Fiction, Fantasy, and Graphic Novels

The following reviews were made as part of an assignment for the Literature for Children course through Sam Houston State University.

New Kid

Craft, J.  & Callahan, J. (2019). New kid. Harper.                                                                  ISBN: 9780062691217

Jordan Banks is about to start at a new school. He would rather be going to art school, but his mother insists that attending Riverdale Academy Day School will serve him best later in life. Although Jordan belongs because of his academic abilities, his appearance sets him apart – he is one of only a few students of color. During his first form year (seventh grade) he deals with overt and accidental offenses by students and teachers alike. He learns the importance of not judging a book by it’s cover. While the focus is on Jordan and the trials and frustrations he faces in middle school, we also see the affect his new school has on his mother and father. Mom is thrilled to rub shoulders with the well-to-do families and gets caught up in the prestige while dad struggles with his own feelings of inadequacy because of the stark difference between what he can offer Jordan verses what the other parents can offer their children. In the course of one school year, we watch Jordan change from the kid that wants to blend in to the kid who stands up for the truth.

While any student can probably relate to the feeling of not fitting in during middle school, Jordan literally turns it into an art form in this graphic novel. Jordan’s story is almost a how-to manual for dealing with people who come from a different background or culture than our own. We get to experience “normal” school life through a new lens and perhaps groan a time or two when recognizing a misstep, we have taken or a well-meaning gesture that had opposite the desired effect. A great read for any age, race, or social class.

From Common Sense Media: “The move to middle school confuses many students and has inspired many comics, but this funny and heartfelt graphic novel covers new territory. Throughout New Kid, seventh-grader Jordan Banks proves to be a sensitive and likable protagonist, eager for friendship but unsure how to fit in a school culture that deals awkwardly with issues of race and class.” Retrieved from: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/new-kid-book-1

The Texas Bluebonnet Awards website contains many resources and activities for New Kid including discussion questions, reader’s theater, and a drawing lesson at: https://sites.google.com/view/texasbluebonnetaward2021/master-list/new-kid. The classroom bookshelf also has ideas for graphic novel activities such as close reading of illustrations using New Kid that could be modified for other graphic novels as well at: https://theclassroombookshelf.com/2019/05/20/new-kid-by-jerry-craft-is-a-middle-school-must-read/  

You may also like: Class Act also by Jerry Craft or All’s Faire in Middle School by Victoria Jamieson

  

Savvy

Law, I. (2008). Savvy. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers.                                                 ISBN: 978-0-8037-3306-0

Mibs Beaumont is about to turn thirteen, an exciting time for any young person but even more so for Mibs. She is eagerly anticipating the arrival of her “savvy.” The Beaumonts aren’t like other families, they have special skills or powers that manifest on their thirteenth birthday. For her grandpa and brothers these skills are never more apparent than when they are feeling emotional – angry, upset, worried, etc. When Mibs’ dad is badly injured just days before her birthday she prays that her savvy will help her dad wake up and on her birthday morning she thinks that her prayer has been answered. Unfortunately, at her last-minute birthday party put together by her well-meaning pastor’s wife, her true savvy reveals itself to her. Undaunted she charges ahead with her plan to get to her dad’s bedside so that she can help him recover from his injuries. The journey that follows is nothing short of adventurous. Over the next 24 hours she learns that people aren’t always what they seem and uses the new discoveries to strengthens relationships with her new savvy.

In this fanciful but down to earth – in some ways literally – tale children will be delighted to ride along with Mibs and her fellow stowaways and get lost in the details of this fantasy novel. Although it started a little slowly for me, once Mibs’ savvy shows up the pages practically turned themselves. The fanciful language is not too distracting and usually appears at times when the meaning is clear. The story demonstrates that we all have secrets but if we share them with the right people there is a relief in sharing the burden rather than hiding it.

From Kirkus reviews: ” Sending her young cast on a zigzag odyssey through the “Kansaska-Nebransas” heartland, Law displays both a fertile imagination (Mibs’s savvy is telepathy, but it comes with a truly oddball caveat) and a dab hand for likable, colorful characters. There are no serious villains here, only challenges to be met, friendships to be made and some growing up to do on the road to a two-hanky climax. A film is already in development, and if it lives up to this marvel-laden debut, it’ll be well worth seeing.” Retrieved from: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/ingrid-law/savvy/

Six weeks of lesson plans using the book are available in a free PDF download from Penguin Classroom at: https://penguinclassroom.com/books/savvy/. Some of the lessons included are literature circles, journal entry prompts, and color poems.

