The big wet balloon written and illustrated by Liniers. TOON Books, 2013. ISBN 978-1-93-517932-0
Reader's Annotation: Matilda is determined to show her younger sister, Clemmie, all of the wonderful things you can do on a rainy day.
Summary: Matilda wakes up early on a Saturday, and is so excited to share the day with her younger sister, Clemmie. She has plans for a picnic and flower picking, but then they discover that it is raining. Undeterred, Matilda bosses a reluctant Clemmie into her raincoat and boots, and out into the rain.
When Clemmie doesn't like being wet, Matilda runs back inside to fetch an umbrella for her. As the girls are enjoying the sound of the rain on the umbrella, the wind begins to gust and the umbrella turns inside out. Not giving up, Matilda shows Clemmie how to catch raindrops on her tongue, stomp in puddles, and even look for worms.
The sun begins to peek out from behind the clouds, and then a glorious rainbow appears. Matilda tells Clemmie that they must give something colorful to the rainbow and goes inside to find something to give. She returns with Clemmie's favorite red balloon, which floats away when Matilda loosens her grip on it. Clemmie is devastated, but Matilda just might have a plan to make things right again.
Critical Evaluation: The Big Wet Balloon is a wonderful introduction to the world of comics for young children. With just one to four panels per page, only two characters, and short narrative statements, pre-readers and beginning readers will have little trouble following the plot. A comic such as this can help draw reluctant readers into discovering that reading can be terrific fun.
Liniers has used a muted palette to represent the sisters' rainy day experience, but has included a great deal of movement and texture in his portrayal of the rain, wind, and clouds. He has conveyed a great deal of emotional interplay between the two sisters in their facial expressions and postures, and after finding out that this story is based on a true story about his own daughters, it became quite apparent that Liniers poured his love for them into the creation of this graphic novel.
At the end of the narrative, there is a marvelous guide for parents and teachers about how to read comics with children. With advice on how to use your finger to indicate your place in the text, and how to invite children to share what they are understanding about the plot based on context and details in the illustrations, the publisher has provided information to help both children and adults enjoy this literary form even more.
Age or Interest Level: Ages 4 to 7
Lexile Level: 190L
Awards: Parents Magazine Top 10 Children's Books of 2013; 2014 Eisner Award Nominee
Why Included? There are not many comics that have been written for this age group, and while this is changing, Liniers' tale is bound to be a classic story that many children will remember fondly as their introduction to this genre.
Binky the Space Cat written and illustrated by Ashley Spires. Kids Can Press, 2009. ISBN 978-1-55-453419-7
Reader's Annotation: For anyone who has ever wondered what their cat is really thinking, Binky provides a window into the feline mind.
Summary: Binky is a space cat. Except that he is not. He is a house cat who has never gone outside, but is convinced that everything out there is Outer Space, and that he and his human family are living in a space station. His mission is to protect them from aliens, which we humans would recognize as bugs.
One day, while rooting around in the bottom of his cat food bag, he discovers an invitation to join F.U.R.S.T (Felines of the Universe Ready for Space Travel) and become a Certified Space Cat.
Binky begins extensive training to better protect his family from the alien threat, while simultaneously preparing for his dream mission of blasting off into uncharted space territory by constructing a spaceship. The spaceship will hold Binky and his stuffed mouse friend, Ted.
As liftoff nears, Binky begins to worry that his human family will be left defenseless if he and Ted blast off into the stars. What will this Certified Space Cat decide to do?
This title is the first in a five volume series, with each detailing the further amazingly silly adventures of this imaginative kitty.
Critical Evaluation: With a manageable number of panels per page, as well as an easily read typeface and font size, Binky provides an introduction to the world of comics for children making the shift from beginning readers to chapter books.
Instead of balloons of text, the narrative is overwhelmingly depicted in rectangular boxes at the top or bottom of each panel. This, along with the uncluttered style, allows young readers to more easily follow the story line as it progresses from one illustration to the next.
The illustrations are mainly colored with black, white, gray and tan, with the occasional splash of red, pink, yellow, and orange. While this may sound dull, the subtle palette actually allows Binky and his fellow animal friends to stand out from their surroundings.
Spires' narrative style is full of dry humor and absurd situations that many children will appreciate. The author has also included a running stream of sound effects that, as they are vocalized by the reader, will add an additional dimension to Binky's world.
For reluctant readers, animal lovers, or children who enjoy general wackiness, Binky is a sure-fire hit.
Age or Interest Level: Ages 5 to 8
Lexile Level: 740L
Awards: Silver Birch Express, Ontario Library Association; 2010 Best Books for Kids & Teens, Starred Selection, Canadian Children's Book Centre; 2010 Hackmatack Award; 2010 Comics for Kids Award, Joe Shuster Awards, Short-listed
Why Included? This book is worth reading if only because of Binky's appearance. His black and white patterning, facial expressions, and ears that constantly reposition themselves to reflect his inner mood are a hoot!