Saturday, July 23, 2011

39. Zita The Spacegirl by Ben Hatke (First Second, 2011)

GRAPHIC NOVEL: SCIENCE FICTION (ages 8 - 12)

Brief Description: Zita zips her friend Joseph to another planet when she pushes the red button on a contraption she found in a deep hole- harry legs reach out and simply grab him away. Despondent, Zita pushes the button again to follow him. On her quest to find Joseph, she accumulates a motley crew of creatures to help her along. After a betrayal, and perilous danger, will Zita be able to escape back to Earth?

Awards: None

Personal Opinion: Zita is a spunky and clever kid who takes the bull by the horns in this charming science fiction story. I loved the graphic novel for the unique creatures and plot line, and the illustrations are wonderfully drawn with characters who are full of expression. As with many of these books, the end truly is the beginning of the next installment in a series - but it's a good one!

Curriculum/Programming: I would definitely include this book in an after school library program for Manga drawing. I think kids would enjoy the story and could try to recreate the images for themselves. Some basic Manga drawing instruction would be good, and a hired artist would be great to lead the group. I also like the idea of taking one of the helping creatures and have students create a spin-off story about how that character came to meet Zita and what happened with the character after the end of this story.

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