You may also like: Scumble also by Ingrid Law or A Tangle of Knots by Lisa Graff

 

El Deafo

Bell, C. (2014). El deafo. Amulet Books.                                                                                 ISBN: 978-1-4197-1217-3

Cece Bell leads a normal life until she suddenly gets very sick and spends weeks in the hospital. She contracted meningitis and recovered but realizes that her life is forever changed because it caused her to lose her hearing. As a child this is hard to deal with, but she and her family find ways to cope. When it is time for school, she is fitted with a phonic ear that helps her hear some, but she is not a fan of the large box that is strapped to her chest and the cords that feed the amplified sound to her ears. On the first day of school, she is relieved that everyone else in her class looks like her. She is not in a regular school but one where she learns to work around and cope with her hearing loss in a hearing world. The next few years are tough, she goes to regular school where she looks different because of her cords and her family moves so she must make new friends in the neighborhood. Cece deals with all of this by imagining she is a superhero – El Deafo – because her phonic ear gives her the special power of hearing her teacher wherever she is, even in the bathroom! Cece goes through the normal trials of childhood friendships and learns that the fear of being different was wasted energy as she builds solid friendships.

Readers can’t help but empathize with Cece as she describes through words and images in this graphic novel what it is like to be deaf. You are sure to recognize some well-intentioned mistakes you may have made when interacting with a hearing-impaired person. Cece even gives a do and don’t lesson. She learns to stand up for herself and that we all feel alone or different in one way or another. Through this book the reader can be encouraged to be the person who reaches out when we see others left of the outside and that we need to speak up for ourselves whether our issues are visible or not.

From New York Times: It takes a bit of an inner superhero to get along as someone “special” in a classroom full of “normal” kids. Bell’s book should be an inspiration for those who are “different,” and it should help others to understand just what being different means. Required reading isn’t always fun reading. “El Deafo” should be the first and is definitely the second. Retrieved from: www.nytimes.com/2014/08/24/books/review/el-deafo-by-cece-bell.html

El Deafo presents an opportunity to examine cultural representation through leveled reflections available from Teaching Books that help students explore how to be more inclusive. Reflections and additional resources available at: https://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=40736. Cece learning to lip read presents good tips on page 30 that can be used to help students improve their reading skills.    

You may also like: Smile by Raina Telgemeier or Sunny Side Up by Jennifer Holm.

Roller Girl

Jamieson, V. & Guerra, A. (2015). Roller girl. New York: Scholastic.                                      ISBN: 978-0-545-93497-8

One fateful night, Astrid’s mom treated her and her friend Nicole to an evening of cultural enlightenment at a roller derby bout. Astrid was hooked. Her friend Nicole, not so much. This is the beginning of a major shift in their friendship, and it happens during the summer before they enter junior high school. Astrid and Nicole are as different as their two favorite colors: black for Astrid and pink for Nicole but they have been best friends since first grade. Instead of spending the summer together, Astrid goes to Junior Roller Derby Camp while Nicole goes to dance camp with Astrid’s enemy Rachel. Astrid struggles at first, partially because she has no real skating skills and partially because she knows no one at camp and a rift has formed between her and Nicole. As camp progresses Astrid’s skills do as well and she makes a friend at camp. Astrid nearly ruins everything that is going right in her life, but she manages to salvage both her new and old friendship as well as her relationship with her mother after getting caught in a lie.

This graphic novel takes a look at a critical developmental stage in every child’s life and it tackles conflict without making it too weighty. The story teaches that there is always a lesson to be learned when we go through hard times. Astrid shows grit and determination as she works to go after what she wants. Astrid pushes herself physically to accomplish her roller derby goals, but she avoids the uncomfortable interpersonal interactions that help her mature when she can avoid them no longer. She also demonstrates that it is easy to make poor decisions when we let our emotions take control like when she didn’t get what she had worked so hard for. Astrid is the perfectly imperfect middle school role model.

