sense of style.
Tools for Navigation: The mystery of this text lends itself directly to predicting. Readers can look at clues and make guesses right along side the Pigeon Private Detectives! Also, the book takes the reader through 6 steps of an investigation which could lead directly to activities and could even be compared to the scientific method. OH! And with so much baking in the book–a baking cross-curricular activity would fit right in.
Discussion Questions:
Follow the investigative steps with the Pigeon Private Detectives. Did you predict who the culprit was? If so, what clues did you use? If not, what tricked you and what did you miss?
Flagged Spreads:
Read This If You Love: Mysteries, animal chapter books
Recommended For:
**Thank you to Jenny at Union Square for providing a copy for review!**
“5 Books with Indian Rep” by Sai B., 2022-23 8th grade
India being one of the biggest countries in the world as well as one of the most populous countries is still very unknown to people who haven’t been to the country. There are so many cultures, languages, food, and people that have come from different parts of the country and there is so much to explore. As an Indian person myself, the country is so beautiful and fun to visit. Moving on, many people continue don’t know the true beauty of this country as they haven’t visited the country or have a stereotypical ideology about the country. However, these 5 books can help people understand the cultural and beautiful aspects of the country.
Book 1: Aru Shah Book Series (Pandava Series) by Roshani Chokshi(Presented by Rick Riordan)
I am so happy I read this series as it was written by an Indian author and it was presented by my favorite author Rick Riordan. These books explore one of the biggest stories in Indian mythology called the Mahabharata. This event was about these two groups called the Pandavas and Kauravas in which they fought over the destiny of a Kingdom. Many important gods took part in this event and are very important to the cultural part of India. These books go over a girl named Aruh Shah who learns she is a reincarnation of a Pandava who was the son of a god. She has to stop many evil spirits and demons through these books. These books do a great job in exploring the cultural part of India and explain a lot of the morals and values we learn from Indian mythology.
Book 2: The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman
This is another great book with representation of India but it digs deeper into the lifestyle of how Indian people live. Even though the scenario of Rukku and her brother Viji leaving their house after being violently hurt by their parents, this event is somewhat common to the poorer part of the country. Many families depend on their children to give them financial support and since in the book Rukku the older sister has intellectual problems, it is hard for the family to accept that type of child. Nevertheless, this book was an emotional rollercoaster as it did a really good job of depicting how poorer people live to survive in the country and also expresses the importance of family throughout the book.
Book 3: Save Me a Seat by Gita Varadajan and Sarah Weeks
This book is another great book with Indian representation. Even though it takes place in an American society it represents the adaptations Indian’s have to take after moving to a new country in order to have a better future. However, the lesson learned from the book does not just apply to Indians and is more of a broader moral. The book is about a character named Ravi who tries to adapt to a new way of experiencing things. He has to adapt to school and life in general. Throughout the book he meets Joe, an American, who is also struggling with fitting in and life. They both have the same problems and both try to fix them together. This book does a great job in depicting the values of friendship and the hardship it is for adaptation in a new society.
Book 4: Red, White, and Whole by Rajani LaRocca
This book is very similar to Save Me a Seat as it also explores a girl named Reha who is the only Indian-American in her school. However, this digs deeper into the way Indian homes are like. It shows how many kids have strict interpretations from their parents and feel disconnected from their parents. This is very common in Indian households as parents were raised to work hard and achieve success but they put these expectations on their kids. The kids feel very pressured by this expectation and feel distant from their parents. In the book Riha’s mom starts to feel really sick and this event allows Riha to be closer to her mom. This book does a great job in explaining the difficulties of fitting in and the importance of family.
Book 5: Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond Series by Sayanti DasGupta
This book is another cultural representation of India. It is about a girl named Kiranmala who lived in New Jersey. One day her parents disappear and a demon appears. We later learn she is a long lost Indian princess and goes on a journey to fight demons and save her family. Even though this book is somewhat fictional there are many cultural aspects included in the book and develops a lot of morals and values related to Indian culture. Overall, this book does a great job in representing Indian culture and is definitely a must read.
