Gryphons Aren't So Great

by James Sturm, Alexis Frederick-Frost, Andrew Arnold

Overview

The Knight's best friend is her horse, Edward. They go everywhere together and do everything together! But when the Knight gets a gryphon, suddenly all she talks about is how awesome her new pet is. Edward can't help it—he's jealous! But the gryphon turns out to be more of a peril than a pet, and it's Edward who comes to the rescue in the end. It turns out that gryphons aren't so great...but Edward sure is!

The second of four adorable picture books from the creators of Adventures in Cartooning, Gryphons Aren't so Great is a sweet and accessible story in the Adventures in Cartooning universe.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781626725577
Publisher:	First Second
Publication date:	09/08/2015
Series:	Adventures in Cartooning
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	40
File size:	37 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

James Sturm is a cartoonist and educator whose books include The Golem's Mighty Swing, Market Day, and Satchel Paige: Striking Out Jim Crow. He is the co-founder of The Seattle alternative newspaper The Stranger and The Center for Cartoon Studies, an MFA degree granting college in White River Junction where he currently serves as the school's director.

Alexis Frederick-Frost is a co-author and illustrator of the Adventures in Cartooning series of graphic novels. Alexis's illustrations have appeared in a variety of publications by Nickelodeon Magazine, First Second Books, and others. Alexis currently lives with his wife in Maryland.

Andrew Arnold is one of the co-authors of the Adventures in Cartooning series. His work has appeared in several publications, including Nickelodeon Magazine and Cambridge University Press. Originally from Houston, Texas, Andrew currently lives in New York City.

Editorial Reviews

"This lively frolic is sure to please young readers." —Kirkus Reviews

"The memorable tale will be enjoyed by a wide range of readers time and again." —School Library Journal

"Beginning readers new to comics can enjoy the simply drawn, colorful panels and the madcap antics, while parents and teachers can appreciate this story of friendship and loyalty." —Booklist

From the Publisher

04/01/2015
K-Gr 3—The Knight and his horse, Edward, enjoy jumping from great heights into the lake below, but the Knight is soon entranced with the idea of flying after a chance encounter with a gryphon. The "Adventures in Cartooning" cast returns in a medieval story told through sequential art, reminding readers of the loyalty of a good friend and that sometimes taking a ride on a gryphon isn't all it's cracked up to be. Much of the art is composed of simple shapes drawn in a thick line, producing characters that stand out and can be easily drawn or replicated by young readers. The story progresses quickly through the paneled art and the speech bubbles are illustrated to emphasize the emotion conveyed in the dialogue. The character design is great and the art works hand-in-hand with the text to move the story forward. VERDICT The memorable tale will be enjoyed by a wide range of readers time and again.—Matthew C. Winner, Ducketts Lane Elementary School, Elkridge, MD

School Library Journal

2015-06-16
The Knight and his noble steed, Edward, find their friendship challenged when the Knight turns his attention to a new friend: a gryphon. The garrulous Knight and his trusty, taciturn horse, Edward, are the best of friends. One day, while gallivanting around the kingdom (and unsuccessfully attempting to fly by jumping off a cliff), the Knight spies a gryphon aloft. Excited at the prospect of actual flight, he calls out to the mystical creature, and the two—after a slightly rocky start—become fast friends. They spend their day soaring across a robin's-egg-blue sky, as poor, forgotten Edward sits on the ground awaiting his friend's return. The next day, the Knight can barely contain himself as he waits for the gryphon's arrival. However, their sophomore flight doesn't go as smoothly as yesterday's, and suddenly it's up to Edward to help his friend. Sturm et al. have crafted a gentle yet effective tale of friendship laid out in a clean panel structure and related with economical prose. This lively frolic is sure to please young readers, who should be not only able to relate to the feeling of being cast out of a friendship when someone new comes along and changes the dynamic, but also to read this independently.Gryphons might not be great, but this sweet tale of friendship certainly is. (Graphic early reader. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews