Recommendations from the Graphic Novel Club

This week, the Graphic Novel Club would like to share some of their own recommendations!

Collectively the group have put together a new reading list of graphic novels and manga titles. All of these are available to borrow from GCH Library.

All titles in italics are the first in their series.

Assassination Classroom [STM]

'The students of class 3-E have a mission: kill their teacher before graduation. He already destroyed the moon, and has promised to destroy the Earth if he can not be killed within a year. But how can this class of misfits kill a tentacled monster, capable of reaching Mach 20 speed, who may be the best teacher any of them have ever had?'

Pumpkinheads [STA/STM]

'Deja and Josiah are seasonal best friends. Every autumn, all through high school, they’ve worked together at the best pumpkin patch in the whole wide world. (Not many people know that the best pumpkin patch in the whole wide world is in Omaha, Nebraska, but it definitely is.) They say good-bye every Halloween, and they’re reunited every September 1.

But this Halloween is different—Josiah and Deja are finally seniors, and this is their last season at the pumpkin patch. Their last shift together. Their last good-bye.

Josiah’s ready to spend the whole night feeling melancholy about it. Deja isn’t ready to let him. She’s got a plan: What if—instead of moping and the usual slinging lima beans down at the Succotash Hut—they went out with a bang? They could see all the sights! Taste all the snacks! And Josiah could finally talk to that cute girl he’s been mooning over for three years . . .

What if their last shift was an adventure?'

My Hero Academia [STA]

'What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called “Quirks” at age four? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless?

Middle school student Izuku Midoriya wants to be a hero more than anything, but he hasn’t got an ounce of power in him. With no chance of ever getting into the prestigious U.A. High School for budding heroes, his life is looking more and more like a dead end. Then an encounter with All Might, the greatest hero of them all, gives him a chance to change his destiny…'

Ms Marvel [STA]

'Kamala Khan is an ordinary girl from Jersey City — until she's suddenly empowered with extraordinary gifts. But who truly is the new Ms. Marvel? Teenager? Muslim? Inhuman? Find out as she takes the Marvel Universe by storm! When Kamala discovers the dangers of her newfound powers, she unlocks a secret behind them, as well. Is Kamala ready to wield these immense new gifts? Or will the weight of the legacy before her be too much to bear? Kamala has no idea, either. But she's comin' for you, Jersey!'

Fullmetal Alchemist [STA]

'Breaking the laws of nature is a serious crime!

In an alchemical ritual gone wrong, Edward Elric lost his arm and his leg, and his brother Alphonse became nothing but a soul in a suit of armor. Equipped with mechanical “auto-mail” limbs, Edward becomes a state alchemist, seeking the one thing that can restore his and his brother’s bodies...the legendary Philosopher’s Stone.

Alchemy: the mystical power to alter the natural world; something between magic, art and science. When two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, dabbled in this power to grant their dearest wish, one of them lost an arm and a leg…and the other became nothing but a soul locked into a body of living steel. Now Edward is an agent of the government, a slave of the military-alchemical complex, using his unique powers to obey orders…even to kill. Except his powers aren't unique. The world has been ravaged by the abuse of alchemy. And in pursuit of the ultimate alchemical treasure, the Philosopher's Stone, their enemies are even more ruthless than they are…'

Mooncakes [STA]

'A story of love and demons, family and witchcraft.

Nova Huang knows more about magic than your average teen witch. She works at her grandmothers' bookshop, where she helps them loan out spell books and investigate any supernatural occurrences in their New England town.

One fateful night, she follows reports of a white wolf into the woods, and she comes across the unexpected: her childhood crush, Tam Lang, battling a horse demon in the woods. As a werewolf, Tam has been wandering from place to place for years, unable to call any town home.

Pursued by dark forces eager to claim the magic of wolves and out of options, Tam turns to Nova for help. Their latent feelings are rekindled against the backdrop of witchcraft, untested magic, occult rituals, and family ties both new and old in this enchanting tale of self-discovery.'

Zita the Spacegirl [STA]

'Zita's life took a cosmic left turn in the blink of an eye.

When her best friend is abducted by an alien doomsday cult, Zita leaps to the rescue and finds herself a stranger on a strange planet. Humanoid chickens and neurotic robots are shocking enough as new experiences go, but Zita is even more surprised to find herself taking on the role of intergalactic hero. Before long, aliens in all shapes and sizes don't even phase her. Neither do ancient prophecies, doomed planets, or even a friendly con man who takes a mysterious interest in Zita's quest.

Zita the Spacegirl is a fun, captivating tale of friendship and redemption from Flight veteran Ben Hatke. It also has more whimsical, eye-catching, Miyazaki-esque monsters than you can shake a stick at.'

Happy reading!

Create a Comic Competition

This month, GCH Library is proud to promote ReadingZone's Create a Comic Competition.

Comics may be created by individual students or by pairs and groups. You can use any media form but all entries should be printed on a single A4 page and handed in to Ms. Weston before December 1st. 

