A List of Lists Which List Hereville!
It’s that time of year — the time when people put out their lists! And I’m very happy that Hereville has been included on some of those lists:
- The American Library Association’s / YALSA’s “2011 Great Graphic Novels for Teens” list.
- Kirkus Reviews “Best Books For Children And Teens” lists Hereville in three categories — “Graphic Novel,” “Fantasy and Science Fiction,” and “Fiction With Great Girl Characters.”
- School Library Journal’s “Good Comics For Kids” blog includes Hereville on their “best of 2010” list. Thanks!
- Booklist included Hereville on it’s annual “Great Graphic Novels for Teens” list. Yay!
- The New York Public Library’s annual list of 100 notable children’s books includes Hereville! (PDF file.) (And I’m in some great company, including Smile and Origami Yoda and Athena.)
- Graphic Novel Reporter’s 2010 Favorites! Thanks, GNR!
- Comic Book Resource’s Top 100 Comics of 2010! (Hereville clocks in at #44.)
- Sequential Tart, a feminist comics site, included Hereville on their “Comics We Loved” 2010-in-review list.
- Bank Street College of Education Children’s Book Committee included Hereville on its annual Best Children’s Books Of The Year list — and it’s one of the relatively few books to receive their starred listing, for “outstanding merit.”
- Shelf Awareness was nice enough to include Hereville on their “Graphic Novel Holiday Roundup.”
Deutsch’s charming and energetic story takes the form of a classic hero tale, but its hero is, as the cover declares, “Yet Another Troll-Fighting 11-Year-Old Orthodox Jewish Girl.” The depiction of an Orthodox community is smart and sympathetic, and Mirka’s struggles with bullies and boring chores, as well as a stepmother who turns out to be the opposite of wicked, will ring true to many kids. The twist at the end makes us hope for a sequel.
- I feel highly honored to be included in Flashlight Worthy’s “The Best Graphic Novels of 2010″ list.
This is a truly all-ages graphic novel, with plenty to hold the interest of teenagers and adults alike. Mirka is an 11-year-old girl who is comfortable in her life in an Orthodox Jewish community except for one thing: She wants to slay dragons someday. An encounter with a belligerent pig and a witch lead her to a final showdown with a troll in a surrealistic duel for a magic sword. At the same time she is negotiating these perils, she must contend with the usual stresses of friends and family—and a stepmother who is determined to teach her to knit, no matter how much she resists. Deutsch blends elements of folklore and modern life with a deft touch, and his creative use of panels to show what Mirka is thinking and doing brings this story beyond mere narrative into the realm of literature.
Thanks to writer Brigid Alverson for that mini-review. (And isn’t “Flashlight Worthy” a great name?)
- And on Stacked — another cool blog name — Hereville is included in a list of mini-reviews:
A charming graphic novel for middle-graders about Mirka, an eleven-year-old Jewish Orthodox girl whose life goal is to fight dragons. In her quest to find a sword of her own, she disagrees with her siblings, breaks free from the standards imposed upon her by her stepmother, thwarts the wild pig who has been making her life miserable, and fights a six-legged troll. Deutsch’s illustrations are bold and simplistic, Mirka is feisty and spunky, and the book is a wonderful introduction to Jewish Orthodox traditions. A great transition book for fans of Babymouse and Fashion Kitty.
Thanks to writer Jen Petro-Roy!
- The ComicsAlliance Chanukah Gift List: 8 Nights of Jewish Comics. I’ve gotta say, I don’t think I’ve ever been quite so honored (and humbled) by the company Hereville is listed with — other books listed include comics by R. Crumb, James Sturm, Will Eisner, and Rutu Modan, among others. Thanks to writer David Wolkin!
- And last but not even slightly least, Elizabeth Bird’s 100 Magnificent Children’s Books of 2010. And once again, Hereville is in really great company, including one of my favorite graphic novels of 2010, Meanwhile.
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