Book Bag: Friendswood Youth Services Blog

I know I said I would be updating you on some creepy books for Halloween and Teen Read Week, and I'm ready to start! Our first suggestion is a new series called Tales From Lovecraft Middle School by Charles Gilman and it's called Professor Gargoyle 11-year-old Robert Arthur must vanquish Professor Gargoyle and learn the creepy origin story of the brand new Lovecraft Middle School Think of it as The Bailey School Kids series, only older and creepier! Our second suggestion is one of my favorite graphic novels of the past few years, Ghostopolis by Doug TenNapel. Now I love most of TenNapel's graphic novels (I also suggest Cardboard , and Bad Island ), but Ghostopolis is definitely my favorite! Imagine Garth Hale's surprise when he's accidentally zapped to the spirit world by Frank Gallows, a washed-out ghost wrangler. Suddenly Garth finds he has powers the ghosts don't have, and he's stuck in a world run by the evil ruler of Ghostop...

Have I made you read Zita the Spacegirl yet? If we've spoken in person, the odds are I've tried! I can't say enough wonderful things about this graphic novel by Ben Hatke. Zita is an impulsive girl whose decision to push a button she finds in a meteorite results in her best friend being pulled through a wormhole to a distant planet. Of course, she has to save him! Along the way she makes some friends, some reluctant allies, and some enemies. Zita the Spacegirl is on this year's Texas Bluebonnet list, but don't let that fool you into thinking it's only a book for kids. It's also on the Maverick Graphic Novel list. I know 4 year olds who love this books and I know 40 year olds who love this book. It truly is an  adventure tale everyone can enjoy. If I have made you read this book and you'll be excited to hear the sequel, Legends of Zita the Spacegirl  is due out soon! You can put it on hold now through the catalog, if you want... Ben was rece...

Hey all! This weekend I was in Austin for my Maverick Committee meeting. If you're not aware this committee chooses the Maverick List, a list of notable graphic novels that have been published in the last year. I love serving on this committee, I get to read lots of graphic novels and comics and I get to discuss them with equally nerdy librarians (also, afterward I get to go to Austin's Wizard World Comic Convention!)! Here is the list we voted on on Saturday. Hot off the presses! I've put a star(*) next to those that I particularly love and will do more specific reviews later. 2012-2013 Maverick Graphic Novel List Books for 6th-8th grade Bake Sale by Sara Varon          Astronaut Academy Zero Gravity by Dave Roman  *     Hereville: How Mirka Got her Sword  by Barry Deutsch     Last Unicorn  by Peter Beagle       Lost and Found  by ...