Superman/Batman: Search for Kryptonite

A graphic novel by Michael Green and Mike Johnson, illustrated by Shane Davis, Superman/Batman: Search for Kryptonite is a fun adventure with these two very different yet compatible superheroes. A second rate villain gets a lucky break and defeats Superman because there happened to be some kryptonite lying around. Batman was able to call the Flash who came to the rescue, but Superman was annoyed by how vulnerable he is to kryptonite. He and Batman teamed up to find and destroy all the kryptonite on Earth, but it turned out there was a lot more than they thought there was!

I would recommend this book to any fan of Batman and Superman. Just a couple teasers: there is a monster who is version of Doomsday combined with kryptonite, and just try to guess who came up with that one! Also, it's possible that Lana Lang could turn out to be a villain, but I'll leave you hanging so you read the book!

Review by David Dunkerton

Antsy Does Time by Neal Shüsterman

This sequel to The Schwa Was Here was even better than the first! Anthony "Antsy" Bonano returns with many of his friends from the previous story. Calvin Schwa is not in the story, and while there is some mention of him, this book does not build on the last one--it is its own story.
A new character is Gunnar Ümlaut, who believes himself to be dying of a terminal illness called Pulmonary Monoxic Systemia. Antsy goes on a campaign to have people donate a month of their lives to Gunnar, and it seemed like a noble, symbolic gesture, until Antsy realizes that Gunnar's diagnosis wasn't from a very reliable source. Antsy has to learn why Gunnar kind of wishes he was dying, as well as why Gunnar's older sister Kjersten really wanted to go out with him.
This story is hilarious and really deep at the same time, and I would recommend it to anyone. It doesn't matter which one you read first, but make sure you read Antsy Does Time and The Schwa Was Here (and if you don't already know what they mean, look up "schwa" and "ümlaut").

Review by David Dunkerton

Ultimate Spider-Man by Bill Jemas and Brian Michael Bendis

Ultimate Spider-Man is a retelling of the classic Spiderman story set in the 21st century. Peter Parker is still bitten by a spider in a lab that gives him his powers, and all of the other characters are pretty much the same, but instead of working as a freelance photographer for the Daily Bugle, Peter troubleshoots their webpage. The Green Goblin is more monstrous, Uncle Ben and Aunt May are much cooler, and the biggest difference is that Peter tells Mary Jane his secret.

This graphic novel is a great read for people unfamiliar with the Spiderman story, but it will not disappoint the long-time Spiderman readers, either.

Review by David Dunkerton

Runaways by Brian K. Vaughan

Six teenagers find out that their parents have always been a part of a secret society called "The Pride" that controls all the crime activities in Los Angeles, with a greater plan to take over the world. What would you do if you discovered your parents were super-villains?

After finding out that their parents are evil, it is not long before the teens discover their own special powers. They want to use them for good, but one of them may be a traitor, and who is good and who is bad may be more complicated than they thought.

Runaways is a graphic novel is published by Marvel Comics, and there are references to several of the Marvel super-heroes and villains, but except for a brief story arc featuring "Cloak and Dagger", this story is unique from other Marvel graphic novels. The excellent artwork and clever storyline make this an enjoyable read.

Review by David Dunkerton

Smiler's Bones by Peter Lerangis

This is a novel based on the true story of an Eskimo from Greenland named Minik. It begins in Quebec in 1909 with Minik trying to kill himself, and then takes us back to the beginning of the story in 1893. Robert Peary was a famous explorer in the Arctic who was recognized by the Eskimos who lived there. In the name of science he took some Eskimos back to New York City with him, but four of them soon died, including Minik’s father, because they could not adjust to the new climate and environment.
Minik was young when he was taken to New York so his body was able to adjust, but he did not find out until much later that the American Museum of Natural History never buried his father or the others, but preserved and kept their bones. The few people on Minik’s side were able to expose the deception, but the damage was done. After living in New York for 12 years, Minik had a hard time going back to the culture in Greenland, and he never really fit in the United States, either.
This is a sad but meaningful story, and it is important for us to understand the darker parts of our history.

Review by David Dunkerton

Zorro: Skull and Crossbones by Frank Lauria

Alejandro de la Vega is the adopted son of Don Diego de la Vega, the original Zorro. In addition to inheriting the late landowner’s ranch, Alejandro has also taken his adopted father’s mantle. In Zorro: Skull and Crossbones, the pirate Captain Elijah Bone, also known as El Fuego for his bright red hair, has plotted with several greedy Californian landowners to murder General Santa Anna and make the Californian coast a haven for pirates and thieves.
As Zorro, Alejandro fights for the freedom of the people of California. With the help of Diego’s daughter Elena, his sidekick Mateo, and an American secret agent going by the name of Fernando Goya, Zorro is able to rescue Santa Anna to keep order in California, and to defeat the pirate El Fuego. This story is set in a California of the past that is very different from the state it is today, and it is full of action and excitement!

Review by David Dunkerton

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

This book is not written like a diary as the title might suggest, but it is written in the first person from the perspective of a young man from the Spokane Indian tribe who lived with his family on a reservation. It is a beneficial novel for teens because it helps the reader to understand a culture that very few people know about. Arnold Spirit was not satisfied with life on the reservation because the people in his tribe seemed to have given up on life. Almost everyone he knew was an alcoholic, and no one he knew ever ended up going to college. Arnold decided to go to a public school outside the reservation where he was the only Indian. His people back at the reservation mostly thought he was a traitor, including his best friend, Rowdy.
Arnold was able to get along well with the white kids at the school he went to, and he even ended up playing varsity basketball and having a girlfriend. Even though he wanted to do better than the people he grew up with, he noticed that while the white people seemed to be very successful, the parents did not seem to pay much attention to their kids. For Arnold, even though his father was an alcoholic and would often use the last of his money on alcohol so that sometimes the family did not have food and Arnold had to hitchhike over 20 miles to school because they did not have enough gas, he knew his family cared about him and made sacrifices for him.
This is a sad story in many parts, because life is often hard for Indians on a reservation, but it is still hopeful. Even though it is about a different culture, I still felt like I could identify with what Arnold experienced in several ways, and that is important for people to understand.

Review by David Dunkerton