“5 Mystery Books You Need to Read Right Now” by Kyon V., 2022-23 8th grade
Within fiction, 12.5% of adult books are in the thriller genre. That is estimated to be about 23.6 million mystery books a year in the US alone.
So why are these books so popular? Everyone loves to read about a great mystery for several reasons. Some like to try and solve the mystery before someone in the books does. Some like the suspension and action the book brings. Some like imagining all sorts of things, like what they would do in the characters’ situations. For all these reasons, mystery books are one of the most popular genres. Here are my top 5 favorites for the year.
Chrstina Diaz Gonzalez is an Edgar winning author from The US with heritage in Cuba. Concealed is part of the 2022-2023 SSYRA ( Sunshine State Young Readers awards books.) With its release just over 2 and a half years ago, this book has been very popular with all kinds of ages, but especially middle schoolers. It has a plot like no other book that keeps the reader glued to the pages of the book, wondering what will happen next.
This book is the first of a series of 3 thrilling mystery books by James Ponti. The main character is a 12 year old boy with a new technique to help solve mysteries. He, alongside the FBI, solve mysteries together. Each book has its own unique plot. The reader can try to solve the mystery before the characters, therefore providing a reason to keep reading.
This book, just like Framed!, is the first of a three book series by James Ponti. In these books, a group of young students work together to thwart evil. It provides a vision into the characters and is totally immersive. The characters all come from different backgrounds and countries, and have to figure out a way to become a team in beating evil.
This book by Ally Carter is highly underrated. This book does not receive the credit it deserves. What is your next step of action when your mom gets murdered? Of course go for revenge and make the killer pay. Who can you trust is on your side? This Mystery series by Ally Carter is just as good as the most popular mystery books out there to date.
5 kids from different backgrounds and social groups walk into a classroom. Only 4 make it out. This mystery book between 4 kids to find out which one is the killer is electrifying. I love this book because it relates to me as a middle schooler and different kids being forced to work together on something.
In conclusion, next time you want to find an exciting mystery book, come back to this blog post for 5 top mystery book recommendations that are sure to leave you excited and delighted.
“Favorite Between Two Favorites” by Gabi C., 2022-23 8th grade
Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen vs Love & Olives by Jenna Evans Welch
It’s gonna be so hard to choose a favorite because I love both of these books. However, Love & Olives wins by a margin, and here’s why.
Love & Olives had a better slow-burn plot, but the character development prize goes to Flipped. Both books had an amazing plot with nice pacing especially for their varying lengths. The major difference between the books was the boys. The girls were easily confident in themselves, loving, nurturing, and overall good role models. The boys however, couldn’t have been more different. In Flipped, Bryce was a terrible guy. While he became a “good guy” in the end, in the beginning and end, he was a jerk! His whole persona was bullying Julie and being mean to her at every chance he got. In Love & Olives, Theo is an angel who does everything in his power to make sure Liv is comfortable and happy in her new environment. This makes such a good difference in a book! But Bryce did redeem himself in the end.Love & Olives wins.
The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes vs AGGGTM by Holly Jackson
This may surprise some of you who know me in real life but I actually prefer AGGGTM by Holly Jackson.
Both books have creative mysteries with fun characters and unique plots. However, the way I am deciding these books is the small little details. I’m talking Romance, Sequels, etc. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love both but they each excel in different ways. AGGGTM did it a bit better… The romance won in the Inheritance Games, even though it was a bigger focus. I love the romance between Jameson and Avery in The Inheritance Games. Pip and Ravi were a bit plain but I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt given that they were only getting together at the end of book. When it comes to sequelsI also prefer AGGGTM. But both books were amazing.
Like a Love Song by Gabriela Martins vs Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Eleanor & Park wins by default.
As many of you know Like a Love Song wasn’t one of my favorite books, especially compared to Eleanor & Park. Park was one of my favorite book boys! He was so sweet. Everything he did, he did for Eleanor. He introduced her to his mom. He defended her in front of her dad and provided such a safe space for her, no questions asked. He knew when to let go. As you can see, I put a lot of weight into how much romance my books have. So Eleanor & Park wins.