From Common Sense Media: “This colorful, engaging, and lively debut graphic novel has girl power galore. Big kids and tweens will easily relate to Astrid as she learns how to navigate a world where everything -- especially feelings and friendships -- is getting so much more complicated. ... Astrid really is worth admiring as she powers through the bumps and bruises and picks herself up after each of the (seemingly millions) of times she falls down.” Retrieved from: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/roller-girl

Roller Girl lends itself to great activities for PE or the classroom on rainy days when students need to get out some energy by playing “Simon Says” using roller derby moves. Practicing “War Face” could be a fun activity on day when students need to let out some tension and inevitably have a laugh – show that test they aren’t afraid of it. These and other activities as well as Readers Theater, a book trailer, an author interview, and more are available at the Texas Bluebonnet Award website: https://texasbluebonnetaward2017.wordpress.com/roller-girl/.

You may also like: Real Friends by Shannon Hale or Drama by Raina Telgemeier

Historical Fiction

The following reviews were made as part of an assignment for the Literature for Children course through Sam Houston State University.

Beyond the Bright Sea

Wolk, L. (2017). Beyond the bright sea. New York: Puffin Books.                                           ISBN 978-1-549-06704-4

Crow and Osh live on their own little island in the Elizabeth Islands off Massachusetts. Secured in a skiff, Crow was a brand-new baby, only hours old, when she washed ashore near Osh’s home. He took her in and cared for her as his own, naming her after the sounds of her hoarse cries when he found her, helped along the way by Miss Maggie who lives on the larger island of Cuttyhunk. The story takes place when Crow is 12 years old, a time when most children are deciding who they are and want to be. It is no different with Crow, she wants to know more about the parents that sent her out to sea and why the islanders treated her differently. Miss Maggie has taught Crow to read and write as well as other lessons they call “salt & pepper” lessons about the interesting things they naturally encounter in day-to-day life. As she processes the things, she knows she begins to realize things no one knew for sure. She was born on the nearby island that was a place for lepers and she was sent away to give her a chance at a better life than that of a child of lepers would find otherwise. She learns about the family that was hers by birth and realizes in the end that the only family she needs is the patchwork one that she has known her entire life.

I had a little trouble getting into this book but once I did, I did not want to put it down. This was the type of book that makes me want to skip ahead to figure out what is coming even though I already know. It is a beautiful story of the family we make and the real emotions about what is and what could have been or could be. It is a beautiful story balancing curiosity and contentment that appropriately leaves you satisfied but wanting more. The book reads mostly as if it is contemporary but clues such as the wooden ships that sail through the islands establish the historical time period which the author tells us in the book notes at the end as the 1920s.

From CommonSense Media: “The book explores themes of family (especially adoption), identity, and belonging. Great messages about how the family you make isn't less real or important than family you're born into, and the main characters all are positive role models for love, loyalty, and unwavering support of one another.” Retrieved from: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/beyond-the-bright-sea.

Included at the end of the book are discussion questions for a book club. This would also be an interesting class read with students studying theme, characters, or plot summary.

You may also like: Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder or Songs for a Whale by Lynne Kelly

The Storm in the Barn

Phelan, M. (2009). The storm in the barn. Candlewick Press.                                                    ISBN 978-0-7636-3618-0

In this graphic novel we meet Jack, a young boy growing up during the Dust Bowl in Kansas. His family, like many others, struggle to survive when rainstorms have been replaced by dust storms. His sister Dorothy suffers from dust pneumonia and Jack suffers from the weight of his father’s disappointment. Dorothy finds adventure through reading about the fictitious Dorothy’s adventures in Oz while Jack lives his own. After his neighbors leave for California as did so many others during this time in history, he sees something in their barn. Not sure what to make of it he tries to figure out what it is and stumbles upon two odd things – a puddle in the empty barn in the middle of a drought and a non-human, ominous figure that chases him away. While Jack’s parents decide they too must leave for California as soon as his dad can get the car running again, Jack struggles to find a way to be helpful. After witnessing a rabbit drive, he decides to take on that figure in the barn that looks like the face of rain. While battling he draws the figure out into the open by running off with its bag which is ripped open allowing thunder to escape and the much-needed rain finally comes and with it his father’s relief and appreciation.

