El Deafo by Cece Bell

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Cece is moving schools, and changing schools is stressful. It's even more anxiety inducing because Cece is leaving her special school for deaf students for a school full of strangers who won't understand why she has to use hearing aids. Cece has used her "Phonic Ear" for a few years, but even though the giant device is normal for her, it's something that makes other children stare.

Soon after her new year starts, though, Cece realizes that her hearing device gives her superpowers. She can hear conversations in the teacher's lounge and whispers in the hallway. It turns out that making new friends isn't so hard, and that what makes Cece different isn't so bad after all.

El Deafo is a super fun read. I loved the humor that the author develops, and I really liked that this was an autobiography (Cece in the graphic novel is the real Cece Bell that wrote the story!).  I'd recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of Raina Telgemeier or other graphic novels that are fun, colorful, and have happy endings.

Lumberjanes: Beware the Holy Kitten

Image from www.boom-studios.com

As I've posted about before, graphic novels are one of my favorite things to read. When I saw the Lumberjanes comics at Hastings, I knew that I had to get a copy of the first few comic books!

Lumberjanes: Beware the Holy Kitten is the published collection of the first four Lumberjanes comic books. Set at a summer camp for "Hardcore Lady Types," Lumberjanes introduces the readers to an assortment of rad girls: Jo, April, Mal, Molly, and Ripley.

From the very beginning of the first chapter, it is clear that this summer camp is not your typical summer camp. Magical creatures and items pop up everywhere, and the girls find themselves in crazy and amazing situations. By using the Lumberjane's motto-- "Friendship to the max!"-- the girls find ways to conquer magical wolves, explore ancient ruins, and solve puzzling riddles. There appears to be something lurking in the forest, waiting to be discovered.

Overall, Lumberjanes has a great story. I also love the artwork that goes with it. Each of the characters is so uniquely brought to life through art and words. I'm very excited to continue reading this series and putting all of the puzzle pieces together.

I'd give Lumberjanes a 5 out of 5 stars.

In Real Life: A Great Graphic Novel!

Image from Amazon.com

I'm a huge fan of graphic novels, and In Real Life is a new addition to the Bode library that I just loved! The book is a fun and quick read, has beautiful art, and discusses the real consequences of our online interactions in the virtual world.

Anda, usually a little shy and self-conscious, falls in love with the online world of Coarsegold Online, an MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role playing game). She loves the feeling of power and heroics that the game gives her-- it's an escape from her seemingly boring world. However, the "fake" world of Coarsegold become increasingly "real" when Anda is forced to face the reality of her online interactions. When she meets Raymond, an impoverished boy from China who plays Coarsegold Online 12 hours a day as his job, she begins to question the morality of her playing. It's up to Anda to sort out her feelings about what is right and what is wrong.

Overall, In Real Life is a great read. Anda is a super-relatable character, and her experiences in the book will open your eyes to some of the unfortunate sides of the video games that have become so popular in today's society. I'd give In Real Life a 5 out of 5 stars, and I'd recommend it to any audience who doesn't mind a few swear words in their book.  The cover recommends the book to "gamer girls," but I'd say that anyone who enjoys video games could enjoy this book.