Welcome to the reilly, a cat: kids books and comics newsletter
Hi!
I hope you remember me.
I'm Reilly Hadden, a cartoonist, and for the last ten years I've been a stay-at-home parent, a children's bookseller and a library assistant. In those years I've developed an expertise in children's picture books, "kid-lit" and especially kids graphic novels. At my old bookstore job I developed a really nice routine of writing and posting short "staff picks" for all the best new kids books. I'm going to continue to do that in this weekly blog/newsletter. Each week's post will also include a new comic strip by me, just like the one at the end of this post...
Please consider subscribing.... this is made possible by a cool website called Ghost and it costs like 35 bucks a month. I have moved on from my steady and soul-crushing day-job to bet on myself. It would be really great if a few of you would like to donate to at least cover that cost. Please spread the word, I'm hoping this can be a good resource for folks who have kids in their lives.
okay onto the whole main thing (Titles of books will link to bookshop.org, a great place to order books. Take anything I link to as a full recommendation)
New Release!!!
Aggie and the Ghost by Mathew Forsythe, available today
I first encountered Matthew Forsythe's art in the incredible picture book The Gold Leaf written by Kirsten Hall. Since then he's authored two of my favorite picture books of all time, Mina and Pokko and the Drum. His new book Aggie and the Ghost is a perfect follow-up to those, with his signature beautiful art and dry, poetic humor. It tells a funny story of a developing friendship(?) between a girl and an annoying ghost. Works perfectly for a read-aloud, not overwritten, great detailed drawings to get lost in. A fantastic addition to any kids library.
Kids Comics - - Quick Recs!!!
A Song For You And I by K. O'Neill
Absolutely stunning queer fantasy adventure about a pegasus rider and their budding romance with a chill violinist. I love all of K. O'Neill's work, one of the best artists working in this field for sure.
Chickenpox by Remy Lai
I ran a comics reading group at the South Londonderry Free Library (I work there) and we discussed a series of comic memoirs. This one was the clear winner. It's about the author's older sister and her experiences growing up through a period wherein the whole family comes down with the titular affliction. Its really funny and well-cartooned. Also offered a nice opportunity to talk about the importance of vaccines, seeing as how kids don't get chickenpox any more. Neat!
Mixed-Up by Kami Garcia and Brittney Williams
This was the other most favorite graphic memoir in the reading group. It's by an author with dyslexia about a kid living with dyslexia and the whole book is designed to be very dyslexia-friendly. Great art and nice, relatable growing-up story.
Middle Reader Fiction - - Quick Rec!!!
Candle Island by Lauren Wolk
This is my favorite middle reader book (generally ages 9-13 give or take) of the year. I'm also a sucker for a New England setting and especially for islands off the coast of Maine settings. (Looking at you, Haddens!) This is just a really beautiful story about a girl and her mom, both painters, who move to a remote island after their father/husband dies. Excellent handling of class struggle, "townies vs tourist" dynamics. Also a great coming of age story with a bit of well done teen romance. I recommend this to everyone, really.
Young Adult Fiction - - Quick Rec!!!
Run Away With Me by Brian Selznick
Brian Selznick is the author of that really famous illustrated book The Invention of Hugo Cabret and a slew of other amazing illustrated novels. This is his first foray in to young adult and it's one of the best books I've ever read. It's about two boys who meet and fall in love in Rome. I wept uncontrollably when I finished it. Everyone needs to read it.
This Weeks Comic!
See you in a week
-reilly, a cat