Library & Literary Miscellany

Death Note, Volume 1by Tsugumi Ohba (Author) and Takeshi Obata (Illustrator)

In Death Note, light and dark become confused. Bored-out-of-his-mind Japanese teenager Light Yagami loses his apathy upon picking up the Death Note notebook. The Death Note was dropped into the human world by the equally bored shinigami death god named Ryuk. Ryuk wanted to see what a human would do with the power of the Death Note–the power being the ability to kill any human whose name is written within its pages (see Volume 1 itself for a complete list of rules and regulations for how this is done).

With the power wielded through the Death Note, Light decides to take justice into his own hands and rid the world of evil criminal-by-criminal. As Light sees it, he is “ridding the world of evil and creating a utopia…” over which he will rule. Light has little remorse for those he kills, and he continues to increase his death toll. It’s not long before the authorities become suspicious about the mysterious increase in deaths among the criminal ilk, and Light’s movement of the world toward purported utopia becomes increasingly nefarious as he goes to great lengths to avoid being identified and captured.

The tension rises further still when the authorities hire the renowned-for-his-deeds, anonymous-by-appearance detective “L” to catch the killer of criminals. Light and L begin a battle with each as the other’s nemesis. Each one plans, observes, and re-evaluates next steps based on the actions of the other. Neither one wants to be identified first as being identified would have disastrous repercussions for both of them.

Death Note is a dark and horrifying tale with a main character named Light but lacking itself much light and hope. As for the graphic part of the graphic novel, Ryuk the shinigami’s wide and threatening black mouth and sharp teeth cause chills to run down the spine. Light’s detached, methodical murdering is equally chilling. If the first volume is any indication, themes of the series are going to be morality versus immorality, justice versus injustice, utopia versus dystopia, hero versus monster, good versus evil, courage versus cowardice, and life versus death. Light is an anti-hero that readers will hold their breath for as they wait for him to be caught and then feel conflicted emotions if and when he is.

Death Note is part of the Shonen Jump Advance line, and the series is given a T+ rating (meaning for older teens). For readers who enjoy manga and ethics questions, this may be a series to point them to.

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The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Peter Sis (2007)

“He didn’t question what he was being told…This was the time of brainwashing”

There may have been a time when Peter Sis did not question what he was being told, but The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain stands as a testament to the fact that today Peter Sis is an independent thinker (as well as a talented artist). By sharing his story, Sis gives us a textual and pictorial front seat view into communism in Czechoslovakia from the beginning of the Cold War to its end.

Throughout The Wall, Sis is shown trying to make sense out of the life and the culture that lies before him. He knows he wants to be an artist, but self-expression and personal identity are frowned upon in favor of complete conformity and communal identity. He struggles with what he is being taught versus what he feels in his heart, “He stopped drawing and was left with only his dreams. But he had to draw. Sharing the dreams gave him hope.”

Sis makes the atmosphere of fear, suspicion, and lies relevant to children by telling about the Czech government’s policy that encouraged young children to inform on family and friends. Limited freedoms and limited choice is reflected in Sis’ stark text and illustrations. His black and white pen and ink illustrations fill most each page; when color is used, it is largely communist red. With 56 pages (more than the traditional 32 pages found in most picture books) and cartoon like panels, The Wall amalgamates the best of the picture book and graphic novel formats.

While it contains only a mere five paragraphs, Sis’ introduction provides a lucid synopses of the Cold war and sets the stage for his memoir. He writes, “The Soviet Union and the Western nations managed their territories in different ways. The Western Bloc countries were all independent democracies, while the Eastern Bloc was tightly controlled by the Soviet Union.” He notes that Europe was divided “symbolically, ideologically, and physically…I was born at the beginning of it all, on the Red side–the Communist side–of the Iron Curtain.” The story then opens with the Soviet’s closing of the Czech borders in 1948; it ends with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and Sis’ explanation of how difficult it is to put into words the Cold War. Sis has overcome this difficulty by putting his story and the story of these years in world history it into words and pictures while also incorporating other elements such as a historical timeline and excerpts from his journals.

Sis’ book deals with a complex and politically-charged time in world history. On the one hand, adults may need to help younger readers navigate the timeline and make it relevant to life today; on the other hand, the complexity encourages discourse and questioning of different value systems and ways of being. The Wall takes readers outside personal circumstances into recognition that other individuals and people’s of the world have hopes, dreams, and realities as real as their own. The Wall also enhances appreciation of freedom–freedom to draw, freedom to be, freedom to choose.

Sis has won awards for other works (e.g., Starry Messenger as winner of the 1997 Caldecott Honor). The Wall has earned him a couple of additional distinctions, recently winning the Robert F. Sibert Medal and a Caldecott Honor. So my final take on The Wall: Growing up Behind the Iron Curtain:

Reading this book
COMPULSORY
Failing to read this book
PROHIBITED

(Not that I’m advocating conformity or coercion…but, I’m SUGGESTING this will be popular among students of history and with those who enjoy non-traditional book formats.  It will also come in handy for teachers and students facing Cold War era curricula.)

