Story Time: Fun & Quirky Graphic Novels

Story Time with LENikki and I hope you’ll join us today for Story Time with Literary Escapism, a bi-weekly feature where we showcase various children books that fall directly in the fantasy & science fiction genres, as well as books we’re enjoying with our young children. We’re talking boardbooks, picture books, those books labeled as beginner or newly independent readers, and middle grade – anything of interest to those readers who are not quite ready for the young adult genre. So we hope you’ll join us on the carpet as we share the stories that have captured our little ones imaginations.

I have to start off today with a small public service announcement. Always send a Scholastic Book Order home to a certified bookworm. You’re always guaranteed an order, and they often buy more than they should. They will also always continue browsing through your website after their order has been placed.

I’m not the only one that applies to, right? Now that Psy is in PreK, I’m not just getting one of these flyers, no I’m getting four. Each grade sends home two different ones, so I’m getting all kinds of books shoved into my face and of course I’m going to buy. *grin* I’ve managed to work out a pretty good system. I tell myself that each child can spend $10 and then I try to get as many books as I can for $10 each. Surprisingly enough, you’ll be surprised at how well you can do. Aside from the fabulous pack/bundle deals, Scholastic also offers a book for $1 each month. So if you haven’t been shopping your flyer, you really should check out the next one that comes home.

I’m bringing this up because the boys brought home this month’s flyers and after placing my $10 order for Monkey – Save the Earth! by Abby Klein and John McKinley (Ready, Freddy! #25), The Castle Crime by Ron Roy and John Steven Gurney (A to Z Mysteries #6), The Class Trip from the Black Lagoon by Mike Thaler and Jared D. Lee (Black Lagoon Adventures #1), The Truth about Bats by Eva Moore and Ted Enik (Magic School Bus #1), and Hooray for Fly Guy! by Arnold, Tedd (Fly Guy #6) – I continued browsing through their selection online. The Monkey is reading past his current grade level, so I’m starting to get him to look more at chapter books versus the easier beginning-to-read books. So I’m clicking through pages at Scholastic.com and come across a couple chapter books/series that caught my attention.

They were graphic novels!

The Monkey loves graphic novels and he’ll always dive into those before any other type of book. So of course I’m now trying to justify ordering even more books, knowing we just went to the bookstore and got him more than a few. What really caught my eye was the fact that these books were not only aimed at his age group, but added a slight fantastical element to something as simple as a lunch lady or introducing a traveler into a classroom of kids. Maybe I’m just thrilled to find graphic novels that don’t revolve around a television show, but I’m thinking someone will be getting a couple of these novels in the near future.

Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute

Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute by Jarrett J. Krosoczka
What can I say? I’m amused by the Lunch Lady superhero. Cafeteria workers always end up stereotyped and I like how Krosoczka gives kids a new one to consider. If you’re even a little bit intrigued like me, then make sure you check out Lunch Lady Comics for a deeper looking, including the Lunch Lady Legends computer game (fair warning: music starts up when the page loads).

Dishing out a healthy serving of AWESOME, the valiant Lunch Lady fights evildoers and protects both the kids and the cafeteria in this fast-moving graphic novel.

Serving justice . . . and lunch!

Hector, Terrence, and Dee have always wondered about their school lunch lady. What does she do when she isn’t dishing out the daily special? Where does she live? Does she have a lot of cats at home? Little do they know, Lunch Lady doesn’t just serve sloppy joes—she serves justice! Whatever danger lies ahead, it’s no match for LUNCH LADY!

CMarko-Lets Get CrackingLet’s Get Cracking! by Cyndi Marko
With Monkey’s addiction to the the Super Pets, I figured this might just add a little variety to his animal superheroes. And he definitely has a thing for martial arts; but serious, naked chickens…I can just see him laughing about that now.

In times of need, mild-mannered bird Gordon Blue transforms into Kung Pow Chicken, an avian superhero who fights crime in the city of Fowladelphia.

In this exciting full-color series, Gordon Blue transforms into Kung Pow Chicken, an avian superhero who fights crime in the city of Fowladelphia. The first book in the series kicks off when Gordon’s birdy senses lead him to a festival. Suddenly, POOF! Feathers fill the air and shivering naked chickens are everywhere. Why have all these chickens lost their feathers? Forced to wear wooly sweaters, the city itches for a hero. Kung Pow Chicken hops into his Beakmobile to save the day!

DPilkey-Adventures of Ook and GlukThe Adventures of Ook and Gluk, Kung-Fu Cavemen from the Future by Dav Pilkey, George Beard, Harold Hutchins
When I first saw this one, I was a little confused. It says it’s the second graphic novel, but I couldn’t find an Adventures of Ook and Gluk #1. It wasn’t until I stumbled on The Adventures of Super Diaper Baby that I realized why. Monkey hasn’t shown an interest in the Captain Underpants series yet, but maybe Ook and Gluk can convince him to give them a try.

Tra-la-laaa! The wait is over! Dav Pilkey–ahem–we mean, George Beard and Harold Hutchins, the bestselling authors of THE ADVENTURES OF SUPER DIAPER BABY, are back with their second graphic novel!

Meet Ook and Gluk, the stars of this sensationally silly graphic novel from the creators of Captain Underpants! It’s 500,001 BC, and Ook and Gluk’s hometown of Caveland, Ohio, is under attack by an evil corporation from the future. When Ook, Gluk, and their little dinosaur pal Lily are pulled through a time portal to 2222, they discover a future world that’s even more devastated than their own. Luckily, they find a friend in Master Wong, a martial arts instructor who trains them in the ways of kung fu. Now all they have to do is travel back in time 502,223 years and save the day!

While doing your own browsing – whether online, in the library, or in a bookstore – have you come across a find that you were not expecting but might still pique your child’s interest?

About Jackie 3282 Articles
I am a 30-something SAHM with two adorable boys and a supportive husband who is very tolerant of my reading addiction. I love to read and easily go through about a dozen books a month – well I did before I had kids. Now, not so much. After my first son was born, I began to take my hobby of reviewing a little more serious and started Literary Escapism to help with my sanity. I love to discuss the fabulous novels I’ve read and meeting all the wonderful people in the book blogging community has been amazing.