Good morning everyone!

I am here with some more graphic novels that I’ve read recently. My kids are still totally loving graphic novels, and I’m more than happy to get some more, read some more and share with them… because then we all win ha!

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The Adventures of Team Pom: Squid Happens – Isabel Roxas

When oddballs Agnes, Roberta and Ruby discover a shared passion for synchronized swimming, the trio become Team Pom. But between snack time, their favourite TV show, and raising pigeons, it can be hard to find time to practice. This crew of self-proclaimed weirdos are tired of their loser status in the pool. But on their way to gain the respect and free snacks they deserve, they stumble upon a lonely giant squid. Will he be the secret weapon they need for synchronized swimming stardom? Will they be able to outwit the sinister strangers in bowler hats, or will they end up with ink on their faces?

I’d seen people talking about this forever and I knew I needed to get in on this. I managed to track down a copy second hand online and waited eagerly for it to arrive… and when it finally arrived, I jumped at the chance of reading it! It was proper fun! This is a story filled with some disastrous synchronised swimming, finding your crew, an evil mastermind and a squid on the loose! I loved this! I hope there’s more to read from Team POM – they’re kind, come up with brilliant plans and hopefully will get better at their synchronised swimming ha. What an utter joy to read this morning! I know this is going to go down a storm with my class!

Dear Justice League – Michael Northrop and Gustavo Duarte

Does Superman ever make mistakes? What was Wonder Woman’s eleventh birthday like? Does Aquaman smell like fish? In this new middle-grade graphic novel, iconic heroes are asked questions both big and small, and when they are not busy saving the world, the Justice League even finds time to respond. Their honest and humorous answers will surprise and delight readers of any age, as it turns out that being a superhero is not too different from being a kid.

I’d seen my friend Richard recommend this on his Padlet and I’d never even heard of it, so tracked a copy of this one (and the sequel, see below) down and read them hastily. This is loads of fun and would be perfect for kids who love a superhero! This tells the tales of kids who write to the Justice League about various problems/questions and the heroes reply… all while battling massive insects! I enjoyed learning about the different superheroes. This is set out in really short, snappy chapters (a bit like individual comics) which I thought was just amazing. This is gorgeously illustrated by Gustavo Duarte too! This is definitely going to be a hit in my classroom!

Dear Super Villains – Michael Northrop and Gustavo Duarte

How did Gorilla Grodd get so smart? Did Harley Quinn ever try a career in comedy? Why does Catwoman always lose to Batman? Each chapter highlights members of the Legion of Doom in a sympathetic way that is relatable to kids. But look closely and you may notice the baddies are up to something big! Will the Justice League show up in time to stop them? You’ll have to write in to the Tip-line of Evil to find out!

Having read this pretty much straight after the first one (see Dear Justice League above), I thoroughly loved it! This might be even better than Dear Justice League! They both brought big smiles to my face! This time, we’ve got letters from the children to the super villains… and we see them in their natural villainy. I loved the illustrations again by Gustavo Duarte and the slight nods to the other book – I do love when you get a bit of an Easter egg in a book. I chuckled away to myself throughout. You can’t beat a superhero and supervillain story! Would definitely recommend!

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And that’s it for today! I’ve had a productive graphic novel reading year so far, so I’m sure I’ll be back with some more graphic novel mini reviews in the next week or so!

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE if you have any recommendations for graphic novels for me to buy that would work for my Y6s, I’d love to hear them!

S x