Blog Tour: Dare to Disappoint: Growing Up in Turkey

Thank you to Macmillan Publishers for including Kid Lit Frenzy in the blog tour for DARE TO DISAPPOINT. 

DARE TO DISAPPOINT: Growing Up in Turkey
by Özge Samanci
Farrar, Straus and Giroux BYR (November 17, 2015)
Nonfiction * Comics * Biography
Audience: Ages 14 and up
IndieBound | WorldCat

About the book:
Growing up on the Aegean Coast, Ozge loved the sea and imagined a life of adventure while her parents and society demanded predictability. Her dad expected Özge, like her sister, to become an engineer. She tried to hear her own voice over his and the religious and militaristic tensions of Turkey and the conflicts between secularism and fundamentalism. Could she be a scuba diver like Jacques Cousteau? A stage actress?  Would it be possible to please everyone including herself?

Quick thoughts on this book:

Özge Samanci unique mixture of illustrations and real objects combine together with her heartfelt words to provide readers with a touching and funny graphic memoir of growing up in Turkey. 

Samanci provides readers with the challenges and pressures she faced in learning how to balance what her dreams were with the expectations of her family, and country. Readers connect over the universal similarity that all of us share in the struggle to create our own identity and as well as what decisions will we ultimately make about our lives.

And don't you just love the art? 

At each stop, Samanci is sharing something personal that is part of her upbringing and included in some format in her book, Dare to Disappoint. Today, it is a doily. 

I saw a paper doily first time in the States and I cracked up. Doilies remind me fake fire places. A real lacework is the product of meticulous work, attention, and grace. But a paper doily is generated by using machinery. I love paper doilies and I still laugh at them. In Turkey, while I was growing up almost every furniture used to have some kind of lacework cover. Women worked hard with little needles to create these lacework pieces. There would be lacework covers everywhere. On the coffee tables, on the shelves, sometimes even on top of the television set. Some people covered their home telephone with a tiny lacework cover. I used a paper doily as a collage material to refer the laceworks from my childhood.

About the author: 
Ozge Samanci is an artist and an associate professor. She was born in Izmir, Turkey, and currently lives in Chicago, Illinois. Dare to Disappoint is her debut graphic novel.

For a complete listing of blog tour stops, click here.  For Friday's stop: The Book Wars

#GNCelebration: Gris Grimly's Frankenstein

Wow! The month of October is almost over and this is the last Thursday in our #GNCelebration. I do hope that you have been enjoying the posts from, Franki & Mary Lee of A Year of Reading, and Tammy & Clare from Assessment in Perspective, and I, as we celebrate graphic novels and comic books.  To link up your reviews and connect with everyone participating in the #GNCelebration, visit our #GNCelebration Google Community. 

This week, it was so hard to pick which book to feature. I am sitting here with a stack of graphic novels trying to decide. My final choice came down to a favorite illustrator with a choice perfect for the Halloween season. 

Gris Grimly's Frankenstein
Original Text: Mary Shelley
Adapted and Illustrated by Gris Grimly
Balzer & Bray (2013)
Fiction * Horror * Classic
Audience: Ages 13 and up
IndieBound | WorldCat

About the book: 
Gris Grimly, the New York Times bestselling artist and creator of the beloved Edgar Allan Poe's Tales of Mystery and Madness, has long considered Mary Shelley's classic tale of terror to be one of his greatest inspirations. He is now paying homage to it with a lavishly illustrated full-length adaptation, the first of its kind in this or any format. The tale of the hubris of Victor Frankenstein, the innocence of his monstrous creation, and the darkest desires of the human heart have never been more vividly represented on the page. Using an abridged version of the original text, Gris has created an experience that is part graphic novel, part prose novel, and all Gris Grimly: a bold sewing-together of elements both classic and contemporary. Beautifully terrifying and terrifyingly beautiful, this is Frankenstein as you've never seen it before

My thoughts on this book:

I discovered the work of Gris Grimly through the picture book Boris & Bella by Carolyn Crimi and Illustrated by Grimly. I shared this with classes that I taught and when my niece was 4, I think I read it to her every night for a year. 

I became a fan of Grimly's work and have been fortunate to see him at local book events. 

I have also been fascinated with the story of Frankenstein. How can you not?! There are so many layers in this story and to think that Mary Shelley was 19 years old when she began writing this book. 

A few summers ago, I had the opportunity to see the "movie" version of the theater production of Frankenstein starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller. On stage, the two actors would trade places each night with one playing Dr. Frankenstein and the other playing the monster.  Thank you to amazing filming, and the good fortune of being in Los Angeles, I saw both versions of the "play".

This is a preview of the stage production of Frankenstein featuring Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller:

But I digress...Of course, when I heard that Gris Grimly was taking on the challenge of making a graphic novel version of Frankenstein I knew I wanted it. My niece was in middle school at the time of this release and she couldn't wait to read it.

