Bibliography
Alexander, Kwame. 2014. THE CROSSOVER. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 0544107713
Plot Summary
This Coretta Scott King Author Honor and Newberry Medal winning story, The Crossover, follows twin fourteen-year-old brothers, Josh and Jordan, who are both talented basketball players. Their close bond is tested as they navigate their teenage years and the pressures of basketball, family dynamics, and growing up as African American youths. Kwame Alexander masterfully crafts this contemporary novel written in verse and masterfully explores themes of family, love, rivalry, and resilience through the lens of sports and personal growth. The Crossover is book one of the three-part Crossover Book Series.
Critical Analysis
The most distinctive attribute of The Crossover is its use of verse to tell a story. Kwame Alexander’s innovative style enhances the emotional impact of the narrative and makes the novel accessible and engaging for older middle grade and young adult readers. Critics have praised Alexander’s mastery of language and rhythm, which adds depth and intensity to the story. Alexander drops relevant metaphors to illustrate the themes of sibling relationships, family dynamics, identity, love, and loss.
The Crossover also touches on broader social issues such as race, identity, and the pressures young athletes face. Alexander allows readers to absorb these topics through the events and view of the characters’ experiences. This contemporary fiction novel stands as a powerful example of how innovative storytelling can explore universal themes through a unique and engaging verse form.
Review Excerpts
Horn Book Magazine (May/June, 2014) Alexander brings the novel-in-verse format to a fresh audience with this massively appealing package for reluctant readers, athletes especially.
Kirkus Reviews starred (January 15, 2014) Poet Alexander deftly reveals the power of the format to pack an emotional punch.
Connections
Crossover Book Series – The crossover, Booked, and Rebound.
Explore and celebrate the many works by the author, Kwame Alexander. https://kwamealexander.com/
Discuss themes: emotions surrounding sports such as basketball, friendships, family dynamics, self-identify, pain, loss and social dynamics.
Discuss elements of contemporary realistic fiction. How does the verse format enhance the perspective of the characters?
Discuss examples of verse elements: line breaks, rhythm, sensory language and imagery.
Bibliography
Bell, Cece. 2014. EL DEAFO. Color by David Lasky. New York, New York: Amulet Books. ISBN 1489844228
Plot Summary
This Newberry Honor winning graphic novel memoir by Cece Bell, El Deafo, follows the author’s childhood experiences growing up with a hearing impairment. Bell illustrates her story in this graphic novel format with herself as the star character drawn as cartoon rabbit. Cece contracts meningitis at a young age, which leads to losing her hearing. Throughout her journey, Cece navigates the challenges of making friends, and striving to fit in. Cece wears a powerful Phonic Ear hearing aid that allows her to hear her teachers more clearly but also makes her feel different from her classmates. She creates “El Deafo” to empower herself and cope with the difficulties she faces. As she comes to terms with her deafness, Cece learns to embrace her differences and discovers her own unique strengths and abilities along the way.
Critical Analysis
El Deafo has received widespread acclaim for Cece Bell’s portrayal of growing up with a hearing impairment. Bell provides readers with a window into her own experiences of hearing loss. Cece’s story challenges stereotypes and misconceptions about disability. This memoir explores themes of friendship, identity, and self-acceptance wrapped in a witty and humor filled graphic novel format.
As a graphic novel memoir, Bell utilizes visual storytelling to enhance the narrative. Her illustrations not only complement the story but also convey emotions, experiences, and humor in a unique and accessible way. Bell’s rabbit drawn persona and David Lasky’s vivid coloring adds a layer of metaphor and empowerment to the storytelling.
Review Excerpts
Horn Book Magazine (November/December, 2014) This memoir is thus exceptionally informative and entertaining in relation to some aspects of deaf communication, but, most centrally and powerfully, it is exceptional for its perceptive, indomitable protagonist and complex story of friendship, growth, and classroom and family dynamics.
Kirkus Reviews starred (September 1, 2014) Her whimsical color illustrations (all the human characters have rabbit ears and faces), clear explanations and Cece's often funny adventures help make the memoir accessible and entertaining. Upper elementary readers will empathize with Cece as she tries to find friends who aren't bossy or inconsiderate, and they'll rejoice with her when she finally does. Worthy of a superhero.
Connections
Explore other works by Cece Bell Cece Bell Books Google Search
Discuss literary elements of a memoir.
Evaluate graphic novel format.
Facilitate conversations around diverse abilities.
Explore ways Bell has conveyed struggle through characterization.
Discuss the author’s note as a resource for further learning.
