MONDAYS ARE FOR MAVERICKS

    What, you may ask, do Mavericks have to do with books?  Well, the Texas Library Association (TLA) calls their recommended reading lists of graphic novels for elementary, middle school and high school lists "Little Mavericks" and "Mavericks".  Little Mavericks are for grades K-5; Mavericks for grades 6 - 12. I'm not sure where the name maverick originated for these lists. Possibly because a maverick is someone who demonstrates independence in thought and action?  That certainly defines graphic novels -- they do break out of the traditional book mold. And graphic novels are also quite wonderful! And real books, too. Just in case you needed to hear that.

    Unfamiliar with graphic novels? The TLA lists might be a good jumping in point for you. Though I will be the first to admit that the lists can be a little confusing.  And long.  Graphic novels are one of the most popular reading formats for school-aged kids right now. But let us explore the lists and see what we come up with! If a GN is on one of these lists, it stands out from the crowd a bit.

    The Little Maverick list is broken up into age groups and also unanimous vs. non-unanimous selection to the list.  Age groups for Little Mavs include K-5th; K-2nd; and 3rd-5th. That makes a list of over eighty different graphic novels. Even if you only include the unanimous titles, there are still forty six titles. On a more positive note - many GNs are quicker to read than a regular, text filled book.  

    The Mavericks list is not quite as long - around sixty five titles. The age groups are 6th - 8th; 6th - 12th; and adult graphic novels for young adults. There are only seventeen titles with a unanimous vote and there is some overlap with Little Mavericks.   

    If you would like to peruse the lists, I provided links above. If not, that's OK. 

    All of this to say -- Mondays will be devoted to graphic novels.   

    Today I am going to highlight two of my favorite books that you might find in a graphic novel collection. Or you might find them in a picture book collection.  

 

Lift by Minh Le; illustrated by Dan Santat.  This is my review from Goodreads  -"Profoundly imaginative, this book should resonate with anyone - I walked into my garage after I read this and, for just a split second, wished that when I opened the door I would step into a different world. A truly magical read."  It is a book that explores the jealousy that sometimes arises among siblings but also celebrates the love between those same siblings.

 

 

Again - my Goodreads review of ¡Vamos! Let's Go to the Market written and illustrated by Raúl the Third - "I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I have very basic Spanish vocabulary skills so was happy that I understood a lot of what was going on without having to reference the extensive vocabulary provided at the back of the book. I hope that we get to have more adventures with Little Lobo and Bernabé soon."  

 

Fortunately, my wish was granted because soon another Little Lobo book was published!

 

¡Vamos! Let’s Go Eat was also written and illustrated by Raúl the Third with coloring by Elaine Bay. On Goodreads I said, " Learn about food trucks and all sorts of yummy foods as Little Lobo, Bernabè, and Kooky help feed a group of hungry luchadores - plus get to sample some of their own favorite foods. I love these books and all of the different types of animals (and food!) Raúl the Third incorporates into his work. Can you find the scorpion standing in line to see El Toro?" I think I liked the second book even more than the first - I'm a fan of luchadores.  But be forewarned - reading this book might make you hungry!

 

 

    So there you have it!  Three picture books that also fit into graphic novels. For the record - Lift made the Little Mavs list for this year; ¡Vamos! Let’s Go Eat did not. See you next Monday!