Thursday, November 5, 2009

Lunch Lady - fun graphic novels full of action & zany adventure (ages 7 - 10)


Action! Silliness! Pictures galore! It's no wonder that comic books and graphic novels are a big hit with kids.  We've loved how authors artists are creating fun graphic stories for younger readers.  Babymouse has been a huge hit for the past few years - we can hardly keep them on our shelves.  And Calvin and Hobbes collections are grabbed as soon as someone returns them. Lunch Lady is a new series that will find many fans among 1st through 3rd graders looking for a fun adventure in their comics.  Would you like a free copy?  See below for your chance to win!
Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute
by Jarrett K. Krosoczka
NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 2009
ages 7 -10
Hector, Dee and Terrence, three friends who make up the Breakfast Bunch, start wondering about what the Lunch Lady does when she isn't serving lunch.  "I'm telling you, they probably lead very boring lives!" Dee says.  Meanwhile, Lunch Lady and her faithful assistant Betty, suspect that something fishy with the new substitute.  As Betty distracts him with freshly baked cookies, Lunch Lady brings her lunch-tray laptop to his room to investigate.  A crazy chase ensues, with our superheroes Lunch Lady and Betty chasing the mysterious substitute back to his maker's lab, and the kids following the Lunch Lady and Betty, where they all find an army of cyborg robots.
Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians
by Jarrett K. Krosoczka
NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 2009
ages 7 -10

In the second book, Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians, our secret crime-fighting duo takes on the evil schemes of the school librarians. Kids will love the plot, as the librarians try to destroy all video games and achieve world domination.  The snazzy gadgets continue, with Taco-vision Night Goggles, Hover Pizzas and Sonic Boom Juice Boxes.  I loved how the librarians unleashed creatures from stories to battle Lunch Lady and her gang.

I especially liked how Krosoczka created an action-packed comic book with goofiness that makes it perfect for this younger set.  This doesn't have any of the dark undertones that some graphic novels or comic superhero stories have.  This is not a book with a lot of character development, but I think it's purpose is to hook readers and make them laugh.
Enter to win a copy of Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians for your child.  The publisher kindly donated 4 copies to give away to Great Kid Books readers. Contest ends Sunday, November 15th. All you need to do to enter is:

* Enter a comment on the blog OR send me an email to greatkidbooks(at)gmail(dot)com Make sure you leave your email address so I can contact you.

* Let me know a book you've enjoyed reading with your children, especially funny books, graphic novels and comics.

* Get 2 extra entries: become a follower or tell me you're already a follower!
 There are some fun reviews of Lunch Lady by other wonderful bloggers.  Check out:
Jen Robinson: "I mean, what right-minded elementary school kid could resist the premise that the lunch lady is a secret crime-fighter? Or the idea that the substitute teacher is actually a cyborg?"
The Book Aunt: "There's no mystery meat here: second and third graders are going to eat these up!"
Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast: "Every little detail is so well-thought-out, from the school-lunch-inspired spy gadgets (those Fish Stick Nunchucks made me hoot out loud) to Lunch Lady’s expletives (”Oh, Doughnuts!” and “Nutritious!” were a couple of my faves)."

The review copy came from the publisher.  Stop by your local bookstore to find a copy, or find it at your local library.

NOTE: The 3rd installment, Lunch Lady and the Author Visit Vendetta, comes out December 22nd!

This books is available online at Amazon. If you make a purchase by clicking through to Amazon, Great Kid Books receives a small percentage, which will be used to buy more books to review.

25 comments:

  1. The Lunch Lady books are so much fun.

    ReplyDelete
  2. My daughter and I have been loving JOEY FLY PRIVATE EYE by Aaron Reynolds and Neil Numberman. In fact, we started re-reading it again tonight.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I received this nice email: Hi, Mary Ann!

    I just wanted to enter your Lunch Lady contest. I 'm subscribed to your blog by Google Reader. The latest book that my kids and I are enjoying is I Need my Monster by Amanda Noll. My 3 year old loves the illustrations while the older kids love the illustrations and the story. Thanks!

    "Vasilly"
    http://classicvasilly.wordpress.com

    I can't wait to check out I Need My Monster - sounds like good fun!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I followed your blog (I'm following on Twitter, too). I have to get one of these cool follow widgets for my blog!

    I Need My Monster has a great hook!