Grimly works to make the story Frankenstein accessible to readers, especially those who may not think they could work through the original text. 

There is something to be said for just flipping through the pages of this book. The illustrations are brilliant (yes, I really like Grimly's work) and the tribute to 1970's British Rock brings another layer to the illustrations and the characters.

In the end, you will feel like you have gained new insight into the story of Frankenstein, and may just want to read it again, especially in time for Halloween.

Check out Gris Grimly's blog for more about his creative process, click here. 

Don't forget to join us: 
On November 1, 2015 at 8:00 EST, we will culminate this celebration with a Twitter Chat featuring Terry Thompson the author of Adventures in Graphica: Using Comics and Graphic Novels to Teach Comprehension, 2-6.

This week's giveaway: 
Gris Grimly's Frankenstein (paperback) and Boris & Bella (paperback) by Carolyn Crimi & Gris Grimly

You must be 13 years old or older to enter and have a US mailing address.

#GNCelebration: The Fall of the House of West

Every Thursday, during the month of October, join Aly at Kid Lit Frenzy, Franki & Mary Lee of A Year of Reading, and Tammy & Clare from Assessment in Perspective as we celebrate graphic novels and comic books.  To read our Top 10 reasons to join in, check out the Nerdy Book Club post, here. To link up your reviews and connect with everyone participating in the #GNCelebration, visit our #GNCelebration Google Community. 

The Fall of the House of West
by Paul Pope, J. T. Petty, David Rubín (Illustrator)
First Second (October 13, 2015)
Audience: Ages 10 to 14 years old
Comics * Super Heroes * Adventure
IndieBound * WorldCat

About the book: 
Aurora West is on the verge of solving the mystery of her mother's death, but it's hard keeping her efforts a secret from her grieving father, the legendary monster-hunter Haggard West. Between her school work and her hours training and hunting with her dad, Aurora is hard-pressed to find time to be a secret sleuth. But she's nothing if not persistent.

What Aurora doesn't realize is that she's about to blow open a secret that may very well destroy what's left of her family...and, indeed, all of Arcopolis.

My thoughts on the book:
Paul Pope, JT Petty, and David Rubín are back with another comic book in the world of the Battling Boy.  Aurora West is the daughter of Haggard West and the story continues on from The Rise of Aurora West. The West family have a history of battling monsters and ghouls and Aurora has been in training to carry on with the family tradition but also to revenge her mother's death. 

Told with black and white illustrations, readers learn about Aurora through flashbacks and memories and stories. At times, I had to do some re-reading in order to make the change from present day to the past. This is where the use of color and black & white could make this change clearer for readers. 

Though this series has not yet hit it's stride, it does draw you in and makes you want to keep reading and learn more. Aurora is a strong, determined teenager, and along with her father and other characters in the series, they are real yet flawed. It is exactly those flaws that help readers relate to the characters and keep wanting to read on to see what happens. 

At some point, I would love to see this graphic novel produced in color. The black and white images at times make it a challenge to see all of the details and I think the use of color would make the whole book just pop. 

If you decide to read The Fall of the House of West, I would suggest starting with The Rise of Aurora West,  Both The Rise of Aurora West and The Fall of the House of West are prequels to The Battling Boy.

Pick up a copy of The Rise of Aurora West or The Fall of the House of West at your local indie bookstore or neighborhood public library.

Don't forget to join us: 
On November 1, 2015 at 8:00 EST, we will culminate this celebration with a Twitter Chat featuring Terry Thompson the author of Adventures in Graphica: Using Comics and Graphic Novels to Teach Comprehension, 2-6.

Fable Comics Blog Tour & #GNCelebration

I am excited to be a part of the Fable Comics Blog Tour and I get to reveal to you some of the art from the Thief and the Watchdog.   

Fable Comics
Edited by Chris Duffy
First Second (September 22, 2015)
Fables * Fairy Tales * Adaptations * Comics
Audience: Ages 6 and up
Indiebound | Worldcat

About the book:
From classics like "The Tortoise and the Hare" and "The Grasshopper and the Ants" to obscure gems like "The Frogs Who Desired a King," Fable Comics has something to offer every reader. Twenty-eight fables from different cultures and traditions are wonderfully adapted and illustrated in comics format by twenty-six different cartoonists. Edited by New York Times bestselling Fairy Tale Comics' Chris Duffy, this jacketed hardcover is a beautiful gift and an instant classic.

Quick thoughts on this fable adaptation:
Braden Lamb & Shelli Paroline have added their own humorous spin to Aesop's fable 'The Thief and the House-dog'.

Over the course of several pages, Lamb and Paroline take the fable to a new level. 

These two pages only give you a taste for the spin that was added to the original story.  I enjoyed how the watchdog has a certain level of sarcasm or snark in his response to the Thief's attempt to silence him. A great addition to all of the other fable adaptations making this book a definite must have for a classroom or school library.

