103. The Fairy Tale Fixers: Cinderella

103. The Fairy Tale Fixers #1: The Fairy Tale Cinderella. Deborah Underwood. Illustrated by Jorge Lacera. 2025. 128 pages. [Source: Library] [graphic novel; j graphic novel; fractured fairy tales; 5 stars]

First sentence: I was in the office. I'd poured myself a cup of joe and put my feet up for a well-deserved rest. Only five minutes till quitting time, and it was Friday: Pancakes for Dinner Night! But then....riinng!

Premise/plot: The Fairy Tale Fixers is a new series by Deborah Underwood. The first 'fairy tale' to be fixed by these two mice is Cinderella. GoodReads lists the names of the characters as "Fairy" and "Mouse," but I can't find the story itself referring to their names. It is written in first person narrative. The fairy tale fixer receives a phone call and reacts with some grumpiness. Heading to the library, he soon meets a mouse from the house where Cinderella lives. This mouse has escaped the story and is seeking a 'fix' to the story so that she can sleep better. The house is TOO noisy, too quarrelsome. Dressed up as a fairy, the fairy tale fixer decides that if Cinderella marries the prince, then the mouse can get some sleep. Acting as the "fairy godmother" in the story, he does his best to make sure Cinderella and the Prince meet. HOWEVER, Cinderella has no interest in the prince...she has a dream....and that dream doesn't include marriage. Can this fairy tale be fixed?

My thoughts: I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the narrative voice. The fairy tale fixer wears a trench coat and has a bit of an attitude! And he loves pancakes! The story is silly, fun, and clever. I am not one to be critical of Cinderella. I'm not. I don't think the story necessarily "needs" to be fixed for a modern day audience. (I don't.) But this humorous, silly fractured fairy tale is fun.


© 2025 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

8. Bluffton

 

 

8. Bluffton: My Summer with Buster Keaton. 2013. Candlewick Press. 240 pages. [Source: Library, 5 stars, graphic novel, historical fiction]

First sentence: Life in Muskegon, Michigan, was quiet. Ordinary. 

Premise/plot: Bluffton is a graphic novel with a historical setting (1908-1910?). The book focuses on the summer vacations of a young Buster Keaton. These special summer days are told not from his point of view, however, but from a local boy named Henry Harrison who absolutely idolizes the show people.

Henry Harrison is thrilled when a troupe of vaudeville performers settles down to summer near Muskegon, Michigan. There are boys his own age among the troupe. One of these boys is Buster Keaton. Henry had not heard of Buster before, but he becomes mesmerized by his new friend. Buster? Well, he enjoys clowning around and making the local folk laugh now and then, but, mainly he wants to play ball. He wants to play, have fun, relax. He's shown as wanting to pack a whole summer into each and every day. I got the impression that Henry didn't really see things clearly; he saw what he wanted to see: the glamor, the wow.

The story of several summers (and winters) are told through art and dialogue. An epilogue informs readers of Buster Keaton's transition from stage to film.

My thoughts: I first read Bluffton in 2013 (and rated it three stars). At the time I had never seen a single silent movie. I was unfamiliar with the subject--vaudeville, silent movies, etc. It was "just" a book about boys playing baseball. Now that I've fallen deep, deep, deep, deep into all things Buster Keaton, I have a new appreciation for this fictional graphic novel. I do think most of my review stands true. I think I read it "right." However, I now have a stronger appreciation for the story. 

For example, having no familiarity with "The Great Stone Face" I didn't really appreciate the illustrations. I didn't have a likeness to which to compare the illustrations. Now I do and this one works.

I would DEFINITELY recommend reading this one AND diving into Buster Keaton's films--short and feature. At the very, very, very least seek out compilations of Buster's work. 

The movie I would recommend for pairing with this one is COLLEGE which has a sporty theme.