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Mouse Guard Fall 1152 by David Petersen (2006)

“The mice struggle to live safely and prosper among all of the world’s harsh conditions and predators. Thus the Mouse Guard was formed.”

When you’re little, the world can be a dangerous place. Fortunately for mice, who happen to be quite little indeed, they have the Mouse Guard on their side. The Mouse Guard are the “escorts, pathfinders, weather watchers, scouts and body guards for the mice who live among the territories”. In other words, The Mouse Guard keeps mice travelers through the territories as safe as possible and investigates when said mice go missing.

So it is that three of the best of the Mouse Guard–Lieam, Kenzie, and Saxon–are sent out to discover the fate of peasant mouse that went missing while delivering goods among the territories. What they find (in addition to a hungry snake) is treachery from within mousekind.

As more of the plot against the Mouse Guard unfolds they discover that it is a mouse claiming to be of Black Axe renown that seeks to overthrow Lockhaven (the Mouse Guard’s home) and the Mouse Guard itself. Mouse Guard Fall 1152 follows these three mice as they investigate the treachery and fight to eradicate its source, so that they can once again focus on external threats to their species from “all the creatures that eats us” [mice, that is].

At book’s end, Petersen has included maps, guides, and assorted extras in which the mouse territories mentioned in the Mouse Guard’s adventures are more fully developed. Petersen’s text and pictures are replete with details that enhance the story. For instance, in describing Barkstone he proclaims it to be the “destination for the best in glass, furniture, and other goods” while Lockhaven is the Home of the Mouse Guard. He couples these proclamations with intricate drawings that reflect each locale’s uniqueness.

Each chapter begins with some exposition, but the captions on the panels themselves are relatively sparse making it an attractive choice for reluctant readers. Peterson employs diverse panel arrangements, color, line, and perspective to create the illusion of action and to drive the story forward.

Readers who enjoy Mouse Guard Fall 1152 will look forward to Mouse Guard Winter 1152 coming out in its collected edition in Winter 2008. In the meantime, other books to suggest to those who enjoyed talking mice historical fantasy adventure aspect include: Kate Dicamillo’s The Tale of Despereaux, Robert C. O’Brien’s Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, Brian Jacques’ Redwall series, Robin Jarvis’ Deptford Mice series. More mice fantasy adventure can be found in Michael Hoeye’s Time Stops for No Mouse and The Sands of Time, Avi’s Poppy stories, and Geronimo Stilton’s Geronimo Stilton series. Other books with less daring do but with talking mice that I can’t seem to stop myself from mentioning because they’re so much fun include: Beverly Cleary’s Ralph Mouse chapter books and Jennifer Holm’s BabyMouse graphic novels.

As for readers who don’t necessarily require mice, but nonetheless like the adventure and the anthropomorphic animal aspects, there’s no shortage of these kind of books. Just to name a few, you might try Erin Hunter’s Warriors series (cats), Kenneth Oppel’s Silverwing (bats), Kathryn Lasky’s Guardians of Ga’Hoole series (owls), or Richard Adam’s Watership Down (rabbits).

Mouse Guard Fall 1152 is a story replete with intrigue, adventure, survival, and courageous mice. Mice should be able to rest easier knowing that the Mouse Guard is on duty, and fans should rest easy knowing another volume is on its way.

Another interesting book review pertaining to rodentia is in the Times, Amanda Craig’s Varmints and Vermin in Children’s Fiction where she discusses Tumtum and Nutmeg by Emily Bearn and Nick Price and Barnaby Grimes: Return of the Emerald Skull by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell.

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Happy New Year to all. I hope everyone has returned refreshed and replete with resolutions for 2008. The season of giving has come and gone once again, but really giving is apropos year round. Here’s a graphic novel about gifting, or rather, re-gifting…

Re-gifters by Mike Carey, Sonny Liew, and Marc Hempel (Minx, 2007)

re-gift –verb
1. to give an unwanted gift to someone else; to give as a gift something one previously received as a gift; also written regift

Dik Seong Jen (Dixie) has a spiky exterior–her spikiness is a defense mechanism guarding against her powerful emotions–as she puts it, “I don’t show it, but deep down I’m really a passionate person”.

For many years, she has loved hapkido because she is proud of her Korean heritage and because she needs the physical outlet for what she cannot express in words. More recently, she has discovered that she loves (or at least has a huge crush on) Adam Heller. This crush is so powerful that it’s throwing off her ki (”the universal energy that some call spirit”), and, subsequently, her ability to fight her best in hapkido. She has been ending up swept off her feet (in more ways than one) in sparring sessions with Adam.

