by Rebecca Donner & illustrated by Inaki Miranda ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 1, 2008
Novelist Donner tries her hand at graphic novels in this new offering in the Minx line. Relocated to the Pacific Northwest by her mother, Danni is thrust into a new household with her mother’s temperamental alcoholic boyfriend, Hank, and his enigmatic son Haskell. Strangely assigned to room together by Hank, Danni falls for her brooding almost-stepbrother and shockingly discovers that he is an eco-terrorist. Both Danni’s and her mother’s destructive relationships compellingly demonstrate how smart girls’ bad choices can land them in troubling situations. Danni is a likable character, and her flaws and missteps should resonate with any teen girl who has ever fallen for the wrong boy. Miranda’s art, sweeping and cinematic in scope, greatly complements Donner’s writing, which takes some convenient plot liberties that lead to an unsettling—albeit understandable—ending. Written in a familiar, teen-novel voice, this should appeal to fans of such other Minx titles as Cecil Castelucci’s The P.L.A.I.N. Janes, who are looking for a darker, less sassy read. (Graphic novel. YA)
Pub Date: June 1, 2008
ISBN: 978-1-4012-1537-8
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Minx/DC Comics
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2008
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edited by Rebecca Donner
adapted by Gareth Hinds & illustrated by Gareth Hinds ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 2010
Hinds adds another magnificent adaptation to his oeuvre (King Lear, 2009, etc.) with this stunning graphic retelling of Homer’s epic. Following Odysseus’s journey to return home to his beloved wife, Penelope, readers are transported into a world that easily combines the realistic and the fantastic. Gods mingle with the mortals, and not heeding their warnings could lead to quick danger; being mere men, Odysseus and his crew often make hasty errors in judgment and must face challenging consequences. Lush watercolors move with fluid lines throughout this reimagining. The artist’s use of color is especially striking: His battle scenes are ample, bloodily scarlet affairs, and Polyphemus’s cave is a stifling orange; he depicts the underworld as a colorless, mirthless void, domestic spaces in warm tans, the all-encircling sea in a light Mediterranean blue and some of the far-away islands in almost tangibly growing greens. Don’t confuse this hefty, respectful adaptation with some of the other recent ones; this one holds nothing back and is proudly, grittily realistic rather than cheerfully cartoonish. Big, bold, beautiful. (notes) (Graphic classic. YA)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-7636-4266-2
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Sept. 15, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2010
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More by Kristin Cashore
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by Kristin Cashore ; adapted by Gareth Hinds ; illustrated by Gareth Hinds
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adapted by Gareth Hinds ; illustrated by Gareth Hinds
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by Gareth Hinds illustrated by Gareth Hinds
by Jonah Newman ; illustrated by Jonah Newman ; color by Donna Oatney ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 26, 2024
A welcome hit into the outfield of books about queer athletes.
A closeted teen steps up to the plate for a cute boy—and himself.
After jocks ridicule and knock over his history class presentation, freshman Jonah picks up the pieces. Cute classmate Elliot helps. That small act of kindness makes sparks fly, cuing confusing feelings. Jonah decides to join the baseball team to get closer to Elliot—even if it means enduring more bullying from the other teammates. But Coach Jackson sees Jonah’s athletic potential and takes him under his wing. As the plot follows the four baseball seasons until Jonah’s graduation, Jonah slowly goes from laughingstock to star. But does he ever truly fit in? Cartoonist and editor Newman’s semiautobiographical graphic novel debut is a heartfelt tale of self-discovery. Consolidating all four years of high school into one book makes for a quick pace. Clever paneling and nearly wordless sequences effectively pump the brakes for key moments—and show glimpses of Jonah’s wild imagination. Despite the rampant bro culture and homophobia of the aughts setting, multiple queer characters of all ages at various stages of coming out add an important sense of community and possibility. A subplot about a female teammate briefly touches on sexism. Though the ensemble cast is diverse in skin tone, the majority of the main cast present white; Coach Jackson is Black.
A welcome hit into the outfield of books about queer athletes. (author’s note, process notes, resources) (Graphic fiction. 14-17)Pub Date: March 26, 2024
ISBN: 9781524884826
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Review Posted Online: Dec. 16, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2024
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