graphic novels

"Ruth is moving to Hong Kong. And she is not happy about it. She's going to miss her best friends, her favorite ketchup-flavored potato chips, and Toronto, the only home she's ever known. Her mom is excited to reunite with her family, but it's not the same for Ruth. In Hong Kong, her classes are harder, her Cantonese isn't good enough, and her parents are never around. Ruth feels lonely and completely unrooted. But as Ruth's dad tells stories about her family -- how they found strength and courage to survive the most difficult times -- Ruth realizes that she too can be strong. Gradually, she puts down roots, knowing she can always find home, wherever she is." -- Back cover.

"[In this graphic novel adaptation,] Barry's family tries to evacuate before Hurricane Katrina hits their home in New Orleans. But when Barry's little sister gets terribly sick, they're forced to stay home and wait out the storm. At first, Katrina doesn't seem to be as bad as predicted. But overnight the levees break, and Barry's world is literally torn apart. He's swept away by the floodwaters, away from his family. Can he survive the storm of the century--alone?"--Provided by publisher.

"When Coco joins the school basketball team, she's ready to rock. Joining the team means new friends -- something she's desperate for -- but it also means dealing with bossy teammates, confusing crushes, and less-than-flattering new nicknames. When the team's all-star player, Maddie, starts calling her "shrimp," Coco realizes it's not actually a joke and that she's going to need new moves if she wants to score both on and off the court. But her resilience is put to the ultimate test when a courtside catastrophe threatens to put an end to the new world she's worked so hard to be a part of. Told with tenderness, humor, and above all heart, Coco Fox delivers a sorta-true story about taking your best shot, even when the odds are stacked against you"--Provided by publisher.

A graphic memoir about the author's experiences as a young person when her family was awarded a new house built for them by Habitat for Humanity, including their struggles with poverty and work to build and maintain the home.

"The Mythmakers is the illustrated story of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien and how each came to write their masterworks-neither story can be told without including the other, they are so intertwined. Through narrative and comic panels, the book chronicles their near-idyllic childhoods, then moves on to both men's horrific tour of the trenches of WWI to their first meeting at Oxford in 1929, and then the foreshadowing, action, and aftermath of WWII. This nonfiction graphic novel follows the shared story of their friendship and creative fellowship, in all its ups and downs, that gave them confidence to venture beyond academic concerns (fantasy wasn't scholarly writing but considered the domain of children), shaped major story/theme ideas, and shifted their ideas about the potential of mythology and faith. The book also shows the camaraderie and the importance of the social/literary circle of friends called the Inklings, and how the friendship of these two great men fell apart and came together again. Hendrix concludes describing how the writings of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien had re-enchanted the 20th century, after two World Wars. In writing aimed at scholars, adults, and young people, these two tweedy academics altered the course of storytelling and embraced the concept that fantasy writing for an adult audience was an accepted form of literature. The format is similar to The Faithful Spy, prose interspersed with images and narrative comics. The narration is often conversations between a knowledgeable wizard and a comical lion. Through brisk conversation between these two friends, they explain some of the bigger ideas in an approachable and entertaining way. Throughout the story, there are "gateways" that lead readers to the back matter where certain themes, such as how myth/fantasy evolved or the art of world-building, are discussed more fully. This device keeps the main story flowing quickly and smoothly for those readers not interested in the more academic ideas behind the narrative. Among the ideas covered in the narrative and back matter: - Tolkien's world building - The "Theology of Creation" linking their faith to their writings - The meaning of real friendship - Notions of modernity and mythology - The value of fantasy - The power of a creative community - An exploration of the different kinds of storytelling in Narnia and The Lord of the Rings, both relying on "The Myth" as a story-telling device, but differing in the use of allegory vs. symbolism - The creative differences of Lewis and Tolkien: the high standards of Tolkien's fiction and the faster and more immediate approach of Lewis's - Logos vs. Mythos: Lewis created from images, Tolkien created from language - The mixing of mythologies Also included are an author's note, endnotes, bibliography and index"--Provided by publisher.

". . . discover the origin of [the] characters from the 'Dog Man' series as they join forces to stop the Space Cuties from destroying the city"--Amazon.

Tig is having bad dreams and Lily is not sure how to help, but their friends Monkey and Elephant suggest staying awake all night at the zoo slumber party to avoid the nightmares.

Desperate not to be a party pooper, tiger Lily agrees to throw a shindig with house cat Tig, but when their zoo neighbors run away scared from Lily before she has time to invite them, Tig is there to help his friend.

"Pacey Packer and Slasher look for the evil Alpha Unicorn's horn and try to escape Rundalyn's Dark Caverns--but mean mermaids may pose a challenge"--Provided by publisher.

"After slicing the horn off of the Evil Apha Unicorn and becoming a legend, Pacey Packer returns to Rundalyn to free the statue children she left behind"--Provided by publisher.