Archives de catégorie : Comics & Graphic Novels

MOLLY AND BEAR de Bob & Vicki Scott

Based on the beloved comic strip by Bob Scott, the Molly and Bear series by Bob and Vicki Scott is a pitch-perfect, lighthearted, hilarious odd couple graphic novel adventure that’s sure to become a new favorite for middle-grade readers.

MOLLY AND BEAR
by Bob & Vicki Scott
Aladdin/Simon & Schuster, Summer 2024
(via Writers House)

11 year old Molly has an unusual new BFF: an 800 pound scaredy bear! When Bear wanders into Molly’s life, it doesn’t take long for her to figure out she’s just met her new bestie. Loyal, sweet, inquisitive…and terrified of almost everything. . . Bear makes a great new friend. And he’s not scary AT ALL! But try telling that to the rest of the world.
Molly eventually convinces her mom and dad to let Bear stay with them, but convincing everyone else that Bear isn’t dangerous (not to mention convincing Bear that he isn’t in constant danger!) is going to take some work. Lucky for Bear, Molly doesn’t give up easily so she’s up for the challenge.

Bob and Vicki Scott began their careers in animation and have worked on films for Dreamworks and Pixar. Molly and the Bear, which is based on Bob’s syndicated comic strip Bear with Me, is their middle-grade debut.

LOST TIME de Tas Mukanik

Jurassic World meets How to Train Your Dragon in this gorgeously drawn, adventure-packed middle-grade graphic novel about a girl who gets trapped 65 million years in the past and must learn to survive with only her wits…and the pterosaur she befriends.

LOST TIME
by Tas Mukanik
Razorbill/ Penguin BYR, October 2023

Twelve-year-old Evie didn’t mean to get lost—especially in the Cretaceous period! Now she’s alone, without her parents or anyone else to turn to for help. That is until she rescues a baby pterosaur and raises it on her own. As the baby grows into a giraffe-sized flying reptile, which Evie names Ada, the two manage to to find a way to survive in the prehistoric wilderness.
But Evie will have to risk everything when she makes a discovery that may just be her only chance of returning home. Putting Ada’s flying skills to the ultimate test, the duo must embark on a journey halfway across the world—battling all nature throws at them, from fearsome dinosaurs to raging storms. Will Evie manage to overcome all the odds and find a way back to her family… or is she truly lost in time?

Tas Mukanik is a queer artist best known for her YA and adult self-published works, such as The Sanity Circus and Paint the Town Red. She has a keen interest in drawing fun characters with big expressions, as well as a fascination with birds, nature, and prehistoric life. Lost Time is her debut middle-grade graphic novel. Originally from Alberta, she now lives in Montreal, where she and her partner jointly run Windy & Wallflower, an online business. You can see more of her work at windywallflower.com.

BILLIE BLASTER AND THE ROBOT ARMY FROM OUTER SPACE de Laini Taylor et Jim Di Bartolo

An out-of-this-world new middle-grade graphic novel about a genius scientist and her evil nemesis—from New York Times bestselling author Laini Taylor and cartoonist Jim Di Bartolo.

BILLIE BLASTER AND THE ROBOT ARMY FROM OUTER SPACE
by Laini Taylor
illustrated by Jim Di Bartolo
Amulet Abrams, August 2023

Don’t you hate it when your archenemy launches your latest invention into space, accidentally creating a robot army that falls into the clutches of an evil alien emperor? Well, that’s how Billie Blaster’s day is going!
The genius child of two famous scientists, Billie is an inventor extraordinaire and the star of the annual science fair, much to the disgust of her nemesis, Tiny Hector Glum. But now their rivalry has gone too far, and the fate of the galaxy hangs in the balance. Can Billie prevent an intergalactic war that’s kind of totally her fault? With her pet goat, Lucy, a giant robot head, and a toilet weasel from a distant planet, she might just stand a chance. Join them on their perilous adventure, in a spaceship without a bathroom.

Laini Taylor is the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of the Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy and the Strange the Dreamer duology, among other books.
Jim Di Bartolo is a mixed-media illustrator, painter, visual storyteller, and writer. In his freelance career, he has illustrated novels, comic books, and role-playing games. Laini and Jim live with their daughter, Clementine, and two cats in Portland, Oregon, and have never accidentally started an intergalactic war.

SUPER BOBA CAFÉ de Nidhi Chanani

From award-winning author Nidhi Chanani comes a sweet and magical new middle-grade graphic novel about a boba café, an earthquake-causing monster, and an unforgettable summer!

SUPER BOBA CAFÉ
by Nidhi Chanani
Abrams, October 2023
(via Writers House)

In the fog laden hills of San Francisco sits a sleepy independent boba café. Run by Jing Li and guarded by her kitty Bao, it comfortably fades into the background. But inside the boba café, there’s a secret. Jing is the keeper of the monster of San Francisco. Each day she prepares one giant boba for nine hours to feed it.
When Jing’s granddaughter, Aria, comes to stay with her for the summer she makes it her mission to turn the café around. Aria is quickly aided by Bao, who gives birth to eight perfect kittens. Aria spreads the news of the boba cat café on social media and overnight it is overrun with excited customers. Each day Nainai Li (Grandma Li) finds reasons to close the cafe but the demand only increases.
When she opens, the hill monster is left hungry and small earthquakes begin to plague the city. When Aria secretly follows her Nainai to the hill monster cave she isn’t sure what awaits. Will Aria be able to reason with the monster or become its new favorite meal? Or will she disturb its underground existence and cause the Big One?

Indian American illustrator and writer Nidhi Chanani has published several books for young readers, including YA graphic novel Pashmina, which was a Junior Library Guild selection, Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year, Texas Maverick Graphic Novel, Northern California Indie Bookseller Association Long-List Title and a YALSA Top Ten Great Graphic Novels for Teens. Born in Kolkata, India and raised in California, she holds a degree in literature from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and in 2012 she was honored by the Obama Administration as a Champion of Change.

SHOCK CITY d’Aaron Alexovich

From debut author Aaron Alexovich comes a middle-grade graphic-novel series following Sunny von Shock—a cheerful monster kid, and her new (well, only) friend Milo, as they try to save their town over the course of one epic night!

SHOCK CITY
by Aaron Alexovich
Viking, Fall 2024
(via Writers House)

When shy, introverted Milo rings the doorbell of the forbidden Shock City castle on a dare, he gets more than he bargained for when Sunny, a peppy young monster, answers the door. He would never have returned a second time—except he feels he owes it to Sunny to tell her that he’s moving away. Not just him, either. The entire Shock City population. But Sunny isn’t about to let her best (only) friend leave her side. In fact, she’s willing to do whatever it takes to keep Milo in Shock City. So she convinces him to join her on a nighttime romp in an attempt to fix the crumbling metropolis and give everyone a reason to stay. But then Milo unleashes the harsh truth on Sunny—her late grandfather, the great Darkness von Shock, is the very reason the town is on the verge of collapse. Suddenly, their friendship is put to the test, and it’s up to Milo to be brave if he has any shot of saving his beloved Shock City.

Comic artist, writer, and character designer Aaron Alexovich’s first professional art job was working on Nickelodeon’s Invader Zim. Since then, he’s worked on various animation and comic projects, including Avatar: The Last Airbender, Disney’s Haunted Mansion, DC’s Fables, and three volumes of his original comic Serenity Rose. SHOCK CITY is his middle grade debut.