In this funny, poignant graphic novel memoir, Bell chronicles her hearing loss at a young age and her subsequent experiences with the Phonic Ear, a very powerful — and very awkward — hearing aid. The Phonic Ear gives Cece the ability to hear — sometimes things she shouldn’t — but also isolates her from her classmates. After some trouble, she is finally able to harness the power of the Phonic Ear and become “El Deafo, Listener for All.” And more importantly, declare a place for herself in the world and find the friend she’s longed for.
El Deafo
The famous toy actor, Sock Monkey, has been nominated for an Oswald Award. But to attend the ceremony, he must do something terrifying — he must take a bath. Luckily, his three best pals — Miss Bunn, Froggie, and Blue Pig — know just what to do to help Sock Monkey become fresh and clean … and maybe win his very own Oswald!
Sock Monkey Goes to Hollywood: A Star is Bathed
Rabbit’s carefully planned sleepover with Robot doesn’t work out exactly as he imagined in this offbeat tale about two comically mismatched friends — a rabbit who likes to be in control and an obliging robot who calmly keeps their friendship humming.
Rabbit and Robot: The Sleepover
Will Timmy and Total no longer be detecting partners? Readers will find out the fate of the dynamic duo in this fourth, funny, highly illustrated and certainly not final installment in the Timmy Failure series.
Timmy Failure: Sanitized for Your Protection
In Timmy and Total Failure’s third adventure, the detective and his sidekick vie with their arch nemesis to find the mythical, magical, “Miracle Project.” The Miracle Project, they think, assures the finder of an “A” (with multiple pluses, of course) in all schoolwork.
Timmy Failure: We Meet Again
Timmy Failure and his trusty sidekick, Total, are back for another adventure. Here, Timmy and Total are on the trail of a stolen globe.
Timmy Failure: Now Look What You’ve Done
Timmy is an imaginative (if delusional) 11-year old who fancies himself a stellar detective with his sidekick, Total (a 1500-pound polar bear) at his side. Fans of heavily illustrated, almost graphic novels are sure to respond to the dark humor in this first of a series about Timmy and his antics
Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made
The cast of the Pastis syndicated comic strip, Pearls Before Swine, share adventures in this comic book collection of slightly irreverent, always funny strips.
Skip School, Fly to Space: A Pearls Before Swine Collection
The Croc family is on a never-ending mission to eat Rat, Pig, Goat, and Zebra. Fans of graphic novels (or comic collections such as Calvin and Hobbes) and of the Timmy Failure series are sure to enjoy this collection.
The Croc Ate My Homework: A Pearls Before Swine Collection
Each section of the first in the Pearls Before Swine collections is organized by each of the strip’s characters: Rat, Goat, Zebra, Croc and Pig. Understated humor is evident in the line drawings and minimal language create an accessible, offbeat humor just right for middle schoolers.
Beginning Pearls
A mother warns her seven children not to open the door in her absence, but alas, the children are duped by a tricky witch named Heckedy Peg. Their mother’s wisdom, however, cleverly saves the day. Told in the cadence of a folktale, this richly illustrated tale makes a fine read aloud.
Heckedy Peg
A town transforms from dreary to delighted when a night gardener provides a new topiary to be seen each day. Muted colors in highly detailed illustration depict the impact of the creative gardener on the townspeople as they enjoy the outdoors.
The Night Gardener
In this peek into the secret lives of toys, three beloved playthings participate in a series of small adventures. StingRay is a plush stuffed animal who enjoys acting the know-it-all. Lumphy is a tough little buffalo who doesnt mind the occasional cuddle. And Plastic (whose physical appearance is kept mysterious for quite some time) is a sensible bouncy ball. The first book in the Toys trilogy.
Toys Go Out
Nory, Elliott, Andres, and Bax are just four of the students in Dunwiddle Magic School’s Upside-Down Magic class. In their classroom, lessons are unconventional, students are unpredictable, and magic has a tendency to turn wonky at the worst possible moments. This is the first book in an offbeat series about a group of misfits who set out to prove that life on the other side of ordinary has its charms.
Upside-Down Magic
Young Mac introduces readers to Miss Emily — better known as Emily Dickenson, poet extraordinaire — as an adventurous, lively woman who wants to share wonders of a circus with a group of children. Animated black/white illustrations accompany the action told in free verse for an open, inviting, and highly readable novel about a famous poet.
Miss Emily
Young readers are introduced to Lizzy (nee Elizabeth) Bennet, heroine of Jane Austen’s classic, Pride and Prejudice, through her “diary.” Attractively formatted with spot illustrations, letters that can be unfolded, and charming entries, readers not ready for the 19th century novel are sure to enjoy this glimpse at it through the unique perspective of Lizzy’s journal.
Lizzy Bennet’s Diary: Inspired by Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice
Underground Railroad “conductor” Harriet Tubman and Susan B. Anthony, a staunch proponent of women’s suffrage, lived during the same period in US history and actually met several times. Grimes richly imagines what they might have talked about at these meetings, contextualizing the period’s history and major events. Illustrations use strong lines and bold color to provide more than visual interest but also suggesting the strength of two remarkable women.
Chasing Freedom: The Life Journeys of Harriet Tubman and Susan B. Anthony, Inspired by Historical Facts
Readers may never look at a science fair in the same way after reading this alphabetical introduction to one school’s effort. From “Anti-matter” to “Zero gravity” (and of course, an animated z for zucchini) real and imagined inventions (differentiated in an endnote) and science concepts are presented. Cartoon illustrations and speech bubbles are used in this silly romp.
Never Insult a Killer Zucchini
What is your family like? Is your big brother as big and respected or your little brother “flighty and a dreamer”? How would you describe your cousins or even your best friend? The narrator characterizes each member of her “Wild Family” in descriptive language that is accompanied by a bold, energetic illustration which includes an animal that meets the description.
My Wild Family
Lots of eggs all “Round and spotted/polka-dotted” are in the pond. Readers will soon see tadpoles “Wiggle tails!/Squiggle tales!” emerge in this light, rhyming journey from egg to frog. Delightful wordplay combines with comic illustrations, many on pages that open to double the size, sure to engage young readers or listeners.
Leaps and Bounce
Why would it be cancelled? What villain has added the red scribble to the picture book stage? With tongue in cheek, the author presents another humorous look at the life and interactions of crayons, this time riffing on old horror movies. Bold crayon characters (and scribbles) appear on open pages with varied typeface.
Frankencrayon
Silly rhymes abound as a cat informs a frog that it must sit on a log, a hare on a chair, goats on coats, cows on plows, etc. All’s well until a dog —of course — sits on the frog! Comic illustrations accompany the lively language to enhance the spirited wordplay.
Frog on a Log?
The movement of the train rocked me like a lullaby. I closed my eyes to the dusty countryside and imagined the sign I’d seen only in Gideon’s stories: Manifest—A Town with a rich past and a bright future. Abilene Tucker feels abandoned. Her father has put her on a train, sending her off to live with an old friend for the summer while he works a railroad job. Armed only with a few possessions and her list of universals, Abilene jumps off the train in Manifest, Kansas, aiming to learn about the boy her father once was. (2011 Newbery Medal Winner)
Moon Over Manifest
Bod is an unusual boy who inhabits an unusual place—he’s the only living resident of a graveyard. Raised from infancy by the ghosts, werewolves, and other cemetery denizens, Bod has learned the antiquated customs of his guardians’ time as well as their ghostly teachings—such as the ability to Fade so mere mortals cannot see him. (2009 Newbery Medal Winner)