Bone: Out from Boneville

Bone Volume One: Out from Boneville (Smith, Jeff; 2003) ISBN 0963660942

Bone is the first edition in a series of stories about three cousins who are on the run: Phoncible B. Bone (aka Phoney), Smiley Bone, and Fone Bone.  The reasons for their plight help to explain some important character traits.  Phoney Bone has been run out of town—Boneville—after Phoney shows disrespect for the town’s founder.  Phoncible is highly motivated, but not entirely honest and upright.  Protagonist Fone Bone is equipped with both courage and the ability to problem solve.  Smiley Bone is more likeable than Phoncible, but far less intelligent than Fone.

Phoney and Smiley are separated from Fone, and the story splits into two different paths.  While on his own, Fone meets up with Thorn, a young, courageous and talented girl with a secret past.  Thorn lives with her hard scrabble grandmother, perhaps the toughest character in the story despite her age.  Thorn helps Fone reunite with his cousins, though they encounter great danger and excitement in the form of rat creatures along the way.

Meanwhile, Phoney tries to run another scam with Smiley that may get him into hot water once again.  Their storyline is lighter in tone that Fone’s is, and it provides many funny moments.

The Bone cousins’ story is told in black and white line illustrations.  As with most graphic novels, it is accessible for a wide range of readers.  Author Jeff Smith conveys a slew of emotions and moods among his characters, creating a lively pace for the story.

Interview with the author here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXwFRZ4nFXA

Letters from Camp

Letters from Camp

(Klise, Kate; 1999; New York: Avon Books; 178 pages; ISBN 9780380975396)

Nothing helps siblings develop a deep and loving bond like forcing them to spend some quality time at Camp Happy Harmony—or so the parents of the brawling brothers and sisters portrayed here hope.  The premise of unharmonious siblings working on their relationships is already interesting, but the story is enhanced by its format--not to mention the fraudulent camp staff-- as it unfolds in the form of letters, memos, journal entries, even lists and receipts.

Ages 8-12

Bakugan: Battle Brawlers

Bakugan Battle Brawlers (Hurchalla, Elizabeth; 2008; ISBN 9780345513687)

Adapted from a Japanese anime story, the Bakugan adventures feature six young friends who play Bakugan (a card game that allows them to teleport) while avoiding the evil plots of Michael, who first discovered the teleporting abilities that the characters enjoy.

The Million Dollar Putt

The Million Dollar Putt (Gutman, Dan, 2006, 169 p. ISBN 9780786836413)

Edward “Bogie” Bogard may be blind, but that has never stopped him from participating in any number of activities, including sports. His neighbor Birdie (love the names) is a sighted girl who never tries anything new, until Bogie helps her. In turn, Birdie wants to coach Bogie in a million-dollar golf tournament. Bogie serves as a great symbol of confidence and support compensating for physical handicaps. Gutman also wrote Million Dollar Shot, Million Dollar Kick, Million Dollar Goal, and Million Dollar Strike.

The Toilet Paper Tigers

The Toilet Paper Tigers (Korman, Gordon, 1993; 195 p. ISBN 9780590462303)

Being on a Little League team named after bath tissue is not the only problem Corey Johnson is facing. The seventh grader finds himself on a team severely lacking in talent and a clueless coach who is soon pushed aside by a 12-year-old girl from New York. An especially good read for tween boys.

More Than a Game

More Than a Game [Motion Picture] (2009) Directed by Kristopher Belman, 105 minutes, rated PG; ASIN B002YMWQ2M

Any fan of basketball knows who LeBron James is, and like him or not, his talent as one of the best players in the NBA is undeniable.  In 1997, James was a sixth grader who loved to play hoops with his three best friends in Akron, Ohio.  The “fab four,” as they were known locally, rocketed through the amateur leagues and earned a reputation as small-time prodigies. 

This documentary film follows their journey from the streets of Akron to a private high school—which was perceived as a slight among many in the African American Akron community who assumed the boys would play for their local public school—where the four were most likely to continue to play as a unit.  The boys go from innocent elementary schoolers to cocky teens who begin to take their winning record for granted.  The film intersperses film from their early days and current interviews with the players, coaches, and sports writers who covered their meteoric rise.

Viewers know how this story will end for James, who signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers straight out of high school.  But many do not know the back story of how these basketball skills were born out of friendship and loyalty, nor are they likely to be familiar with the stories of the other three players who were all crucial parts of this legend. 

This is an excellent film for a sports fan, especially a basketball fan, and it provides enough of a human storyline to keep non-athletes riveted as well.  The story does not glorify James, despite the fact that he is the only one of the four who made it to megawatt status in the NBA.  Rather, it presents him as just one of these good friends.  While he is clearly the most talented of the athletes in this film, he is not the only one with a good story.  On the whole, it is a film with wide appeal.

See the trailer here.