Katie's Picks
Day 1
Gotta get up. Gotta keep moving. This map - it says I have to cross over here. Wait, what's that...? And so begins a graphic novel story unlike any other: 49 Days. In Buddhist tradition, a person must travel for forty-nine days after they die, before they can fully cross over. Here in this book, readers travel with one Korean American girl, Kit, on her journey, while also spending time with her family and friends left behind. Agnes Lee has captivated readers across the world for years with her illustrations for the New York Times Metropolitan Diary. Her debut graphic novel is an unforgettable story of death, grief, love, and how we keep moving forward.P R A I S E ★ "49 Days is an unusual, profoundly moving graphic novel whose elegance belies its complexity and whose emotional impact only grows upon rereading."
--BookPage (starred) ★ "A gorgeous, resonating, even mystical creation with little text, overflowing with unsaid feelings... Gently, nudgingly, Lee brilliantly intertwines the past, present, and future."
--Booklist (starred) ★ "A moving portrayal of mortality and its aftermath."
--Kirkus (starred) "Middle and high school readers will relate to the universal experiences of love, loss, and family tradition."
--School Library Journal "Expressive, fluid...an exemplar of what it means to trust the audience."
--Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "A deeply moving exploration of life after death, making peace with regret and life's inevitabilities, and learning how to move on."
--Publishers Weekly
Good night, Elephant. It's bedtime at the zoo, and all the animals are going to sleep. Or are they? Who's that short, furry guy with the key in his hand and the mischievous grin? Good night, Giraffe.
Good night, Hyena. Sneak along behind the zookeeper's back, and see who gets the last laugh in this riotous good-night romp. Also available in Spanish as Buenos noches, Gorila. Look for Peggy Rathmann's other lively favorites 10 Minutes Till Bedtime and The Day the Babies Crawled Away.
Akira has a problem: He is too small to open packages by himself. He still needs grown-ups to help him.
But one day, perhaps one day soon, he'll be able to open so many things without anyone's help--and not just packages. When that time comes, he'll make amazing discoveries and maybe even save the day with his new skills. There is so much to look forward to! With humor and wit, acclaimed author-illustrator Shinsuke Yoshitake explores a child's feelings about growing up: the push and pull of relying on parents while striving to learn and do things by oneself. The youngest of readers will relate, while discovering the many ways that they can open up exciting new experiences at this very moment!CELEBRATES THE PARENT-CHILD CONNECTION: Growing up means embracing so many exciting opportunities! Parents will appreciate the reassuring messages of love and support as they seek to open new doors for their children, just as kids learn to do so for themselves! PROMOTES CURIOSITY AND CREATIVE THINKING: Laugh-out-loud and imaginative scenarios will inspire young readers to think about their own futures, dream up big ideas, and embrace the promise of tomorrow. ENGAGING STORY: With a comic-like style, unique narrative approach, and fast pacing, kids will find humor and surprises on every page. GO-TO READ-ALOUD: Smart, comedic pacing, imaginative scenarios, and a compelling voice will make this a favorite picture book. Perfect for:
NYPL's Best New Comics for Adults
"Turns with the unpredictable intensity of a dream." -- FOREWORD (Starred Review)
"An offbeat quest wrapped up in dark fantasy." -- BOOKLIST
"An unmissable addition to the pantheon of adult fantasy literature." -- BROKEN FRONTIER
An anonymous parcel delivery boy arrives at a sprawling, chaotic mansion, in search of The Resident, who must sign for the package he bears, but this isn't nearly as simple a task as it should be. The mansion hosts an endless, frenzied party, and the partygoers impede his every step. As the quest takes him further into the dripping, black bowels of the labyrinthine house, his mission galvanizes into his single purpose for existence, and his determination to find The Resident may well prove his undoing.
A phantasmagoric dark fantasy unlike anything you've ever explored before, from the wild imagination behind RICE BOY and THE HARROWING OF HELL.
A Kirkus Book Prize Finalist!
A New York Times Best Children's Chapter Book the Year
A Wall Street Journal Best Children's Book of the Year Caldecott Medalist and New York Times best-selling author-illustrator Jon Klassen delivers a deliciously macabre treat for folktale fans. Jon Klassen's signature wry humor takes a turn for the ghostly in this thrilling retelling of a traditional Tyrolean folktale. In a big abandoned house, on a barren hill, lives a skull. A brave girl named Otilla has escaped from terrible danger and run away, and when she finds herself lost in the dark forest, the lonely house beckons. Her host, the skull, is afraid of something too, something that comes every night. Can brave Otilla save them both? Steeped in shadows and threaded with subtle wit--with rich, monochromatic artwork and an illuminating author's note--The Skull is as empowering as it is mysterious and foreboding.
Unrequited love, underage drinking, and teen angst rule at a high school for mutants and witches
The New York Times and New Yorker illustrator Jillian Tamaki is best known for co-creating the award-winning young adult graphic novels Skim and This One Summer--moody and atmospheric bestsellers. SuperMutant Magic Academy, which she has been serializing online for the past four years, paints a teenaged world filled with just as much ennui and uncertainty, but also with a sharp dose of humor and irreverence. Tamaki deftly plays superhero and high-school Hollywood tropes against what adolescence is really like: The SuperMutant Magic Academy is a prep school for mutants and witches, but their paranormal abilities take a backseat to everyday teen concerns.Science experiments go awry, bake sales are upstaged, and the new kid at school is a cat who will determine the course of human destiny. In one strip, lizard-headed Trixie frets about her nonexistent modeling career; in another, the immortal Everlasting Boy tries to escape this mortal coil to no avail. Throughout it all, closeted Marsha obsesses about her unrequited crush, the cat-eared Wendy. Whether the magic is mundane or miraculous, Tamaki's jokes are precise and devastating.
SuperMutant Magic Academy has won two Ignatz Awards. This volume combines the most popular content from the webcomic with a selection of all-new, never-before-seen strips that conclude Tamaki's account of life at the academy.