New graphic novels to warm you up!

 I might have mentioned before that I'm not typically a fan of graphic novels.  I like creating my own mental images of characters and settings and so I don't usually choose graphic novels. BUT, holy cow, these two new ones have such interesting story lines and the art work is SO compelling, you have to look for them!

The first one is called Atana and the Firebird by Vivian Zhou.  This is her first book, but it better not be her last!  The cover is stunning and that's exactly what made me want to read it.  

All the art work has this magical, glowing quality to it, which is perfect because it's about Atana, a mermaid, who is living alone on an island.   One day, a Firebird comes to earth.  Her name is Ren and she has been hearing stories all her life about how wonderful Earth is and so even though it's been hundreds of years since a Firebird has come to earth, Ren has come to experience Earth life.  But there are evil forces afoot and it's not safe for Ren and so she and Atana set out on a journey to find out about life on Earth but also to find out why Atana has to live by herself.   There are a couple of different mysteries at play-why has Atana been sent away from her family and her community?  Why has it been so long since Firebirds have come to earth?  There's also danger lurking and sometimes it's hard to know who to trust. There are big themes of trust, loyalty, betrayal, and showing your true self but also love, compassion, family and community.  And then there is this stunningly beautiful art work.  The two main characters are gorgeous, but wait till you see the Witch Queen, who is intimidating and exquisite at the same time.  The action scenes felt like they were leaping off the page.   I really liked this one a lot and I hope lots of people get to read this one.  

The second one is called The Secret of the Ravens.  It's written and illustrated by Joanna Cacao.  This is her first middle grade graphic novel.  It's also a magical mystery.  It's about twins, Elliott and Liza, who are trying to scratch out an existence without the help of their parents.  They are trying to make a living by hunting through trash piles for recyclables when an acquaintance tells them of a magical quest that can bring them more money than they can scavenge in a month.  They take greater and greater risks to get bigger and bigger pay outs until Eliza is injured and they come face to face with the Raven Master.  The Raven Master is using desperate kids for her own purposes, which are definitely counter to the life choices that Elliott and Liza are making.   There is a magical apprentice named Sea who tries to help out but Elliott has to make some tough choices on his own.  This is a really interesting story that offers a venue for middle grade readers to consider social issues like poverty and homelessness in a way that is accessible and age appropriate.  The art work is vivid and conveys the action and emotion beautifully.  I think this is one that's not going to stay on the shelf very much because the kids are going to be waiting to check it out!  

Here's the cover.

And here's a book trailer that will give you a taste of the art work.