The illustrations are skillfully done in pencil, ink, and watercolor. Primarily neutral browns, grays, and pale orangey yellows are used to pull the reader into the historical setting, I could almost feel the gritty haze that would have covered everything during this time and a tickle in my nose from the dusty air. Creating a tall tale in this time and place, author/illustrator Matt Phelan has created a story rich with facts in a simple format. I would have liked a little more narration to explain a few images, but the reader is left to decide the details through their own interpretation.

From Historical Novel Society: ”The text is minimal, with many wordless panels, letting Phelan’s drawings masterfully convey characters’ emotions with just a few changes of line. The soft edges are suited to the dusty setting and evoke a real sense of place. Children will love the theme of empowerment, when small, weak Jack finds a way to solve a problem that the adults can’t.” Retrieved from: https://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/the-storm-in-the-barn/

This book would be a great resource during a history unit on the Great Depression and Dust Bowl to pull students into the time and place. The publisher offers Teacher’s Guide with discussion questions and activities that can be found at https://www.btsb.com/libcorner/lp/TG-Storm-in-the-Barn.pdf.   

You may also like: The Great American Dust Bowl by Dan Brown or Snow White by Matt Phelan.

Under the Blood-Red Sun

Salisbury, G. (1994). Under the blood-red sun. New York: Delacorte Press.                            ISBN 0-385-32099-X

Tomikazu, the American born son of Japanese immigrants, lives a normal life in Hawai’i. His father is a fisherman who is gone to sea for days or weeks at a time. His mother works as a maid for the family whose land they live on. His grandfather lives with them and stirs up trouble whenever he misses his homeland too much and waves – in many cases literally – his ethnic pride for anyone to see. Although the family is proud of their heritage, the others know to be careful as the world is at war once again even though it is far away. December 7, 1941, changes Tomi’s and his family’s lives. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor makes life much more difficult for the family when his mother losses her job, his father is shot at when returning to the island from a fishing voyage and arrested, and eventually his grandfather is arrested as well. Tomi experiences unwavering loyalty from his friends on his baseball team as he learns how to be the man of the house and adjust to the changes that occur quickly after the attack.

The first of the Prisoners of the Empire series, this book illustrates, without malice, the common human reaction to an attack from “outside.” During World War II it was the Germans, Italians, and Japanese – the focus of this story. Tomi’s story tells how things that are ordinary and meaningless can suddenly be the detail that causes others to question intent and loyalty. Even worse, it often becomes proof of guilt for far too many who are innocent. Perhaps my favorite aspect of the book was how the author writes conversations phonetically so that the reader can more authentically hear the separate voices of the mix of characters with influences of Japanese, Pidgin (Hawai’ian Creole English), English, and some Hawai’ian as well.

From Publisher’s Weekly “Salisbury skillfully describes Tomi's emotional highs and lows and has a particular knack for realistically portraying the camaraderie and dialogue between boyhood chums. …readers are rewarded with steadily building dramatic tension in the novel's second half and a satisfyingly open-ended finale.” Retrieved from: https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-385-32099-3

A great addition to any unit that covers World War II, it also provides a boy’s eyewitness perspective of the attack that could be read as a part of class on December 7^th with or without further exploration of the events of that day. Penguin Random House Audio has a teacher’s guide with activities related to this book for a variety of content areas that can be found at: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/teachers-guide/159970/under-the-blood-red-sun/.

Other books in this series: Eyes of the Emperor, House of the Red Fish, and Hunt for the Bamboo Rat.

The Night Diary

Top of Form

Hiranandani, V. (2018). The night diary. New York: Kokila.                                             ISBN 978-1-725-42438-8

Each night, twelve-year-old Nisha writes in her diary. She describes the events of the day in the form of letters to her mother who died when she and her twin brother were born. Nisha and her brother Amil are opposites – she is quiet, contemplative, and book-smart, he is loud, speaks without thinking, and is an artist. Their parents love brought together two families from different religions. Religions that were (and still are) at odds as India prepared for independence from Britain. The leaders decide to partition India, separating out the northwestern area of the country for Muslims and creating the nation of Pakistan. Everyone else would live in what remained India. Nisha’s family are Hindu, but her mother was Muslim, they live in the area that is to become Pakistan and must relocate. The story of the partitioning of India and the resulting violence between the religions is told through the simplistic eyes of a child who can’t understand why everyone can not just get along. The family must leave their home under cover of darkness and travel many miles across the desert landscape during the rainy season, except there is no rain. As they encounter families coming and going there is danger and small mistakes may have big consequences.  