Invisible by Christina Diaz Gonzales & Gabriela Epstein vs Starfish by Lisa Flipps
These Books. I LOVE these books. I have no complaints. The representation of Latino kids and Plus-size kids is exceptional. Both of these books make a safe space for kids who may feel a little different from everything else. Invisible made me see a little bit of myself in every character. Starfish made me see the perspective of someone different. Starfish was written so beautifully. It feels impossible for me to put these books against each other, So… I choose to break make an exception to my own rules. I have decided to make a tie between these two books!
“5 Underrated Books” by Liam Z., 2022-23 8th grade
Some books don’t get the credit they deserve. There are many good books but they are just not very heard of. While some books are lesser known, they are still extremely good and entertaining . Instead of searching for more known books, search for less popular books as they can be just as good or even better. Smaller books should get the credit that they deserve.
Rebel is an excellent book that not a lot of people read. This book is the 4th book of Legend but is normally outshined by the first three books. This is because this story took place many years later after the third book and it doesn’t contain June’s POV anymore. Despite that, the story is still incredibly good and contains Eden’s story of joining the republic. And also how Day reunites with June. I definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys fast paced action books.
This book is super unique and different from other books. It is about a kid in 8th grade who had an accident and banged his head on the ground. This caused him severe amnesia which made him forget all about his life and had to try and regain it. In my opinion, this has one of the best plots and stories but more people should know about it. Overall, this book is wonderful but not enough people read.
This is an extremely funny book about a kid named Cameron. Cameron is an extremely lazy kid who slacks off and causes many problems, including almost burning down his house. I really liked it because it has tons of funny parts and it’s entertaining. recommend this book to everyone.
This is an interesting story about a boy who has these nightmares of a monster in the shape of a tree. This is not all he has to deal with because he deals with death and grief and struggles to overcome it. This story can be emotional or sad but the ending is very happy and he finally overcomes all the things that have happened. I really enjoyed this book because of the good story and plot.
Framed is a really good book that contains the search of a very expensive ring. Griffin Bing was getting framed by who he thought was his bully. But in the end, he discovered it was rats who ate the ring and coincidentally all evidence led to Griffin. This is not only a mystery book but also a comedy book. This book is better than it looks and should be more well known.
Thank you so much to my students for their book recommendations!
“Introduction to Webtoons” by Emma Y., 2022-23 8th grader
What is Webtoon?
Webtoonis a collection of wide-genre digital comics that are read vertically, that different authors have created from scratch. These comics get updated every week on certain days. These webtoons are all diverse and come from authors who originate all around the world, and many of these webtoons are also made into k-dramas, such as True Beauty!
What kind of genres are there?
There are SO MANY genres on webtoon! These are a list of all of them. My personal favorite is the romance section 😉
Comedy, Fantasy , Romance, Slice of Life, Sci-Fi, Drama, Short Story, Action, Superhero, Heart-warming, Thriller, Horror, Post-Apocalyptic, Zombies, School, Supernatural, Animals, Crime/Mystery, Historical, Informative, Sports, and Inspirational.
How do you access Webtoon?
There are multiple ways to access webtoon, (1) being the websiteand (2) through the app on a mobile device, which doubles as the most popular way being through the app since it has more unlocked features – but the website gets the point across too! I will be explaining the mobile version instead of the computer, but it’s pretty similar to the website and still easy to figure out.
As you load into the app you’ll be greeted with a lot of banners, colors, maybe even popups if there’s an event happening, etc. It may be overwhelming at first but to proceed further, you must register an account first by clicking the little person icon at the bottom of the screen. It’s easy, all that’s needed is to add a username, create a password, and verify an email address (remember to save your password)! Now you have full accessibility to Webtoon.
What do all these buttons do?
As I said before, Webtoon may have an overwhelming amount of stuff on you at first but to overcome this, exploring the app may help. At the bottom of the screen there’s a quick menu distinguishing the different categories on what to do on Webtoon, the very first one, is the main category. It has the more popular webcomics and by clicking “My Series” you’ll be directed to the “My” button in the bottom of the screen’s bar. Those two are intertwined! You can also
discover comics by looking at the very top. Where it says “The Remarried Empress” (see image below), these banners will contain new comics, comics coming back from hiatus, special promotions, etc, you can click on these different comics and then be directed to the menu. At the very top of your screen, you can also search for any webcomics that you’d like.
