Paper Girls Volume 1 by Brian K Vaughan

Frankly, I did not know what to expect when I started reading this graphic novel. I have read other works from this author that I thoroughly enjoyed, and read it pretty much based on the fact he wrote it.

I also read it because I have a daughter who really likes graphic novels. The problem with that is finding female protagonists that are not just there for drooly teenage boys (in either age, maturity level, or both). That being the case, I try to look for graphic novels with strong female leads.

One of the things I liked about Paper Girls is that with a full set of female characters, Vaughan gave each of them strengths and weaknesses. In other words, he made them realistic. They were also strong and independent, as exemplified by their job--one traditionally thought of as one for boys.

I enjoyed how the story progressed. It started with normal concerns and problems then gradually morphed into the strange. Seeing how these girls handled the growing weirdness they were getting into was interesting and fun.

There is a fair bit of profanity in the graphic novel. This is not gratuitous; it helps in getting a better idea about some of the characters. But, as a seventh grade teacher, it's enough for me to not put it in my classroom library. In that regard, I think it is more appropriate for older readers.

Overall, I would say to give this one a try. It was a lot of fun and I am looking forward to Volume 2 so I can see what happens next.

Practical Applications for Multiverse Theory by Noa Gavin and Nick Scott

This is a wild ride! Scott and Davey hate each other. To Davey, Scott is nothing but an unpopular nerd. To Scott, Davey was a stuck-up, mean girl cheerleader. Their scheduled peer mediation is a few days away, but in the meantime, the animosity just grows and grows.

And so does the weirdness. It starts with a soft drink that changes from one to another and back and a soon-to-be-dissected frog begging for its life. It only gets more bizarre from there. Reality is collapsing and the multiverse is converging on their high school. If they don’t figure out what the heck is going on, reality is over.

The authors use a dual narration between Scott and Davey; that really works for me. Seeing the escalating situations from their two very different points of view only makes this more fun. I have to admit to identifying more with Scott. His desire to just get through high school without being noticed is one I felt pretty often back in my own high school days. While Davey just wants all the craziness to stop, Scott tries to figure out exactly what’s happening.

I laughed out loud more than one reading this book. It is great fun. My only problem with the book is the sheer amount of profanity in the book. It doesn’t really bother me as a reader, but it keeps me from putting it in my classroom library. There is a lot of violence, but it is almost cartoonish in its excess. If you don’t mind a lot of salty language, and you do like a lot of laughs, I’d suggest you give it a try.

Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman

I have to say that I loved this book. It is a series of monologues from different people involved in creating and maintaining a community garden in Cleveland, Ohio.

Through each short vignette, the story is advanced as the different perspectives of those involved are shared with the listener. This book could have diversity as its core value as each narrator was of a different age, sex, and race--from a young Vietnamese girl to a 78 year old man who spent his life working for social justice to a farmer from Mexico who speaks an Indian language only one person can understand. As this was an audiobook, I especially liked that each monologue was given a unique voice by a different narrator.

It touched me. I recommend it. I want to share it with my students.

The House of Daniel by Harry Turtledove

When it comes to alternate history, Harry Turtledove is my favorite author. He has had many interesting takes on what might have been. So, as I always do, I looked forward to reading this new novel from him. I must confess, it was not what I had expected.

This alternate earth is a place of magic—vampires, zombies, werewolves, conjure men—all exist and are real dangers. The magic is understated through most of the book. There is some here and there, but it’s “normal.” It’s part of the background that the main character, Jack Spivey, takes for granted.

Jack is a center fielder for the Enid (Oklahoma) Eagles. He is also a part-time strongman for a local underworld boss, Big Stu. Hey, it’s the Depression (although the tern was never used), a guy has to eat. So he agrees to rough up the kid brother of someone Big Stu has some trouble with. The team is going to the city where the brother lives. He agrees and when he gets to the right address, he finds not a younger brother, but a younger sister. He can’t bear to beat her up, so instead advises her to run away.

Now that he’s crossed Big Stu, going home isn’t an option. So he stays in town and, by chance, gets an opportunity to play for a barnstorming baseball team, the House of Daniel (based on our world's House of David). They have long hair and beards. The core of the team is from a religious commune. They do hire outsiders, though. It’s perfect. The team will take him far away from Enid and Big Stu. He can play ball and make a little money. Even if he does need to wear a wig and fake beard til his own grows in.

Most of the rest of the book details the travels of Jack and the team. Especially the games they played. All of them. Sometimes in exhausting detail. I am not a baseball fan myself, but I can see the loving care that Turtledove put into recreating the old time games.

