Book picks similar to
A Cat Story by Ursula Murray Husted
graphic-novels
graphic-novel
middle-grade
animals
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, Vol. 1: BFF
Brandon Montclare - 2015
There's no telling what she'll turn into - but Luna's got a plan. All she needs is an Omni-Wave Projector. Easy, right? That is, until a red-scaled beast is teleported from the prehistoric past to a far-flung future we call...today! Together they're the most Marvelous Team-Up of all - the Inhuman Moon Girl and time-tossed Devil Dinosaur! But will they be BFFs forever, or just until DD's dinner time? And Lunella soon learns that there are other problems with a having a titanic T. Rex as a pet in the modern-day Marvel Universe. School, for one. Monster hunters are another - especially when they're the Totally Awesome Hulk! Then there's the fact that everyone's favorite dino didn't journey through time alone. Beware the prehistoric savages known as the Killer-Folk - New York City's deadliest tourists! Can Lunella handle all this turmoil... and keep herself from transforming into an Inhuman monster? Collecting MOON GIRL AND DEVIL DINOSAUR #1-6.
Primates: The Fearless Science of Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Biruté Galdikas
Jim Ottaviani - 2013
These three ground-breaking researchers were all students of the great Louis Leakey, and each made profound contributions to primatology—and to our own understanding of ourselves.Tackling Goodall, Fossey, and Galdikas in turn, and covering the highlights of their respective careers, Primates is an accessible, entertaining, and informative look at the field of primatology and at the lives of three of the most remarkable women scientists of the twentieth century. Thanks to the charming and inviting illustrations by Maris Wicks, this is a nonfiction graphic novel with broad appeal.
The Secret of the Stone Frog
David Nytra - 2012
. .When Leah and Alan awaken in an enchanted forest, they have only each other and their wits to guide them. In a world of pet bees and giant rabbits, they befriend foppish lions and stone frogs, learning to confront danger as they find both their own independence and the way home. Newcomer David Nytra’s breathtaking pictures break the boundaries of imagination, sending the reader on a wild flight of fantasy while experiencing the most universal of stories: growing up.
Ham Helsing #1: Vampire Hunter
Rich Moyer - 2021
Ham has always been the odd pig out, preferring to paint or write poetry instead of inventing dangerous (dumb) new ways to catch dangerous creatures.His brother Chad was the daredevil carrying on the family legacy of leaping before looking, but after his death, it's down to Ham. Reluctantly, he sets out on his first assignment, to hunt a vampire. But Ham soon learns that people aren't always what they seem and that you need a good team around you to help save your bacon!
The Singing Rock & Other Brand-New Fairy Tales
Nathaniel Lachenmeyer - 2019
A witch is tormented by the cheerful (and awful) singing of a persistent bard, but when she finally snaps and turns him into a rock, he just keeps on singing—somehow the power of terrible music overcomes all magic. A wizard wants a pet. An ogre just wants to make beautiful art. Four original, wry, and utterly charming fairy tales comprise this new collection for young readers.With a deft, lively text from Nathaniel Lachenmeyer and eye-popping, painterly art by Simini Blocker, The Singing Rock is the perfect read for kids who love a good yarn—and good comics!
City of Light, City of Dark
Avi - 1993
This system works for centuries until evil Mr. Underton tries to steal the Power. If he succeeds, the Kurbs will take back the City, reducing it to a dark and frozen tundra. It's up to Carlos and Sarah to find the Power — housed in a subway token — and keep the City safe, despite secrets of Sarah's history that are entwined with the token. What ensues is a race against darkness. A race against the lies of the past. And most of all, a race against time
The Last Dragon
Jane Yolen - 2011
Now, the last of the dragons rises to wreak havoc anew—with only a healer's daughter and a kite-flying would-be hero standing in its way.
Illegal
Eoin Colfer - 2017
From Eoin Colfer, previously Irish Children's Laureate, and the team behind his bestselling Artemis Fowl graphic novels.
Ebo: alone.His sister left months ago. Now his brother has disappeared too, and Ebo knows it can only be to make the hazardous journey to Europe. Ebo's epic journey takes him across the Sahara Desert to the dangerous streets of Tripoli, and finally out to the merciless sea. But with every step he holds on to his hope for a new life, and a reunion with his sister.
*Winner of the Judges' Special Award at the Children's Books Ireland Book of the Year Awards*
'Beautifully realised and punchily told.' Alex O'Connell, The Times Children's Book of the Week
'A powerful, compelling work, evocatively illustrated ... It would take a hard heart not to be moved by this book.' Financial Times
The Unsinkable Walker Bean
Aaron Renier - 2010
It just worked out that way.Mild, meek, and a little geeky, Walker is always happiest in his grandfather's workshop, messing around with his inventions. But when his beloved grandfather is struck by an ancient curse, it falls on Walker to return an accursed pearl skull to the witches who created it—and his path will be strewn with pirates, magical machines, ancient lore, and deadly peril.Author/illustrator Aaron Renier brings everything he has to this swashbuckling adventure story. Drawing from sources as disparate as Tintin, Treasure Island, and Harry Potter, Renier has woven together a breathless tale that will leave readers' ears ringing from the cannon-shot and their eyes dazzled from the glowing stares of sea-witches.
Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea
Ben Clanton - 2016
Jelly is a no-nonsense jellyfish. The two might not have a lot in common, but they do they love waffles, parties and adventures. Join Narwhal and Jelly as they discover the whole wide ocean together.
The Little World of Liz Climo
Liz Climo - 2013
Through her comics, we make unexpected yet wise discoveries: how armadillos make fast-and-easy Halloween costumes, how dinosaurs deal with their inquisitive children, or the ingenious ways that animal friends can work together to ensure their juice is always freshly squeezed.
Star Scouts
Mike Lawrence - 2017
Everyone in school thinks she’s weird, especially the girls in her Flower Scouts troop. Is it so weird to think scouting should be about fun and adventure, not about makeovers and boys, boys, boys?But everything changes when Avani is “accidentally” abducted by a spunky alien named Mabel. Mabel is a scout too—a Star Scout. Collecting alien specimens (like Avani) goes with the territory, along with teleportation and jetpack racing. Avani might be weird, but in the Star Scouts she fits right in. If she can just survive Camp Andromeda, and keep her dad from discovering that she’s left planet Earth, she’s in for the adventure of a lifetime.
The Last Unicorn
Peter S. Beagle - 2010
Beagle, The Last Unicorn is a tale for any age about the wonders of magic, the power of love, and the tragedy of loss. The unicorn, alone in her enchanted wood, discovers that she may be the last of her kind. Reluctant at first, she sets out on a journey to find her fellow unicorns, even if it means facing the terrifying anger of the Red Bull and malignant evil of the king who wields his power. Adapted by Peter B. Gillis and illustrated by Renae De Liz and Ray Dillon.
The Courageous Princess
Rod Espinosa - 1998
Collected for the first time, get all 3 volumes of the acclaimed fairy-tale adventures of Princess Mabelrose and her companion Spiky the talking porcupine in this special, deluxe megatrade!
Giants Beware!
Jorge Aguirre - 2012
But her village is so safe and quiet! What’s a future giant slayer to do?With her best friend Marie (an aspiring princess), and her brother Gaston (a pastry-chef-to-be), Claudette embarks on a super-secret quest to find a giant—without parental permission. Can they find and defeat the giant before their parents find them and drag them back home? Giants Beware! offers up a wondrous, self-contained world in the tradition of the very best of Pixar. Claudette and her friends will have you laughing out loud from page one.
Giants Beware! Author Q&A
What was your inspiration for the book?Rafael: I’m not entirely sure. I recently went through some old sketchbooks of mine and realized that I’d been drawing a character that looked kind of like our main character, Claudette, years before we even began the book. I guess I’ve had this character of this girl with a lot of spunk in my subconscious for a while. I’m also really into French comics and that influenced the look quite bit. Which character do you identify with and why?Rafael: I’m not impulsive like Claudette. I’m probably most like Gaston. He thinks before taking the leap. He worries a lot. That’s probably more like me.Jorge: I wish I could say I was like Marie. Marie doesn’t care what other people think of her. In this book, she aspires to be a princess and other kids make fun of her, but she doesn’t pay them any attention. She’s very confident and smart. I wish I were more like her. I also wish I were like Claudette. She’s brave, reckless, and impulsive. But I’m not like her either. Like Rafael, I’m probably most like Gaston. I’m a little nervous and I love sweets.How did your partnership begin?Jorge: We’ve known each other since we were both in film school at the Ohio State University in Columbus. I was in a writing class at OSU, and of all the bad scripts in class, mine was one of the least bad scripts, and so it was chosen to be produced with Rafael as the director. We spent a good month or so filming a very bad film together. That is how we became friends. Rafael: Fast forward years later to Columbus, Ohio circa 2007. We were at John Novak’s house (our colorist and a mutual friend). I told Jorge about these characters I had bouncing around in my head and a story about a giant. I went off and wrote and drew up the ideas I had so far. I gave them to Jorge, and told him to run with it. And he ran. How did you draw the book? How did you write the book?Rafael: I drew the whole thing in Photoshop, on a Wacon Cintiq (a tablet-monitor). I like drawing digitally because it gives me a lot of flexibly down the line for edits and moving things around. John Novak and Matthew Schenk colored the book. We used a DropBox to move files around between John Novak and Matthew Schenk (color), Jorge, and me. Jorge and I would meet every once in awhile either in person in Columbus or via video chatting to go over pages and notes. Jorge: I used Scrivener to collect all my notes, and Final Draft to write the script. I lettered the book in Illustrator, which gave me the chance to do one last rewrite. I’m always rewriting, and I always tried not to send any script pages to Rafael until they were fully baked or else he’d start drawing right away.What’s up with Claudette’s dad?Do you mean like why is he missing his legs and an arm? Well, he fought a battle against a terrible dragon and lost. You always hear about these great warriors who slay dragons. Well, Augustine is a great warrior who had a very bad day. And now his favorite sword is sitting in the belly of Azra the dragon. But that’s a story for another day.