Prizes include subscriptions to The Phoenix comic and graphic novels for the school of the winning student. 

You can collect a template from the front desk at St Andrew's Library or download one here! There are also some great video resources on the ReadingZone website about planning stories, comic layouts and cover and blurb design. 

Please ask at the Library desk if you have any questions about the competition and good luck!

Graphic Novel Club News: Trip to Forbidden Planet!

Towards the end of last term, the Graphic Novels Club were lucky enough to visit the Forbidden Planet Superstore!

Having already eagerly read (and reread!) the broad range of graphic novels available at the Library, our book club members were tasked with picking out some brand new titles.

Working together to manage their book-buying budget, the students carefully chose a great selection of graphic novels including the next instalments of My Hero Academia, Fullmetal Alchemist and many more exciting new books. 

All books purchased by the GN Club will soon be available to be borrowed by all students. Keep an eye out for our 'Chosen by the Graphic Novel Club' stickers on all new titles.

Thank you to Lee and Victoria at Forbidden Planet for all their brilliant help and expertise - the GN Club very much looks forward to returning again next year!

The Excelsior Award

As following yearly tradition, the Graphic Novels Club have been busy reading and reviewing the blue and red shortlists for the Excelsior Award!

Beginning in 2011 as The Stan Lee Excelsior Award, this project aims to encourage reading for pleasure among the students and highlight the value of graphic novels and manga within schools. 

As part of this, our Librarian kindly provides the club with the books selected for the blue and red shortlists. These are then circulated within the Graphic Novel Club where we discuss and compare the shortlist picks. 

This year, we have read and rated Black Knight: Curse of the Ebony Blade, U.S.Agent: American Zealot, The Eternals: Only Death is Eternal, Mama Akuma, Miss Endicott and How to Pick a Fight. All six titles will shortly be available for all library users to borrow!

We have also created our own Excelsior themed display in the Library and entered our work in the official 'Nuff Said Award.

Featuring detailed reviews from club members, information on the Excelsior Award and bunting made from recycled graphic novels, the display can be found both in the Library and online via the Excelsior Award website.

Click here to view the 'Nuff Said Award entries!

The GN Club now looks forward to resuming work on their own original graphic novel!

Spuddle: catch up with the Graphic Novel Club

 As 2022 begins, the Graphic Novels Club would like to share some of their work from the last twelve months! 

Earlier this year, members had the opportunity to take part in the Excelsior Award where they read and discussed the graphic novels nominated for the award before voting for their favourites. 

Witch Hat Atelier, They Called us Enemy and Hotel Dare proved to be popular choices among our members and are now all available to borrow from the library!

With the start of the new academic year in September, the club also worked together to compile a list of book recommendations. Intended as an introduction for new readers, the GN reading list reflects a broad range of genres and is a great resource for anyone looking to get into the genre or try something a bit different.

Please see our previous blogpost to see the list in full and get a taste of some of these brilliant picks: The Grey Coat Library - Books &c.: Intro to Graphic Novels: a reading list !

Of course, the majority of the GN Club's time has been focused on creating their very own graphic novel. After months of detailed planning, story boarding, script writing and designing, the GN Club has finally begun the final design for their own original graphic novel. 

Spanning multiple genres and featuring a broad range of pop culture references and artistic styles, Spuddle is an original and ambitious multi-verse comic detailing protagonist Sam's adventures attempts to find her missing friend as she travels across different realities and encounters surprising obstacles and romance in her quest.

Keep an eye out for further updates on the progress of Spuddle here on the library blog!

If the Graphic Novels Club sounds like something you might be interested in, please come along to our next meeting.

The GN club meets every Wednesday from 3:30-4:30 at St Andrew's Library and includes students from years 7-10 - new members from any year are always welcome!

Intro to Graphic Novels: a reading list

 Interested in reading graphic novels but unsure where to start? The Graphic Novels Club have come up with this handy introductory reading list to help you get started!

All titles listed are either standalones or the first in their series. They are all available to borrow from the library. Please feel free to send us your own reviews and recommendations!

The Graphic Novels Club runs every week from 3:30-4:30 on Wednesday afternoons and always welcomes new members of any age.

Maximum Ride by James Patterson

Fourteen-year-old Maximum Ride, better known as Max, knows what it's like to soar above the world. She and all the members of the 'Flock' - Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman and Angel - are just like ordinary kids - only they have wings and can fly. It may seem like a dream come true to some, but their lives can morph into a living nightmare at any time - like when Angel, the youngest member of the 'Flock', is kidnapped and taken back to the 'School' where she and the others were genetically engineered by sinister scientists. Her friends brave a journey to the blazing hot Death Valley, California, to save Angel, but soon enough, they find themselves in yet another nightmare - this one involving fighting off the half-human, half-wolf 'Erasers' in New York City. Whether in the treetops of Central Park or in the bowels of the Manhattan subway system, Max and her adopted family take the ride of their lives. Along the way Max discovers from her old friend and father-figure Jeb- now her betrayed and greatest enemy - that her purpose is to save the world - but can she?

