The notion of comics made expressly for kids is nothing new, but Toon Books, Francoise Mouly’s new-fangled publishing line, is notably different in that it produces comics exclusively for very young readers. It’s the sort of idea that seems so ingenious you wonder why someone else didn’t think of it first.
Anyway, the line has three new books out for the fall — Stinky by Eleanor Davis, Jack and the Box by Art Spiegelman and Mo and Jo: Fighting Together Forever by Dean Haspiel and Jay Lynch. They say that adults reviewing children’s books — be it comics or prose — is a mug’s game, as we’re not the intended audience for the material (I suppose educators, librarians and those with fancy-shmancy degrees are exempt from this declaration). It’s not a theory I necessarily ascribe to — I tend to think quality and craft shine through regardless of how narrowly focused the work is on a particular type of reader. Yet, there’s still something to be said for getting an additional perspective. To that end I asked my seven-year-old daughter, Veronica to give me her impressions of these books as well. Here’s what we had to say:
Jack and the Box
by Art Spiegelman
32 pages, $12.95.
The plot: Jack’s parents freak him out by buying him a jack-in-the-box with the face of a crazed serial killer. The toy, named Zack, keeps popping out and being aggressive and frightening — sorry, I mean silly. Eventually he leaves his box altogether and starts hopping around the room, a la The Cat in the Hat, spewing tiny men and baby ducks everywhere until a lamp is broken. Thankfully, Zack atones by replacing the lamp and order is restored once more.
I sez: As you can tell by my above summation, I found Zack and his antics to be more menacing and scary than charming and hilarious. Perhaps it’s because I just finished reading Speigelman’s Breakdowns recently, which also features a father giving his son a present, though with more horrific consequences. Perhaps that work is coloring my perspective on this one.
Still, the bit with the ducks is funny, and my kids seemed to like it, so perhaps I’m projecting or being overly protective. My best bet would be to say it’s a good book for kids who aren’t prone to being creeped out by their toys. If you child is one of those who needs two night lights, three stuffed animals and five checks in the closet for monsters before going to bed, this may not be the book for them.
Veronica sez: “I liked it. Not only does it have words little kids can read, like ‘hi,’ it has things kids seem to like. It got me really happy. The best part was when the ducks and ducklings came out of his hat. I didn’t like it when Jack got angry at the box. He got a little mad. I would recommend it to people who like surprises — people who like things that turn out to be more than they expected.”
Mo and Jo: Fighting Together Forever
by Dean Haspiel and Jay Lynch
40 pages, $12.95
The plot: Mo and Jo are typical siblings, meaning that they fight all the time and over everything. Even after the Mighty Mojo gives them his super-suit with it’s special magic powers, they argue over who can save the town the best. Can they stop arguing and work together soon enough to stop the evil Saw-Jaw from wrecking havoc? Is the Pope Catholic?
I sez: As with Otto’s Orange Day, Lynch proves he has a real knack for writing comics for the very young. There are no real surprises here — you can see the resolution coming by page 2 — but Haspiel’s angular style serves him well here and adds a nice layer of frivolity to the proceedings (I particularly liked the Mighty Mojo’s pronounced chin). His layouts are inventive and dynamic and his color choices are bright and bold. I wish he colored his own work all the time.
Veronica sez: “This was my favorite. I liked it when they co-operated together. I also liked it when they found out what their powers were. I didn’t like it when the bad guy was close to winning.”
“It’s full of excitement. It shows you should co-operate and take turns. I would recommend it to people who are interested in stuff like superpowers and bad guys and fights that turn out good.”
Stinky
by Eleanor Davis
40 pages, $12.95.
The plot: Stinky is a monster who lives in the swamp, eats smelly onions, enjoys being left alone and is deathly afraid of children. So, of course, it isn’t too long before a boy in the town next door builds a treehouse in the swamp, completely oblivious to Stinky. Can the monster make him leave or will they overcome their differences and learn how to be friends? (That’s a rhetorical question. You don’t need to answer it.)
I sez: This was my favorite of the three. Eleanor Davis is swiftly becoming one of the most talented cartoonists of her generation and Stinky just underscores that assessment. I loved the attention to detail she put into this book, whether it was the jar of pickled bananas next to Stinky’s bed or or the town map that graces the inside back cover. You can tell she had a lot of fun making this book and that infectiousness is easily carried over in the reading of it.
Veronica sez: “I liked how Stinky didn’t know things that were true. The best part is when they become friends. I didn’t like how he didn’t know that kids were very nice. The first time I read it I didn’t know if he was going to kidnap the boy. The second time I read it, I felt better.
“I would recommend it to someone who likes stories about good tricks and bad tricks and who knows that it doesn’t matter if people are different.
Also, I want a triple lolipop like the girl on page 11.”
November 12th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
The librarian at the elementary school where I work just got in a copy of “Jack and the Box”. He read it to a bunch of Pre-K kids the other day and they loved it - as did I! Nice to see a book that challenges and toys with children’s expectations - there were increasing howls of laughter as things got sillier - rather than condescending to them.
November 13th, 2008 at 7:30 am
I field-tested these books on my nieces (3 and 5) and my nephew (age 8). Like you, I didn’t care for Jack and the Box at first, but the kids loved it and picked it as their favorite. I think it’s a good read-aloud book, particuarly if the reader is expressive. But Stinky has a different dynamic—with Jack and the Box, I was performing, but with Stinky, I would interrupt the reading while the kids and I went over the illustration looking for the goofy details. That was more fun, at least for me.