This is the little bar at the bottom for easier navigation.
The next button there is the “Originals” button. By clicking on originals you will be able to find comics that are the most popular and have received the most attention, they go from “Canvas” comics to “Original” comics with the collaboration of many different authors, illustrators, and creators. To learn more about Canvas, which is the third button, see below!
Going back to the “My” button, this button contains all of your recently viewed webcomics if you had clicked on any, and your subscribed webcomics. Subscribing to a webcomic means that you get notifications every time the webtoon updates weekly, and you can also support the author as well by doing this (you can also like different episodes by clicking on the heart in the bottom left corner of any panel you click on! In this “My” section, you can also view the different downloads you have on episodes, what unlocked episodes you have, an opportunity to follow the different creators of your webtoons that you are subscribed to + see status updates from them, and any comments you’ve made on webtoons. For example, these are some of the webtoons I’m personally subscribed to!
And the final part of the hotbar, the “More” section. This is mainly just a place to keep track of all of your coins that you’ve accumulated. Different amounts of coins are used as “fast passes”. Since webtoons are updated weekly, you can also read ahead– if you choose to, by using coins.
You can either buy coins with money or get a few free coins from different events, just keep an eye out! The downside is that you have to use your coins, if you choose to, in a set time period otherwise they’ll expire and you won’t be able to use them anymore.
What is Canvas?
The very middle button on that little hotbar at the bottom is called Canvas. These are where less-popular comics are put and just a way for different creators to share their creations! This is also where the “Originals” originate from (hahah, get it?), everybody has to start somewhere afterall! The thing with Canvas comics is that they won’t always update weekly, it’s just whenever the creator chooses to upload, but that doesn’t mean these comics are bad in any way– they just need a little love.
What happens when I click on a comic?
When you click on a comic, at the very top you’ll be greeted with a few buttons. The subscription button, to add to your list of subscribed comics, the “i” button which is just a short description of the story, the download button which is an arrow down, and the last one is a share-comic button. You can see the genre at the top, my example, “Omniscient Reader” is an Action comic. You can also see the creator(s) and the description is present once more. You can also see how many views, likes, and the rating it has.
Moving on to the gray parts at the middle-bottom, the less gray episodes are the ones that haven’t been read yet and the darker gray episodes at the bottom are the read ones. You can see the episode number on the right and the little arrow just above the very top episode number is all the Fast Pass episodes you can view.
What are Daily Passes?
Last but not least, the image below is on a tab called “Daily Pass”. These are comics that have been completed and longer updated! Since they are no longer updated, there’s no need for a full week wait, so the solution to this is to make it into a Daily Pass. This just means that if you click on it, you can only read one episode a day. This spans across any Daily Pass comic so if you click on an episode of “A Good Day to be a Dog” today and also an episode of “Devil Number 4”, you’ll only be able to read the former.
Now go and read and enjoy!
“5 Manga Series I Read and Liked This Year” by Jorge G., 2022-23 8th grader
Haikyu!! By Haruichi Furudate
This book series is mainstream but a lot less popular than most mainstream Manga, but it’s still good. This was the first and only sports manga I read. This book is about a boy who is short but wants to play volleyball, a sport that is dominated by height, but he can jump really high. Overall, really good in my opinion. Confession time, this manga was the reason I played volleyball in middle school, with my stature of 5’4.
A Silent Voice by Yoshitoki Ōima
This book was one of my first really emotional reads because I had read one chapter of it somewhere during 4th grade, so it was nice to find out the ending. It’s about a boy who bullied a deaf girl as a child and wants to ask for forgiveness and friendship and along the way make a nice group of friends with their own flaws. This book was leaving me in suspense during 4th grade because I didn’t know how it ended or the title so it was really nice to find out they had it in the library and that I could finish it in my last year in 8th grade. Shout out to Ms.Rokaw for letting me read books 4-7 because they didn’t have it in the library!
