Tag Archives: Graphic Noel

Elem. – Lemon Bird Can Help

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Ganucheau, Paulina. Lemon Bird Can Help. RH Graphic, 2022. 978-0-593-12267-9. 98 p. $12.99. Gr. PreK-3. 

Lemon Bird, a precious piece of citrus with a beak and wings, may have trouble flying, but has more than enough traits to compensate. She makes a best friend in Pupkin when she rescues the pumpkin/pup from some aggressive vines. The pair romp about the farm yard but make the mistake of  napping in the back of a produce truck. They wake up far from home, but clever Lemon Bird comes up with a plan. The sweet, kind pair make new friends all along the journey, even winning over sour Keylime, who originally bullies Lemon Bird and mocks her for not being able to fly. This graphic novel could have been saccharine sweet, but manages to pull off adorable and heartwarming. Lemon Bird reminds others that it is OK to ask for help, and OK to be scared, good lessons for young readers, too. Ganucheau’s oversized illustrations are perfect for primary readers, drawing them into the story. One delightfully ironic vignette has Lemon Bird and Pupkin taken in by an elderly woman and her Boarnana, who daintily sips tea from a china cup, while Lemon Bird and Pupkin end up being the pigs and making a mess at the table. It is hard to imagine anyone not falling in love with Lemon Bird and Pupkin! As an added bonus, at the end of the book Ganucheau includes a lesson on how to draw Lemon Bird, as well as an exercise in imagining other Fruit Animals. 

THOUGHTS: This thoroughly delightful graphic novel should be popular with readers young and older. The produce-animals are adorable and engaging, the illustrations delightful, and while the storyline seems simplistic, it is an appreciated reminder that being kind is easy, and has unanticipated benefits. 

Graphic Novel          Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor SD

Elem. – PAWS: Gabby Gets It Together

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Assarasakorn, Michele, and Nathan Fairbairn. PAWS: Gabby Gets It Together. Razorbill, 2022. 978-0-593-35186-4. 176 pp. $12.99. Gr. 3-6.

Fifth grader Gabby and her best friends, sixth graders Mindy and Priya, absolutely love animals, but none of them can have a pet due to parental preferences, landlord policies, and allergies. Longing for some furry friends in their lives, the three girls form PAWS: Pretty Awesome Walkers, and begin walking a small group of neighborhood dogs. They face a series of obstacles in the process of building their after-school business. Some are humorous – who will pick up the dog poop? should they wear matching uniforms? – while others stem from the girls’ different goals for PAWS, varying commitment levels, and lack of communication. Gabby especially feels like she is always out-voted by her slightly older, sometimes bossier friends. All three girls learn from their mistakes and Gabby does, indeed, get it together!

THOUGHTS: PAWS is essentially a Baby-Sitters Club for animal-loving tweens; the next installment, due in November, will focus on Mindy. Sunny artwork, friend and family dynamics, and plenty of adorable pups lend broad appeal to this graphic novel series starter.

Graphic Novel          Amy V. Pickett, Ridley SD