10 Little Insects

10 Little Insects

Davide Cali and Vincent Pianina

$N/A, Hardcover

Wilkins Fargo Pty Ltd., 2013

978-0987109910

Genre: Graphic Novel, Humor

Age: 9+

Description: Ten very different insects—including a stick insect known for his, well, impressions of a stick, a detective with a three-week old larva sidekick, a praying mantis who is deadly with a drink cart, and a fly who is just hanging around for the dung—are all invited to a mysterious house on a secluded island for the weekend. What these insects don’t know is that someone on the island has gathered them there to kill them off one by one! Can the detective solve the crime before everyone winds up dead?   

Opinion: First of all, let me say that I am so disappointed that this inventive French (I believe) graphic novel, published in English in May, is already out of print! Nooooo! I pre-ordered this graphic novel (while expensive) based solely on the fact that it is a hilarious take on Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None (also known originally as Ten Little Indians). I love Christie so I thought a spoof with insects would be interesting. The book is a large format and the art and layout reminds me of the Richard Scarry books. There is lots to look at one the pages besides reading the story which is always nice—gives it added depth. If it comes back into print, I recommend it as a graphic novel for all ages.

A Nest for Celeste: A Novel about Art, Inspiration, and the Meaning of Home

A Nest for Celeste: A Novel about Art, Inspiration, and the Meaning of Home

Henry Cole

Katherine Tegan Books, 2010

$16.99, Hardcover

978-0061704109

April 5^th, 2012

Genre: Historical, Animal Fantasy

Age: 8+

Description: Celeste is a small brown mouse with a girl for weaving baskets who is trying to find a new home after being ousted out of her nest by two unfriendly rats. When Joseph, the young apprentice to Mr. John James Audubon, visits the Louisiana Plantation for a few months in 1821, Celeste finds a new friend as Joseph’s inspiration for his drawings. Soon Celeste is living a new life as she learns more about Joseph and his art, makes some new friends (such as Lafayette, an osprey, and Cornelius, a thrush) and soon learns the meaning of true friendships.

Opinion: This is a beautifully crafted novel with many of the illustrations telling the story themselves (much like the combination of text and picture of more popular novels like The Invention of Hugo Cabret). While a long novel (350+ pages), I breezed through it in two hours. It is reminiscent of other classic animal tales, such as Charlotte’s Web and Watership Down, and it doesn’t gloss over any of an animal’s hardships to survive—one of the evil rats is captured and eaten by the house cat, while Audubon is part of a hunting group that shoots down birds and then he pins their decomposing carcasses up to draw them “alive”. Some readers might be put off by the old-fashioned, simplistic tone. However, many animal lovers really will enjoy this beautiful novel.