Cecil Castellucci Writing Workshop

Montreal's very own Cecil Castellucci will be holding a writing workshop for aspiring tween and teen writers at Babar En Ville on January 23rd, 2010. The event will start at 2pm and last for around 2 hours. Those interested should RSVP by phone or email.

Cecil Castellucci is the author of YA novels Boy Proof, The Queen of Cool and Beige, the graphic novel series The P.L.A.I.N. Janes, and co-editor of the short story anthology Geektastic. She is also an accomplished director and musician.

Cecil Castellucci Bio

Her Music

Babar En Ville

babarenville@bellnet.ca

Shake, Rattle & TURN THAT NOISE DOWN!

Written & Illustrated by Mark Alan Stamaty

Alfred A. Knopf 2010

Approx age 6 & up

Remember the first time you heard REAL music? The first song that made you stand, turn up the volume and run around like crazy? Mark Stamaty was 8 years old the first time he heard Elvis singing Hound Dog, and it changed his life. It was also the first time his mother heard it, although her reaction was the complete opposite. With a fresh-groomed pompadour, his resemblance to the young star leads him to lip sync an Elvis song at the talent show. His initial enthusiasm gives way to shaking stage fright, but as soon as the song starts, the power of the song propelling him to rock! He not only wins over the crowd, he gains the pride of his mom.

Mark Alan Stamaty's autobiographical comic is a great bridge for kids who are able to listen to longer stories, who might just be on the cusp of reading. His comic style has a raw feel to it, not losing its momentum in worrying over how clean the lines are. In fact, it only helps the authenticity of a story from the eyes of an eight year old. His panels, while crammed with text, still stay dynamic, the whole page of panels being a great composition in itself. The back-to-back splash pages of him hearing it and then his mother are great, the elation cum horror are worth the cover price alone. The author's note on how his love of the King continues and how that changed his life are welcome additions, not bogging the book down with extraneous text.

Stamaty has captured a perfect snap shot of an universal moment in every one's life. Even if it wasn't Presely that did it for you, you might find yourself digging around in your record collection, and singing to the bathroom mirror after your done with this one.

The Boy Who Invented TV: The Story of Philo Farnsworth

Written by Kathleen Krull

Illustrated by Greg Couch

Alfred A. Knopf 2009

Approx age 8 & up

There are few people who can say they had a world-changing idea before they finished puberty. Philo Taylor Farnsworth did that while plowing a potato field when he was fourteen, with an absolute minimum of schooling. Born in the early part of the twentieth century, Philo was raised on farms, travelling to the next farmstead by covered wagon. Despite his lack of a formal education, he was a voracious reader. When one of the family homes finally had electric lighting, he trained himself to wake up an hour early to read before he had to start his chores. With the age of electricity still in it's infancy, Farnsworth, by having discussions with the family's electrical repairman, self-taught himself to be an electrician. Inspired by a magazine's depiction of how television might one day work, he set about to invent one himself. Seeing the rows and rows of parallel furrows in his potato field, he realized that electricity could trick the eye into seeing lines of light as full images. Though it took him 8 more years, and an ill-advised mustache, to make a working prototype, Philo T Farnsworth changed the way people receive information forever.

The latest in Kathleen Krull's series of childhood biographies of significant people, this time out she has chosen a subject the vast majority of people, television watchers or otherwise, know nothing about. Her decision to focus on their early years is critical to the appeal of these books for children, as they are not only informative, but inspiring. Her past work of bio's, including Theodor "Dr. Seuss" Geisel, tend to focus on dreamers, and who can dispute that people who go far, think far. She shies away from dealing with Farnsworth's eventual legal problems and eventual resentment with the medium he helped create, leaving that to the author's notes.

Greg Couch's illustrations were done using washes and coloured pencils, combined with his use of technical diagram overlays, give a very layered look. The drawings appear weathered, like a picture found in a water logged Scientific American from the 40's. While most of the time this is used to great effect, there are a few pages that come across muddy, and a bit too muted.

Krull's biographies are awesome for weird kids. We need stories like Philo's to inspire the next generations to never forget to get lost in their heads, because when they find their way out, their ideas can revolutionize everything.

The Muppet Show Comic Book: Meet the Muppets

Written & Illustrated by Roger Langridge

BOOM! Kids Entertainment 2009

Approx age 7 & up

Meet the Muppets features four all new stories, each one focusing on one of the shows characters, but with plenty of other "skits" thrown in, following the format of the show. All of these vignettes follow closely the motivations of these established characters, even fleshing them out a little more. Kermit's story has the frazzled director longing for the simple days in the swamp, while Fozzie wonders if he can get his comedy mojo back, while the rest of the crew wonders if he ever had it at all. Langridge is brave enough to pose the age old question, what the heck is Gonzo anyway?

Oh boy oh boy oh boy. I love the Muppets. Like most kids born in the past 40 years, I was raised on a steady diet of Sesame Street. My favorite television half hour, however, was the evening reruns of the Muppet Show. For those of you not familiar with this television genius, all 6 of you, the Muppet Show was a send up of the dying trend of prime time variety shows. With a weekly guest host, the only non puppet, the show mostly followed the trials and tribulation of Kermit the frog dealing with his regular cast and crew of madcap miscreants.

Roger Langridge could not be a better choice for this book. His knowledge of the material is obvious, but it's his ability to perfectly capture the feel and pacing of the show that really makes this book stand out. So often comics based on existing properties fall short, relying on inexperienced artists working with very strict guidelines. Langridge's style is still apparent in all the panels, his use of line weights masterful, with all the characters instantly recognizable.