Check out the blog tour, here for more on all of the different fable adaptations. 

Fable Comics is: 
James Kochalka and ‘The Fox and the Grapes‘
Tom Gauld and ‘The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse’
George O’Connor and the ‘Hermes’ fables
Sophie Goldstein and ‘Leopard Drums Up Dinner’
Charise Harper and ‘The Belly and the Body Members’
R. Sikoryak and ‘Lion + Mouse’
Jennifer L. Meyer and ‘Fox and Crow’
Eleanor Davis and ‘The Old Man and Death’
Jaime Hernandez and ‘The Boy Who Cried Wolf’
Simone Lia and ‘The Crow and the Pitcher’
Graham Chaffee and ‘The Dog and His Reflection’
Maris Wicks and ‘The Dolphins, The Whales, and The Sprat’
Vera Brosgol and ‘The Hare and the Pig’
Kenny Widjaja and ‘The Demon, The Thief, and the Hermit’
Corinne Mucha and ‘The Elephant in Favor’
Liniers and ‘The Mouse Council’
Mark Newgarten and ‘Man and Wart’
Israel Sanchez and ‘The Milkmaid and Her Pail’
Ulises Farinas and ‘The Great Weasel War’
R.O. Blechman and ‘The Sun and the Wind’
Graham Annable and ‘The Hare and the Tortoise’
John Kerschbaum and ‘The Grasshopper and the Ants’
Braden Lamb and Shelli Paroline and ‘The Thief and the Watchdog’
Gregory Benton and ‘The Hen and the Mountain Turtle’
Roger Langridge and ‘Demades and His Fable’

As part of the #GNCelebration for the month of October, I am giving away a copy of Fable Comics. 

#GNCelebration: Human Body Theater by Maris Wicks

Every Thursday, during the month of October, join Aly at Kid Lit Frenzy, Franki & Mary Lee of A Year of Reading, and Tammy & Clare from Assessment in Perspective as we celebrate graphic novels and comic books.  To read our Top 10 reasons to join in, check out the Nerdy Book Club post, here. To link up your reviews and connect with everyone participating in the #GNCelebration, visit our #GNCelebration Google Community. 

For my first #GNCelebration, I start with a nonfiction graphic novel from First Second:

Human Body Theater: The All-Singing, All-Dancing Anatony Extravaganza!
by Maris Wicks
First Second (October 6, 2015)
Audience: Ages 10-14
Nonfiction * Graphic Novel * Human Body
Indiebound | WorldCat

Description from GoodReads: 
Welcome to the Human Body Theater, where your master of ceremonies is going to lead you through a theatrical revue of each and every biological system of the human body! Starting out as a skeleton, the MC puts on a new layer of her costume (her body) with each "act." By turns goofy and intensely informative, the Human Body Theater is always accessible and always entertaining.

Maris Wicks is a biology nerd, and by the time you've read this book, you will be too! Harnessing her passion for science (and her background as a science educator for elementary and middle-school students), she has created a comics-format introduction to the human body that will make an expert of any reader -- young or old!

Thoughts on this book by KK, age 9 with a little help from her aunt (that would be me): 
Finding books that engage, inform and yes, entertain kids can be a challenge at times. So when I was watching the 9 year old the other night I decided to give it a shot and see if she would read THE HUMAN BODY THEATER. Knowing how much she loves graphic novels I had high hopes for this one. Yet, she was in a bit of a funk. Her initial response, "Set the timer for 20 minutes please."  I did as I was asked but hoping she would read for longer. 

As I heard her giggling through the book, I figured we had a winner. When the timer went off, she decided to just keep reading until she finished. When she was finished, I asked her what she thought of the book.  

Here is her initial response that I posted on Facebook: 

Several nights later, I asked her again what she thought of the book. 

KK: I loved that book. (Always good that nearly a week later the memory of reading the book is positive.) 

Me: So, what did you like?

KK: I liked the bones, how they can bend and move.  I also liked the skeleton and how the skeleton had different costumes. I also liked the flesh, and oh, those...colorful balls.

Me: Colorful balls? Do you mean atoms and molecules.

KK: Yeah, that stuff. 

KK's mom (from the other part of the room): Now, I know why she was asking about flesh and bones. 

Some of the great interior shots from this book.

Me: Would you read this book again? 

KK: Yes, I would read it again. (And again, and again, and again knowing her.)

Me: Would you recommend this book to anyone?

KK: Yes, I would recommend it to anyone who would like to learn about the human body and its system. 

Pick up a copy of The Human Body Theater at your local indie bookstore or public library.

Don't forget to join us: 
On November 1, 2015 at 8:00 EST, we will culminate this celebration with a Twitter Chat featuring Terry Thompson the author of Adventures in Graphica: Using Comics and Graphic Novels to Teach Comprehension, 2-6.