I was a little disappointed in the lack of action and the downright mundaneness of the magic. I was hoping for more—Turtledove’s books are usually pretty tense. This one, not so much.

I liked it okay, but found some of the coincidences a little far out. It did do a good job depicting what life was like for a baseball bum in that era, but was a little slow-paced. If you’re not a big fan of baseball, this one may not be for you.

Wonder Woman: Earth One Vol. 1 by Grant Morrison

It is hard to keep track of all the new and various retellings of the DC superheroes’ origins. In this variation on the Wonder Woman theme Morrison modernizes the story. Instead of Diana coming to the “world of men” during WWII, she comes today. Most of the story is told in flashbacks at Diana’s trial. She disobeyed her mother and took Trevor back to the world of men. There she had several adventures and became more and more distressed with the state of the world. She submitted to her mother for trial to try and convince her that the world needs the Amazons—and the Amazons needs to the world. Through the course of the trial the Lasso of Truth is used to not only compel truthful testimony, but as a translator, as well. Using the Lasso, Hippolyta unveils a millennia old lie—one that explains much about Diana’s own character.

Sexuality plays a role in this story. Hercules was a misogynist and a rapist. The Amazons were depicted as lesbians. I guess that makes sense when they were all alone on that island for over 3,000 years. Morrison does not make a “big thing” about it, but it is not left as subtext either. It’s just the way it is. Diana had a lover on the island. Apparently they had been together for thousands of years. I think the very fact that Morrison includes that bit of information without making a big deal over it worked. It comes across as natural and understandable.

Steve Trevor is an African-American in the version; this sets up a scene where Diana makes a tremendous faux pas without realizing it. He is pretty much all that is right with the world of men. He is honest and honorable, truthful and brave. His character as well as his testimony make a big impression.  Etta Candy is back, as a bisexual sorority party girl. She is still a big, beautiful woman and is proud of it. When one of the Amazons tries to body shame her, she shuts that down fast. I really liked her character a lot. Under the party girl exterior there was a core of steel.

I enjoyed the artwork. I am not an artist, just a fan who enjoys good work. This counts for me. The most jarring thing—aside from the teenage boys’ fantasy of the Wonder Woman costume—was how young Diana looks. Even though she is thousands of years old, at times she seems like a teenager herself.

I look forward to seeing where this Earth One version of Wonder Woman goes from here.

Martian Manhunter Vol. 1: The Epiphany by Rob Williams

This is a revamp of a favorite DC hero. And, for me, it didn't work too well.  It was extremely confusing, and I don't often find myself lost in novel.

The artwork was good, and the story was ambitious. It was just a bit hard to follow and way outside of what I was looking for in a Martian Manhunter title. Change is good, but the amount of change wrought on this character left me reeling. 

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

I don’t want to say that this is just another YA dystopian novel with a female main character. In a way, of course, it is. And after reading the Divergent series and the Hunger Games series, I was a little hesitant to read another of this type of novel. But, in some important ways, it is more than just another YA dystopian novel with a female lead.

There were many things that Westerfeld, the author, did that I appreciated. For one, he clearly states what it was that led to the collapse of the previous civilization (ours). I thought it was pretty clever and maybe a little too likely to be thought up by someone in the real world.

The premise of the society that evolved from that collapse seemed thin at first. That at 16 everybody was given an operation to make them, “Pretty.” The Pretties were beautiful, but vapid. The sense that she lost her best friend, Peris, after he became Pretty was the first hint of trouble in Paradise. But as the novel continued, there proved to be more layers to this new order that were even hinted at originally. Slowly the layers were peeled away as the truth started to emerge.

The way that this society seemed so perfect to the main character, Tally, made me wonder what could cause some people to reject it and choose to live on their own and reject becoming Pretty. To Tally the thought of remaining an “Ugly” was a major motivation to many of her actions. And what exactly about people rejecting being Pretty made it such an existential threat to the people who ran the society, the Specials? All these people apparently wanted was to be left alone.

It is a pretty interesting read. The end setting up the next book in the trilogy. I now need to put Pretties on my to read list.

I’d recommend this book. It is different enough from the other dystopias to make it distinct. And the questions it raises are good ones. I’ll look for a copy to put in my classroom library.

Paper Towns by John Green

This book was a real roller coaster for me. I identified a great deal with Quentin, the narrator and main character of the novel. He is overly responsible and to an extent proud of it. He is careful. He is a smart ass. He has a few good friends, and many acquaintances in different cliques around his school. And he is in love. Desperately. For as long as he can remember.

