A major middle-grade graphic novel series that follows the adventures of an ordinary kid in a world where superheroes are common, who has to call upon his power of common sense to save the day when the rest of the school becomes obsessed with a game that might be more sinister than it first appears.
LEON THE EXTRAORDINARY #1
by Jamar Nicholas
Scholastic, Spring 2022
In Leon’s world, superheroes are common as teachers or dentists—at Leon’s school, they come to Career Day alongside comic book artists and chefs! But being a superhero is anything but ordinary for kids like Leon, without powers. Surprise ambushes from villains can ruin a school trip, and superhero kids have a pretty unfair advantage in gym class. Though Leon’s keen common sense is practically a power unto itself, it’s not always effective against super-bullies… Until kids at school suddenly become obsessed with a new game. Even some of the super-kids seem trapped by flashing lights on their phone. As Leon swings into action, figuring out what’s taking over the school and his town, his common sense – and a few secrets he’ll discover hiding in plain sight – may become more powerful than he ever imagined.
Jamar Nicholas is an award-winning artist and educator, who dedicates his career to helping young people realize the power of visual narrative. Jamar aims to bring awareness to anti-bullying, healing, and positive images of people of color with the idea that everyone can be a hero. He is a columnist for DRAW! and hosts the Pencil To Pencil Podcast with industry legends Mike Manley and Bret Blevins.
Too tall. Too short. Too fat. Too thin. The message is everywhere—we need to pluck, wax, shrink, and hide ourselves, to not take up space, emotionally or literally; women are never “just right.” Well, Ariella Elovic, feminist and illustrator extraordinaire, has had enough. In her full-color graphic memoir CHEEKY, she takes an inspiring and exuberant head-to-toe look at her own body self-consciousness, and body part by body part, finds her way back to herself. How does Ariella learn not to see herself as a never-finished DIY project, but to accept and even love the physical attributes society taught her to hide? How does a mirror go from a “black hole of critique” to a “who’s that girl” moment? Essential to her journey is her posse of girlfriends, her “yentas.” Together, they discover that sharing “imperfections” and some of the gross and “unsightly” things our bodies produce can be a source of endless laughs and deep bonding. It helps to have a team with some outside perspectives to keep our inner bullies in check. Charming and hilarious, full of empathy and candor, and gorgeously illustrated, CHEEKY aims to inspire women everywhere to embrace their bodies, flaws and all, and also their respective bodies’ needs, desires, and inherent power.
Magic is harder than it looks. Now that Moth has discovered the secret family history at the heart of Founder’s Bluff, it’s time to adjust to her life as a beginner-level witch. She gets more and more fed-up with her basement-low middle school status and the daily mocking that comes with it, until she discovers a powerful charm that can basically turn her “cool.” And it works! But there’s a catch. An ancient, demonic catch. The charm releases a cool, but wicked and tricky Shadow Moth who only wants to take over Moth’s life. With the help of the Shadow, Moth acquires new, cool friends, totally owns her bullies, and gets a chance at the coveted Founderella crown, the ultimate symbol of Founder’s Bluff popularity. Will Moth get everything she thought she ever wanted? Or will Shadow Moth eat her first?
In the future, interstellar travel is a life–threatening gamble. However, in order to retrieve samples of an alien flower that may hold the key to saving countless lives, Harper North and her crew of scientists must journey to Eleos, a dangerous planet in deep space. But as they approach Eleos, their ship is caught in an asteroid storm and as it hurtles towards the surface, its reserve shuttle detaches, landing over 100 kilometers away. When the rest of the crew perishes in the burning wreckage of the ship, North races towards the rescue shuttle built for one, hoping to fulfll their mission and survive. But North isn’t alone: The team’s wilderness expert is still alive and hell–bent on hunting North down and claiming the shuttle for herself. Now, North has no choice but to reach the shuttle frst—and fast. The fuel is leaking. Her GPS battery is dying. And the planet’s deadly seasonal change is coming. As she battles the flora and fauna and tries to elude her ruthless former crew mate, North will fnd the cost of survival is dear . . . Will she be willing to pay that price?
La société de production de LeBron James, joueur de basket de la NBA, et Universal Pictures ont acquis les droits audiovisuels du roman graphique NEW KID de Jerry Craft, paru en 2019 chez Harper. L’écriture du scénario devrait commencer sous peu. (Lire l’article de