Journey By Aaron Becker Candlewick Press, 2013 40 pages Wordless picture books fascinate me. Perhaps because words are my "thing," I'm somewhat in awe of someone who can tell a story - a fully-realized, rich, deep story - without them. I didn't read (is that the right term?) wordless picture books as a kid. In … Continue reading Journey
Bone by Jeff Smith Graphix/Cartoon Books 11 volumes If ever there was a graphic-novel epic, Bone is it. This fantasy saga spans nine main volumes, plus two prequels. It's a true Tolkienesque fantasy, complete with a fully realized universe, gripping action, and a nail-biting quest for truth and victory over cataclysmic evil. Bone is primarily … Continue reading Super Secondaries: The Women of Bone
Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling; ill. by Mary GrandPre Scholastic Shortly after I started writing this blog, I had an idea for a series: something that would recognize books with strong female secondary characters. After all, girls don't always read books about girls--nor should they. But we can still steer them to books with … Continue reading Super Secondaries: The Women (and Girls) of Harry Potter
Tower of Treasure by Scott Chantler Kids Can Press, 2010 112 pages I've been on a graphic novel kick lately, though I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because a lot of great recommendations are making their way to me. Maybe it's because, in my other life as an omnivorous reader, I've been working my way … Continue reading Tower of Treasure
Into the Woods by Lyn Gardner; ill. by Mini Grey Random House, 2007 488 pages I've written before about how much I love a good fairy tale reboot--and, more recently, about how interesting antiheroes can be. Into the Woods is a book that combines both, to inspiring effect. Here's the story: Storm Eden lives with … Continue reading Into the Woods
Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke First Second, 2010 184 pages Quick--how many female fictional space adventurers can you think of? Now what if I ask you to limit it to characters intended for a child audience? If you can come up with more than Princess Leia, I'm seriously impressed. For my part, I can … Continue reading Zita the Spacegirl
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente; ill. Ana Juan Feiwel and Friends, 2011 247 pages Women and girls are survivors. Throughout history, across the world, we've been systematically oppressed, brutalized, and marginalized--yet here we are. We still make up the majority of the world's population. … Continue reading The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making