Margo Roth Spiegelman is the girl of his dreams. She’s the girl of everyone’s dreams. At least that is what everyone thinks. She has become a legend in her school and community. A free spirit. A nonconformist. A trouble maker. A chronic runaway.

She enlists Quentin’s help in a night of pranks. Her swan song to life as she knew it. And, like a swimmer being towed out to sea by an unstoppable current, Quentin went a long with her and helped her throughout that one wild night.

Now, for many teen novels, that one night of pranks would have been the meat of the story. As it was drawing to an end I kept checking to see how much time was left in the recording. Turns out, that night was just the prelude.

When Quentin woke up the next morning, she was gone. But, she did leave behind some clues. And Quentin and his friends were convinced that she left them for him to find her. That, is the meat of this story. His search for clues. His discovering layers of both Margot and himself that he never knew existed. His growth into a more confident and determined person.

This book was terrific. The characters are what made this book for me. Green has a way of breathing life into his literary creations. They become real people to me. And, what's more, people I care about. This ability is what drew me in. Not to mention the sheer laugh-out-loud moments that came frequently in this novel. A lot of fun with a lot of meaning--what could be better?

I recommend it highly. It will definitely find a place in my classroom library.

Deadline by Chris Crutcher

I love the author, Chris Crutcher. He is honest and unflinching when he writes about teens. In Deadline, he continues this. I thought this would be a good book to read after reading John Green's The Fault in Our Stars, and after finishing it, I feel so even more strongly.

Ben Wolf is an 18 year old young man who is about to start his senior year of high school. He lives in a small Idaho town and has some big dreams: getting a track scholarship and getting out of that small town are chief among them. His plans change drastically when he is told by his doctor that he has a terminal illness and about one year left to live. 

His first decision is to keep this a secret. He does not want everyone in town to treat him differently. He wants to live as normal a life as possible. His second decision, based on the whole life remaining normal idea, is to refuse treatment. The chance of him surviving with treatment is minuscule. Rather than end his life that way, he decides that if this year is all he has left, he is going to live it to the fullest. 

This success of this book is due to the excellent, in-depth characters that Crutcher has created. They are richly detailed and multilayered. There are no caricatures in his writing. These people came alive for me. There was character-based surprise after surprise. The exploration of the power and problems involved in all levels of secrecy made me stop and think more than a few times. Hard to look at secrets the same way after reading this.

I might not put this on my middle school bookshelf, but in a high school classroom, definitely. I urge you to read it.  

Justice League: Gods And Monsters by Bruce Timm and J.M. DeMatteis

Back in the day, Marvel had a comic titled "What if...?" and DC answered with its own version: "Elseworlds." Each title would explore alternate possibilities for characters and story lines.  Like what if Aunt May had been bitten by the radioactive spider? What if Batman had become our sector's Green Lantern? This graphic novel, a collection of three different origin tales and a combined adventure, has that sort of feel to it.

In this graphic novel DC explores a different version of "The Trinity": Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. It starts with Superman. In this version he is the son of Zod, not Jor-El, and is brought up by a family of migrant workers.  He experiences a very different upbringing than Clark Kent did. He is not so much a hero for a great deal of the story. It is disconcerting to see Superman as arrogant and uncaring as he is portrayed. Although in the context of the story, it makes sense.

Batman is also very different. Kirk Langstrom is a brilliant doctor. When it is discovered that he has terminal cancer, he creates a cure for himself. The unanticipated side effect was that he became a vampirelike creature who needed blood to survive. In order to try and assuage his guilt, he vowed only to prey on evil men. And he found this was not as easy as it seemed.

Bekka of New Genesis is this reality’s Wonder Woman. Having come to Earth through a random boom tube fleeing Darkseid, she is rescued by a kind couple. She learns that while there is real goodness here, there is also evil and she is driven to protect her new home. Often her adventures end rather badly.

The three come together to to investigate a man who is offering “upgrades” to those who can afford them. These new “Forever People” are endowed with godlike powers. But, if they do not continue to pay for upgrades, they soon die. It doesn’t take them long to decide that the Earth is theirs to rule.

There are some epic battle scenes. Many the moral conundrum is considered and puzzled over. Does might make right? Who are these “heroes” who so casually take the lives of those they see as wrong-doers? Are they any better than the Forever People? What is to stop them from declaring themselves rulers of the world?

These fears are stoked by a Lois Lane who adamantly hates these three. She is suspicious and belligerent. So different from the many iterations of this character that have come before. Only Lex Luthor seems to be himself. And doesn’t that just sound like grand news?

