Sit. Stay. Read.

Dog Loves Books

by Louise Yates

A book-loving dog. How can I not share this with you?

Summary

Dog is a book lover of the truest kind. He loves everything about books -- the smell, the feel, all of it! One day he decides to open a bookstore of his very own. But on opening day, no one is there. After two confused customers stop by, Dog begins to feel down. But then he realizes he is surrounded by books, and he begins to read. Dog forgets that he is alone and loses himself in the great stories between the covers! And when a real customer who wants a book comes in, he knows exactly what to recommend, since he's been doing so much reading.

Worth staying up past bedtime?

Rating: Early Morning Hours

As with all picture books, it’s easy to get through this in one sitting, but it still deserves a rating that would imply late-night reading! Dog is so sweet! I loved the art in this book and Dog's expressions reminded me of those I've seen on many a real pup. The message of the book is a great one: when you read, you can be transported to any time and any place, no matter what's happening right around you!

Recommended for ages 5 and up.

You Say You Want a Revolution

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood

By Marjane Satrapi

I waited a little longer than I originally intended to start posting my graphic novel reviews. This being my first experience reading them, I had to let it all sink in a little. The text readings assigned for my class have helped, too, and I feel that I can better review and explain things now that I’m more familiar with the genre and its techniques.

Summary

Persepolis is the memoir of author and artist Marjane Satrapi, an Iranian woman who spent the first 14 years of her life in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. Her parents oppose the restrictions placed on citizens, and though they follow the mandates forced upon them, such as women wearing head veils and men growing beards, they rebel in their own ways, and talk freely of their contempt for the situation. Persepolis follows several years of young Marjane’s life, and readers see the situation from her young eyes. Neighbors homes are bombed, family friends are arrested on minimal charges or turn up dead for no reason. As Marjane witnesses the war-torn country move forward, she develops her own thoughts and feelings for the situation, freely expressing her contempt for the restrictions imposed on the people of Iran. The story ends on a cliffhanger (spoiler alert!) when Marjane is 14 and her parents have decided that there are not enough opportunities for their smart and outspoken daughter in Iran, and they send her to Austria to continue her schooling.

Worth staying up past bedtime?
Rating: Up 'Til Dawn

Persepolis was the first graphic novel I have ever read, and it grabbed my attention from the start. Marjane’s illustrations are a fantastic accompaniment to her story, and she does a wonderful job presenting her thoughts, feelings, and emotions as she grows up in such repressive and frightening conditions. Persepolis is one of those books that not only leaves you feeling like you’ve learned a good story, but you’ve really learned some valuable information as well. Throughout the story, Marjane explains elements of the Islamic Revolution, explaining cultural situations and beliefs that I was not previously familiar with. I love that I gained some historical knowledge from this book.

Recommended for ages 13 and up.

Would You Like Some Graphics with that Novel?

Late this spring I was observing a school visit at my library. As one of our librarians began a book talk for a room full of seventh graders, she started off asking them if they liked to read. There was a low rumble of "noooo" around the room. "Why not?" my coworker asked. One kid responded "because the books don't have pictures anymore."

...

I had to make a conscious effort to keep my jaw off the floor at that point. Within that same moment, however, I thought to myself "gee, I wish I knew more about graphic novels, those would be a good gateway book for kids like this." Luckily for me, the timing was such that I needed to sign up for one last class for my masters program (!), and I had been hearing good things about the graphic novels course offered by my favorite professor. I reserved a seat that very day.

And so, on Monday, I will begin the final class of my library sciences program. This will be an interesting experience for me, as I know next to nothing about the genre. In order to help really get myself thinking about the books, I am going to post about them here. I've already read three (I feel like Hermione, reading everything before class even starts!) and I'm excited to start sharing them with you. I hope this experience will allow me to make even more recommendations to kiddos in the library!