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Color by Cat Caro. When Marmalade, an ambitious kitten architect, is rejected from designing the new mayor's manor because she's "too adorable," she and other fed-up, capable kitties form their own feline-run construction company in order to be taken seriously in a human-run world. Green's latest graphic novel for young readers contains simple, full-color panels; is tightly plotted; and offers an essential message, especially for little girls.
290 pp.
| Dutton
| October, 2017
|
TradeISBN 978-0-525-55536-0$19.99
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YA
Sixteen-year-old Aza Holmes suffers from obsessive compulsions, anxiety, and "invasive" thought-spirals. She's also investigating the whereabouts of missing local billionaire Russell Pickett, which leads her to Pickett's son Davis, Aza's childhood friend. The mystery and tentative romance give the story momentum and shape, but its epicenter is a clear-eyed exploration of mental illness and of the deep existential revelations that suffering can engender.
Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
January, 2018
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Color by Cat Caro. In this delightful graphic novel for emergent readers, a hippo joins his friend, a red panda, to seek a better life outside their failing zoo. They sample various professions, literally trying on many hats, before finding their true calling. Clear, direct text and clean, digitally colored graphite illustrations simply and effectively tell this clever story of friendship, professional development, and home improvement.
154 pp.
| Clarion
| September, 2015
|
TradeISBN 978-0-547-86563-8$14.99
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YA
The adventures continue for the teenage boy who can transform into a small yacht. This time, he sails out on a journey to Boatlantis, where he discovers others like him, learns that his father (a submarine) is still alive, and falls in love with a teen iceberg. Tweens with a love of the preposterous will enjoy this funny, crisply illustrated graphic novel.
321 pp.
| Dutton
| January, 2012
|
TradeISBN 978-0-525-47881-2$17.99
(1)
YA
Green's fourth solo novel is a lot of things: acerbic comedy, sexy romance, and a lightly played, extended meditation on life and death. Narrator Hazel, controlling stage four cancer, is the most multi-dimensional yet of John Green Girls. She may not be able to change the course of her stars, but she navigates their heartbreaking directives with humor, honesty, and--she'd deny it--grace.
Reviewer: Roger Sutton
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2012
140 pp.
| Clarion
| May, 2012
|
TradeISBN 978-0-547-63669-6$14.99
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YA
Besides possessing the ability to transform into a small yacht, Teen Boat is a normal teen. The graphic novel collects his various misadventures such as wanting to be cool, trying to land a girlfriend, working his first job, and learning to drive--all complicated by his nautical superpower. Crisp art, corny jokes, and an absurd concept make for a whimsical read.
313 pp.
| Dutton
| April, 2010
|
TradeISBN 978-0-525-42158-0$17.99
(2)
YA
The premise of this entertaining collaboration is simple: there are two Will Graysons. One is risk-averse and straight; the other is gay, lonely, and depressed. An online romance involving the first Will's best friend leads to an encounter between the nominal doppelgangers. The quirky premise and epic spin on interpersonal drama more than compensate for some narrative unevenness.
Reviewer: Claire E. Gross
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2010
309 pp.
| Dutton
| October, 2008
|
TradeISBN 978-0-525-47818-8$17.99
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YA
Staid, ironic Quentin idolizes Margo Roth Spiegelman, the enigmatic girl next door. She enlists him for a night of pranks only to disappear the next morning. Quentin and friends unravel Margo's plans, imbuing their final days of high school with new meaning. The fumbling detectives, each with his or her own idiosyncrasies and strengths, will capture readers' imaginations.
Reviewer: Claire E. Gross
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2008
352 pp.
| Penguin/Speak
| September, 2008
|
PaperISBN 978-0-14-241214-5$9.99
(2)
YA
Three popular YA authors offer funny, heartfelt snapshots of love and misadventure on one blizzard-blanketed Christmas Eve in these linked novellas. The authors share an ironic, quirky sense of humor that helps bind their stories, each with a slightly different tone and take on love, into one interconnected volume brimming with romance and holiday spirit.
Reviewer: Claire E. Gross
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2008
229 pp.
| Dutton
| September, 2006
|
TradeISBN 0-525-47688-1$16.99
(1)
YA
Former child prodigy Colin (a hilarious blend of self-doubt and oblivious narcissism) only dates girls named Katherine. Recovering from yet another breakup, he's dragged out of bed (and to Tennessee) by his best friend, Hassan. The friendship between them forms the heart of this laugh-out-loud novel--a singular coming-of-age American road trip that both satirizes and pays homage to its many classic predecessors.
Reviewer: Claire E. Gross
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2006
227 pp.
| Dutton
| March, 2005
|
TradeISBN 0-525-47506-0$15.99
(2)
YA
At boarding school in Alabama, narrator Miles Halter faces challenging classes, school-wide pranks, and Alaska Young, a sexy, enigmatic girl. After Alaska is killed in a car crash, Miles and his friends question whether it could have been suicide and acknowledge their own survivor guilt. These intelligent characters talk smart, yet don't always behave that way, and are thus complex and realistically portrayed teenagers.
Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2005
11 reviews
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