Erin Hamilton is Reading Lead for ASSET Education Trust based in Suffolk. She is passionate about reading for pleasure, school libraries and graphic novels. Erin writes reviews for Just Imagine, Armadillo Magazine and The School Librarian, as well as managing her own blog, My Shelves Are Full. She is also an executive committee member of the Federation of Children’s Book Groups, managing their blog, social media and National Share A Story month campaign. Erin can be found on Twitter @erinlynhamilton and Instagram, erinlynhamilton.
Top Texts for March 2022
Erin has chosen her top three graphic novels for this month.
The Adventures of Team Pom Squid Happens
by Isabel Roxas
The Adventures of Team Pom Squid Happens is the first in a new graphic novel series. It has a very vintage NY feel to it and I was immediately captivated by the characters and story. Agnes, Roberta and Ruby are “odd-balls” and don’t fit in with other synchronized swimmers so they form their own club. Part mystery, part evil plot and with a giant squid on the loose, this is a fantastically imagined adventure. I can’t wait to see what happens next for this trio of friends.
When oddballs Agnes, Roberta and Ruby discover a mutual passion for synchronised swimming, the trio form Team Pom. But between snack time, their favourite TV show and raising pigeons, it can be hard to find time to practice. When they stumble upon a lonely giant squid in their local pool, things change. Will he be the secret weapon they need to propel them into synchronised swimming super stardom? Or will they end up with ink on their faces? Who are the villainous strangers in bowler hats?
Lightfall - The Girl and the Galdurian
by Tim Probert
Lightfall is an epic adventure and one that allows any reader plenty of scope for interpretation and enjoyment. Bea and Cad are unlikely friends but on their journey to find the Pig Wizard, Bea’s adopted Grandfather, they come to trust and understand each other. The illustrations are incredible, full of vast sweeping landscapes and detailed characters that add depth to the tale. I have yet to meet someone who didn’t love this book. A brilliant book for classrooms in KS2.
Deep in the heart of the planet Irpa stands the Salty Pig’s House of Tonics & Tinctures, home of the wise Pig Wizard and his adopted granddaughter, Bea. As keepers of the Endless Flame, they live a quiet and peaceful life, crafting medicines and potions for the people of their once-prosperous world.
All that changes one day when, while walking through the woods, Bea meets Cad, a member of the Galdurians, an ancient race thought to be long-extinct. Cad believes that if anyone can help him find his missing people, it’s the Pig Wizard.
When the two arrive home, the Pig Wizard is nowhere to be found—all that’s left is the Jar of Endless Flame and a mysterious note. Bea and Cad set out across Irpa to find him, while danger fights its way out of the shadows and into the light.
Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy
by Rey Terciero and Bre Indigo
This interpretation of Little Women is wonderfully drawn and written, bringing a well loved story into a more modern setting. The girls come together from two families to become one. Mum is overworked, Dad is stationed away and so the girls continue to care for each other as in the original. Modern elements are seamlessly interwoven into a familiar and well loved classic story. Graphic novels are a brilliant way to make classic texts accessible by a broader variety of reader.
With their father away in the military and their mother working overtime to support the family, the March sisters have to rely on one another to make it from day to day. Whether they’re arguing over the bathroom, struggling with homework, fighting off bullies, understanding their crushes, or battling leukemia, there’s one thing the four sisters keep questioning – will everything turn out okay? Follow modern young women, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy as they discover themselves and follow their dreams.
