The Graphic Library
  • Home
  • Reviews
    • Review List by Author
  • Terminology
  • Info Postings
  • About Us
  • Other Resources
    • Research

Versailles: My Father's Palace by Maite Labat & Jean-Baptiste Veber

7/31/2020

0 Comments

 
Cover of Versailles: My Father's Palace
Illustrated by Alexis Vitrebert

This story of Versailles is told from the perspective of Henri de Nolhac, son of Pierre de Nolhac, who came to be a steward of the palace during the Third French Republic.  This is not Versailles during the time of kings and queens.  This is Versailles as it was just beginning to be appreciated as an historical masterpiece, and thanks in large part to the dedication of Pierre.  But, the demands of restoring the palace took a toll on the family life of Pierre, which is also included in great detail.  This story also includes how Versailles morphed during the Great War, changing from a monument to a refuge for wounded soldiers and a place of gathering for Christmas celebrations and the like.  Extensive end-notes provide more historical context for the de Nolhac family and the source materials for the creative team.


Read More
0 Comments

Magic Knight Rayearth vol 1 by CLAMP

7/31/2020

1 Comment

 
Cover of Magic Knight Rayearth vol 1, 25th anniversary edition, by CLAMP
As with many series of my childhood, Rayearth has been republished in a hardback anniversary edition with enlarged pages and beautiful covers. In honor of the 25th Anniversary, I will be providing reviews of every volume.  I have also reviewed this 6-volume series previously in one review. 

Rayearth begins with a mysterious young girl praying for the Magic Knights to save her world.  We then join several schools on a field trip to Tokyo Tower.  Three girls - Hikaru, Fuu, and Umi - from separate schools are singled out and pulled into a magical realm known as Cefiro (previously published as Cephiro).  These three ladies careen through the sky of a land that is very clearly not Japan.  They are rescued by a sorcerer, Guru Clef, who explains to them that the Pillar of Cefiro, the kidnapped Princess Emeraude, has summoned them to the world to become the legendary Magic Knights and save them all.  Clef bestows upon them magical armor and points them in the direction of a weapon-maker, just before he is overtaken by evil minions.  The three find out from Presea, the weapon maker, that they will need to adventure to obtain materials for their individual weapons, and all of this will culminate in awakening the Rune Gods in order to save Emeraude and Cefiro.


Read More
1 Comment

Piper by Jay Asher & Jessica Freeburg

7/30/2020

0 Comments

 
Cover of Piper by Jay Asher & Jessica Freeburg
Illustrated by Jeff Stokely
​
This book is a  reimagining is the story of the Pied Piper. In the village of Hameln, a young woman named Maggie lives and dreams of falling in love. She has gone deaf due to a tragedy of childhood cruelty, and she continues to live with judgment from the villagers. The village of Hameln is beset with rats, bringing fever and ruining crops and stores of food. In comes a mysterious stranger who claims he can rid the village of all the rats. He negotiates his fees, including all-expenses-paid while he stays in the village, and begins his recon. This includes getting to know the lovely Maggie, who cannot fall under his spell naturally. Nevertheless, the two begin to admire each other, but double-crossing and deep-seeded bitterness threaten everything Maggie knows about the man of her dreams.


Read More
0 Comments

MY NEIGHBOR SEKI VOL 2  BY TAKUMA MORISHIGE

7/29/2020

0 Comments

 
Cover of My Neighbor Seki vol 2
Seki is up to his antics again, hardly ever paying attention during class and having a bag packed full of games instead of schoolwork. He tries to impress Yokoi with a magic trick, Japanese chess with a seemingly tragic, heroic story, table top golf, zombie Othello, and so much more. The class also takes a trip to a camp, where Yokoi gets a rare glimpse at her neighbor’s childhood. Back in class, the two are noticed by Goto, who desperately wants to be Yokoi’s friend, but thinks all they’re up to is sneaking kisses and loving glances during class.


Read More
0 Comments

Bitter root Vol 1 by David F. Walker

7/28/2020

0 Comments

 
Cover of Bitter Root vol 1: Family Business
Vol 1: Family Business, created by Walker, Chuck Brown, and Sanford Greene 
​
The Sangeryes, as a family, have been fighting evil demon creatures from breaking into our realm for centuries. At present, their operations are set in 1920s Harlem, and slightly in Mississippi. These demons can creep into a man's soul when hatred or fear takes over, and it's The Sangeryes' job to administer a serum that cleanses the soul back to normal. But, there are even deeper forces of evil at work. There are gatekeepers - devils who take the form of humans and guard gateways for other demons to come to Earth.  There are also monsters who take over a soul when despair and pain set in, and the regular measures don't seem to work on them. And there's a whole world of evil just waiting to break into Earth. How will this family overcome their difficult past and protect reality?


Read More
0 Comments

My Hero Academia vol 6 by Kohei Horikoshi

7/27/2020

0 Comments

 
Cover of My Hero Academia vol 6 by Kohei Horikoshi
After the Sports Festival, pro hero associations have set their sights on the students at U. A., and offered them internships based on their performances.  That means, the students will have to come up with their hero aliases, and there are some great ones! Once the students have solidified their aliases and chosen where they want to apprentice, it's off for several days of instruction from the Pros.  Ida has chosen an association in Hosu City, where a major villain, Hero Killer, has attacked and killed many heroes, including maiming Ida's older brother! Deku is scouted by one of All Might's former teachers, Gran Torino, who is a rather strange, but effective, teacher. On the way to some practical training, Gran Torino and Deku get waylaid in Hosu, where Ida is in trouble!