I Want To Eat Your Pancreas By Yoru Sumino
This book was so sad and happy at the same time. I Want To Eat Your Pancreas is about a girl who has a terminal illness and a journal called “Living With Dying”, that is discovered by her classmate, and he’s the only one who knows other than her family. The ending made my cry a little(like a tear or two), overall, a roller coaster of emotions. Probably the most impactful manga I have ever read, and it really changed my outlook on life and how you have to live it to the fullest.
Orange by Ichigo Takano
This Series was about a group of high school students who received letters from the future that said one of their friends would die, and they were the ones who could change it. It is also sort of sci-fi, but not much. Overall, a really touching story that changes your view on how precious life is, and friendship and what it means.
Astra Lost In Space by Kenta Shinohara
This book holds a really special place in my heart because it was the FIRST EVER manga series I read. The reason why it is this year is because I had read the first chapter in 3rd grade in a Shonen Jump magazine I bought at a book fair, and couldn’t find it anywhere until I went into middle school and finished it. The reason why it’s rated is personal preference, and the first of anything always has a special place in my heart. But that being said, it is a really good book about teenagers stuck in space after an imposter failed to kill them, and they have to find out who it is, while also making it back home safely. This book has many twists and turns and surprised me many times when I read it. Overall, this has to be my favorite Manga series.
“Top 5 Favorite Graphic Novels and Why” by Bibi C., 2022-23 6th grader
Roller Girl
This was one of my favorite books because of the main character’s dedication.The main character’s name is Astrid and she wanted to do Roller Derby but she couldn’t. She did not stop and she sent a note to her idol who plays roller derby and she answered all her notes! She motivated Astrid to keep going and she kept going! Even though she could not play she kept going and didn’t quit and she was there until the end.
Frizzy
This was one of my favorite books because of the people who were actually nice to the main character. The main character’s name is Marlene. She has frizzy hair but her family hates it except for a couple of people in her family but especially her aunt. Most people in her family think straight hair is what’s best. Their family has a tradition that every Sunday they go to the salon to get their hair straightened. Overall I really liked the people who respected that Marlene likes her frizzy hair.
The Tryout
This was one of my favorite books because of when Christina (the main character) decided she wanted to try out for the cheer team. It was her first year in middle school and she really wanted to fit in. She is one of the few Asians there and is not treated fairly. Christina was very excited to try out with her best friend until her best friend decided she was trying out with someone else. In the end she did her best! Overall I really liked how Christina really was dedicated to try out for the cheer team.
Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy
This was one of my favorites books because of the support they gave each other. All went through tough times and their father was working in the military so they sent messages to their father but it was still really tough for them. Beth, one of the sisters, was really sick and had to be rushed to the hospital and she ended up almost dying. Overall I really loved this book because even though each and everyone of those girls were going through tough times they all supported each other no matter what.
The Witches
This was one of my favorite books because of the people who the witches turned into rats, then turning all witches into rats. Witches rented out some space in a hotel and they gave a kid chocolate which turned him into a rat. There were two rats because the boy who turned into a rat met another rat that the witch also was a kid but now was a rat. One of the kids’ grandma was informed and they did everything they could to get revenge. At the end they put the potion on the witches soup and the witches all turned into rats just like them. Overall I really liked how funny the ending was when the witches turned into rats.
Thank you so much to my students for sharing webtoons, mangas, and graphic novels today!
17-year-old Avery inherits billions from an old man that she has never met. This series has been my favorite YA series i have ever read. First of all, the mysteries and riddles are totally not predictable and the romance is AMAZING. Also all the characters are so well-written (my favorite is Max), especially their character development.
Two high school boys meet, they both have feelings for each other but are too scared to say anything. . I loved this series because it’s so adorable! The character development that goes on with the main character and the side characters are realistic and heartwarming. This definitely deserves to be in my top 8 reads.
Kids around the world get recruited into MI6 into a secret project to save the world. Together… they are City Spies. I love this series! It was an amazing read and I love all the characters. The twists were really good and the action was great. I would highly recommend it!