While I have listed this comics for seven and up, that's more in mind of someone who is reading on their own. It could be read to someone much younger, especially if they've got the wokka wokka's already. It's also great someone who needs a hi-low (high interest/low reading level).

Cat Burglar Black

Written & Illustrated by Richard Sala

First Second Press 2009

Approx age 11 & up

Katherine Westree, called K, is different from the average teenager. First, her hair has already turned white, and second, she's a master thief. An orphan, K was raised by a Fagan-like woman, who turned all her wards into pickpockets and other types of ne'er do wells. After Mother Claude dies in a fire, K is sent to a boarding school by a long estranged aunt. Things become quickly familiar to her, as the professors use the students to steal clues to an ancient puzzle. The stakes get higher, as one by one, the teen thieves begin to disappear as the mystery unravels.

Richard Sala cut his teeth as an illustrator in the cut throat market of the 80's. Like others of that time, Joe Piraro of Bizarro fame comes to mind, he eventually returned to his roots as a cartoonist, selling work to big name publications like the New Yorker. Comparisons to Gorey are not unwarranted. Not only are his interests and locales similar, his use of violence while comic, still maintains an air of the sinister. Which makes him so perfect to make a graphic novel for teens. The villains have a Dick Tracey quality to them, their faces and bodies accentuating how up-to-no-good they are. His depiction of the students is such a refreshing departure from most mainstream comics' teen heroines. While things have gotten better since the 90's, they still tend to be chesty, stem-waisted super models. Sala's teens, while still slim, are realistically proportioned, and athletic as befits their characters.

My only complaint with Cat Burglar Black is the pacing increase in the finale. It feels rushed, or that maybe the page count was becoming a looming issue. Still, it ties up rather nicely, leaving a few loose ends and questions, perhaps titillation for a sequel, but most likely because Sala is a strong enough author to know that not all questions need to be answered.

Cat Burglar Black has a very neo gothic feel to it, filled with wicked teachers and perilous traps, while the art has one foot on the bleeding (or at least bloody) edge of comic storytelling. With Sala's help, First Second publishing is poised to steal Scholastic's kid's comic crown.

Calamity Jack

Written by Shannon & Dean Hale

Illustrated by Nathan Hale

Bloomsbury Press 2010

Approx age 9 & up

Jack has always aspired to be a criminal mastermind. Fortunately for his prospected victims, he has been cursed with bad luck and a conscience. While trying to free his mother from the servitude of a scheming, fat cat giant, his luck gets the better of him again, and he narrowly escapes with his bones unground. After a year of misadventures with cowgirl, Rapunzel, Jack returns to the city with his fiery-tress 'ed companion in tow, determined to finally free his mother, and the entire city, from the clutches of the giant, Blunderboar.

Calamity Jack is the sequel to the surprise hit graphic novel of last year, Rapunzel's Revenge. It stands alone, though, as Jack has become the main protagonist, plus there is a small recap in early part of the book.

The Hale's ability to masterfully mix together, and totally morph, these classic fairy tales into one big fractured, steampunk mess is once again on display. Jack as an urban Native "American" dandy (the land is never named) is a wonderful touch, putting him somewhere in the middle of Grimm and the Coyote trickster tales. And Rapunzel, revised as a princess-in-exile-cum-frontier heroine is an amazingly strong female protagonist. Her braids, used as lariats, are my favorite visual in this series. Nathan Hale uses them not only as compositional elements, but to compliment the image, their flaming orange hues really making the color scheme pop. His line work is reminiscent of a young Rick Geary, with a bit of P. Craig Russel thrown in for good measure. I think my only critique is placement of the title on the cover. Could have been a bit bigger and a bit punchier, but seriously, I am reaching to find a flaw in this book.

This book is a such a great example of how good it is to be a kid into comics right now. Publisher's are really pushing to make comics for children again, and the majority of them are really respecting the strides artists and writer who pushed them as respected art form. This volume is going to be such an easy sell to all the Steampunk kids out there, even if they have no idea what that means.

"The Brixton Brothers: The Case of the Case of Mistaken Identity"

Written by Mac Barnett

Illustrated by Adam Rex

Simon & Schuster 2009

Approx age 9 and up

Steve Brixton, aka Steve, is like most of us part-time super sleuth's in training. He has a Guiness Book of World Records with a secret compartment, an encyclopedic knowledge of classic detective stories, and a severe distrust of anyone with a mustache. While at the library researching a social studies report, a case of mistaken identity will put all his all his P.I. know how to the test, as he is embroiled in an national conspiracy involving special agent librarians, villainous longshoremen and his mom's jerk boyfriend.

Mac Barnett has hit the jackpot on his first try as a mystery writer. The plot's turns for the weird don't feel forced, IE the aforementioned commando librarians, and the continuing references and illustrated examples from the Bailey Brother's Detective Handbook serve the story, rather than the other way around. Adam Rex is perfectly paired with Barnett on this one, his distinct-yet-chameleon style adapting itself to whatever diagram is thrown his way. Speaking of throw, the diagram on page 116 of how to throw the Shawn Bailey haymaker punch takes me back to all my junior spy kits from my international man of mystery days.

This book is the middle ground between a classic Gordon Korman and the Hardy Boys. All the gags are working towards tying up the mystery, and the detective story conventions completely avoid cliché.

I think I have to go dust off my magnifying glass now.