Discuss connections between El Deafo and Wonder by R.J. Palacio https://sites.prh.com/wonder
Bibliography
Bowen Cohen, Emily. 2023. TWO TRIBES. Color by Lark Pien. New York, New York: Heartdrum/Harper Alley, imprints of HarperCollinsPublishers. ISBN 0062983598
Plot Summary
This contemporary fiction graphic novel by Emily Bowen Cohen, Two Tribes, takes readers on a journey with Mia as she tries to connect to her father’s Native American heritage. Despite encouragement by her mother and stepfather, Mia struggles to connect to her Jewish faith and leads her mother to believe she is on a school trip so she can run away to visit her father in Oklahoma. While with her father, Mia embarks on a path of discovery, learning about her Mvskoke roots from her relatives. Mia is discovered by her mother and is brought back home. As Mia spends detentions with her Rabbi for lying about the trip, she begins to voice her frustrations and works toward finding unity between her Indigenous and Jewish heritages.
Critical Analysis
A contribution from the nonprofit, We Need Diverse Books (WNDB), Two Tribes has been placed as a nominee on the Texas Bluebonnet list for the 2024-2025 school year. Drawing from her own experiences as a daughter of divorced parents, Emily Bowen Cohen crafts a powerful story of self-discovery. Mia’s journey reflects that of the diverse family dynamics and the struggles of contemporary upper elementary aged readers. Lark Pien’s coloring complements the text perfectly as Cohen uses internal monologue to highlight the visual effect. The additional back matter supplies the reader with an Author’s Note explaining the use of “Indian” in the story as well as a Mvskoke glossary. This debut novel by Emily Bowen Cohen will leave readers empowered and ready to embrace one’s identity.
Review Excerpts
Kirkus Reviews (June 15, 2023) The story is well crafted, with Jewish and Muscogee beliefs integrated to great effect and art that enhances the text. A powerful graphic novel about honoring every part of our identity.
School Library Journal starred (July 1, 2023) All readers will walk away feeling empowered to embrace their unique backgrounds. The artwork complements the text perfectly as Cohen uses internal monologues to great visual effect.
Connections
Explore the Emily Bowen Cohen’s background https://www.emilybowencohen.com/
Explore other titles on the 2024-2025 Texas Bluebonnet list https://txla.org/news/2024-2025-texas-bluebonnet-award-master-list-released/
Discuss the ways family and faith can shape your identity.
Explore elements of contemporary fiction.
Discuss graphic novel format and the ways illustrations or graphics enhance an author’s message.
Bibliography
Santat, Dan. 2022. THE AQUANAUT. New York, New York: Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic. ISBN 1668804956
Plot Summary
Caldecott Medalist, Dan Santat, treats fans with an endearing graphic novel in The Aquanaut. After losing her mother, and more recently her marine researcher father, Sophia struggles to succeed in school. When she tries to recruit the help of her uncle for extra credit on her science project, a motley crew of marine animals emerges from the depths of the sea in an ancient diving suit to help both Sophia and as many sea creatures as they can along the way. This fantastical story brings readers along a rescue mission of fishy proportions.
Critical Analysis
Dan Santat is no stranger to crafting delightful tales alongside his trademark illustrations, and The Aquanaut is no exception. Santat has created a complex character in Sophia, full of genuine loss and grief, and yet is able to weave in youthful humor with the addition of her sea creature buddies hidden in the old dive suit. Santat’s Aqualand theme park setting lends itself to relevant issues of marine research and captivity. Younger readers will enjoy Santat’s humor filled storytelling and vivid comic spreads, while older readers will appreciate the more mature themes of loss and sacrifice. Santat also includes enjoyable anecdotes about his research and sketches in the back matter.
Review Excerpts
Booklist (February 1, 2022 (Vol. 118, No. 11)) Santat’s cartoon-gritty art captures both ends of the spectrum, ratcheting up the suspense and drama in a superlative climactic passage of, so to speak, “splash” pages. They capture this winning tale’s overarching message—it’s all about reaching out, to family, to friends, to shipmates, and especially to fearful strangers who need your help.
Horn Book Magazine (July/August, 2022) In this fast-paced graphic novel, the story shifts quickly from the prologue's dramatic underwater disaster to a goofy sci-fi buddy comedy set five years later. The exceptional art is what makes those disparate elements work together, with muted green and deep blue tones creating a palette against which both the slapstick and the characters' expressive facial expressions pop. The Aquanaut itself switches between looking hilariously unwieldy and absolutely otherworldly, and Santat finds both humor and pathos in the strange gaze of its faceless helmet.
Connections
Explore and celebrate Dan Santat’s other works Dan Santat Google Search
Discuss elements of imaginative fiction and how the author explores the themes of loss/sadness and family bonds.
Discuss elements of graphic novel format and how illustrations contribute to the author’s message.
Explore marine life/research/conservation inquiry-based learning ideas.
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