Two Brilliant new Graphic-Novels for Children:
The Clouds Above by Jordan Crane
My favourite weather is mist. My second favourite weather is rain. It has been very rainy in Wellington recently. I love it.
Have you ever heard people say that rain is the clouds crying? My sister used to say that, and this book proves she was right.
“The Clouds Above” is a graphic-novel with wonderful pictures that recounts “the terribly terrific and tremendously true travels of Simon and Jack”. Simon is a boy with a wicked teacher, Jack is a cat with a long tail; they are best friends. Simon and Jack arrive at school late; instead of facing the wrath of Simon’s teacher Missus Poe, they risk a trip up a flight of stairs and into the clouds. “We should go back down- you’re missing school” meows Jack, “but I don’t miss it at all!” Simon replies. Missus Poe might be scary but so is some of the stuff above: mean birds, thunder, fear of heights, mean birds again, cold and an evil storm with (dun, dun, dun) a heart of darkness. Remember though, they are best friends and with the help of a sad and lonely cloud they find their way back to clearer skies. Apparently “a rained on cat is no cat at all” but Jack is the best kind of cat, and I would love to go on adventures in the sky with a friend like that.
This is a beautiful, short book which is nice to hold.
Reflections of a Solitary Hamster by Astrid Desbordes and Pauline Martin
My favourite food is Ice Cream. Hamster’s favourite food is waffles. Hamster is a very selfish Hamster and he never shares his waffles. Lucky for Hamster he has lovely friends: Mole, Hedgehog, Snail, Squirrel and Rabbit, and they like him even though he is selfish, lazy and a bit arrogant.
“Reflections of a Solitary Hamster” is another graphic-novel about friendship. Astrid Desbordes- the author – and Pauline Martin- the illustrator- work together to reveal snippets of life on a pretty, big sky prairie. Sometimes I wonder what my friends do at the end of the day, when the party is over, when there are no more biscuits and when they tuck themselves into bed. What do they think about? This hilarious book shows you. The animals ponder their lives, their anxieties and walnuts as they get ready for; (drum roll please): Hamster’s birthday! However odd and imperfect they may be, this book is still very funny and full of kindness:
“Hedgehog, will you dance with me?”
“With me? Oh, yes please, Mole. No one has ever asked me to dance before, because of my prickles”
“And no one asks me because I step on my partners paws”
“Then let’s fingertip dance, okay?”
Okay.