22 December 2011–Nina in That Makes Me Mad!

Image Courtesy of Toon Books

Adapted and Illustrated by: Hilary Knight, Written by: Steven Kroll Toon Books, 2011 ISBN: 978-1-935179-10-8 (Hardback) $12.95 Ages: 6 - 8

Summary Nina, a precocious little girl, explains different things that make her angry, and then acts them out with her family. Originally written by the late Steven Kroll, This story has been a popular one for kids since its original publication in 1976, as it allows young readers to identify with Nina in different situations. In the end, Nina also explains that the best way for her to cool off is to talk about what makes her mad. Analysis A fun and funny book for young readers, Nina gets into situations that the majority of children can feel familiar with. The end is also a great way to impart the idea that “talking it out” is a preferred method of conflict resolution. Knight’s artwork is top notch (as always), and the amount of respect he has for the original work is evident in this version. Sadly, Mr. Kroll was unable to see the latest edition reach publication, but his memory (and multitude of other works) continue to delight and inspire children the world over. Final Thoughts Knight (whose artwork is immediately recognizable) does an amazing job on this book, which by itself should be a good reason to read it alone, but combined with a story that emergent readers can identify with, this becomes a definite must-read. Parents can benefit from this book especially, as they can discuss with their children the different issues Nina faces throughout the book.

21 December 2011–Romeo & Juliet

Image Courtesy Stone Arch Books

Written by: William Shakespeare; Retold by: Martin Powell, Illustrated by: Eva Cabrera Stone Arch Books, 2011 ISBN: 978-1-4342-3448-3 (paperback) $6.95 Ages: 10 - 14

Summary  Shakespeare’s classic tale of two star-crossed lovers in adapted to graphic novel format for younger readers. Two feuding families, the Montagues and the Capulets have been fighting each other for who knows how long, over slights long forgotten to history. When the only son of Montague and the only daughter of Capulet fall in love, will their devotion to each other be able to transcend their families bloody war? Analysis Shakespeare has long been considered a staple of Western Literature, and with good reason. With 38 plays, 154 sonnets, universal stories that transcend time, and controversies that continue to circle around him to this day, it’s not that hard to understand why he is so popular. However, most kids find him incredibly dull and boring, mostly due to the insistence of most publishers to stick to the original wording used in the 1600s. Powell wisely updates the language to modern English and keeps the story moving at a brisk pace – not too fast you can’t get attached to the characters, but not so slow as to make you fall asleep either. As the story sticks to the original ending, be forewarned you may have some unhappy or emotional readers at tales end. Final Thoughts  I’ve always liked Shakespeare, and this new adaptation is one of the better ones I’ve seen over the years. While not as in depth as some readings, I feel that it strikes a nice balance between the crux of the story and keeping the target audience enthralled to the last pages of the book. Cabrera does a fantastic job of bringing the characters to life, showing both the delight as well as heartache between the characters in ways that text struggles to convey. This is a definite recommend for an introduction to Shakespeare in middle school classes (Stone Arch also currently covers Macbeth, Julius Caesar, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream), and for parents who would like to introduce their kids to the classics, you could do much, much worse than this.