    *Waves hi to Vasilly*

    ReplyDelete
  5. another kind email from Cheryl Rainfield, author of Dragon Speaker: The Last Dragon

    "Lunch Lady sounds like such a good graphic novel series! I'm looking forward to checking it out--and would like to enter your contest.

    One of my favorite books to read aloud is Emily Rodda's Pigs Might Fly.

    take care,
    Cheryl"
    --
    A boy who speaks with birds is the only one who can save the last dragon....
    Dragon Speaker: The Last Dragon (HIP Books, Sept 2009)

    Kendra must face her past and stop hurting herself--before it's too late....
    Scars (WestSide Books, Spring 2010)

    Cheryl's Book Blog: http://www.cherylrainfield.com/blog
    Twitter: http://twitter.com/CherylRainfield

    ReplyDelete
  6. An email from Dagmar Serota, founder of Good Cents Program in Oakland, CA:

    "Mary Ann,

    I've started a new thing in my afterschool service club at Emerson. I buy highly desirable books and "raffle" them off to kids. It's wonderful, because it's a special treat for them to "check them out" of the Good Cents library. I got the kids the whole Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, and it's going around the group now. I told them that I'd donate them to the Emerson Library when they finished reading the series. I also got some other books for the kids, including Lunch Lady. I think they'll really like it. It's wonderful getting them excited about books every week. Thanks for your book suggestions. I'm always looking for more titles.

    I'd love to enter this contest. The book would be donated to the Emerson Library."

    Thanks, Dagmar - what a great idea!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'd love to be entered in the giveaway! My students can't get enough of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. I think the combination of text and drawings really draws kids in!

    Megan
    mearley@twinlakes.k12.in.us

    ReplyDelete
  8. I would love to share this book with my after-school program of raucous third-graders. They would love it!

    racheliznewman(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  9. One of the series they have loved is the Franny K. Stein series, another one with quippy words and funny pictures.

    racheliznewman(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  10. racheliznewman(at)gmail(dot)com is now a subscriber!

    ReplyDelete
  11. My son and I love Snarf Attack, Underfoodle, and the Secret of Life: The Riot Brothers Tell All by Mary Amato and Ethan Long. We've read it a couple of times now. Funny!

    I follow your blog now. Great stuff! I'm glad I found you(through Lori Calabrese's blog).

    ReplyDelete
  12. I would love to enter the contest - the books sound hilarious! Fun books for my boys, at a little earlier age: Miss Nelson is Missing

    Also, do I get extra entries if I give you an award? Because I did. Check it out.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Enter me in the contest, please. I'm also a follower.
    tory(dot)tory(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  14. This sounds like a really fun series! :)

    My kids are still kind of young (oldest in preschool), but they always love to make me read (and trip all over) Fox in Socks.

    srfbluemama at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  15. To paraphrase Jen Robsinson, who wouldn't want to think their lunch ladies were undercover crimefighters!? I find these graphic type novels more and more fun as they come out-we sure enjoyed Captain Underpants and the Ricky Ricotta series. Thanks for the chance to win!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  16. Thank you for taking the time to provide this terrific blog!

    My students love the Skippyjon Jones books and Roald Dahl's easier chapter books like The Twits and George's Marvelous Medicine.

    Erin Gannon
    2nd Grade Teacher
    Leonardo da Vinci Health Sciences Charter School

    ReplyDelete
  17. Looks like a book my nephew would enjoy. Thanks! Email in profile.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I'd like to enter the contest.

    Luke on the Loose is one of my favorite graphic novels to read with my son.

    ReplyDelete
  19. A wonderful teacher, Vicky Green, said that she would love to enter for her 2nd grade class. Her kids love books with humor and lots of graphics.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Please enter me in the contest. We already love Baby Mouse! Another go-to book is always Diary of Wimpy Kid. I know that Lunch Lady will soon join the same rank.

    ReplyDelete
  21. My granddaughter enjoyed Piper Reed Navy Brat by Kimberly Willis Holt. I'd love to win this for her. I know she would like it.

    I became a follower.

    mittens0831 at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  22. This looks like a fun series!

    janemaritz at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  23. I'm a follower (Mozi Esme). And we posted about this at Winning Readings: http://winningreadings.blogspot.com/2009/11/lunch-lady-and-league-of-librarians.html

    One book we like is Skippyjon Jones...

    janemaritz at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  24. Thanks for the chance to win! Other graphic novels our kids love are Babymouse and Amulet...

    zenzart@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  25. My kids would so get a kick out of this book :D
    plb8156@aol.com

    ReplyDelete