Buddha: An Enlightened Life
by by Kieron Moore; Illustrated by Rajesh Nagulakonda
Campfire books
Publisher/ Author Submission
Buddha: An Enlightened Life, is a retelling of the life of the Buddha, revamped for a modern era. The illustrations are beautiful, perfectly encapsulating the emotions of their scenes. The characters are complex, the story is always fascinating, and it is great as a way of teaching newer generations about the origins of this religion that can now be found around the world.
New Super-Man Vol. 1: Made In China (Rebirth) (Super-Man – New Super-Man (Rebirth))
by Gene Luen Yang, illustrated by
DC Comics
Nominated by: RobT
Boasting flawless art with a classic superhero feel, New Superman is here to stay. Chinese teen Kong Kenan goes from schoolyard bully to national hero overnight, and gets all the complications that come along with being beholden to a secret government agency for his new powers. The characters seem so real they make incredible situations believable, and plot twists galore keep readers guessing. Kenan’s ego is terrifying and hilarious. Politics, pride and powers all come together perfectly in this collection of issues 1-6.
Soupy Leaves Home
by Cecil Castellucci, illustrated by
Dark Horse
Nominated by: Cylin Busby
Travel back in time to 1932 and follow the path of a runaway. Unsure of what to do, the self-named Soupy is lucky to find an old hobo train hopper with his own hidden secrets. Filled with the thrill of traveling west and the drama of discovering a new world, Soupy Leaves Home is a moving story of how people are not always as they appear. With beautiful imagery and a captivating story line, this story will draw the attention of many types of readers.
Spill Zone
by Scott Westerfeld,
First Second Books
Nominated by: Anne@HeadFullofBooks
Three years ago a mysterious event known as the “Spill” destroyed Poughkeepsie and forever altered the boundaries of reality within the city. Addison is a photographer who sneaks into the Spill Zone to photograph the creepy, twisted, and unreal events she finds there, selling her photos for a living. Perfect for fans of light horror, this first book in the series will make readers’ hairs stand on end as the suspense builds and readers learn about the darkness and light that lies within each of the complex characters.
Spinning
by Tillie Walden
First Second Books
Nominated by: Pat Zietlow Miller
You don’t need to have a background in skating to enjoy this memoir. This complex story explores Tillie’s coming-of-age and coming out during the time she spent in competitive ice skating. By focusing on this particular stage of her life, Tillie Walden is able to speak to a number of issues that many teens will be able to relate to, from first love, to depression, to meeting expectations, to simply trying to figure out who you want to be. At its heart, Spinning is a captivating and brave story told honestly.
Tyson Hesse’s Diesel: Ignition
by Tyson Hesse
BOOM! Box
Publisher/ Author Submission
Diesel: Ignition is a fabulous and entertaining steampunk adventure, dealing with themes of loss, revenge, and how far nations should go in war. The art is great, the characters all play off each other very well, and the world is well fleshed out, assisting the morally grey atmosphere surrounding the story.