Author: Gene Ambaum

Graphic Novel Review: Old Head by Kyle Starks

Posted on August 3, 2021 by Gene Ambaum

Old Head by Kyle Starks, colors by Chris Schweizer. Image, 2021. 9781534320741. 120pp. Former pro basketball player Nash Gliven, Jr. was once known as “The Knife.” But most players referred to him as “Old Head” because he stuck around for […]
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Graphic Novel Review: Sunny Volume 1 by Taiyo Matsumoto

Posted on July 29, 2021 by Gene Ambaum

Sunny Volume 1 by Taiyo Matsumoto. Translation by Michael Arias. Viz Signature, 2013. 9781421555256. Publisher’s Rating: T for Teen, recommended for ages 13 and up. The stories in Sunny are about the kids who live in the Star Kids Home, […]
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Book Review: Otto: A Palindrama by Jon Agee

Posted on July 27, 2021 by Gene Ambaum

Otto: A Palindrama by Jon Agee. Dial Books for Young Readers, 2021. 9780803741621. 144pp. Agee gives credit for palindromes by others in the acknowledgements at the end. Picture book creator Agee’s first graphic novel is told entirely in palindromes — […]
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Picture Book Reviews

Posted on July 22, 2021 by Gene Ambaum

The Middle Kid by Steven Weinberg. Chronicle Books, 2021. 9781452181806. I love Weinberg’s books, particularly the way he’s now working with both collage and drawing and painting and whatever in his picture books and the AstroNuts series. This one seems […]
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Book Review: The Galaxy, And The Ground Within (Wayfarers Book 4) by Becky Chambers.

Posted on July 20, 2021 by Gene Ambaum

The Galaxy, And The Ground Within (Wayfarers Book 4) by Becky Chambers. Harper Voyager, 2021. 9780062936042. 336pp. I’m a huge fan of Chambers’ good natured, character-centric Wayfarers series, and this, the final book, is on par with the other three. […]
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Graphic Novel Review: The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen

Posted on July 15, 2021 by Gene Ambaum

The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen. RH Graphic, 2020. 9781984851598. 229 pages of comics plus an author’s not, an essay on creating the graphic novel, and some pages of bonus artwork. At the center of this story are Tién […]
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Picture Book Reviews!

Posted on July 13, 2021 by Gene Ambaum

Wildflowers: A Toon Book by Liniers. (Toon Level Two). Toon Books, 2021. 9781943145539. Inspired by his three daughters looking at the Mexican jungle (there’s a charming photo of them doing this in the back of the book), this early reader […]
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Graphic Novel Review: Farm Crimes! Cracking The Case Of The Missing Egg by Sandra Dumais

Posted on July 8, 2021 by Gene Ambaum

Farm Crimes! Cracking The Case Of The Missing Egg by Sandra Dumais. Owlkids, 2020. 9781771474153. 48pp. This is a very short mystery great for kids who are just graduating from picture books. A hen suddenly freaks out because her egg […]
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Book Review: TO:KY:OO by Liam Wong.

Posted on July 6, 2021 by Gene Ambaum

TO:KY:00 by Liam Wong. Thames & Hudson, 2021. 9780500545461. 264pp. Photography books need to be beautiful and compelling, and this one is on a new level. The opening pages, including the forward and introduction and table of contents, are all […]
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Graphic Novel Review: Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen: Who Killed Jimmy Olsen? by Matt Fraction and Steve Leiber

Posted on July 1, 2021 by Gene Ambaum

Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen: Who Killed Jimmy Olsen? by Matt Fraction (writer) and Steve Leiber (artist). DC Comics, 2020. 9781779504623. Includes Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen 1 – 12 and material from Superman: Leviathan Rising Special 1. This graphic novel opens […]
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