Comics in the Classroom: comics for kids

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Sonic Saga: Vol 2 review by Jack, age 6

My son, Jack just discovered the world of Sonic through a few old Free Comic Book Day Sonic issues I had put in a box of comics for him. He has been nearly obsessed with them for the two weeks since. He can’t quite read the books (he is 6 and in grade one), but he sure is loving them. I think that something about the storytelling abilities of the artist and writing team that a new reader can follow the Sonic stories.

Here is the Press Release information on the book provided by the publisher, Archie Comics:

Sonic’s epic adventures aren’t just stories, they’re SAGAS! Blast into the action at Sonic speed with the continuation of the all-new Sonic Saga series! The mysterious villain known only as Anonymous finally makes his play after months of careful plotting, and hero and villain alike are caught in his grasp! Friends and family are put in peril! And if that wasn’t enough, Anonymous has gathered every Chaos Emerald in the universe!

Nothing will be the same as lives are lost, whole dimensions re-written, and alliances put to the test. Sonic must cross time and space to reunite families, while his dark rival, Shadow the Hedgehog, finally confronts Dr. Eggman… and his legacy!

Here is my interview/review with my son.

Dad: What book are you reading?

Jack: Sonic Saga – the new one. I like it.

Dad: What do you like best about it?

Jack: I like Shadow – At night he turns into a were-hog or something. [keeps reading...] Whaat?!? A GIANT CRAB!

Dad: Lobster.

Jack: Yeah, I get mixed up. The big headed nose guy has it. He’s a bad guy.

And I like Sonic and the robots. There is lots of action. There are two guys that are fast – Sonic and Shadow.

Dad, stop writing – I want to keep reading.

I think that is a ringing endorsement for Sonic Comics in general.

SONIC SAGA VOL. 2 collects selected stories from Sonic the Hedgehog #168-172.
Script: Ian Flynn
Art: Patrick “SPAZ” Spaziante, Tracy Yardley!, James Fry, Tania Del Rio, Gary Bedell, Jim Amash, Rich Koslowski, John Workman, Josh & Aimee Ray, and Jason Jensen
Cover by Tracy Yardley!, Jim Amash, and Jason Jensen

isbn: 978-1-936975-40-2
$11.99/$13.99CAN
6 5/8 x 10 3/16”
Trade Paperback
112 pp, full color
Direct Market On-sale: 3/13

-Scott Tingley

Please check out my other sites:
http://www.thechesscomic.com/

http://wefightrobots.blogspot.com/
Comment below or contact me at: comicsintheclassroom at gmail.com

Friday, February 1, 2013

A Parent’s Guide to the Best Kids’ Comics: A Review

Every time I clean up the junk that accumulates around my computer desk I find a good book that I meant to review ages ago. This time around I have uncovered A Parent’s Guide to the Best Kids’ Comics, “Choosing titles your children will love”.

The reason I started this website in the first place seven years ago was that comics (under the name Graphic Novels) were gaining a fair bit of respectability in education but there was little information to guide adults who had never picked up a comic before. There was a growing list of titles to choose from but few voices giving their opinion on what was appropriate or quality. Soon after I started Comics in the Classroom a number of comic sites popped up which centered on comics for kids, which was a great help for parents, teachers and librarians (not to mention those who are trying to make a living at making comics for kids). Lots of people had the same good idea at the same time.

I say all that to say this, Scott Robins (a former kids' comics blogger from way back) and Snow Wildsmith have recently published a guide to comics that makes the choosing of titles easier than ever. They have reviewed 100 of the best in-print comics available for young readers from pre-K through Grade 8 (plus a list of 750 titles at the end of the book). The sections (Pre-K-1, 2-3, 4-5, and 6-8) are colour coded by grade level, there are “Educational Tie-Ins” and “Heads Up” sections in each entry. I like that Robins and Wildsmith recognized that pointing out any questionable parts of the book was important. Some adults want all comics to be sanitized and others figure that all comics are fine even when they are not (comics=kids). Here is a Heads Up example: “Explores the concept of death through metaphor”, The Snowman by Raymond Briggs.

My first reaction when I went through the book was “Hey, I wouldn’t have put that comic in that grade level section!” (or something to that effect), but that doesn’t diminish the book at all. For one thing, the book does usually err on the side of caution. Bone is in the grade 6-8 section, and although I have books 1-3 in my own grade 4 classroom there is smoking and minor use of alcohol, and, as the series goes on the tone gets darker and may be too much for some readers (sort of like how the Harry Potter books start out sort of light and get darker and darker as the series reaches the end). Also, If I wanted to complain about where some of the books are places I should keep it too myself and write my own book.

A Parent’s Guide to the Best Kids’ Comics is a good resource for librarians, comic shops and parents. It is attractive, well organized and on sale now.

· Paperback: 256 pages

· Publisher: Krause Publications (May 31, 2012)

· ISBN-10: 1440229945

· ISBN-13: 978-1440229947

· $16.99 (us), $17.99 (can)