© 2025 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

74. Pearl

74. Pearl. Sherri L. Smith. Illustrated by Christine Norrie. 2024. 144 pages. [Source: Library] [Graphic novel, historical fiction, coming of age, world war II] [4 stars]

First sentence: My great-grandmother was an ama, a pearl diver from the shores of Honshu in Japan. I loved the stories my family would tell about her. Of mermaids and pirates and cities underwater...and the pearl she found when she was a girl--it was round and perfect, the size of her fist. I knew the stories were only half true, but I loved them just the same.

Premise/plot: Amy, our heroine, was born and raised in Hawaii to Japanese-American parents. When her great-grandmother becomes ill--thought to be dying--her family sends her in their place. Then Pearl Harbor happens and it changes everything. Amy finds herself 'stuck' in a country that "her" country is at war with. But as she spends the war years growing up in Japan with her family, she struggles with the idea of home. Which country feels more like home? Where does she belong? Can she be both Japanese and American? Can she forgive America for dropping nuclear bombs on Japan? 

My thoughts: This one is a HISTORICAL, coming-of-age story set mainly in Japan during the Second World War and its immediate aftermath. It is told in graphic novel format. It is told primarily in blue, black, gray, white. I didn't love that jacket flap description of the book and the author and illustration information was blue ink on black background. Fortunately the graphic novel itself was more accessible.

 

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

46. Unhappy Camper

Unhappy  Camper (Graphic Novel) Lily LaMotte. Illustrated by Ann Xu. 2024. 208 pages. [Source: Library] [Middle grade graphic novel]

First sentence: Claire and I had many daring adventures with our dolls.

Premise/plot: Michelle (our narrator) and Claire (her older sister) are at odds in Unhappy Camper. Michelle wants to blend in--fit in, be liked, be popular--with her friend group and peers. Claire wants to be true to herself and express her most true self--which in this case means embracing her Taiwanese culture a thousand percent. Claire has gone many years to a Taiwanese-American summer camp. Michelle has never once wanted to go. This year her parents have decided she HAS to go. They hope these two sisters will learn to get along better and become greater friends. Michelle, meanwhile, spends a good deal of time worrying about her friends back home. Her friends seem to pity her for having to go to this "weird" "awful" camp. [That's the impression I got.] What will Michelle learn about herself? her sister? her friends? 

My thoughts: Graphic novels are not my go-to choice at the library. But I always try to read a few per year. This graphic novel is a coming of age novel that deals with relationships--the relationship between two sisters, the relationship(s) with friends. Michelle is building towards an "aha" moment where she realizes that her friends may not be true friends that truly care about her.

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

32. The Girl Who Sang

The Girl Who Sang: A Holocaust Memoir of Hope and Survival. Estelle Nadel. Illustrated by Sammy Savos. 2024. 272 pages. [Source: Library] [graphic novel; graphic memoir; Jewish/Holocaust]

First sentence: Will I ever be free?

Premise/plot: The Girl Who Sang is a MEMOIR [nonfiction autobiography] in graphic novel format. It is set primarily during the Second World War, but the memoir continues through some turbulent aftermath years. After the war, the family of siblings emigrate to the United States. But there is no magical, warm and fuzzy happily ever after story. Love sometimes isn't enough to keep a family of siblings together. 

My thoughts: I loved, loved, loved, loved this one. I don't read many graphic novels--fiction or nonfiction. But this one is a MUST. I found it compelling and haunting. It was SO well done. I have read plenty of books about the Holocaust and the Second World War. I've read fewer graphic novels, however, this is a powerful format for storytelling. Perhaps the story will impact readers more by being in this format.

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

1. Courage to Dream

Courage to Dream: Tales of Hope in the Holocaust. Neal Shusterman. Illustrated by Andres Vera Martinez. 2023. [October] 256 pages. [Source: Library]

Genre(s): Graphic novel, short stories, historical fiction, speculative fiction, alternate realities, MG fiction, 

First sentence of "He Opens a Window": Gretchen, No! 

