Cool off with some hot titles from Toon Books!
I love Toon Books and so do my students! They're kid-friendly in size and designed for emerging as well as older readers. Children find the colorful graphic novel style of the books, illustrated by such notable artists as Kevin McClosky, Liniers, Art Spiegelman, and Frank Viva, highly engaging. Parents, teachers, and librarians find that these books (and accompanying lesson plans and activities on the Toon Books website) not only support reading development, but can be used to develop literary appreciation, character development, and inspire learning. See their outstanding website for a wealth of materials on the authors and illustrators, as well as reviews, videos, and other resources to support the love of reading and learning.
Birdsong: A Story in Pictures by James Sturm. 2016. $12.95. Recommended for ages 3-7.
Wow! Can hardly wait to try this one with my K-2 classes ... as well as with older students. The possibilities for extension activities are endless. An endearing story, breathtakingly illustrated.
Wow! Can hardly wait to try this one with my K-2 classes ... as well as with older students. The possibilities for extension activities are endless. An endearing story, breathtakingly illustrated.
"DISCOVER KAMISHIBAI: THE ART OF JAPANESE PAPER THEATER
An innocent bird meets two cruel kids and changes their world forever-–but exactly how this unfolds is up to you since the story is wordless. It is meant to be narrated by each reader in his or her own way. The spare and elegant images by master cartoonist James Sturm are the visual equivalent of haikus--they leave space for children to inhabit this timeless tale–and make it their own".
No, it's not what you think ... but thanks to McCLoskey's humorous touch and brilliant illustrations, I came away with a new appreciation for these gentle creatures.
Just who’s cooing outside? Did you know pigeons can fly faster than a car and farther than a small airplane? Or that they have something unusual in common with penguins, flamingos, and even the dodo? With his trademark mix of humor, well-researched facts, and artistry, Kevin McCloskey delivers the straight poop on these humble creatures, which turn out to be...coo, coo, COOL!
A succinct yet lyrical narrative accompanies a richly illustrated and age - appropriate version of Oedipus' journey. Fans of Greek mythology will enjoy this (and other titles in this series).
Oedipus is born to a terrible fate. Can he escape it?
An oracle makes a ghastly prediction: the young prince will kill his father and marry his mother. Horrified, the father decides to murder his infant son before he can grow up to carry out the prophecy–but destiny can’t be avoided so easily. The son is Oedipus who, rescued by a shepherd, unwittingly fulfills the gods’ plans–while doing everything he can to escape his fate. With style, originality, and a wealth of informative details, graphic novelist Yvan Pommaux brings to a new generation the tragic tale which has thrilled and terrified everyone for thousands of years. A must to nourish young readers’ imaginations.
Sea Change by Frank Viva. 2016. $18.95. Recommended for ages 8+
Give this one to fans of Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Pinchon's Tom Gates who are ready for a longer, prose-style narrative accompanied by Viva's creative design.
Give this one to fans of Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Pinchon's Tom Gates who are ready for a longer, prose-style narrative accompanied by Viva's creative design.
“One summer can change your whole life. As soon as school lets out, Eliot’s parents send him to the very edge of the world: a fishing village in a remote part of Nova Scotia. And what does the small town of Point Aconi have to offer? Maggots, bullies, and grumpy old men. But along the way, Eliot discovers much more – a hidden library, starry nights, and a mysterious girl named Mary Beth. Critically acclaimed author and artist Frank Viva (Along a Long Road) brings us this warm, funny, and innovatively designed coming-of-age story. See Point Aconi through Eliot’s eyes, as he finds that this place he never wanted to visit is becoming a home he doesn’t want to leave.