Paralleling Dixie and Adam’s storyline is Dixie’s run-ins with Dillinger and his crew. Dillinger’s spiky exterior as the tough Hispanic kid is countered by his actions–he defends Dixie against his gang who have derided her heritage by telling her to “walk on the Korean side of the street” and he helps her practice for the hapkido tournament. Most importantly (at least for the sake of the book’s title), he plays a role in the re-gifting–the Hwarang warrior figure really makes its way around to sundry recipients throughout the book. By doing so, Dillinger helps Dixie to reboot her Korean American pride in who she is and to re-discover her ki.

Dixie’s crush on Adam causes her to misplace her passion for a time and to muddle her decision-making so that she stands in danger of losing her spot in the National Tournament and in danger of losing control. She also risks losing everything else she holds dear–her ki, her self-respect, her best friend, her pride in her heritage, and her family’s trust.

In the end, Dixie sees clearly what she has to do, “No confusion. No hormones. No need to think twice.” The story really moves–the illustrators’ masterful use of line makes the hapkido sequences look real and the apt character facial expressions and body positions say a lot without the text having to say anything. When the character’s are speaking, their voices are consistent with their personalities and depictions. Re-gifters is a fun story that speaks to family and cultural expectations, unrequited love, friendship, perseverance, and competition all wrapped up in a complete package to give to the graphic novel fans out there as well as to those who like sports and/or multicultural stories. Re-gifters is not likely to be re-gifted, although it is likely to be loaned out its fair share.

Visit Cynthia Leitich Smith’s site for more children’s and young adult books starring Korean Americans or my WorldCat.org list for Korean American Juvenile Fiction (includes works by authors Linda Sue Park, An Na, Marie G. Lee, and more). I recently reviewed Kimchi & Calamari by Rose Kent about a Korean boy adopted into a family with Italian ancestry. For more on the Minx graphic novel line, visit DC Comics site and view its Minx information or peruse the Comics Worth Reading site and read reviews of all the Minx 2007 graphic novels.

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Daisy Kutter: The Last Train by Kazu Kibuishi

In just four chapters, Kibuishi’s Daisy Kutter: the Last Train unites the western and science fiction genres. Saloons, general stores, outlaws, and sheriffs co-exist with security guard robots, holograms, and remote-controlled heavy artillery machines.

Chapter one introduces us to the intrepid Daisy Kutter whose attempts to go straight have nearly driven her crazy–or at least driven her to the point of plastering everything in her store with darts from one of her store’s dart guns. Daisy’s prospects perk up somewhat when learns of poker night at the nearby saloon. Although she has purportedly given up gunslinging, she’s still game for a bit of Texas Hold’ em. Unfortunately, she literally bets the farm (in this case store) in a round where the cards up her sleeve aren’t quite ace enough to match the cards her opponent (aka the book’s bad guy) has up his sleeve.

Chapter two finds Daisy pondering her losses; the result of all this thinking is that she finds herself agreeing to a mysterious offer to pull off one last job to get her store back. She also has a row with her old gunslinging, train-robbing partner, Tom, who is now the town sheriff. Their relationship is full of love and hate–some days it’s the former, some days it’s the latter. In Daisy’s mind, Tom has turned into a real square (a fact made literal when one considers his square face in the illustrations), but they still find themselves drawn to each other and to adventure.

Chapter three displays Daisy planning and implementing the job. Daisy explains to her new human and robot partners, “A simple plan is best. You can count on it getting complicated in the end.” The train heist provides Kibuishi with the opportunity to showcase Daisy’s on-the-job performance prowess while simultaneously wowing us with the way he imbues static images with cinematic effect. Daisy moves with the moving train, and, the plot moves too as the best-laid-plan goes awry.

Chapter four shows the aftermath of the train robbery and Daisy slinging her way to a some sort of resolution. Overall, two aspects of the book standout: the movie-like feel of the train robbery sequence and Daisy’s characterization.

Daisy’s gruff exterior, her sorely in need of anger-management temperament, her quick draw, her poker prowess—these all speak typical western hero. But the emotion written across her face, the alternating shoulder slump and pride in bearing, the complicated relationships, the nuances of her character—these all move her beyond stereotypes. Daisy, like so many others before her, is trying to find her place in the world and trying to decide whether that place is inside of or outside of the law. She’s not black or white.  Speaking of black and white, Kibuishi employs a masterful range of black, grey, and white hues throughout the novel’s many panels.

After Daisy’s story closes (although it doesn’t really close and there’s definitely room for many a sequel), Kibuishi provides additional chapters where he illuminates his story and character creation process. He includes many earlier sketches of Daisy that show her overall evolution as a character along with a “how it’s done” series of sketches that illuminate the graphic novel creation process as a whole.

