Graphic Novels... that aren't necessarily novels.

Jane Malmberg from the Newton Free Library visited our 5th Grade book club yesterday to share some unusual graphic novels with us. Unusual because none of them were exactly fiction...

Shakespeare in Graphic Novel format:
The Tempest by John McDonalds  or Romeo and Juliet by Gareth Hinds (2013)




Why read Shakespear in graphic format?  Well, if you already like Shakespeare's plays you may enjoy reading them in this visual style since it is almost like seeing a dramatic interpretation of the play.  Here's the interesting thing... if you really don't like reading Shakespeare - maybe because the language is difficult and so different from the English that we normally speak and read - then these graphic versions of the plays might be just the thing since the illustrations and images help make sense of the language.

Biography:
Houdini: The Handcuff King by Jason Lutes


Lily Renee, Escape Artist by Trina Robbins


Alia's Mission: Saving the books of Iraq by Mark Alan Stamaty


and finally, last but not least a book that is not truly a graphic novel, but has some GN elements:

Bad Girls: Sirens, Jezebels, Murderesses, Thieves, & Other Female Villains

by Jane Yolen and her daughter Heidi Stemple



This book is not a typical graphic novel, but between each chapter about a different historical woman who was labeled (and often really was) a "bad girl" there are graphic pages showing the two authors discussing the individuals they wrote about.

Zojo Comics: walking a 12 pound dog

Beginning Chapter Books Girls and Fashion/Science

BCB Girls and Fashion

The Fashion Faries by Daisy Meadows
Lotus Lane Kiki: my stylish life

BCB Girls and Science

Girls who looked under rocks
Franny K. Stein by Benton, J.
Einstein Anderson
Doyle and Fossey: Science Detectives

Zervas High Five Short Animated Movies

 

 

 

 

Mr. B's Class:

Zervas High Five - Think 1st (5B) by Zervas1 on GoAnimate


Zervas High Five - Be Flexible (5B) by Zervas2 on GoAnimate


Zevas High Five - Work Hard (5B) by Zervas3 on GoAnimate


Zervas High Five - Aim High (5B) by Zervas4 on GoAnimate


Zervas High Five 5 - Be Flexible (5B) by Zervas5 on GoAnimate


Zervas High Five - Chose Kind (5B) by Zervas6 on GoAnimate

Ms. Deeks/Ms.  Hayward Class:

             Zervas High Five - Choose Kind (DH) by Zervas1 on GoAnimate


Zervas High Five - Work Hard (5DH) by Zervas2 on GoAnimate


Zervas High Five - Think First (5DH) by Zervas3 on GoAnimate


Zervas High Five - Choose Kind (5DH) by Zervas4 on GoAnimate


Zervas High Five - Aim High (5 DH) by Zervas5 on GoAnimate


Zervas High Five - Be Flexible (5DH) by Zervas6 on GoAnimate

Mr. Stern's Class:

Zervas High Five - Be Flexible (5S) by Zervas1 on GoAnimate


Zervas High Five - Work Hard (5S) by Zervas2 on GoAnimate


Zervas High Five - Choose Kind (5S) by Zervas3 on GoAnimate


Zervas High Five - Aim High (5S) by Zervas4 on GoAnimate


Zervas High Five - Think First (5S) by Zervas5 on GoAnimate

Favorite Audio Books

This is a very subjective list of audio books that my family has either personally enjoyed listening to in the car or are just books that we love and highly recommend.

The Narnia books by C. S. Lewis

• These classic fantasy adventure stories are even better performed by award winning English actors such as Kenneth Branaugh, Lynn Redgrave, Derek Jacobi and Jeremy Northam.

The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien

• Read by Rob Inglis who is amazing and even sets the songs to music and sings them

Anything by Kate DiCamillo, but these inparticular:
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
Because of Winn Dixie
The Tale of Despereaux

Roald Dahl books are great too, but some of them can be a little dark. 
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar
Mathilda

Catherine Called Birdy by Karen Cushman (and anything by Ms. Cushman)

The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett

• Hilarious and crazy this will appeal to the entire family

The Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander

• The Book of Three (the first book in the series) is not read as well as the next four books, but they are still all well worth listening too.

Hatchet by Gary Paulson (survival/adventure)
Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes (historical fiction/Revolutionary War)
The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare (historical fiction/colonial America)
Moon over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool (historical fiction/Kansas)

The Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli

• This is an oldie, but a goodie especially if you are at all interested in life in the Middle Ages (as I was as a young person).  The language might be challenging to read, but listening to this story makes it really come to life.

Adam of the Road by Elizabeth Gray Vining

• Another older book (and another Newbury winner), another Medieval tale.

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien

and of course the first three Harry Potter books!



For a slightly older crowd:

The Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud (fantasy)

The Wednesday Wars and Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt (realistic, 1968/1969 historical fiction)

Harry Potter books 4-7

Best Book Trailers:

Books for 3rd Graders that help explain a symphony

The Composer is Dead (with cd) (Snicket) (this one is on the longer side)

Zin, Zin, a Violin (Moss)

Philharmonic Gets Dressed (Kuskin)

Peter and the Wolf (with cd) (Dewhirst)

Remarkle Farkle McBride (Lithgow)

The Story of the Incredible Orchestra (Celenza)

Feliz takes the Stage (Lasky)

The Farewell Symphony (Celenza)

Moses goes to a Concert (Farrar)

Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra (Britten)

Those Amazing Musical Instruments! Your Guide to the Orchestra Through Sounds and Stories(with CD) (Helsby)

Story of the Orchestra : Listen While You Learn About the Instruments, the Music and the Composers Who Wrote the Music! (Levine)