Making Comic Books

February 1, 2007
Gr 2-5-These appealing introductory titles will captivate beginning and reluctant readers. "Soccer" highlights the skills of some of the world's best players and emphasizes the growing popularity of the sport around the globe. "Spider" describes the habits and habitats of both poisonous and nonpoisonous species. "UFO" explores the question of whether or not we're alone in the universe and scientists' search for life outside our solar system. The fourth book explains how a comic book is made, from initial script through storyboards and the inking of the illustrations, through the final lettering of speech balloons. The fifth title examines sharks and why they attack and includes information on how to stay safe in the ocean. These books all have three short, informative chapters written in a large font, with key words set in bold. Full-color photos on every spread help to break up the text so that readers are not overwhelmed by information. Captions provide insight into the fascinating pictures. Light bulb icons draw attention to sidebars, which provide related trivia and extend learning. "Find Out More" sections reference other books as well as the publisher's site, with a promise of safe, related links to the topic. The titles are perfect starters for readers not quite ready for the more comprehensive "Eyewitness" series (DK). However, one can't help but question the series title as the books will be equally appealing to both boys and girls."H. H. Henderson, Heritage Middle School, Deltona, FL"

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