Premise/plot: There are five thematically-linked stories told in graphic novel format. The approach isn't strictly historical, each story has a speculative twist [science fiction, fantasy]. It definitely has a Twilight Zone feel. I don't mean it in a glib way. While some might view Twilight Zone as just being entertainment and spooky fun, there are some thought-provoking episodes. The stories in Courage to Dream ARE thought-provoking. They engage you on a what-if or what-might-have-been level. 

The five stories are "He Opens a Window," "Legend Speaks of a Superhero...," "Spirits of Resistance," "Exodus," and "The Untold."

My thoughts: As I mentioned above, this one very much embraces the twisty-turns of speculative fiction.

Will this one be for every reader? Probably not. It isn't historically "true" or "accurate" enough to read to really learn the realities [of the horrors] of the Holocaust. It is very much a serious, sobering sci-fi twist to our reality. 

I found all five stories memorable and haunting. I don't know that I could pick a true favorite of the bunch. "Exodus" might stand out a little more than the others. My least favorite story is probably "Spirits of Resistance" (but I could see it being someone's favorite.)

I do think it can be enjoyed by readers middle grade on up. I found it enjoyable as an adult.

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

164. The Librarian of Auschwitz

The Librarian of Auschwitz. Based on the novel by Antonio Iturbe. Adapted by Salva Rubio. Translated by Lilit Zekulin Thwaites. Illustrated by Loreto Aroca. 2023. 144 pages. [Source: Library] [Graphic novel; YA graphic novel]

First sentence: Back then, she was just a child...but books were already a window.

My thoughts, part one: This one is a [young adult] graphic novel adaptation of an award-winning novel. I have read both the original novel and the graphic novel. 

Premise/plot: Though it is a work of fiction, The Librarian of Auschwitz is based on a true story: the story of a super-small library and its young librarian, Dita. Block 31 is different, special, almost miraculous and too good to be true. Here Jewish children come together every day while their parents labor under the watchful eyes of their guards. School is forbidden; learning is forbidden. But. A school it is. There are teachers and teenage helpers. Dita is one of the helpers or assistants. She's also the librarian. For what is a school without a library? This library collection, like the school, is completely forbidden. It consists of EIGHT books plus additional living books. Dita's job is risky, but important. Block 31 exists for one reason only: to fool the world in case someone comes looking for answers. The Germans mistreat Jews? You've got to be kidding. Just look! Here's a camp of families. We even see that the children are taken care of during the day and laugh and play and sing. The prisoners are not fooled for a minute, but, the children are fortunate in some ways.

My thoughts, part two: THE graphic novel condenses the story considerably. The illustrations may add something to the story for some readers. Graphic novels aren't exactly my favorite and best. I read a few per year. I can find them incredibly engaging at times.

Having read both the graphic novel and the original novel it is based on, I prefer the original. But I can appreciate why this one was adapted to a new format to potentially reach different readers.

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

145. The Legend of Auntie Po

The Legend of Auntie Po. Shing Yin Khor. 2021. 290 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: This is a story about stories. This is a story about gods and men.

Premise/plot: The Legend of Auntie Po is a coming-of-age graphic novel. It is set in the American West (Nevada, to be precise) circa 1885. Mei, our young heroine, helps her father who is the chief cook for the logging camp. Mei's specialty is making/baking pies. And her pies are quite beloved. But she isn't known just for making pies, no, she's also known (and beloved) for telling stories. Her stories center around a larger-than-life figure, Auntie Po, who knows more than a thing or two about the logging life. What is less clear for Mei, though less clear may not be the best way to describe it, is the future. She has hopes and dreams--for sure--and she knows exactly what she wants from life. But she isn't sure that her happily ever after is even remotely, remotely possible. It seems far-fetched. Like seeing Auntie Po in real life is WAY more likely than having her dreams actualized. But are all things possible?