A boy and a girl who have totally different lifestyles meet. One on a mission to kill the other, the other just wanting to keep his family safe. But they may not be as different as they think. This series is AMAZING. The twists, the romance, and the characters are all so excellent ! I loved the entire series, and I would totally recommend this series.
Pip is about to graduate high school but for her end-of-the-year project, she investigates a case that closed 5 years ago.In the process, she finds out something that might change the case forever. This book is so good! The amount of twists and turns this series has is crazy! The development of the mystery is extremely well written. I loved this book, I would recommend it to fellow mystery lovers a million times over.
Christine meets her new neighbors, Moon and her family. Christine is unsure about Moon because Moon is different from the other kids. Maybe Moon is more than meets the eye. The book is so adorable and the character development is amazing. I loved how it talked about how differences aren’t a bad thing. This book was honestly so heartwarming.
Kid randomly gets invited to attend a spy school that trains kids for a future in the CIA but why would they pick him out of all the others that were probably way better than him. This is a great series too! I like how the stories all connect in some way or another. The characters are also amazing.
Allie releases a new app and she finally has a chance to win a coding competition with it, but a glitch might ruin it all… The plot of this book is so good! The pace was really good and the characters were so well written. So I would totally recommend this book and its sequel.
Books to Get out of a Reading Slump by Ana T., 2022-23 8th grader
This book follows the story of Anna, who is from Atlanta. When Anna enters her senior year of high school, she is unexpectedly sent to a boarding school in Paris. Anna is not thrilled at all to be leaving behind her high school, her best friend and this boy who’s she’s had a crush on for the longest time.
This book is perfect for getting out of a reading slump because it is fast-paced and entertaining. You may get scared by the number of pages but once you read it, it’s such a quick read and a great rom-com when you read it it feels like you’re watching a movie.
This book follows the story of sixteen-year-old girl Belly Conklin, who spends every summer with her mother and brother at her mom’s best friend’s beach house. But this summer Belly is all grown up and is excited to go back to the beach where her longtime crush Conrad aka Susanna’s son is there along with his brother Jeremiah.
This is one of my favorite trilogies. It’s such a quick read and a great summer read. This is the type of book that once you start reading you can stop and you’re imagining yourself in the book.
Princess Alosa, daughter of the pirate king, intentionally gets herself kidnapped by pirates aboard the Night Farer. While she’s their “prisoner,” Alosa uses her extra time to explore the Night Farer searching for a missing piece of an ancient map. But first-mate Riden isn’t making things easy for Alosa. He seems to understand her better than most, and he quickly suspects Alosa may be more than she appears.
This is such a good fast-paced read it’s an enemies-to-lovers trope which is great for those who like that! But besides that, it’s just such a great book to get back your love for reading.
When 17-year-old Lina loses her mom to cancer, she honors her mom’s dying wish that she spend a summer in Tuscany. Lina travels halfway around the world to meet and stay with her mother’s friend, Howard, who is the caretaker of an American WWII cemetery just outside Florence.
Love a Gelato is one of my favorite summer books it’s such a fun an amazing book it’s like watching a movie because you get so in the book that you actually forget you’re reading.
Pretty and popular high school senior Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then killed himself and that was everyone could talk about. And five years later, Pip sees how the tragedy still haunts her town and people are still scared. But something is telling her there was more that happened that day…
Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is a great thriller book for people who like mystery and suspense. I LOVE THIS BOOK. It’s such an entertaining and fast-paced book, and I love the huge plot twist it has!
Top 5 Books I Read This Year by Aaron D., 2022-23 8th grader
This is the first book in the Young Elites trilogy and introduces the protagonist and also antagonist, Adelina Amouteru, a girl who was affected by the blood fever when she was little and was given the special power of illusions. She lives in a world where she and other people who were affected by the blood fever are hated because of their powers. She is then founded by the Dagger Society, a group of young elites that were also affected by the blood fever and are out to overthrow the king of Kennetra to give people who were affected by the blood fever the good treatment they deserved. She is invited into it and throughout the book she goes through all sorts of problems and hardships with the group and meets enemies and friends along the way, making the book very interesting and unpredictable. This book is filled with all sorts of twists and turns and is perfect for people who love fantasy and a bit of romance.
