Graphic Novel Monday: Owly: A Time to be Brave, by Andy Runton

Owly: A Time to be Brave, by Andy Runton. Published 2007 by Top Shelf. Fiction.

Andy Runton's Owly series is absolutely adorable. It's an all-ages series with a lovable cast of characters headed by the eponymous large-eyed owl and costarring birds, butterflies, worms and small mammals. Together they have little adventures and learn sweet lessons about life.

A Time to be Brave, the fourth in the series, tells the story of an opossum who wanders into Owly's home and accidentally damages a tree there; the other animals don't understand who or what this new creature is and become frightened of him. Owly and his friends have to find out about him and how to handle him- is a friend? An enemy? Just what is he?

You can tell this is a series for children but I think anyone would like these wholesome, squeaky-clean and enjoyable books. The Owly books are more or less a "silent" graphic novels- stories told almost entirely without words, through symbols and visual metaphors; they are therefore great for small children who don't read yet or don't read well. Parents can share them with their kids and tell the stories aloud together, or a child can read by him or herself and practice storytelling skills. For adults, Owly will be a quick and charming read. Either way it's a winner.

Rating: BUY

FTC Disclosure: I did not receive this book for review from the publisher.

Graphic Novel Monday: Cry Yourself to Sleep, by Jeremy Tinder

Cry Yourself to Sleep, by Jeremy Tinder. Published 2005 by Top Shelf Productions. Fiction.


Cry Yourself to Sleep is quick slip of a graphic novel, a story about a rabbit who loses his job, a robot who needs a purpose and a frustrated writer all trying to find their way in the world. They are friends but go through three more-or-less unrelated stories, until the end when they come together very sweetly.

It's quarter-sized, and its black and white artwork and varied panels combined with its small size give it a zine-like feel. Tinder keeps the action moving smoothly and creates three compelling characters. He jumps back and forth between the characters in a way that kept me reading. I was able to finish the book in one sitting but it's fun to pop back in and leaf through it a little as well.

Cry Yourself to Sleep is a tender story about growing up and dealing with adversity. It would be a good choice for adults as there is some mature language and themes- nothing explicit, just the occasional swear word and themes that younger people might have trouble connecting to. It's a nice debut and I look forward to more from Tinder.

Rating: BACKLIST

FTC Disclosure: I did not receive this book for review from the publisher.

Graphic Novel Monday: Lone Racer, by Nicolas Mahler

Lone Racer, by Nicolas Mahler. Published 2006 by Top Shelf. Graphica.

Lone Racer is a graphic-novel short story about a nameless drag racer past his glory days who spends most of his time at the bar- his wife is ill and hospitalized, and he can no longer keep up with the game. Everything's become faster, more dangerous and more daring- and he's just become older. One of his bar buddies, a policeman, suggests they hold up a bank- but what follows isn't what you might expect.

What attracted me to this little book was the offbeat visual style and coloration. The driver, the other characters and the scenes are made up of some of the loosest, simplest sketching I've ever seen. The driver himself is just a collection of long lines and exaggerated features, especially his elongated proboscis. His wife is a shape under a sheet with a tiny, tiny head, perhaps a metaphor of her diminished status in the world. However diminished she may appear, she is a huge presence in the narrator's life and his love for her is what drives him, figuratively but literally as well. The book is slightly larger than quarter size and divided up almost uniformly into two horizontal panels per page with narration on top of each panel, giving it the feel of movie or television screens. The coloring is black and white except for the hero, who is colored in orange. Occasionally other elements of the scenery is orange as well, such a woman's legs, or tire marks on the road- elements that express movement. The hero is almost always in motion, either running or swinging his loopy, spaghetti-thin arms and body around a panel. Mahler's art definitely keeps the eye moving around the page.

I was surprised and taken aback by the ending, and the book ends up being a bittersweet meditation on redemption and the power of love- with the emphasis on sweet. With some adult language and sexual content it's another one for the grownups but I'd recommend Lone Racer as a quick, very enjoyable read.

Rating: BACKLIST


FTC Disclosure: I did not receive this book for review from the publisher.