I liked the feel of this graphic novel. The limited nature of the series gave the authors the freedom to really push a few boundaries that they may not have been able to if this was to be an ongoing series. I especially enjoyed the character development. I deeply enjoyed seeing variations of these iconic heroes. It was a fun read and worth my time.

I recommend this. All my comic book geeks out there, give it a shot.

Dark Night: A True Batman Story by Paul Dini

I was not sure what to expect when I first looked at this graphic novel. What I didn't expect, but most certainly got, was a riveting true story. Paul Dini, the author, uses the graphic novel format to write a stirring autobiography. He is not gentle with himself. I was intrigued by the story and impressed by the level of honesty Mr. Dini showed.

In writing about the tragic event where he was severely beaten, the author uses the cartoon and comic book characters he worked with to help portray his inner landscape. This psychological play is a powerful metaphor. The villains from Batman,chosen with great care, were there trying to sabotage him, and the Dark Knight was there with encouragement, insight, and tough love.

I would recommend this book highly. If you are not a graphic novel fan, I encourage you to give it a try. It is worth the read.

It's the End of the World as We Know It by Saci Lloyd

This was a whirlwind of a book! It took off fast and kept accelerating. The author's view of the wacky parallel universe was fun and not what I expected. For me, that's always a plus. The twists and turns kept me reading.

 I especially enjoyed the way the author handled the dialog. It gave me a good verbal image of each character.

 If you are looking for a lot of logic and a book that makes total sense, this may not be for you. If you're just looking for a good time, I say give it a shot.

Staked by Kevin Hearne

I really love this series. For the past several books the original main character, Atticus O'Sullivan, has been fighting a war with the world's vampires. A war that the vampires thought they won almost 2,000 years before. A war he aims to finish. But, as with the last book, O'Sullivan is no longer the only narrator. There are now two other druids besides him. Granuaile, his former apprentice, and Owen Kennedy, trapped on an island of slow time for the past two thousand years (and the druid who trained Atticus), are also rotating narrators in this volume. And each of his fellow druids also has agendas of their own.

It is a fast-moving, funny, and often violent book. The rotating narrations worked well for me. The weaving together of these stories made for an interesting ride. Hearne has an impressive knowledge of world mythologies and makes them understandable even to those who are not well-versed. I know a lot about a couple of ancient pantheons and little about a few others, but Hearne blows me away. The writing is confident and a lot of fun.

I listened to the audiobook; Luke Daniels does an excellent job of bringing each character, even the two hounds, to life. He vocally becomes each character and that enhances my enjoyment of this series.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who has read the previous volumes. This is part of a continuing story and could be a bit confusing to those who start the series here. If you haven't read this series, you should. It has entertained me for many, many hours.

The Imitation Game: Alan Turing Decoded by Jim Ottaviani

This was an absorbing graphic novel. It is a rarity for me in this format—nonfiction. The subject of the biography, Alan Turing, was an inherently intriguing man. As a science fiction nerd I knew some things about him: he was English, he was a genius, he broke the Nazi's Enigma code, he created the test for artificial intelligence, and he was convicted of the "crime" of homosexuality in the 1950's. What I did not know, filled the rest of the book.

The book unfolds in an unusual way, alternating between Turing narrating his own life and "interviews" with people from his life. I'm not sure about these. They seem to interview people from different periods of his life. Who is questioning them is not made clear. I wonder if it was meant to be a representation of the imitation game that Turing himself created. Who is telling the truth? Who is lying? To what degree is it a lie or a different interpretation of events? Those being questioned are represented in shades of black and white. Turing, narrating the story, seems to be able to interact with them.

He was a genius. This was made clear. His grasp of mathematics was phenomenal. He made created of the foundational principles of modern computer science. He used his mathematical skills to decipher the Nazi's Enigma codes. This was fiendishly difficult to do. And he was in "competition" with another there who believed that people were superior to machines when it came to code breaking. The codebreaking project so impressed Winston Churchill that he instructed the military to provide them with whatever they asked for.

The topic of his homosexuality is handled tactfully. It was apparently an open secret during his time working for the government during World War II. He himself never seemed to understand that it was literally a crime. The laws have since changed, but that did no good for him. It was especially a tragic irony that his war service was still classified and his character witnesses could not tell the court what it was he had done for the country. Rather shabby treatment.

The math in the book was sometimes hard for me to follow. I am an English teacher, though, and used to math being hard to follow. I think I will be rereading this. I want to go back and try to better understand more of the details. Get to know Turing’s ideas better. Get to know Turing better.

I would definitely recommend this. It is well worth the reading.