This is the second book in the Young Elites trilogy and continues the story of Adelina Amouteru, a girl who has the power to control illusions. She is out for vengeance after getting kicked out of the Dagger Society and is aiming for the crown of Kennetra. She created her own society of elites to help her called the Rose Society and goes through all sorts of hardships to get what she wants. The characters are all unique and have very interesting backstories that will surely make you fall in love with them. This book is filled with all kinds of twists and turns and has a very unique and interesting plot that makes it unpredictable and a very good read and is perfect for people who love fantasy and a bit of romance.
This is the second book of the Legend series and continues the story of June and Day where they are now on a mission to rescue Day’s brother, Eden, from the Republic. On their mission, they made the decision to go to the Patriots for help, but in order for them to help them they made a deal with June and Day to have them help them assassinate the elector of the Republic to make a change in the nation for the greater good. In exchange, the Patriots will agree to help them rescue Eden from the Republic. Both sides agree and they carry out the mission together with a plan, but throughout the book, some unexpected things happen that make the plan not go the way they planned. This book is perfect for people who love dystopian fiction and romance that is filled with twists and turns that make it a very good read.
This is the first book in the Magisterium series and introduces the character, Callum Hunt, a boy whose father hates magic and the Magisterium, the magic school he went to, because of a dark past there with terrible memories. Even though Callum’s father hates the Magisterium and magic, Callum was still admitted into it and went. There Callum met a lot of friends, but also people he didn’t like, and started learning magic with his friends. As he continues through the school year and feels more acquainted with it some unexpected things happen that completely change Callum’s life and reveal that he isn’t who he really thinks he is. This book is full of unexpected twists and turns that make it very interesting to read and is perfect for people who like to read fantasy books.
This book introduces the protagonist, Katrina, a girl who changes her name constantly and doesn’t know anything about her past besides that she is part of the Witness Protection Program. She and her parents are constantly on the run from the people who want her and her family dead because of her dad’s secret past, but when her location was accidentally leaked her mom got kidnapped and her dad mysteriously disappeared. Now she is on an unexpected rescue mission to save her parents, and along the way she meets Parker, a young computer hacking genius, who decides to help her, and together they go and meet Agent X, a mysterious guy that is allegedly an ally to Katrina’s parents who can help her save them. As they continue on the mission and get closer to her saving her parents she uncovers some dark secrets about her and her past that change everything. This book is filled with unexpected twists and turns that make it a great book and is perfect for people who love a good mystery and thriller book.
Favorite Reads This Year by Shantal G., 2022-23 7th grader
This book is so relatable. It’s about a girl that goes to Honduras with their mom, dad and two sisters to visit their other family. There’s not much internet though, so it means no phone or communication through the phone. Sue’s mother wants to make a party for her for her quinces, but Sue doesn’t want that. It’s very entertaining to read this book and a lot of Hispanic readers will relate (including me).
I loved this book so much I took the time to read it in both English and Spanish and it was great! Twelve-year-old Malú violates the school’s dress code with her punk-rock look and disappoints her mom. Her dad, who lives really far away, says that everything will get better for her if she follows the first rule of punk, which is to be herself. Malú loves rock music and starts her own band and finally feels like she belongs somewhere and she will do anything to keep her rock band and stand up for herself.
This book is very entertaining. It is about a teenage Hispanic girl that lives in Chicago and is discovering herself, her family, and her culture. I won’t say more about it because I don’t want to spoil the whole book.
This book is about a girl named Callie who loves the theater. Even though she can’t wait to be in the musical Moon Over the Mississippi to be performed at her high school, she sings terribly. But when the students of the drama club offer her a position as a set designer, she doesn’t hesitate to accept. Her mission will be to create sets worthy of Broadway, but she doesn’t know anything about carpentry. To top it off, when two cute brothers enter the scene, things get even more complicated
This is my favorite book ever; it is so fun to read the different characters point of view. This book is about five very different kids who have to try and get along so they can complete the school community services and at the end they have more things in common than they thought. All of the characters are Hispanic and the characters speak Spanish in some situations.
Thank you so much to my students for their recommendations!
