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The Debut Titles from TOON Books --- Comics to Get Young Children Reading!
The star power of New Yorker arts editor Francoise Mouly and her husband, Pulitzer Prize winner Art Spiegelman, may have given the new TOON Books line its first blast of attention. But it’s the books themselves that are stealing the spotlight, and deservedly so. The first three releases from the imprint, all of which have had to go back to press pre-publication to fulfill orders, are cleverly crafted and beautifully illustrated works that show great promise for the publisher.
BENNY AND PENNY IN JUST PRETEND manages to capture the magic and frustration of a brother and sister playing together, fighting and making up, all without talking down to its intended audience. Geoffrey Hayes, the popular illustrator behind Margaret Wise Brown’s WHEN THE WIND BLEW and the creator of the series of books starring Otto and Uncle Tooth, has a knack for knowing always how to say just enough to tell his story, letting the reader absorb the surprisingly intricate art to gain the full effect.
Not surprisingly, the other writers and illustrators who have joined the TOON Books stable also have long and impressive histories in the genre. Author Jay Lynch was a pivotal figure in the underground comics scene of the ’60s. Frank Cammuso has been nominated for an Eisner Award, one of the top honors in the graphic novel field. Agnes Rosenstiehl is a superstar in the children’s book field in France.
The creators have a joy and respect for the material that translates onto the page. The result is something fresh and fun. The protagonist of SILLY LILLY AND THE FOUR SEASONS dances through a full year with so much enthusiasm that it’s infectious. OTTO’S ORANGE DAY, the longest and most complex story of the three, shows that getting what you want is not always all it’s cracked up to be, so you’d better be careful what you wish for. But the lesson learned here --- as with BENNY AND PENNY IN JUST PRETEND --- is never condescending.
TOON books build on a solid tradition of comics storytelling in this country. They have a hint of the subversive attitude that fueled comics from the turn of the 20th century up to their high point in the ’50s, when single issues regularly sold a million or more copies. Since then, comics have had their ups and downs, both in terms of sales and cultural respect. TOON books show that the format is ready to return to its glory days, and a new generation of comics readers weaned on these lovely books will be ready and waiting.
--- Reviewed by John Hogan
BENNY AND PENNY IN JUST PRETEND
Geoffrey Hayes
ISBN: 9780979923807
Ages 4-up
32 pages
» Click here to buy from Amazon.com
SILLY LILLY AND THE FOUR SEASONS
Agnes Rosentiehl
ISBN: 9780979923814
Ages 4-up
36 pages
» Click here to buy from Amazon.com
OTTO’S ORANGE DAY
Frank Cammuso & Jay Lynch
ISBN: 9780979923821
Ages 4-up
40 pages
» Click here to buy from Amazon.com
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