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Young Readers

Diamonds and Throwing Stars

First off, our belated Thanksgiving gratitude to YOU, our readers. We hope to keep informing you for years to come! Now then… do you remember when we covered a graphic novel called Fuzzy Baseball, written and illustrated by John Steven Gurney? Well he’s back again in full color with Fuzzy Baseball 2: Ninja Baseball Blast. “Talk about away games! The Fernwood Valley Fuzzies will fly to the far side of the Foamy Sea to take the field against the Sashimi City Ninjas. This will be the first time any Big League Baseball team has faced a team from the mysterious Manga Baseball League.” The fight of many centuries is out there now in hardcover from Papercutz.

image c. 2019 Papercutz

Ponies in the Woods

Well, now that My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic has reached it’s conclusion… *sniff* Excuse us, we need a moment… *Ahem* Well, now that it’s done, it’s nice to know that the IDW comic tie-ins will continue into the future. Including, now, another brand-new mini-series, My Little Pony: Spirit of the Forest. “The Cutie Mark Crusaders are back! When Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle take a trip into the woods, they find a forest filled with trash! Just what could be causing this mess?! Looks like it’s another mystery for our favorite fillies to solve — and one where not everything is as it seems…” Written by Ted Anderson and illustrated by Brenda Hickey, the full series is available now.

image c. 2019 IDW Publishing

Kids and Beasts Got Each Other’s Backs

Happy Halloween! Be safe, and watch the sugar. Recently we came across Beastlands, a new independent fantasy comic book series written by Curtis Clow and illustrated by Jo Mi-Gyeong.Beastlands is an action adventure story set in a beautiful medieval fantasy world, where some people have companion beasts known as ‘Keepers’. In Beastlands you’ll go on an adventure with a group of 3 teenage friends, Mac, Ava and Ping. They’re on a journey to find out what Mac’s father, an explorer, was trying to discover before he disappeared. On this quest their friendships will be put to the test all while a tyrannical King looks to outlaw Keepers from the land.” The comic got quite a lot of chatter going when its Kickstarter campaign topped its original goal in just a matter of days. Check out the interview and preview video over at Comic Burst.

image c. 2019 To Infinity Studios

The Little Ones That Are

How in the world did we miss this one? Lion Forge has a new full-color graphic novel, the first volume of The Underfoot entitled The Mighty Deep. “It has been untold years since the Giants-That-Were disappeared, leaving behind the animals forever changed by their strange science. Now, granted the gifts of intelligence and self-awareness, the valiant Hamster Aquatic Mercenaries struggle to keep their horde alive in the dangerous new world. In The Underfoot: The Mighty Deep, H.A.M. has been hired to save their badger allies from dangerous flooding, but first they’ll need new recruits. Only the best of the best can join the ranks of H.A.M., and the colony’s most ambitious young hamster pups compete for their chance at glory and prestige. Those who succeed, however, soon discover that life outside their burrow is not the grand adventure they imagined, but instead find a world of deadly threats and conflicting stories about their species’ origins.” The Mighty Deep was written by Ben Fisher and Emily S. Whitten and illustrated by Michelle Nguyen.

image c. 2019 Lion Forge

It Helps His Stage Fright…?

New for the younger readers out there: The Wolf In Underpants. “In this witty graphic novel, a community of forest animals trades scary rumors about a nearby wolf. Some critters have even gone into business selling wolf traps and anti-wolf fences. But when the wolf appears in a pair of striped underpants, everyone rethinks their fears. This is a heartwarming story about understanding differences, told with an oddball sense of humor.” Written by Wilfrid Lupano, with illustration by Mayana Itoiz and Paul Cauuet, look for it now from Lerner.

image c. 2019 Lerner

They’re Comin’ For Ya, Sonic

Two fan-favorite side characters get their own comic title in IDW’s new full-color series. “Tangle the Lemur’s got a problem: there’s not enough action in her life! Whisper the Wolf’s also got a problem: She’s hunting down an incredibly dangerous enemy named Sonic the Hedgehog! Can Tangle and Whisper help each other solve their problems, or will they just make things worse?” Tangle & Whisper is available now from IDW. The series is written by Ian Flynn and illustrated by Evan Stanley and Matt Herms.

image c. 2019 IDW Publishing

The Tiger With Good Manners

Here’s more from Animation World Network: “Channel 4, Lupus Films, and HarperCollins have announced the voice cast for their upcoming animated film, The Tiger Who Came to Tea… Based on the classic children’s book by Judith Kerr OBE, the half-hour film will bring the vivid images and irresistible story of this classic picture book to life.  Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock, Avengers: Infinity Wars), Tamsin Greig,  David Oyelowo, David Walliams, and Paul Whitehouse will portray the characters of Daddy, Mummy, Tiger, Narrator and Milkman respectively, while seven-year-old newcomer Clara Ross will make her TV debut as Sophie. Published by HarperCollins Children’s Books and produced by Lupus Films, The Tiger Who Came to Tea tells the story of what happens when the doorbell rings as Sophie and her Mummy are sitting down to tea in the kitchen. Confronted with an unexpected guest – a big, furry, stripy tiger – they invite him inside where he proceeds to eat everything in sight before making a timely exit, just before Daddy gets home. Inspired by the author’s daughter, The Tiger Who Came to Tea was first published in 1968 and has sold over 5 million copies. Lupus Films’ distinctive, hand-drawn animated style will bring the story to life, introducing the characters to a whole new audience. Channel 4 will broadcast the one-off half-hour special this Christmas.” Now we’ll see if it becomes available in North America after it airs in the UK.

image c. 2019 Lupus Films

Cat with the Blues — Literally

Out now from Graphix we have Catwad Volume 1: It’s Me, a new full-color graphic novel. The publisher says this: “From New York Times bestselling author Jim Benton, meet Catwad! He’s blue, he’s a bit of a grouch, and his best friend is a dim-witted cat named Blurmp who can see the bright side of anything. From pizza and computers, to love and happiness, this crabby tabby has a funny take on just about everything, and he’s not afraid to share it.” And his story is available now in paperback from Scholastic.

image c. 2019 Scholastic, Inc.

And More Dogs — In Space!

Voyage of the Dogs is the very straight-forward title for a juvenile fiction novel from last year, written by Greg Van Eekhout. The publisher describes it like this: “Lopside is a Barkonaut, a specially trained dog who assists human astronauts on missions in space. He and the crew aboard the spaceship Laika are en route to set up an outpost on a distant planet. When the mission takes a disastrous turn, the Barkonauts on board suddenly find themselves completely alone on their severely damaged ship. Survival seems impossible. But these dogs are Barkonauts — and Barkonauts always complete their mission.” Look for it now (and hear an audio clip) from Harper Collins.

image c. 2019 Harper Collins