Smile by Raina Telgemeir

From the artist of the Baby-sitters Club Graphix comes this humorous and charming true story! Eleven-year-old Raina just wants to be a normal sixth grader. But one night after a trip-and-fall mishap, she injures her two front teeth, and what follows is a long and frustrating journey with on-again, off-again braces, corrective surgery, embarrassing headgear and even a retainer with fake teeth attached. And on top of all that, there's still more to deal with: a major earthquake, buy confusion, and friends who turn out to be not so friendly. This coming-of-age true story is sure to resonate with anyone who has ever been in middle school, and especially those who have had their own dental drama.  

The Baby-sitters Club: Kristy's Great Idea by Ann M Martin

In this new graphic novel edition of the very first BABY-SITTERS CLUB book, Raina Telgemeir captures all the drama of the original in warm, spunky illustrations. Witness Kristy's eureka moment, when she gets the idea of a 'baby-sitters club' and enlists her best friends, shy Mary Anne and artistic Claudia, in an exciting new adventure. But the baby-sitting business isn't the only thing absorbing their attention: Kristy is having a hard time accepting her stepdad-to-be, and the newest member of the gang, Stacey, seems to be hiding a secret.    

Lumberjanes: Beware the Kitten Holy by Noelle Stevenson 

Five best friends spending the summer at Lumberjane scout camp... defeating yetis, three-eyed wolves, and giant falcons... what's not to love?! Friendship to the max! Jo, April, Mal, Molly and Ripley are five best pals determined to have an awesome summer together... and they're not gonna let any insane quest or an array of supernatural critters get in their way! 

Alex Rider: Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz

Forcibly recruited into MI6 after the mysterious death of his guardian, fourteen-year-old Alex is sent to infiltrate the organization of a sinister billionaire. Within days he's gone from schoolboy to superspy - and it looks like his first assignment may be his last...

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: High School is Hell by Jordie Bellaire

Go back to the beginning as the critically acclaimed pop culture phenomenon Buffy the Vampire Slayer is reimagined under the guidance of series creator Joss Whedon!

This is the Buffy Summers you know, who wants what every average teenager wants: friends at her new school, decent grades, and to escape her imposed destiny as the next in a long line of vampire slayers tasked with defeating the forces of evil... only this time around, her world looks a lot more like the one outside your window.

Ms. Marvel: No Normal by Willow Wilson 

Presenting the international sensation: the all-new Ms. Marvel! Kamala Khan is an ordinary girl from Jersey City - until she's suddenly empowered with extraordinary gifts. But who truly is the new Ms. Marvel? Teenager? Muslim? Inhuman? Find out as she takes the Marvel Universe by storm! When Kamala discovers the dangers behind her newfound powers, she also unlocks a secret behind them. Is Kamala ready to wield these immense gifts? Or will the weight of the legacy before her prove too much to bear?  

Nimona by Noelle Stevenson

Nimona is an impulsive young shapeshifter with a knack for villainy. Lord Ballister Blackheart is a villain with a vendetta. As a sidekick and supervillain, Nimona and Lord Blackheart are about to wreak some serious havoc. Their mission: prove to the kingdom that Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin and his buddied at the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics aren't the heroes everyone thinks they are.

But as small acts of mischief escalate into a vicious battle, Lord Blackheart realizes Nimona's powers are as murky and mysterious as her past. And her unpredictable wild side might be more dangerous than he is willing to admit. 

Honor Girl by Maggie Thrash

Maggie Thrash has spent basically every summer of her fifteen-year-old life at the one-hundred-year-old Camp Bellflower for Girls, set deep in the heart of Appalachia. She's from Atlanta, she's never kissed a guy, she's into Backstreet Boys in a really deep way, and her long summer days are full of pleasant, peaceful nothing... until one confounding moment. A split-second of innocent physical contact pulls Maggie into a gut-twisting love for an older, wiser and most surprising of all (at least to Maggie), female counsellor named Erin. But Camp Bellflower is an impossible place for a girl to fall in love with another girl and Maggie's savant-like proficiency at the camp's rifle range is the only thing keeping her heart from exploding. When it seems as if Erin feels the same way about Maggie, it's too much for both Maggie and Camp Bellflower to handle, let alone to understand. 

Black Butler by Yana Toboso (Manga)

Just a stone's throw from London lies the manor house of the illustrious Phantomhive earldom and its master, one Ciel Phantomhive. Earl Phantomhive is a giant in the world of commerce, Queen Victoria's faithful servant...and a slip of a twelve-year-old boy. Fortunately, his loyal butler, Sebastian, is ever at his side, ready to carry out the young master's wishes. And whether Sebastian is called to save a dinner party gone awry or probe the dark secrets of London's underbelly, there apparently is nothing Sebastian cannot do. In fact, one might even say Sebastian is too good to be true... or at least, too good to be human...