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geekwayne's review
5.0
'Anne of Green Bagels' by Jon Buller and Susan Schade is a great graphic novel for middle schoolers. The subject of abnormal families is the subject keeping the story both funny and a bit sad.
The book alternates between text chapters and wordless dream chapters. In the first, we see Anne chasing after flying bagels. It's a premonition of the name she is going to get at her first day of school because of the healthy bagels her parents send her to school with. Fortunately, she meets a kid named Otto and they strike up a friendship based on playing music and their love of a show called The Blimptons. Anne's dad is a crackpot inventor who is out on the road somewhere testing a new invention called the Pedestrian Mobile Home. Anne and Otto decide to enter the talent contest and along the way, they discover that there may be a connection between Anne's father and the creation of their favorite show. Could this be why Anne's father is away so much?
I liked this book a whole lot, and there is a lot to like about it. From the surreal dream sequences to the not so normal characters, this story offered a lot. These are characters who don't fit in, and they are all fine with that. I loved the illustration style. It's got almost a woodcut feel to parts of it.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Papercutz and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
The book alternates between text chapters and wordless dream chapters. In the first, we see Anne chasing after flying bagels. It's a premonition of the name she is going to get at her first day of school because of the healthy bagels her parents send her to school with. Fortunately, she meets a kid named Otto and they strike up a friendship based on playing music and their love of a show called The Blimptons. Anne's dad is a crackpot inventor who is out on the road somewhere testing a new invention called the Pedestrian Mobile Home. Anne and Otto decide to enter the talent contest and along the way, they discover that there may be a connection between Anne's father and the creation of their favorite show. Could this be why Anne's father is away so much?
I liked this book a whole lot, and there is a lot to like about it. From the surreal dream sequences to the not so normal characters, this story offered a lot. These are characters who don't fit in, and they are all fine with that. I loved the illustration style. It's got almost a woodcut feel to parts of it.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Papercutz and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
ljrinaldi's review
4.0
This is one of those books where you have to suspend your disbelief, a bit, or the story just doesn't work. Anne and her mother have had to move to Meggatown because Anne's father is so engrossed in his new invention that he has essentially abandoned them.
Once you get past that you find a cute and slightly funny story of Anne not trying to fit in, exactly but still making a good friend in Otto.
The green bagels are really more of an aside.
I think middle school kids will enjoy the cartoon dreams between each chapter, as well as the story of Anne.
Quick read. Nice cartoons. Likable characters. What more could you want?
Thanks to Netgalley for providing this book for an honest review.
Once you get past that you find a cute and slightly funny story of Anne not trying to fit in, exactly but still making a good friend in Otto.
The green bagels are really more of an aside.
I think middle school kids will enjoy the cartoon dreams between each chapter, as well as the story of Anne.
Quick read. Nice cartoons. Likable characters. What more could you want?
Thanks to Netgalley for providing this book for an honest review.
erine's review
3.0
Half graphic novel dream sequences and half semi-illustrated chapter book, this story might appeal to quirkier fans of Raina Telgemeier's realistic fiction style. While this family suffers from a somewhat shiftless dad, there's clearly a lot of love. Amidst the weirder parts of the story are very relatable situations: moving to a new town, being made fun of, struggling with stage fright and self expression. The story itself was simple, charming, and strange. The dreams compounded the strange factor, but acted as mini-intermissions between each chapter.
I would have given it an extra star if they'd followed through on the Anne of Green Gables reference, but the main character has never read the book and doesn't seem likely to. Her friend, Otto, has read it, but never really makes another reference to it after the first. A petty criticism, but I spent the entire book wondering when Anne of Green Gables might be coming back into the story, so this is a personal disappointment.
I would have given it an extra star if they'd followed through on the Anne of Green Gables reference, but the main character has never read the book and doesn't seem likely to. Her friend, Otto, has read it, but never really makes another reference to it after the first. A petty criticism, but I spent the entire book wondering when Anne of Green Gables might be coming back into the story, so this is a personal disappointment.
librarianryan's review against another edition
4.0
If you want a short read that will make you feel good, then you have come to the right book. Anne’s family makes green bagels. It’s because of the seaweed they contain. But this book is not about bagels, that is just how she gets her nickname. This story is about a girl who moves to a new town, makes friends, and tries to find her place in the world. Her dad is missing by choice, and the rest of her family is just a little weird. This was very heartwarming. I love how the author choose to show us Anne’s dreams in the form of graphic novel mini’s, and how the dreams play into the story.
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anushanarasimhan's review against another edition
3.0
A delightful book. I like the idea of alternating illustration and text. The art is as cute as the story.
Note: Received a free copy from the publisher. My review and rating are not influenced in any way.
Note: Received a free copy from the publisher. My review and rating are not influenced in any way.
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