Drama by Raina Telgemeier

Uncharacteristically, I was actually planning to write this week’s review on something that was neither a comic book nor a fantasy novel, but then fate intervened and handed me a book that’s simply too good not to write about. Drama is a new graphic novel by Raina Telgemeier, author of 2010’s award-winning Smile. Drama does not continue Smile’s autobiographical tale (not explicitly, anyway), but does match the earlier book’s endearingly honest and kind tone as it documents main character Callie’s year of seventh grade.

The book’s title reflects the two plot threads that dominate Callie’s year: the school play and Callie’s love life. The school play plot was instantly appealing to me, as it echoed my own scholastic experiences. At one point, Callie explains that she’s loved the theater ever since she saw Les Miserables as a small child. At first she dreamed of being on the stage, playing the part of Cosette, but her artistic skills (and lack of singing talent) eventually steered her toward building and painting sets. This year she’s in charge of set design, a responsibility she embraces readily.

For a lot of kids, an event like a school play is their crack at success in something largely self-directed. It’s exhilarating, rewarding, and terrifying. Telgemeier does a great job of conveying the jitters and the joy, both increasing steadily as we near the performance. It’s not easy to draw a comic that captures the magic of a successful live performance, especially a middle school production with cheap sets and lo-fi special effects. Telgemeier shows the excitement in the faces of the actors and the response of the audience rather than breaking from the reality of the scene for some sort of splashy production number. She’s made a clear choice to find the honest drama at the core of life rather than injecting melodrama by constructing a grandiose plot.

This same simple and effective verisimilitude informs the romantic storyline. It’s obvious that the ups and downs of her love life are very important to Callie, but Telgemeier keeps them in proportion, never forgetting that romance is just one part of a young adult’s life. In this respect, Callie’s a great role model. It’s not easy for her, but she manages to make good choices, voice her feelings, and handle disappointment with maturity. The extent to which things are not drawn out of overblown is immensely refreshing when compared to other YA books.

This is a fairly contained book, without a lot of spectacle and explosions. That may not suit all readers, but it was right up my alley. The quiet sincerity and emotional honesty were what I enjoyed in the author’s previous work and are what I look forward to in whatever she does next. You can see some nice samples of Telgemeier's work on her website.

Spotlight: Fairy Tales

Though some of us put fairy tales aside as something for children (or babies), the truth is that many of these stories were originally intended for all ages or even adult audiences. Of course, some of us never outgrow our love for the fantastic, magic and danger and things seen from the corner of your eye.

The enduring appeal of these stories is handily demonstrated by the fact that 2012 saw not one, but two movies based on the story of Snow White: Snow White and the Huntsman (starring Charlize Theron and Kristan Stewart) and Mirror, Mirror (starring Julia Roberts and Sean Bean). And on television this fall will be the second seasons of both Grimm and Once Upon a Time.

Before we get too far, Carnegie-Stout does have collections of classic fairy tales by The Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen, Edmund Spenser, and Charles Perrault. And there are even more in the children's section.

Because fairy tales come from the tradition of oral storytelling, there's been no shortage of adaptations, remixes, and retellings over the years. For example you have Disney's animated feature Beauty and the Beast, the '80s television program Beauty and the Beast, the modern day YA novel (and movie) Beastly, and, of course, the numerous variations in the romance section.

We have graphic novels inspired by fairy tales, from Castle Waiting by Linda Medley (see Andrew's staff review) to the Fables series by Bill Willingham. Both of which take elements familiar from bed time stories, and create something for a more adult audience (Fables, in particular, is not meant for younger readers).

Many authors have built careers around creating or recreating fairy tales. J.R.R. Tolkien has inspired generations of fantasy fans with his tales of Middle-earth. Charles de Lint was one of the original authors of urban fantasy (the kind without vampires), and Holly Black helped to reinvent the sub-genre for modern YA readers. Eowyn Ivey's recent debut novel, The Snow Child, is a retelling of a Russian fairy tale, and yes, she's named after the Tolkien character.

There are many, many more examples, but we don't want to overwhelm you. If you're not sure where to start, try My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me (Fiction Short My), a collection of fairy tales by 40 contemporary authors. Stop by the Recommendations Desk or submit a Personal Recommendations request online, and we'll help you find a new version of your favorite story.

Avast ye, Dubuquers, 'tis Talk Like a Pirate Day!

Are ye in need o' a refresher on your pirate lingo? Look t' our blog post o' last year for the origins o' this fine day, and links t' get ye talkin' like a pirate.

If you're lookin' t' celebrate this fine day, Carnegie-Stout has a fine trove o' piratical books and movies for you t' peruse.

Might we suggest explorin' t' phenomenon o' space pirates? Those scurvy dogs who sail t' voids between t' stars and have appeared in works o' science fiction for decades. Below we've gathered a samplin' o' titles available at Carnegie-Stout.

Trading in Danger by Elizabeth Moon
The Rock Rats by Ben Bova
Sureblood by Susan Grant
The Reality Dysfunction by Peter F. Hamilton
The Truth of Valor by Tanya Huff
Firefly: the complete series
Outlaw Star
Treasure Planet
Tenchi Muyo!