Graphic Novel Monday: Johnny Boo, The Best Little Ghost in the World! by James Kochalka

Johnny Boo, the Best Little Ghost in the World! by James Kochalka. Published 2008 by Top Shelf Productions. Graphica.

Part two in my three-part series on all-ages comics features Johnny Boo, the Best Little Ghost in the World!, a charming little comic for kids and everyone else. Told in simple drawings colored in unshaded blocks of bright color, it's the story of little ghost Johnny Boo and his pet ghost, Squiggle, and their run-in with the Ice Cream Monster.

Children will love the bright colors and the funny plot, not to mention the burps. Parents will enjoy sharing this cute story with their little ones. Even adults not reading to a child will have fun with Johnny Boo. It's about making friends and using talent and smarts to get out of sticky situations. The Ice Cream Monster is made of silly and should not upset anyone. If I say much more, my review will be end up being longer than the book. Enjoy.

Rating: BEACH

FTC Disclosure: I did not receive this book for review from the publisher.

Graphic Novel Monday: Korgi, Book 1, by Christian Slade

Korgi, Book I: Sprouting Wings! by Christian Slade. Published 2007 by Top Shelf Comics.

For the most part, since I've started Graphic Novel Monday I've been featuring books best suited to teens and adults; today begins a short series of all-ages graphic novels, suitable for children.

Korgi is a great example of an all-ages graphic novel, and also of the genre of "silent" or wordless graphic novels. First in a series of adventures starring Sprout the Korgi and his human companion Ivy, the book tells the story of the day that Sprout and Ivy leave their home in Korgi Hollow, have adventures, and find out something unexpected about Sprout's powers.

With this book, it's all about the art. Save for an introduction at the beginning and a two-page spread at the end showing the cast of characters, there is no writing in Korgi. And what art it is. The entire adventure is communicated in lush, detailed line drawings in black and white. There is a gorgeous variety of light effects, textures, action sequences and fleshed-out characters large and small, good and bad. There are some monsters, but it's not too spooky. Overall the effect is charming and engaging. Ivy and Sprout's adventures are richly illustrated and easy to follow even without any narration.

There is a blurb on the book saying that the book would be great for fans of The Hobbit and other fantasy literature; I fully agree. It's definitely a kids' story- a quickly moving, beautifully drawn and easy to understand narrative with nothing unsuitable for children. I would also recommend it specifically to young girls, since it stars a girl but it would also be great for boys and anyone else interested in fantasy or adventure stories. Parents will like it too and it would be fun to read and share with a child. Since there are no words, it's a fine choice for a reluctant reader as well. Korgi is good clean fun for the whole family.

Rating: BUY

FTC Disclosure: I did not receive this book for review from the publisher.

REVIEW: Will You Still Love Me if I Wet the Bed? by Liz Prince

Will You Still Love Me If I Wet the Bed? by Liz Prince. Published 2005 by Top Shelf. Paperback.

Click on the cover to buy via IndieBound.org. I'm an IndieBound affiliate and receive a small commission on sales.

The other day I went on a little spending spree at my favorite comic book store and came back with this little gem, Will You Still Love Me if I Wet the Bed, by Boston-area comic artist Liz Prince.

Will You Still Love Me... is a short little coffee-break of a comics collection, just 71 small pages of two- to four-panel comics starring a young woman named Liz who draws comics, her boyfriend Kevin and cat called Science. I gather the characters are not entirely fictional. The topic is love and relationships and the tone is mellow and loving.

Prince's drawing style and prose style resembles that of comic artist Jeffrey Brown, who penned a little comic introduction to the book- rough and quick-looking, with true to life details like the cat not moving from the bed when you want him to, or being hypersensitive about what your boyfriend says in his sleep, or joking around about the consequences of borrowing a little money. I enjoyed how Prince revels in the quiet, private moments of a good relationship. The art and the writing compliment each other nicely. Both prose and pictures are economical but effective and not over-worked; the characters' emotions and love for each other shine through.

I've already read through it several times. It's adorable. If you like sweet relationship stories, go pick it up- you'll love it.

Rating: BACKLIST

FTC Disclosure: I did not receive this book for review from the publisher.