Duckworth, the Difficult Child by Michael Sussman, illustrated by Júlia Sarda. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2019. 9781534405127. When a giant snake comes out of his closet, Duckworth’s parents, who are trying to deal with him, tell him he’s too old to be imagining things like that. After he takes a nap, the snake eats him. His parents continue to ignore it.     How To Be A T. Rex by Ryan North, illustrated by Mike Lowery. Dial, 2018. 9780399186240. When Sal grows up he wants to be a T. Rex. His brother says that’s impossible. His brother is wrong. It’s fun being a dinosaur, but there are downsides, too. (This is another great, short comic disguised as a picture book.)       Everything Awesome about Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Beasts by Mike Lowery. Orchard Books, 2019. 9781338566291. 128pp (not a picture book!) I’m obviously a huge fan of Lowery’s picture books, and of pretty much everything he draws. This is maybe my favorite dinosaur book ever, probably because it has lots of other animals, too. Lowery’s lettering is as fun as his drawings. This fall there’s another book like this coming from Lowery, about sharks and other underwater creatures.                   The Two Mutch Sisters by Carol Brendler, art by Lisa Brown. Clarion Books, 2018. 9780544430747. “The Mutch Sisters were collectors.” They still are, and their house is full of crap — two of everything. There’s no space! Ruby tells Violet she’s moving out. And she does. Then Violet feels like something is missing, and takes drastic steps. (Is this a warning about two collectors getting used to living together? That’s how I’m taking it.) Worth noting: Brown draws everything from cats to glockenspiels to bear skins with tons of panache. She’s one of my five favorite picture book illustrators, right up there with Jon Agee and Mike Lowery!     The Lost Book by Margarita Surnaite. Margarget K. McElderry Books, 2019. 9781534438187. Books are everywhere in Rabbit Town, and everyone loves them except Henry. Then he finds a lost book, and sets off to find its owner in the human city. Touching and surprising plus (spoiler alert) Henry doesn’t fall in love with books at the end!

In A Jar by Deborah Marcero. GP Putnam’s Sons, 2020. 9780525514596. Llewellyn is a rabbit who collects things in jars: rocks, feathers, leaves. One day he collects the light of a sunset and gives it to his friend Evelyn. Then they collect things together, at least until her family moves away.       my heart by corinna luyken. Dial Books for Young Readers, 2019. 9780735227934. A black and white and yellow book that contains a poem about happiness, sadness, and our ability to open our hearts. There’s a little darkness in this book, but the yellow lets the joy burst through so much it’s amazing.       Imagine! by Raúl Colón. Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers, 2018. 9781481462730. A young man visits the Museum of Modern Art. Characters and creatures from paintings step out of their frames, and they dance together down the street and around New York City. Colón’s colorful drawings are as amazing as always, but really leap off the pages in this one.     Rodzilla by Rob Sanders, art by Dan Santat. Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2017. 9781481457798. A giant, soft, squishy monster is loose in the city. It farts, unleashes giant boogers, and hurls. Hilariously gross.     The Fox On The Swing by Evelina Daciutè and Aušra Kiudulaite. Thames & Hudson, 2018. 9780500651568. Paul lives in a treehouse in a park with his family. He befriends a fox by giving it his daily roll from the bakery. Sometimes the fox is down, but other times it’s super happy, but they’re great friends. One day Paul and his family move away. (Don’t worry, he’s able to find happiness again.) This totally wordy picture book is by two Lithuanian creators, and feels even more philosophical than most picture books. The art is outrageously odd and fun.

Joe Quinn’s Poltergeist by David Almond, illustrated by David McKean. Candlewick, 2019. 9781536201604. 80pp. While Joe Quinn, Geordie, and Davie watch two girls play tennis, Joe tells them about the poltergeist at his house. There’s been stuff flying all over and smashing his place up. They don’t quite believe him as Joe has told lies before, but as his mom makes them chips things start flying around the kitchen. Geordie thinks it’s nonsense. But Davie, he seems to believe a bit, which has something to do with the fact the he misses his dead sister. Davie keeps going back to Joe’s, and talking to a priest (who is questioning his own beliefs). Based on a previously published story by Almond, McKean’s drawings & collages are simply fantastic. I can’t imagine many kids or teens being wowed by this, but adult comics fan will love it, especially if they’re nostalgic for the days when they could eat a sandwich full of butter, chips, and ketchup. McKean even uses elements like panel borders and word balloons to help tell the story. This is a great graphic novel that I’ve already read several times.  