Read More
0 Comments

Mob Psycho 100 vol 2 by ONE

7/27/2020

0 Comments

 
Cover of Mob Psycho 100 vol 2 by ONE
The delinquents at Salt High want to get the Body Improvement Club, of which Mob is a member, to help them take down the delinquents of Black Vinegar High. But, the Body Improvement Club isn’t about fighting. The only way to get them there is to trick Mob into getting kidnapped. The Salt High delinquents then send the Body Improvement Club ransom letters letting them know where they can retrieve Mob. They make quick work of the delinquents from Black Vinegar, that is, until the leader shows up.  The leader of Black Vinegar’s gang is another super human, and, when he sees Mob has powers, he’s obsessed with getting Mob to unleash, but there's more than one reason Mob holds back.


Read More
0 Comments

Teen Titans vol 2 by Kami Garcia

7/26/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Vol 2: Beast Boy, illustrated by Gabriel Picolo 
​
​Gar is struggling during his senior year: he’s short, can’t seem to gain any muscle no matter how much iron he pumps or protein shakes he drinks, and he hasn’t finished any of the things on his bucket list. So on a whim he accepts a dare to eat a Carolina reaper, and the stunt gains him some notoriety and good grace from some of the popular kids. He accepts more ill-conceived dares to ride the wave as long as possible, but some of them don’t turn out so well.  Meanwhile, a stranger who knows his parents shows up and sows seeds of doubt in the supplements he's been taking his whole life, but not taking them means strange things start to happen to him.


Read More
0 Comments

Rocks and Minerals by Andy Hirsch

7/25/2020

0 Comments

 
Cover of Science Comics: Rocks and Minerals by Andy Hirsch
The Science Comics line has around 20 books, as of this writing, and they are all separate storylines delving into a concept in science.  

In Rocks and Minerals, Wally is trying to prove he can be a worthy assistant to geologist Sedona. He brings her a rock sample, and this starts Sedona down the path of describing where rocks and minerals come from, starting with the Big Bang.  Sedona then covers the different layers of the earth, plate tectonics, volcanos, caverns, minerals, and so much more. ​There is a lot of great information for the budding geologist or rock hound, and I really liked the inclusion of a glossary of terms that are highlighted in orange throughout the book.


Read More
0 Comments

Fullmetal Edition vol 10 by Hiromu Arakawa

7/24/2020

0 Comments

 
Cover of Fullmetal Alchemist: Fullmetal edition vol 10
At the beginning of this novel, we get the resolution of the big reveal from the previous volume, where Ed, Alphonse, and Mustang all become privy to just how far the reach of the homunculi is within Amestris.  The rest of the novel is a major flashback to the Ishvalan Civil War. We know from previous volumes how the war started, but until this point, we have only been privy to snippets as characters try not to remember the slaughter they took part of.  Hawkeye, never one to shield Edward or treat him like a kid, is finally the one to educate him on the horror of what they were asked to do as part of the military.  We also learn a vital piece of Colonel Mustang's past, and it further explains the dynamic between Hawkeye and Mustang. 


Read More
0 Comments
<<Previous

    About Me

    I've been reading manga and comicbooks for years. Now, I write reviews and other helpful things for School Librarians, teachers, parents, and students.

    Read More

    Search this site


    Picture
    Ko-fi icon
    Picture
    Picture

    Subscribe to get all the latest delivered once a month.

    * indicates required

    Ratings, Audience, and Subject Tags

    All
    Ablaze
    Abrams ComicsArts
    Action Adventure
    Adaptations
    Animals
    Art
    Autobiography
    Biography
    BOOM! Studios
    Career
    Comicbooks
    Culinary
    Dark Horse
    DC Comics
    Dead Reckoning
    Del Rey
    Demons
    Disabilities
    Dungeon
    Dystopian
    Ecchi
    Educational
    Family
    Fantagraphics
    Fantasy
    Farming
    First Second
    Folklore
    Friendship
    Graphic Fiction
    Graphic Nonfiction
    Graphic Universe
    Greenwillow Books
    Grief
    HarperAlley
    Hill And Wang
    Historical Fiction
    History
    Horror
    Humanoids
    Humor
    IDW
    Image Comics
    Inklore
    Isekai
    Iyashikei
    IZE Press
    J-Novel Club
    Kana
    Katie's Reviews
    Kodansha
    LGBTQ+
    Mad Cave
    Magic
    Magical Girl
    Manfra
    Manga
    Manhua
    Manhwa
    Marvel
    Mecha
    Megascope
    Memoir
    Mental Health
    Moni's Reviews
    Music
    Mystery
    Mythology
    Native American
    Nonfiction
    OEL Manga
    One Peace Books
    Oni Press
    Otomoisekai
    Paranormal
    Penguin
    Race Relations
    Rating: 10/10
    Rating: 3/10
    Rating: 4/10
    Rating: 5/10
    Rating: 6/10
    Rating: 7/10
    Rating: 8/10
    Rating: 9/10
    Realistic Fiction
    Regressor
    RH Graphic
    Romance
    Saturday AM
    School Life
    Science
    Science Fiction
    SelfMadeHero
    Seven Seas
    Skybound
    Slice Of Life
    Sports
    Square Enix
    Steampunk
    Story Collection
    Suitability: Adult
    Suitability: Elementary School
    Suitability: High School
    Suitability: Middle School
    Superheroes
    Supernatural
    Surrealism
    Survival
    Suspense
    Ten Speed Press
    Titan
    TokyoPop
    Top Shelf
    UDON Entertainment
    Video Games
    VIZ Media
    War
    WEBTOON Unscrolled
    Western
    Yen Press

    Archives

    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018

Picture

​© 2025 Sara Smith

Picture
Picture
Picture
​
  • Home
  • Reviews
    • Review List by Author
  • Terminology
  • Info Postings
  • About Us
  • Other Resources
    • Research