REVIEW--Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong

Happy Monday, everyone!  Wow, what a weekend we had!  We packed up our sweet house and moved to a larger, updated home.  It is SUPER exciting to think about all the memories we're going to make in our new home.

So what do you read when you don't have a lot of time on your hands?  You read a graphic novel!  So today I'm reviewing Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong by Prudence Shen and Faith Erin Hicks.  Let's jump right in!

• Graphic novel
• Standalone

The Gist:
Charlie shouldn't care that the principal of his school has extra money to spend.  Or that the principal isn't sure who should get the money--the robotics team for their upcoming competition or the cheerleaders for their new uniforms.  But Charlie IS stuck in the middle, because he is good friends with Nate, the president of the robotics club, and is dating a cheerleader.  And a battle is about to ensue between the groups, with Charlie's relationship with them both on the line.

What I Loved:

• If you're not a big graphic novels reader (like me), this is a great choice!  The artwork is tasteful and well-done, the plot simple and engaging.
• There are some interesting side stories within the novel--Charlie's relationship with his parents, for sure.
• This really hits on the stereotypical high school drama we so often see.
• Pretty clean...and I can rarely say that about graphic novels.

What I Didn't Love:

• I'll be honest--I just can't get super-pumped about a book with a battle between cheerleaders and geeks.  It's been done...many times.

A fun read and one that my students will probably devour!

Next up is a cheerleader-inspired outfit!

REVIEW--Level Up

Happy Monday!  Ahh, it's Valentines Week and I have some fun projects planned for my family!!  Most of them are surprises, but I will share them with you, too!  Stay tuned this week to see what we're making to stay in the lovey dovey spirit!

Today's review is on the graphic novel Level Up by Gene Luen Yang.  I'm not a big graphic novel fan, but this book is on an Indiana reading list for high school students and has gotten a lot of attention, so I knew I needed to try it.  So let's jump in!

 

• Standalone 
• Graphic novel

The Gist:

Dennis is a big-time gamer.  He is really good at all kinds of video games, but his dad wants him to do "more" with his life, like be a doctor.  After his father dies, Dennis' life goes dramatically downhill, and he eventually drops out of college and spends all his time on his video games.  But when it appears that his father has sent him some "angels" to get him back on track, Dennis realizes it is time to figure out his destiny in life.

What I Loved:

• The cover!  Brings back memories of playing Tetris on my old GameBoy.
• How Dennis' relationship with his father wraps up.  Despite his father being dead, there was some resolution in that story.
• What Dennis' "destiny" ends up being...it's a little cheesy but fun, and I found myself thinking about it the next day.

What I Didn't Love:

• This book had some gross parts (probably made grosser by the fact that's in all images), especially a certain med school scene.  Bleh.
• The angels were a little cheesy, although that seems to happen for me in graphic novels.  Just a bit bizarre for my taste, though. 

My favorite quote:  "So basically, you get to play Super Mario all you want, any time you want, for FREE?  That is the single most amazing thing I've ever heard."

An ok read for me, but a little bizarre since graphic novels aren't my thing.  I'm giving it three heels. :)

Tomorrow I'll be back with a "gamer" outfit...that should be a fun challenge!  See you then!