Don’t mistake A Goofy Guide to Penguins for an educational comic. This is a book of silly pictures aimed at kindergartners and first graders. Philippe Coudray also does the Benjamin Bear series, and this has a similar irrational logic applied to wildlife, co-created with his twin brother Jean-Luc. Each page has two pictures, setup and visual punchline, narrated by a baby penguin outside the frame. You can see samples at the publisher’s website. The images are excuses to draw penguins, […]

Toon Books ranks its publications, which are aimed at young readers, according to reading level, to make it easier for educators, librarians, and parents to find the right books. Level 3 are for “advanced beginners”, with chaptered stories and the ability to change time and place in the telling. They’re recommended for those ages 5 and up. These titles are new out this month. (The publisher provided review copies.) Written and Drawn by Henrietta by Liniers I greatly enjoyed Liniers’ […]

Toon Books ranks its publications, which are aimed at young readers, according to reading level, to make it easier for educators, librarians, and parents to find the right books. Level 2 are aimed at “emerging readers” with simple sentences, the use of repetition, and basic comic format used. They’re recommended for those age 4-8 or approximately first and second grades. This grouping contains most of Toon’s series, with only one non-continuing character book in this batch. (The publisher provided some […]

Toon Books ranks its publications, which are aimed at young readers, according to reading level, to make it easier for educators, librarians, and parents to find the right books. Level 1 are “first comics for brand new readers” that feature few images, short sentences, simple vocabulary, and easy-to-understand premises. They’re recommended for those age 3-8 or approximately kindergarten and first grade. We Dig Worms! came out this past spring; the others last year and the year before. (The publisher provided […]

What a great book to read just after my most recent trip to New York City! Lost in NYC: A Subway Adventure is a a wonderful romp through the big city, as Pablo, new to the area, gets lost during a school field trip to the Empire State Building. New friend Alicia tries to help the pair get back to their group. Along the way, we all learn more about the subway system and how it was built. The images […]

This season, Toon Books has released three outstanding titles for young readers. I’ve previously covered their spring releases, as well as The Shark King, which came out earlier this year. Maya Makes a Mess by Rutu Modan (Exit Wounds) A wonderful premise is gorgeously illustrated. Maya is a very sloppy eater. After her Dad says, “You need manners. What if you were eating dinner with the Queen?”, Maya is invited to a royal dinner party (via private plane, which apparently […]

R. Kikuo Johnson (Night Fisher) returns to comics with this Hawaiian folktale for kids from Toon Books. Although the art takes full advantage of the island setting, the story is one familiar to any fan of legends. The Shark King, who can take human form, encounters a beautiful woman. They fall in love, marry, and have a child. The father leaves to return to the sea, but the child has his unusual abilities. So long as they live apart, the […]

I’ve been remiss in getting behind on the wonderful Toon Books comics for young and beginning readers. Before these most recent releases, I’ve covered all their previous books; you can find links here. Spring 2011 Silly Lilly in What Will I Be Today? by Agnes Rosenstiehl I didn’t care much for the previous Silly Lilly book, but this one is much more focused. Each four-page sequence, with two panels per page, shows Lilly engaged in some new activity, from cooking […]