This was an emotional story that would not be too overwhelming for young readers. Although there are a few instances of violence they are appropriate to the telling of the story. The author describes Indian society of the time that is still reflected in the country today. Having traveled to India prior to the pandemic I could practically taste the dishes that Nisha helps their cook prepare for the family but I imagine the descriptions could make most mouths water.

Kirkus Reviews “Hiranandani (The Whole Story of Half a Girl, 2013) compassionately portrays one of the bloodiest periods in world history through diary entries Nisha writes to her deceased mother. Nisha’s voice is the right mix of innocence and strength, and her transformation is both believable and heartbreaking.” Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/veera-hiranandani/the-night-diary/

This book would be great to use in a world history or world cultures class. Teaching Books has some audio resources such as meet the author and an audio excerpt as well as a variety of activities available at https://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=58107.  

You may also like: The War That Saved My Life or The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley.

Nonfiction

The following reviews were made as part of an assignment for the Literature for Children course through Sam Houston State University.

Hitler Youth: Growing up in Hitler’s Shadow 

Bartoletti, S. C. (2019). Hitler Youth: Growing up in Hitler's shadow. New York: Scholastic.

ISBN: 9781338309843 

 

Hitlerjugend or Hitler Youth were the boys who were groomed to be good German soldiers. Likewise, the League of German Girls (BDM) groomed girls to be good German wives and mothers supporting the work of the men. The stories range from those who joined voluntarily, sometimes despite the disapproval of their parents, to those who were required to join but found their way out despite the risk. Some even joined or led resistance movements actively opposing the Third Reich. The story begins in 1932, tells the stories leading up to World War II, covers war time experiences, explains the collapse of Nazi Germany and the end of the war, explains de-Nazification, and closes with the reunification of East and West Germany in 1990. Included are many photographs of the young people named specifically, as well as German propaganda shots, Allied photos, and family photos. There is a Hitler Youth Timeline, Author’s Note, information about the photographs, source notes for the quotes, and a bibliography which includes a notation of the sources that are especially interesting for young people. 
 

The narrative of this book draws in the reader with the intent of understanding the boys and girls who proudly participated as Hitler Youth and those who opposed Adolf Hitler and his Nazi regime. There was no apparent attempt to persuade the reader to condemn those who bought into the Nazi brainwashing nor was there praise for those who opposed the Nazis. It helps to understand how Hitler was able to accomplish such horrible things with widespread support from his citizens while also explaining why more people did not speak out against the government.  
 From Kirkus Reviews: “Case studies of actual participants root the work in specifics, and clear prose, thorough documentation and an attractive format with well-chosen archival

photographs make this nonfiction writing at its best. Essential for WWII collections as well as teaching units on conformity, peer pressure and resistance. Superb.” Retrieved from: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/susan-campbell-bartoletti/hitler-youth/.  
 

This book would be valuable in any Social Studies class and could be used to explore points of view. 

 

You may also like: Surviving Hitler: A Boy in the Nazi Death Camps by Andrea Warren or We Will Not Be Silent: The White Rose Student Resistance Movement That Defied Adolf Hitler by Russell Freedman. 

 

Bomb: The Race to Build and Steal the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon 

Sheinkin, S., & Colvin, J. (2012). Bomb: the race to build and steal the world's most dangerous weapon. New York: Roaring Brook Press. 

ISBN: 978-1596434875 

A thrilling tale for anyone interested in science or history, as the name implies, tells the story of the scientists who built the atomic bomb and the spies who stole information on how it was being done. During World War II American, British, German, and Soviet scientists rush to build the atomic bomb before anyone else can. The Americans and the British work together to sabotage the German efforts while communist sympathizers pass information to the Soviets. Interwoven are the roles of people displaced by the Nazis who work with the Allies to defeat Hitler and free their homeland.  

