The Happy Librarian
Graphic Novels:
A graphic novel is a book made up of comics content.
Manga:
Manga is an umbrella term for a wide variety of comic books and graphic novels originally produced and published in Japan.
Snow White
by Matt Phelan
Summary: The scene: New York City, 1928. The dazzling lights cast shadows that grow ever darker as the glitzy prosperity of the Roaring Twenties screeches to a halt.
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Enter a cast of familiar characters: a young girl, Samantha White, returning after being sent away by her cruel stepmother, the Queen of the Follies, years earlier; her father, the King of Wall Street, who survives the stock market crash only to suffer a strange and sudden death; seven street urchins, brave protectors for a girl as pure as snow; and a mysterious stock ticker that holds the stepmother in its thrall, churning out ticker tape imprinted with the wicked words "Another . . . More Beautiful . . . KILL."
In a moody, cinematic new telling of a beloved fairy tale, extraordinary graphic novelist Matt Phelan captures the essence of classic film noir on the page—and draws a striking distinction between good and evil.
Review: Phelan delivers a darkly stylized noir Snow White set against the backdrop of Depression-era Manhattan. The setting allows for a reimaging of the classic tale, one that invites readers to consider the villains in the real world, and furthers the classic notion that fairy tales are meant to caution readers.
The art style is photographic and digital art, allowing readers to feel fully immersed in the story as if it's happening in real time.
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Key Elements: Retelling, Grunge, City Slum, Depression Era, Poverty, Wickedness, Danger, Mystery
Genres: Sequential Art, Historical Fiction, Fairy Tale, Young Adult, Middle Grade
Wires and Nerves
by Marissa Meyer
Summary: Marissa Meyer extends the world of the Lunar Chronicles with a brand-new, action-packed story about Iko, the android with a heart of (mechanized) gold.
When rogue packs of wolf-hybrid soldiers threaten the tenuous peace alliance between Earth and Luna, Iko takes it upon herself to hunt down the soldiers' leader. She is soon working with a handsome royal guard who forces her to question everything she knows about love, loyalty, and her own humanity.
With appearances by Cinder, Cress, Scarlet, Winter, and the rest of the Rampion crew, this is a must-have for fans of the bestselling series.
This is the first in a duology of graphic novels.
Review: Iko returns for her first spotlight series, which is so much better than a net drama! Iko is a fantastic character to lead the new initiative and to extend this beloved series into the next chapter, the what comes next after Happily Ever After. All your favorite Lunar Chronicles characters return, along with new faces, both friend and foe. Iko's journey from fun sidekick to kickass leader is nothing short of amazing!
The art style is sharp angles with a blue haze, allowing the story to shine and the art to mirror the new concepts introduced in this graphic novel.
Key Elements: Retelling, Drama, Political Unrest, Bounty Hunters, Danger, Mystery
Genres: Sequential Art, Fairy Tale, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Sci-Fi, Dystopia
My Hero Academia
Summary: What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called “Quirks” at age four? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless?
Middle school student Izuku Midoriya wants to be a hero more than anything, but he hasn’t got an ounce of power in him. With no chance of ever getting into the prestigious U.A. High School for budding heroes, his life is looking more and more like a dead end. Then an encounter with All Might, the greatest hero of them all, gives him a chance to change his destiny…
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This if the first in a series and has also been adapted into an anime series of the same name.
Review: Filled with a vast cast of characters, and led by an underdog, readers can't help but root for, My Hero Academia is the perfect Manga! Young readers will be introduced to a whole new world of storytelling, one that includes flashbacks, insight into multiple perspectives, and multiple storylines that all impact the overall story arc.
The art style is manga and the black and white color tones allow the details of the artwork itself to be a focal point, impacting everything in the story from the characters to the setting to the action.
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Key Elements: Superheroes and Villians, Drama, Political Unrest, Danger
Genres: Sequential Art, Superheros, Manga, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Sci-Fi, Dystopia