Life is hard. It's hard for loggers in general--if by hard you mean physically exhausting and sometimes dangerous--but for the Chinese immigrants in particular it is made more difficult. Politics and racial tension. Even those with the best of intentions--who are making an effort to be good and kind and just--can stumble and fall. Like the log camp foreman. He comes into the story as a boss, true, but also as the father of Mei's best-best-best-best-best friend Bee (or Beatrice). Mei is totally head over heels in love with Bee. (Does Bee love her in that way too??? Is it unrequited???  Requited??? Definitely working mainly with non-verbal body language. Perhaps in part because it is a graphic novel. So much of the story is communicated through the illustrations.)

My thoughts: This was not a good fit for me. Reading is 100% subjective. That's why I did my best to stay completely objective in the summary. But graphic novels are so rarely my thing. This offers a blend of coming-of-age, first crushes (same-sex crush in this instance), fantasy, history, POLITICS and RACE. There are a couple of dramatic action scenes. But mainly readers are in Mei's head exploring her thoughts, feelings, hopes, and dreams. I don't know if I wanted a more central focus or what exactly it was that kept me from really enjoying this one. I don't know if a fresher acquaintance with Paul Bunyan would have helped or not.

 

© 2021 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

138. Friends Forever

Friends Forever. Shannon Hale. Illustrated by LeUyen Pham. 2021. [August] 304 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: And this year...I was an eighth grader.

Premise/plot: Friends Forever is the third book in Shannon Hale's autobiographical graphic novel series. (See also Real Friends and Best Friends.) These graphic novels chronicle her middle school (or junior high) years. This third volume is her recollections of being an eighth grader. The book is arranged somewhat thematically. Together the chapters tell the complete story of a young girl with BIG emotions that she didn't always know how to handle. And sometimes it wasn't just big emotions but BIG circumstances as well. 

My thoughts: I would love at some point to read all three books back to back. Enough time has gone by that I only remember loving the books in a general way. I don't remember the specifics or all the whys. I remember appreciating the honesty and vulnerability especially. I believe there were photos of her in the back of the book from that time period. That takes bravery.

So what did I think of this third book? Well. In some ways it made me uncomfortable. I'll try to explain. It made me uncomfortable in that it was so relatable. It was transporting me back emotionally--and I was going kicking and screaming. Any day where you can forget what it was like to live through your eighth grade year is a good day--as far as I'm concerned. I think there is something universal about this awkwardness and insecurity. The experiences included in the graphic novel feel authentic and raw. And overall, I think that's a good thing. While adults may relate by remembering their own experiences--and perhaps they are close(r) in age to Shannon Hale--the target audience isn't remembering. The target audience is currently living through these oh-so-tough years. And I think that's where the opportunity is. As adults we can want to shield kids from darker emotions and experiences. That doesn't make them go away. This book full on acknowledges those darker emotions--the insecurity, the fears, the stress, the worries, the frustration, anger, disappointment, loneliness, uncertainty, depression, despair--that come at home and school and everywhere in between. And the vulnerability on these pages--and the graphic novel does a great job of depicting the emotional angst and despair--is painful. Painfully valid. Painfully relatable.

 

 

© 2021 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

93. Smile

Smile. Raina Telgemeier. 2009. 214 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Smile!! Good! Let's get you set up in a chair, and the orthodontist will look at your teeth in a few minutes.

Premise/plot: Smile is an autobiographical graphic novel by Raina Telgemeier. The graphic novel chronicles her middle school adventures and misadventures. (The novel opens with her in sixth grade. It closes with her in high school.) The novel focuses on her...you guessed it...SMILE. And she has a lot of reasons to NOT want to smile. Growing up is tough. Growing up with braces is tougher. Growing up with braces and missing two front teeth....well....that's the kind of tough that leads you to write books as an adult. It all starts with an accident...

The book is about growing up, struggling with friendships, the increasing tension in her family, puberty, and self-esteem issues to a certain degree. She's certainly self-conscious about her smile!

It is autobiographical. It is set late 80s to early 90s.

My thoughts: I definitely enjoyed reading Smile! I found the book relatable. It was a quick read. I loved the artwork. I loved the family dynamics. I loved the story. I loved the characters.

 

© 2021 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews