Things That Go Bump in the Night
This year’s summer reading theme is centered around the idea of night time, which allows us to incorporate books about dreams, nocturnal creatures, space, supernatural creatures and more.
YOUNGER READERS
Hatke, Ben. Zita the Spacegirl. First Second, 2011. 192 p. 9781596434462.
A charming tale of adventure and friendship, Zita the Spacegirl’s basic premise is her cross-galaxy journey to save her best friend, Joseph from the clutches of an evil alien; all while encountering new life forms, technologies and environments. The perfect foundation reading for future fans of Douglas Adams and the Hitchhiker’s Guide series.
Runton, Andy. Owly. Top Shelf Productions, 2004-present. 5 volumes, ongoing.
Gentle Owly and his clever friend, Wormy, spend their days on adventures in their forest home; making friends, and learning valuable life lessons. Tunton’s simple black and white drawings manage to be both lively and warm in this mostly wordless – but entirely charming – all-ages comic.
Scott, Jeremy. P.T.A. Night. Image, 2009. 32 p. 9781607061632.
This dark story is lightened by bright, retro artwork and with minimal dialogue as typical P.T.A night turns into a campy horror-fest as the school, built on an ancient burial ground, brings horror standards such as zombies, werewolves and aliens to wreak havoc on the school.
Sfar, Joann. Little Vampire. First Second, 2008. 92 p. 9781596432338.
Poor Little Vampire lives a lonely life in a haunted house full of ghosts, ghouls and assorted creepies. In fact, he is so bored and lonely that he’s willing to go to a school and it’s there that he befriends Michael and their adventures begin.
Spires, Ashley. Binky the Space Cat. Kids Can Press, 2009. Three volumes, ongoing.
Binky is your average household cat, or is he? Binky believes he is a well-oiled fully trained space cat who protects his family from aliens (seen by humans as simple bugs) while engaging on missions and seeking adventure. The truth is ambiguious, but the tales are intriguing and imaginative.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Kibuishi, Kazu. Amulet. Graphix, 2008-present. 4 volumes, ongoing.
Siblings Emily and Navin’s move with their family intotheir great-grandfather’s house after their father dies and discover a mysterious door to an alternative earth full of fantastic creatures and aworld full of surprises.
Smith, Jeff. Bone. Cartoon Books, 1991-2004. Reprinted in color by Graphix. 2005-2009. 9 volumes.
The series centers on three cousins, their expulsion form Bonevillle and their exodus and experiences in The Valley. Smith’s art and fantasy-based storytelling provides the books with a dream-like quality not to be missed.
TenNapel, Doug. Ghostopolis. Graphix, 2010. 272 p. 9780545210287.
Garth Hale is accidentally transported to the afterlife; where he encounters a unique and fantastic world inhabited by both the dead and creepy creatures. He journeys through the realm on a skeleton horse as Frank Gallows, of the Supernatural Immigration Task Force, struggles to return Garth to the real world.
Varon, Sara. Robot Dreams. First Second, 2007. 205 pl. 9780329642204.
Best friends, Dog and Robot are separated after an ill-fated trip to the beach leaves Robot awake but rusted and stranded after Dog is forced to abandon Robot; who then embarks on a series of unsatisfactory friendships. Varon’s muted palette reinforces the sweet sadness over lost friendship.
HIGH SCHOOL
Brosgol, Vera. Anya’s Ghost. First Second, 2011. 224 p. 9781596535526.
Anya is dealing with the typical pitfalls of an awkward teenager when she encounters and is befriended by a ghost, Emily. Too bad Emily isn’t harboring the best of intentions. Anya’s Ghost is visually stunning page-turner full of emotive artwork.
Hino, Matsuri. Vampire Knight. Viz Media, 2007-present. 13 volumes, ongoing.
This shojo manga centers on Yuuki Cross as she serves as a Guardian at the elite Cross Academy; where students are divided into Day Classes and Night Classes. There she struggles to bring peace to the war between humans and vampires. Perfect summer reading for the Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan in your library.
Miller, Frank. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. DC Comics, 2002 (orig. 1987). 224 p. 9781563893414.
This now classic Batman tale centers on a Gotham run amok by criminals in the decade-long wake of a massive superhero retirement with the sole exception of Superman. But Bruce Wayne has had enough of when Harvey “Two-Face” Dent returns to town and he resumes his Batman identity to fight crime, which draws both The Joker and Superman into Batman’s latest battle.
Thompson, Craig. Blankets. Top Shelf Productions, 2011 (orig. 2003). 592 p. 9781603090964.
This gorgeous semi-autobiographical, coming of age tale centers on the author’s Midwest childhood and his first love as he struggles to reconcile his parent’s strict Christian beliefs, their harsh physical treatment of him and his brother and his own religious beliefs and philosophies.
OLDER TEEN & ADULT
Bechdel, Allison. Are You My Mother?: A Comic Drama. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012. 304 p. 9780618982509.
Bechdel’s brilliant follow-up to her 2006 masterpiece Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic (9780618871711) follows multiple narrative threads about dreams, therapy and the complex relationship between mother and daughter as she sifts through her memories and feelings from her childhood.
Gaiman, Neil (auth.) and various illustrators. The Sandman. DC/Vertigo, 1991-1997. 10 volumes.
Gaiman’s landmark series about Morpheus, the King of Dreams, who must rebuild his kingdom after a long imprisonment. The art is gorgeous and the storytelling is unique while also featuring Gaiman’s signature themes of religion and myth. If you only read one series on this list, it’s The Sandman.
Kirkman, Robert (auth.), Charlie Adlard (illus.) and Tony Moore. The Walking Dead. Image Comics, 2006-present. 16 volumes, ongoing.
The Walking Dead follows a group of survivors as they struggle to find and maintain basic necessities such as food and shelter in the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse in the American South. The stories are character-driven, the artwork is haunting and violence is high.
Moore, Alan (auth.) and Dave Gibbons (illus.). Watchmen. DC Comics, 1995. 408 p. 9780930289232.
Moore’s critically acclaimed masterpiece is also a fan favorite that opens with the death of a superhero, The Comedian. Now his disbanded associates must band together to determine his murderer and how his murder plays into a larger plot of world domination and destruction; all while revealing previously unknown motivations and back stories for a myriad of characters.
By Amanda Jacobs Foust, Electronic Services Librarian, Marin County Free Library.
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