An interesting narrative that brings science down to a level that anyone can understand and conveys the importance of being the first to succeed in building this new weapon. This book connected the dots that were, up until now, providing me with enough of an understanding of the United States rise to power during and after WWII. This would serve as a great intro to a study of the Cold War.  
From Common Sense Media: “a detailed, suspenseful account of developing the first atom bombs, and the consequences of inventing and dropping The Bomb that effectively ended World War II and led to the Cold War/arms race between the United States and Russia.”

Retrieved from: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/bomb-the-race-to-build-and-steal-the-worlds-most-dangerous-weapon.  
In older grade levels this book could be used to connect science and social studies. MacMillan has a great resource with suggestions for using this book in a variety of subjects that can be found at: https://images.macmillan.com/folio-assets/teachers-guides/9781596434875TG.pdf.

 

You may also like: Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two by Joseph Bruchac or Sachiko: A Nagasaki Bomb Survivor’s Story by Caren Stelson.  

 

The Boy’s War: Confederate and Union Soldiers Talk About the Civil War 

Murphy, Jim, 1947-. (1990). The boys' war: Confederate and Union soldiers talk about the Civil War. New York: Clarion Books. 

ISBN: 0-89919-893-7 

 

This is the story of the American Civil War as told by the boys who fought on both sides. It begins by telling the story of the first shots of the Civil War fired at Fort Sumter, South Carolina and looks at the war from different angles starting with the motivation for joining the fight and covering topics such as battle experiences, prisoner of war camps, and medical care. It also addresses changes made after the Civil War to prevent such young boys from being allowed to serve in any capacity. The stories contained are from those who were not old enough to enlist but did so by parental permission, deceit, or to serve in a non-combat role. One boy ran away from home and enlisted in 1861 at age 11 as a drummer boy. In one battle, after his drum was shattered by enemy fire, he picked up musket and “fought bravely for the rest of the war, becoming a sergeant in the fall of 1863.”  
 

This book is well written and keeps the reader engaged, bringing a heavy topic down to a level that is sure to resonate well with young readers. History is a topic that students often dislike because they feel it to be irrelevant. This story makes it relevant. It also presents the story without glorifying one side and vilifying the other. It is told in a neutral tone presenting the facts and sharing the experiences of the youngest soldiers of America’s bloodiest war, often in their own words. If anything, I would have liked to have seen a map or a timeline that represented the stories shared. In modern times we can all learn from the realization the soldiers came to as described on page 64. “The enemy it turned out, was human after all, and could be kind and generous as well.” 

From Publishers Weekly: “He skillfully interweaves excerpts from the diaries and letters

of countless young men who, either seeking escape from the drudgery of farm work or embracing fantasies of glory, participated in America's most brutal and bloody war. … The extensive use of contemporary archival photos reinforces the power of the understated text.” Retrieved from https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-89919-893-4.  

In a high school class this book could be used in conjunction with a book such as Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler’s Shadow to contrast the experiences and mindsets of the young soldiers. 

 

You may also like: Chasing Lincoln’s Killer by James L. Swanson or Truce: The Day the Soldiers Stopped Fighting by Jim Murphy.

 

Drawing from Memory 

Say, A. (2011). Drawing from memory. New York: Scholastic Press. 

ISBN: 978-0545176866 

 

This memoir tells the story of Allen Say and his quest to fulfill his dream of becoming a cartoonist perfectly told in a graphic novel style. Say includes a map of Japan so that the reader can locate the various cities and villages that he moves to or visits. The story demonstrates the importance, but also the risk, of pursuing one’s dreams, especially in a setting where it is not fully understood or accepted. 

 

The author tells his story in a manner that is both exciting and relatable. He demonstrates the wisdom to identify what he can do to achieve his dream and the courage to chase after what he wants. Say completes the story through images, mostly his own drawings including early sketches and photographs. 

 

From Kirkus reviews: “Shinpei’s original comics are reproduced here, harmonizing with Say’s own art from that time and the graphic-novel–style panels, drawings and paintings created for this book. Aesthetically superb; this will fascinate comics readers and budding artists while creating new Say fans.” Retrieved from: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/allen-say/drawing-memory/  

 

In art this book could provide a study of the various mediums found within. It could also be used in a social studies class, specifically as a cultural study. 

Also by Allen Say: Grandfather’s Journey or Tree of Cranes.