Addams’ Apple: The New York Cartoons of Charles Addams. Pomegranate, 2020. 9780764999369. 160pp including an index, a preface, and a forward. This is a really nice, geographically-themed collection of Addams’ single panel comics. Most are black and white, but there are a few color pieces, too. There aren’t many Addams Family strips — it’s a chance to explore the range of his style, and to see just how great a cartoonist he was. The man has a lot of fun with perspective, his ink washes are amazing, and his sense of humor surprised me in a few instances. This would make a great gift, or be an amazing discovery on a library shelf.  

Lupus by Fredrik Peters. Translator: Edward Gauvin. Top Shelf, 2019. 9781603094597. 392pp. This non-epic science fiction story starts with Lupus on a long, drug-fueled interstellar fishing trip with his friend Tony. In a bar Lupus meets Sanaa, a sad-looking but radiant woman who asks him to take her with them. They do. Saying much more about the plot would ruin the story, which involves going on the run, hiding out, alien biology, and folks not sure what they want or need from each other. It’s intense in moments yet relaxed for long stretches, and I loved the way the whole thing unfolded. This is a mammoth black and white graphic novel originally published as four separate books in France. I’ve read and enjoyed Peters’ books that have been translated into English in the last few years, but this is my absolute favorite. His inks remind me of Doug Tennapel’s old black and white comics — they have incredible energy, they’re beautiful to look at, and they absolutely serve the story. I hope you like this book as much as I did.

Aster and the Accidental Magic by Thom Pico (story and script) and Karensac (story and art). Translated by Anne and Owen Smith. Random House Graphic, 2020. 9780593124178. 224pp. Aster and her family just moved to the country. Her older brother gets their online game working, but then has to leave for a few weeks in the city. As he departs he warns Aster about monsters. The news is full of stories about emergency measures during the crow migration, which Aster’s mother is hoping to help with her Robo-Bird project. (They’re not normal crows, and humans have messed up their reproductive cycle, causing them to become violent and destructive.) Forced to go outside and explore by her dad, Aster meets a granny with woolly dogs, one of the old shepherds who protect the mountain. Aster gets one of the woolly dogs for a pet, names him Buzz, and their  adventures together begin. In the first, they meet a trickster god who grants wishes. (All does not go well of course, but it’s pretty funny.) Monsters make an appearance as well as the crows. That’s just the first half of the book. The second half involves a magical fox and the seasons, and of course the granny and her dogs. This book reminds of both Adventure Time and Luke Pearson’s Hilda graphic novels, though it’s very much its own thing. Recommended for kids and comic lovers everywhere.

Infidel by Pornsak Pichetshote, art by Aaron Campbell, Colorist / editor José Villarrubia, Letterers & design by Jeff Powell. Introduction by Tananarive Due, afterward by Jeff Lemire. Image, 2018. 9781534308367. Collects #1 – #5. Publisher’s Rating: Rated M / Mature. Aisha and her fiancé Tom move into a cheap apartment with his mom and daughter, Kris. His mother is manipulative and seems more than a little racist toward Aisha, who is a muslim. But Aisha defends Tom’s mom and wants to give her a chance. The building was the site of a bombing / murder and it still hasn’t been repaired. Aisha is having terrifying visions that are clearly more than that, with terrible results. Then others start to see things, too. The opening pages are scary and geek friendly. I won’t spoil the former, but I will say there’s a SARLACC pit bundt cake that looks terrific. Campbell’s art has a spooky vibe that’s exacerbated by Villarubia’s colors, especially when the creatures appear. Great book. Terrifying.  

The House by Paco Roca. Translator: Andrea Rosenberg. Fantagraphics, 2019. 9781683962632. 132pp. Three siblings — José, Carla, and Vicente — return to their father’s place in the country with their families, after his death. As they work to fix it up, they remember him. My favorite thing about the book is the way everyone’s memories occur in panels alongside and sometimes with moments in the present. It feels just as natural as the conversations and relationships in the book. I’m a huge fan of Roca’s work, and I’ve read everything by him that’s been translated into English. This is right up there with Portugal as my favorite. It’s quiet, touching, and entirely adult in the best way possible.

The Phantom Twin by Lisa Brown. First Second, 2020. 9781626729247. 206pp. Conjoined twins Isabel and Jane working a sideshow until a surgeon tries to separate them. The operatin fails and Jane dies. Isabel can still see her though; she’s a ghost who’s always with her sister, no matter what. Isabel tries to get used to her prosthetic limbs as she finds a new way to make a living. She no longer fits in with the other members of the sideshow, but when she goes to a tattoo parlor with the tattooed lady, she meets an artist who thinks she’s pretty great. A romance develops. He gives her prosthetics which help her to create a new act. All doesn’t go according to plan, though it wraps up nicely. Brown’s other books include Goldfish Ghost by Lemony Snicket and Long Story Short, in which she retells classic books in three panel comic strips.