Big Changes Coming for Season Two

Partial preview of season two

I hope you have enjoyed the first season of A. Book’s Review; I’ve enjoyed presenting it.

Since I began in February, I have been making little tweaks and getting new equipment. I have also been listening to viewers’ feedback and have some changes coming in season two. However, to make those changes, I do need to take a little break for a few weeks.

But fear not, I have a great collection of books lined up, from sequels and second books to indie series, new releases and some old favorites. Of course, I will also be completing the Around the World Reading Challenge, 2015 (I still have Africa and South America to go). All that, plus MICE, interviews and more.

In the meantime, please continue to send feedback and suggestions for things you’d like to see reviewed. Post a comment or head over to my About page to send me a message.

Let’s start a conversation: What book got you interested in graphic novels?

Laika is out of this world

Note: Laika’s fate is a historical fact and is recreated as accurately as records and conjecture will allow.

Laika by Nick Abadzis is a docudrama about the first dog in space.

This story is woven from three others: that of the real-life Sergei Korolev “Chief Designer” of the Sputnik project; the fictitious Yelena Dubrovsky, an animal technician who cared for the Cosmodogs; and of course, Laika herself.

Mr. Abadzis took great care researching the historical facts (down to the phase of the moon on the nights leading up to the launch) from which he created a captivating story of how Laika came to be a stray on the Moscow streets, ending up at the Soviet Institute of Aviation Medicine, to being trained and chosen for the mission.

The book deals with themes of destiny and rising from destitution to fame: Korolev from being a political prisoner in The Gulag to becoming crucial to the Space Race; and Laika from being a stray to the most famous dog in history. Repeatedly, the narrative juxtaposes “she’s just a dog” with “she’s special.”

The color illustrations create a world that fits the narrative, transitioning from an ordered environment to vivid dream sequences.

Laika is both an endearing and an enthralling story. It is a believable insight into the relationships between a “quiet and charming” dog and those closest to her.

An Amusing Ride with Salvatore: Transports of Love

Fitting in with this month’s “dog days of summer” theme, I am pleased to review a book by one of my favorite French comic book creators, Salvatore, Volume 1: Transports of Love by Nicolas De Crécy.

Salvatore is a mechanic, he is also on a mission to build a vehicle to get him from France to South America where Julia, the love of his life, is.

In classic De Crécy-esque satire, Salvatore is a dog, accompanied by his very small pet human that he refers to as “Little Thing.”

Intertwined in Salvatore’s story are that of a myopic, recently widowed sow giving birth to 13 piglets (one of which goes missing and ends up being adopted by a goth cat) and a bovine couple splitting-up, each of which has a part Salvatore needs for his “love transport.”

Although terrified by everything, especially the cow, Little Thing repeatedly comes through for Salvatore, not only helping him to procure said parts, but also to find his way.

Monsieur De Crécy knows when to throw in backstory at just the right time. His illustrations, loose-line drawings, provide the right amount of detail and absurdity to bring the tale to life.

Salvatore is a commentary on love: the good, the bad, and the loss of; and the lengths to which one man, er dog, will go to to get to his.

Stargazing Dog Is Looking Up

The theme for this month is “dog days of summer.” Yes, I am fully aware that the term refers to the position of the “Dog Star,” but you try to find graphic novels about Sirius. Therefore, I will start with the appropriately named Stargazing Dog.

This two-part manga by Takashi Murakami contains the title story, Stargazing Dog and its sequel, Sunflowers, published in English by NBM Publishing.

The book begins with the discovery of a man’s body, and that of his dog, Happie, in their car. The first story explains how they got there–from the dog’s point of view. The sequel is told from the perspective of a young social worker, Mr. Okutsu, as he tries to identify the man’s remains in order to return them to the family.

Now, after that description you may be thinking this is a somber, depressing story. Quite the contrary.

It is a heart-warming story about the devotion of dogs, both Happie and Mr. Okutsu’s. They don’t understand why their humans’ lives take the turns they do. They just want to come along for the ride. So be warned, for those who well-up with stories of unconditional love and devotion, this is a tear-jerker.

Black and white illustration with grayscale “colorization” include some manga iconography; sounds are written in Japanese with English translations in the margins. The dogs are drawn to be so adorable and trusting that it is hard not to fall in love with them.