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Young Readers

The Legend of the Guardians

Mar 5th, 2010
by rodney.
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The animation team that brought us Happy Feet (which, we’re told, did rather well…) returns this fall with The Legend of the Guardians. This CGI film, directed by Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen) is based on the first three books of the 15-book series The Guardians of Ga’Hoole by Kathryn Lasky. The subject is owls. Specifically a starry-eyed young owl named Soren (Jim Sturgess of Across the Universe). Soren is obsessed with stories about the legendary Guardians of Ga’Hoole, armored owls who protect the weak and innocent against evil. Soren dreams of meeting them, and even of possibly becoming one. And he may well have to, when he discovers that an evil queen owl (Helen Mirren of The Queen (!)) is kidnapping young owls and brain-washing them for her own personal army. The film comes to theaters this September, but you can follow the film’s development and see a trailer at the Internet Movie Database.

Soren, our hero. Image c. 2010, Animal Logic

Soren and family. Image c. 2010, Animal Logic

Badgers, Foxes, and Guinea Pigs!

Feb 22nd, 2010
by rodney.
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New for very young readers, from Lerner Publishing Group: Guinea Pig, Pet Shop Private Eye is a full-color trade paperback series for kids, created by Colleen Venable and Stephanie Yue. Sasspants the guinea pig P.I. attempts to solve the mystery of the missing sandwich with the help of her sidekick, Hamisher the hamster, and a menagerie of pet-store suspects. Each book in this series is peppered with clues, and features a collection of animal facts at the end. Then there’s Mr. Badger and Mrs. Fox, a new series (also in full color) by Brittie Luciani and Eve Tharlet. In Volume 1: The Meeting, Mrs. Fox and her daughter Ginger are chased out of their home by a vicious hunter’s dog. They end up seeking shelter in the home of Mr. Badger, his two squabbling sons, and his toddler daughter. It’s a series about making friends and getting along in families of different backgrounds. Both new series are coming this March.

New from Antarctic Press

Feb 18th, 2010
by rodney.
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Three new titles of varying furry-fan interest are coming the March from Antarctic Press. First up: He’s a chip off the old… well, you’ll find out. Chip is a brand-new full-color miniseries by Boneyard and Far West creator Richard Moore. Chip is a young gargoyle on a farm in upstate New York, who’s determined to convince his elders that he can be a big, scary defender of the night like them. Trouble is, Chip is only 4 inches tall! On the non-fiction side of things there’s the new  instructional trade paperback, How to Draw Magic and Fantasy by Fred Perry, Ben Dunn, and David Hutchinson — three names you should know if you follow Antarctic Press or furry comics in general. And finally, there’s Twilit, a new black & white comic book series by Robby Bevard and J.L. Anderson. Hmmm, we’ll let the publishers describe it: “When the vampires on campus would rather bake in their weed than drink blood, life is pretty mellow. Well, except for the occasional scraps with the werewolves, but as long as they vacuum up afterward, the vamps are cool with it. What’s worse is the furry fan down the hall who’s convinced he’s a werewolf, but isn’t.” You read it here folks.

Donald Duck… Secret Agent?

Feb 13th, 2010
by rodney.
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Once again, the folks at Boom! Kids take things in a whole new direction…  Donald Duck and Friends Volume 1: Double Duck is a new trade paperback (also available in hardcover) that collects the recent issues of this comic book series… featuring everyone’s favorite cranky duck as a top-flight secret agent, out to save the world from a madman bent on melting the world’s polar ice caps! The story is by Fausto Vitaliano and Marco Bosco, with various folks contributing the full-color art. The books are scheduled to come out in early May.

c. 2010, Boom! Studios. Not the final art... but oooo!

c. 2010, Boom! Studios. Not the final art... but oooo!

From the Magical Land of Dragon Riders

Nov 30th, 2009
by rodney.
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Fans of Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance series of books (Eragon, Eldest, and Brisingr), as well as fans of fantasy with talking dragons, might want to find Eragon’s Guide to Alagaesia, available now in hardcover from Knopf Books for Young Readers. This illustrated book was created by Christopher Paolini himself, with ample assistance from the creators of the bestselling books Dragonology, Egyptology, Piratelogy, and so forth. “From elves, dwarves, Urgals, humans, and dragons, to the natural landscape and the magic it contains, Eragon himself offers the reader an unsurpassed tour. This oversized, full-color book provides 15 spreads chock full of spectacular artwork, engaging novelty elements, and fascinating insights into Eragon’s home.” While you’re at it, you might also check out The Ultimate Unauthorized Eragon Guide: The Hidden Facts Behind the World of Alagaesia (whew, what a title!) by Lois H. Gresh, available in paperback from St. Martin’s Griffin Press.

Odd and the Frost Giants

Oct 15th, 2009
by rodney.
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Simply put: Neil Gaiman has done it again. Done what? Another new fantasy novel for young readers, that’s what. It’s called Odd and the Frost Giants, and the description on Amazon.com goes like this: “In this inventive, short, yet perfectly formed novel inspired by traditional Norse mythology, Neil Gaiman takes readers on a wild and magical trip to the land of giants and gods and back. In a village in ancient Norway lives a boy named Odd, and he’s had some very bad luck: His father perished in a Viking expedition; a tree fell on and shattered his leg; the endless freezing winter is making villagers dangerously grumpy. Out in the forest Odd encounters a bear, a fox, and an eagle—three creatures with strange stories to tell. Now Odd is forced on a stranger journey than he had imagined—a journey to save Asgard, city of the gods, from the Frost Giants who have invaded it. It’s going to take a very special kind of twelve-year-old boy to outwit the Frost Giants, restore peace to the city of gods, and end the long winter. Someone cheerful and infuriating and clever . . . Someone just like Odd .” The book is illustrated by Brett Helquist, and now it’s been published in hardcover by Harper-Collins.

Geronimo Stilton — The Graphic Novels

Oct 8th, 2009
by rodney.
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Since 2004, Scholastic has been publishing the Geronimo Stilton series of books by Elisabetta Dami for the English-speaking world. Now word has come out that the world-travelling mouse-journalist has become a time traveller as well… and that his new adventures will be released soon as hardcover graphic novels from Paperkutz Publishing. In case you’ve been missing it: Geronimo Stilton is the editor-in-chief of The Rodent’s Gazette, the largest newspaper in New Mouse City. That’s his day-job. But, facing the threat of evil cats from far-off Catatonia, Geronimo and his family have found themselves travelling through many adventures around the globe.  Now comes word that the cats have actually developed time-travel… and they plan to alter the past to destroy Mouselands’s future! Now our heroic editor has no choice but to follow the cats through time, trying to stop their evil schemes! The first book in the series is Geronimo Stilton: The Discovery of America, to be followed soon by The Secret of the Sphynx and The Coliseum Con. Papercutz has an introductory video for the series that can be found here. No big surprise: A Geronimo Stilton animated TV series is in the works in his home county of Italy.

The Secret Saturdays Graphic Novel

Sep 7th, 2009
by rodney.
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Del Ray Manga has released a new full color “film comic” based on the hit animated TV series The Secret Saturdays from Cartoon Network. Join the Saturdays: A family of explorers and cryptozoologists as they protect the secret artifacts and mysterious monsters of the world from exploitation. On the way making friends with sasquatch, dinosaurs, and many other strange creatures.

Art is Magic

Aug 18th, 2009
by rodney.
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The internationally famous fantasy artist known as Ciruelo has released a new hardcover illustrated storybook called Faries and Dragons — Art is Magic. It’s available from DAC Editions. Weaving together Native American legends and European fantasy traditions, the book tells the tale of two young children — one fond of dragons, the other fond of faeries — who meet plenty of both as they travel far to help a sorceress thwart a forthcoming catastrophe. A review of the book from Amazon.com can be found here.

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