In the extra material, Kibuishi even admits that drawing is not his favorite part of the creative process. Fortunately for use readers, he must grit his teeth and bear it, and he comes up with products like Daisy Kutter: The Last Train—a graphic novel that will have widespread appeal across the western, science fiction, and graphic novel audiences.

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Amelia Rules! Volume #1 The Whole World’s Crazy by Jimmy Gownley

In Amelia Rules! Volume #1 The Whole World’s Crazy by Jimmy Gownley, Amelia really does rule in her humor, humanity, and nine-year-old child (and occasionally adult-like) sensibilities. In Amelia’s crazy world, life is not all fluff and sunshine. She’s the child of recently divorced parents, she’s living in a new town in a one Tanner-tantrum away from homelessness home (i.e., her Aunt Tanner’s house), and she’s recently been branded into the nerd group at school. Fortunately, Amelia has tremendous reserves of wit and wisdom that she showcases in each episode—episodes that are part funny, part sad, part cynical, part hopeful, part inspirational, and completely down-to-earth kid friendly.

Amelia, Reggie, Rhonda and Pajamaman, the G.A.S.P. (Gathering of Awesome Super Pals) group, display unique personalities; they are each depicted with humor and warts and all. Amelia, well, she rules! Reggie’s fixation on superheroes leads to many a memorable moment—his number one career choice was pharmacist, but since that seemed so unattainable, he chose superhero as a new gameplan. Rhonda looooooooves Reggie, and this leads to a bit of love-to-hate animosity between herself and Amelia. Pajamaman (consistently depicted in the same sleepwear) is a quiet presence, but he manages to add humor and depth to Amelia’s story.

For instance, in one episode, Amelia discovers Pajamaman is a latchkey kid (latchkey being a term defined multiple ways by the kids) who receives no presents from Santa. She resolves to become Pajamaman’s Santa by giving away her own Red Captain Ninja. Amelia Rules! may be laugh-out-loud funny, but it’s not without its share of depth, touching on issues such as poverty, bullying, divorce, parenting, truth, loneliness, and, well, overall world craziness or sanity.

For child readers, Gownley replicates everyday childhood life through familiar issues, locales, and events–his episodes include familiar childhood realities such as outwitting the school bullies, cheating in freeze tag, passing notes in class, making Christmas lists and debating the existence of Santa Claus, (repeatedly) visiting the principal’s office, not to mention the plethora of jokes about gross bodily functions (and you may find yourself wary of Taco Bell ever after). For adult readers, Gownley inserts small touches such as Amelia’s interrogation of Santa at the Consumaway Shopping Center, her father’s employment in the licensing department for Softee Chicken, and her school attendance at Joe McCarthy Elementary “Weeding out the wrong element since 1952”.

Gownley’s glossy illustrations are displayed within the comic book medium’s basic three-by-three framework. While Gownley uses the basic nine-panel layout 9-panel layout, he also frequently enlivens this basic framework by employing flexibility—by adding or deleting borders, combining or adding panels, and alternating full-color and white-space backgrounds. At sundry points, Amelia speaks directly to readers; Amelia’s direct address is easily identified because Gownley consistently delineates these pages by depicting Amelia by herself against a white backdrop. Such direct address augments readers’ identification with Amelia and understanding of her thought processes.

Amelia does pronounce, “I rule” in one episode but also she manifests self-doubt and feelings of guilt over her parent’s divorce. Even as she confidently proclaims her normalcy in the face of the whole world around her being crazy, readers are made privy to her niggling doubt about whether the situation might actually be the other way around—the world normal and only she crazy (to which she eventually concludes, “suddenly my head hurts”). Fortunately, in the face of such doubts and insecurities, Amelia’s Aunt Tanner is always there to sit her down for some straight talk as when she declares, “You know Amelia…Just because your home is broken…that doesn’t mean you have to be.”

Amelia’s diverse support group—her G.A.S.P. pals and her Aunt Tanner—help her to make sense of (or at least to enjoy living in) this crazy world. Amelia Rules! readers will be able to take heart from watching Amelia boldly face the world around her and be better equipped to face this crazy, wonderful world for themselves.

Just a taste of Amelia’s wisecracky wisdom:

• My parents are crazy, my friends are crazy, everybody is crazy but me. I’m normal…Suddenly, my head hurts.
• I hate school! Why can’t we have the apocalypse instead.
• I tell you Tanner…It’s not easy raising a parent these days…You gotta be sharp! Aware of every little thing.
• Life is like a New York Egg Cream! It has the chocolaty Goodness of U-Bet syrup…the wholesome fortification of 2% milk, the…uh…the bubbles of…um…seltzer water…and…uh…okay, I was stretching. Life is nothing like an egg cream.

For all this and more from Amelia, don’t miss Volume 1. I’m also looking forward to diving into Amelia Rules! Volume 2: What Makes You Happy and Amelia Rules! Volume 3: Superheroes.

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