Weekly Reads: Check, Please

First of all, I am not a big fan of hockey. Granted I love watching the games, for free, and drinking a beer when our local team plays. Check Please! is on the list of books for consideration for the South Dakota Teen Book awards for next year. After hearing glowing reviews from my fellow librarians, I had to pick it up myself. It was so good. Originally a webcomic, the story is a good mix of hockey bro-ness, but also a sweet story of the challenging transition to college, and Bitty's coming out to his teammates, and falling for a friend. Must read!

My rating: 5 stars

Summary from Goodreads:

Helloooo, Internet Land. Bitty here!

Y’all... I might not be ready for this. I may be a former junior figure skating champion, vlogger extraordinaire, and very talented amateur pâtissier, but being a freshman on the Samwell University hockey team is a whole new challenge. It’s nothing like co-ed club hockey back in Georgia! First of all? There’s checking. And then, there is Jack—our very attractive but moody captain.

A collection of the first half of the megapopular webcomic series of the same name, Check, Please!: #Hockey is the first book of a hilarious and stirring two-volume coming-of-age story about hockey, bros, and trying to find yourself during the best four years of your life.

Weekly Reads: Hey, Kiddo

Jarrett Krosoczka's Hey, Kiddo kept popping up on my radar leading up to the Printz award. The Printz is awarded to the most outstanding book for teens published during the previous year. I don't read a lot of graphic novels, but I picked it up anyway! It was outstanding. It dealt with such tough subject matter. It is a memoir in graphic novel form, and it is a must-read!

My rating: 5 stars

Summary from goodreads:

Hey, Kiddo is the graphic memoir of author-illustrator Jarrett J. Krosoczka. Raised by his colorful grandparents, who adopted him because his mother was an incarcerated heroin addict, Krosoczka didn't know his father's name until he saw his birth certificate when registering for a school ski trip. Hey, Kiddotraces Krosoczka's search for his father, his difficult interactions with his mother, his day-to-day life with his grandparents, and his path to becoming an artist. 

To date, nearly one million people have viewed Krosoczka's TED Talk about his experience. Artwork from his childhood and teen years will be incorporated into the original illustrations for the book.

Weekly Reads: Runaways Vol 1 Find Your Way Home

I will read anything that Rainbow Rowell is a part of. Full stop. I didn't totally freak out when it was announced that she was doing the graphic novel for Runaways, partially because I didn't really know what Runaways was/is. But you can be sure that I was the first to get my library's copy when it came in! And it did not disappoint! I would highly recommend to graphic novel fans, and those that aren't!

My rating: 4

Summary from goodreads:

The "IT" book of the early 2000s with the original cast is back--Nico! Karolina! Molly! Chase! Old Lace! And, could it be...GERT?! 

The heart of the Runaways died years ago, but you won't believe how she returns! Superstar author Rainbow Rowell (Eleanor & Park, Carry On) makes her Marvel debut with fan-favorite artist Kris Anka (ALL-NEW X-MEN, CAPTAIN MARVEL) in the series that will shock you and break your heart! Did Chase and Gert's love survive their time apart? Have Karolina and Nico's feelings made their friendship impossible? What emotional landmines lie in wait to DESTROY the Runaways?!

Weekly Reads: Nimona

I can't remember where I first heard about the graphic novel, Nimona, but when it came in on hold for me, it looked exactly like the type of graphic novel I'd be drawn to--excellent illustrations, bad ass female lead character, and stellar witty writing. I'm not a huge fan of graphic novels, but I do try to read the really excellent ones that are out, so I'm better able to recommend those to my kiddos at the library.

Nimona did not disappoint. I read this graphic novel in two sittings and it was truly excellent. Worth the read regardless if you like graphic novels or not!

My rating: 5 stars.

Summary from goodreads:

The graphic novel debut from rising star Noelle Stevenson, based on her beloved and critically acclaimed web comic, which Slate awarded its Cartoonist Studio Prize, calling it "a deadpan epic."

Nemeses! Dragons! Science! Symbolism! All these and more await in this brilliantly subversive, sharply irreverent epic from Noelle Stevenson. Featuring an exclusive epilogue not seen in the web comic, along with bonus conceptual sketches and revised pages throughout, this gorgeous full-color graphic novel is perfect for the legions of fans of the web comic and is sure to win Noelle many new ones.

Nimona is an impulsive young shapeshifter with a knack for villainy. Lord Ballister Blackheart is a villain with a vendetta. As 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 buddies 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 that 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.

Weekly Reads: The Terrible and Wonderful Reasons Why I Run Long Distances

Almost everyone knows of The Oatmeal blog, and nearly every runner does as well with the explosion of his comics "Running Your First Marathon" and "The Blerch" and the race series that has come from the blerch. So being an avid blog reader and runner, I had to get my hands on a copy of The Terrible and Wonderful Reasons Why I Run Long Distances. It did not disappoint. There were some familiar cartoons from the blog, and there were new comics I hadn't seen before, but familiar LOLZ all around. This would make an awesome gift for an running fiend, and is great for non-runners to read to better understand their insane running sibling/partner/friend/etc./etc.

And bonus: The book comes with two stickers for your car. Since I had my library's copy, I didn't take them, although I really really really really wanted to.

My rating: 4.5 stars

Summary from goodreads:

"All runners wonder, at some point or another, why we do what we do. Mr. Inman's explanation is the best I've ever seen. And the funniest. Because he is clinically insane."
-Mark Remy, editor at large, Runner's World, author of The Runner's Rule Book

"He runs. He sweats. He heaves. He hates it. He loves it. He runs so hard his toenails fall off. He asks himself, why? Why do I do this? Here, gorgeously, bravely, hilariously, is Matt's deeply honest answer."
-Robert Krulwich, NPR

"Finally! A voice that sings with the Blerches of angels!"
-Christopher McDougall, author of Born to Run