April 1, 2025 by Graphix
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Makayla is obsessed with a fantasy video game and is always doodling scenes from it, and her friend Howard is always doodling, but has trouble making up stories. When the two come up with a fun idea for a story, Tofu Pup, they camp out in the library to work on it after school. Luckily, the school media specialist, Ms. Fatima, also loves comics, and agrees to help them set up a club. They recruit the shy and slightly troubles Lynda as well as the nonbinary Art, who likes all manner of crafts. Ms. Fatima has the group do all manner of creative exercises to help them with their work, and after some research, lets them know that there are no specific rules or standard ways to create comics. All of the members doubt various aspects of their skill sets; Makayla still struggles with capturing her thoughts, Howard's father doesn't like comics and dissuades him from spending time on them, Lynda is a perfectionist who gets stuck on minutiae and also doesn't want to share her sad backstory with others, and Art has trouble sticking to just one project. His father introduces the group to small comic books and zines, and they are soon producing their own and selling them at school. The Cartoonists Club applies for a table at a small local comics convention and gets one. At first, they don't have many people stop by, but buoyed by the support of a popular author, they persevere.
Strengths: I had never heard of Scott McCloud's 1993 Understanding Comics, but will certainly take a look at it. It makes sense that Telgemeier wanted to put together a similar "how to" book for younger readers; her Share Your Smile had similar elements. There is a TON of good information about many aspects of comics creation, from different media to storyboarding to business sense that will appeal to readers who want to try their hand at this format. There's even additional notes at the end as well as a glossary of terms. My favorite part my be the explanation of the names of the characters, which reflect different cartoonists!
Weakenesses: I'll definitely buy this, and my students will check it out, but I don't have any students who are interested in CREATING comics, which is a shame. I have several other books on the topic, but maybe this will be the one that encourages young readers to try their hand at writing and drawing.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Doucet's Art Club or Burgos and Faison's Bodega Cats: Picture Purrfect.
You also might want to have Facing Feelings on your radar. It's definitely a guide to the retrospective exhibit at the Billy Ireland museum. There's a lot more text than readers may be expecting, and seems to be aimed at more of an adult audience, so I will probably pass on purchasing. Adult fans of the author will love seeing all of the backstories to her work.
Facing Feelings: Inside the World of Raina Telgemeier Raina
October 21, 2025 by Graphix
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
From the publisher:
Raina Telgemeier is the #1 New York Times bestselling, multiple Eisner Award-winning cartoonist who has been at the forefront of today's middle-grade graphic novel boom and has published several beloved graphic novels that are widely regarded as modern classics. Facing Feelings is a companion catalogue for the 2023 exhibition at The Ohio State University's Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum. As a retrospective of Raina's career, the exhibit and catalogue explore the factors that shaped her into a legendary cartoonist, including the artists who influenced her work and style, and why her art resonates so strongly with readers of all ages. This catalogue includes original artwork spanning from Raina's childhood to her bestselling graphic novels, the captions displayed at the exhibit, and an interview.
April 1, 2025 by Dial Books
E ARC provided by Netgalley.com
As she enters her junior year, Huda has a LOT of plans to help her on her way to a full tuition scholarship. She's looped in her best friend, Nabz, as well as her sisters, but nothing is going as she expected. Her grades are slipping because she is trying to do too much, and she has a crush on Hassan even though her parents have said she cannot date. When her parents call a big family meeting, Huda and her sister think they are going to buy another car for the girls to drive, but instead, announce that they are getting divorced. Huda is devastated, and feels that they won't still be a family, especially when her father decides not to go to Muslim Con in Chicago with the mother and girls. At the masjid, Huda goes to a young women's discussion group, and a counselor, Dr. Haifa, comes to talk to them about various mental health issues, which usually get swept under the rug at Huda's house. Huda's mother works to get Montessori certified so that she can go back to work, and the sisters all deal with the impending divorce in their own ways. At the convention, Huda attends a talk that Dr. Haifa gives about grief, and is surprised when her mother takes her to the Muslim Singles meet up even though she doesn't think Huda is ready. After a blow up at home, Huda starts therapy and is able to mend her friendship with Nabz as she adjusts to her new family dynamics.
Strengths: My students are very invested in this graphic novel series, and I loved that Huda is in high school. Middle School readers enjoy older characters, but even though Huda is concerned about her PSAT, college essays, and acceptance into a university, the main concerns of this graphic novel will still appeal to middle School readers. Divorce is something many of my students experience at this age, and there are relatively few books on the subject. Fighting with friends, personal identity, crushes, and of course the newly ubiqitous mental health issues will speak to readers across a wide age range. I would not be surprised if there were at least one more book in the series.
Weaknesses: I have forgotten why the one sister is depicted in invisible looking outlines, and the use of Huda's alter egos looking over her shoulder was used a lot more than in the past.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who want to follow characters as they grow and evolve in books like the Holms' Sunny or Craft's New Kid.
Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics is an important book, but perhaps even more in tune with this new work is his 2006 title Making Comics. Scott is a great guy, we met in the DC Comics production department in the 1980s.
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