![Picture](/uploads/5/5/9/4/55948695/9441855.jpg?189)
Airplane Adventure, by Cari Meister, illustrated by Marilyn Janovitz, 2009, North Mankato, MN: Stone Arch Books. 32 pages. ISBN: 978-1434222862.
Series: My First Graphic Novel
Age/Interest Level: 5-7 years
Lexile Level: GN200L
Awards: N/A
Reader Annotation: Juan and Anna are travelling to Mexico to see their grandmother. Since it’s so far away, they have to travel by plane.
Plot Summary: Juan and Anna are heading to visit their grandmother who lives in Mexico. It’s far too far for them to walk and they cannot drive there, so they have to take a plane. This book guides readers through the entire process of flying, including packing and arriving at the airport and then getting tickets and going through security. It is an introduction to the graphic novel form, and includes instructions on how to read a graphic novel.
Critical Evaluation: This work is light on plot. The basic idea is that Juan and Anna have to ride a plane to Mexico, and graphic novel guides readers on the process from beginning to end. It’s intended to be an introduction to the graphic novel, and it works remarkably well in that respect. It’s in the vein of a beginning reader, with very simple sentence structure so that readers can focus on learning how to read a graphic novel. Instructions are included on the pages, guiding readers through the panels. The photos are bright and colorful, though a little plain so that they do not detract from the overall purpose. This works, making it incredibly easy to follow. It also allows for a sense of accomplishment, since readers learn how to read a graphic novel at the same rate Juan and Anna learn how to board and ride a plane.
Why Included: This is intended for very young children who do not have a lot of experience with graphic novels. With the popularity of graphic novels increasing, it is necessary as a tool so that some readers can have an easy transition into those works.
Series: My First Graphic Novel
Age/Interest Level: 5-7 years
Lexile Level: GN200L
Awards: N/A
Reader Annotation: Juan and Anna are travelling to Mexico to see their grandmother. Since it’s so far away, they have to travel by plane.
Plot Summary: Juan and Anna are heading to visit their grandmother who lives in Mexico. It’s far too far for them to walk and they cannot drive there, so they have to take a plane. This book guides readers through the entire process of flying, including packing and arriving at the airport and then getting tickets and going through security. It is an introduction to the graphic novel form, and includes instructions on how to read a graphic novel.
Critical Evaluation: This work is light on plot. The basic idea is that Juan and Anna have to ride a plane to Mexico, and graphic novel guides readers on the process from beginning to end. It’s intended to be an introduction to the graphic novel, and it works remarkably well in that respect. It’s in the vein of a beginning reader, with very simple sentence structure so that readers can focus on learning how to read a graphic novel. Instructions are included on the pages, guiding readers through the panels. The photos are bright and colorful, though a little plain so that they do not detract from the overall purpose. This works, making it incredibly easy to follow. It also allows for a sense of accomplishment, since readers learn how to read a graphic novel at the same rate Juan and Anna learn how to board and ride a plane.
Why Included: This is intended for very young children who do not have a lot of experience with graphic novels. With the popularity of graphic novels increasing, it is necessary as a tool so that some readers can have an easy transition into those works.