Book Review: Star Wars: Jedi Academy

Jeffrey Brown, Star Wars: Jedi Academy. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 2013. ISBN: 9780545505178.

Genre: Star Wars

Subgenre: children and young adult

Format: hardcover

Source: Berea branch, Madison County (KY) Public Library

 

Since I read and enjoyed Brown's previous books, Darth Vader and Son and Vader's Little Princess (link to my reviews), I figured I would try the first volume in this series. I checked, and there are nine books so far in the series; Brown writes the first three. I will list the titles at the end of the review for reference. 

In this story, Roan Novachez dreams of becoming a pilot. When he is rejected for Pilot Academy, it seems he is destined for a farmer school. However, at the last minute he gets a letter inviting him to the Jedi Academy, so he leaves his family and home on Tatooine for Coruscant. This book tells the story of Roan's first year at Jedi Academy.

Roan tells his story through journal entries and drawings. We also get comic strips and other art to tell the story. Roan makes friends, tries to steer clear of the bullies, and does his best. He is a bit concerned he does not seem strong in the Force initially, but Master Yoda keeps encouraging him to do his best. 

This is basically a middle school story with a Star Wars coating. Roan goes through the travails of a middle schooler in a new school such as classes, making friends, the cafeteria food, and dealing with bullies. The book does have some light humor and is overall positive in tone. It puts the Star Wars universe in a lighter tone for children of all ages. If you like Star Wars, you will probably enjoy this. It does take a few liberties with "continuity," so it may bother some "purists." Ignore the purists and read it anyhow. It is a nice, fun, and easy read for the rest of us. 

The art is very nice and keeps the essence of Star Wars. The characters are amusing, specially some of the teachers. Art is black and white. It would be nicer if it was in color like the book cover. 

Overall, I really liked this one. It was a cute and amusing Star Wars story with warmth and humor. I am willing to read the next one in the series to see how Roan's story progresses. It's a new story that maintains the familiar Star Wars elements. This is a good one for middle school level readers and Star Wars fans of all ages. 

4 out of 5 stars. 

List of books (so far) in the Jedi Academy series: 

1. Star Wars: Jedi Academy.
2. Return of the Padawan.
3. The Phantom Bully.
   
4. A New Class.
5. The Force Oversleeps.
6. The Principal Strikes Back.
7. Revenge of the Sis.
8. Attack of the Furball.
9. At last, Jedi. 

 

 

Short book review: Batman Adventures: Cat Got Your Tongue?

Various authors, Batman Adventures: Cat Got Your Tongue? Burbank, CA; DC Comics, 2021. ISBN: 9781779510808.

Genre: comics and graphic novels

Subgenre: superheroes, DC Comics, young adult

Format: hardcover

Source: Berea branch, Madison County (KY) Public Library

 

This volume in the series focuses on Catwoman. Catwoman falls in a sort of grey area. Is she a villain? an ally? an anti-hero? Maybe as cats can be, she just plays by her own rules. The stories here explore the character from various views. 

The volume features seven chapters plus a preview of Flash Facts, a graphic novel with tales of science and technology featuring DC heroes. 

In the stories, Catwoman does some capers, helps Batman a bit when not trying to stay a step ahead, and even meets Wonder Woman. Stories are light and entertaining, good fare for readers of all ages. The comics have different artists, so you see different art styles. A couple of the comics have a bit more of a noir look. 

Overall, this is a nice easy read that is light and entertaining. Fans of the animated series will likely enjoy it. I really liked it, and I'll look for more in the series. 

4 out of 5 stars.

Book Review: Batman Adventures: Nightwing Rising

Ty Templeton, Batman Adventures: Nightwing Rising. Burbank, CA: DC Comics, 2020. ISBN: 9781779507228.

 

Genre: comics and graphic novels

Subgenre: children and young adult, Batman comics, superheroes

Format: small hardcover

Source: Berea branch, Madison County (KY) Public Library 

 

Children grow up to be adults, and that includes Dick Grayson, also known as Robin the Boy Wonder. By now, Dick is becoming his own person, even questioning some of Batman's methods. He finally decides to leave, uncertain of his future. The one thing he is certain of is a desire to keep learning and training. So he travels the world seeking teachers, martial arts masters, and shamans. Meanwhile, back in Gotham, Batman and Batgirl deal with the Joker and the Riddler among others. 

This is an all ages comic based on Batman: the Animated Series and preserves the same art style. If you enjoyed that, you will likely enjoy this volume as well. The volume includes six stories. In addition to Dick's story of becoming Nightwing, we also get Tim Drake starting on his path to become the new Robin. 

The story is good with plenty of action. This is a very easy read with a positive note. If you want something lighter than the common dreary, dark, and often overwrought stories DC regularly cranks out, grab one of these volumes. They are certainly not just for kids. Sometimes you want to read something lighter and positive that does not need 20 crossovers to read the full story. This was overall a fun volume with good colorful art. It was a nice easy read. I will be looking for other volumes in the series. 

This is a good selection for libraries with graphic novel collections. 

4 out of 5 stars. 

Book Review: LEGO Star Wars Ideas Book

Hannah Dolan, et.al., LEGO Star Wars Ideas Book. New York, NY: DK Publishing, 2018. ISBN: 9781465467058.

 

Genre: art and photography

Subgenre: Star Wars, LEGO, children and YA

Format: coffee table book

Source: Berea branch, Madison County (KY) Public Library

This big coffee table book features "more than 200 games, activities, and building ideas." One of the features are ideas to reuse or create new things with specific LEGO sets (assuming you might want to take apart that one nice set you put together). 

The book is arranged as follows: 

• Recreate. Recreate moments from Star Wars. 
• Expand. Expand and reimagine scenes and situations in Star Wars. 
• Challenge. Games you can create with LEGOs.
• Use it. Create some practical things like a piggy bank or a vase. 

A strength of the book is the photography. Even if you are not a builder, this book is a pleasure to view. The photos are in full color, and we get a lot of creativity on display. 

The text is easy to read. However, we do not get detailed instructions for the items. Some illustrations show parts of the process, but for the most part builders need ability to figure out how things fit together based on a photo. Some better instructions could have made this book a lot more than a nice art book. 

Overall, I really liked this book. I loved the photos. This can be a good book for children, though they may need some adult help with some of the project, or the adults may need the kid's help. If you are a fan of Star Wars and/or LEGO, you will enjoy this book. 

4 out of 5 stars.  

Note: DK Publishing is an imprint of Penguin Random House, one of the four publishers that I am boycotting due to their lawsuit against Internet Archive. However, I was reading this book prior to March 27, 2023 when my boycott went in effect. I am posting the review, but I am not actively sharing it on social media.

Short book review: Garfield the Big Cheese: his 59th Book

Jim Davis, Garfield the Big Cheese: His 59th Book. New York: Ballantine Books, 2015. ISBN: 9780345526045.

 

Genre: comics and graphic novels

Subgenre: humor, children and young adult

Format: trade paperback

Source: Berea branch of the Madison County (KY) Public Library

 

I have read this book before but apparently forgot to write a review note. This one is like his other recent collections with light humor, and it's an easy read. For me, these volumes are a nice comfort read. Among the highlights: Garfield meets a locust, Jon proposes a book club, and some running/jogging humor. I appreciated the running humor as I have recently started running. Overall, this is a good and amusing book for all ages. I liked it. 

3 out of 5 stars.

Book Review: Garfield Fat Cat 3-Pack, Volume 2

Jim Davis, Garfield Fat Cat 3-Pack, Volume 2. New York: Ballantine Books, 2005. ISBN: 9780345464651.

 

Genre: graphic novels and comics

Subgenre: humor, children and young adult

Format: omnibus edition, trade paperback

Source: Berea branch, Madison County (KY) Public Library 

 

This volume contains the following books: 

 

• Garfield Weighs In: his Fourth Book.
• Garfield Takes the Cake: his Fifth Book.
• Garfield Eats his Heart Out: his Sixth Book.

The book features some very good early strips. Jon's roommate, Lyman, who disappears later in the series, is still here. At this time in the series, Garfield is starting to date Arlene the pink cat. 

 

I do enjoy the good humor in these early books. At this point in time, the author is trying out new ideas. Also Garfield is more cat-like. Over time, Davis has made Garfield much more anthropomorphic in personality and behavior. Overall, the strips in these three books feel like Davis is still developing his craft and putting in good work. While I do like his later volumes, these days you can tell he has a formula down, and at times it feels the comic is on cruise control. Not so with these early comics. 

 

Highlights in this volume include: Garfield mugs Girl Scouts for the cookies, Garfield fears the sludge monster after watching a horror movie, Garfield's history of dogs, Garfield meets his grandpa, and visiting Jon's parents at the farm. 

Overall, this is a fun and amusing book. It has a pretty good variety of jokes and humor. For libraries, these omnibus editions provide good value for graphic novel collections. 

4 out of 5 stars.

Book Review: Garfield Dishes It Out: his 27th Book

Jim Davis, Garfield Dishes It Out; His 27th Book. New York: Ballantine Books, 1994. ISBN: 9780345525956.

 

Genre: comics and graphic novels 

Subgenre: humor, children and YA

Format: trade paperback

Source: Berea branch, Madison County (KY) Public Library

 

A new to me volume in the series. This is still early in the series before Jon starts dating Liz. A good highlight in this volume is Garfield spending Christmas with Jon's family in the farm. Garfield Christmas time comics are always a favorite for me, and this story was very nice and amusing. Overall, another amusing and fun read in the series. 

3 out of 5 stars. 

Short book review: Garfield Fat Cat 3-Pack, Volume 22

Jim Davis, Garfield Fat Cat 3-Pack, Volume 22. New York: Ballantine Books, 2020. ISBN: 9780593156384.

 

Genre: graphic novels and comics

Subgenre: humor, children and young adult

Format: trade paperback omnibus edition

Source: Berea branch, Madison County (KY) Public Library

 

This volume collects the books Garfield Feeds His Face: his 64th Book, Garfield Eats and Runs: his 65th Book, and Garfield: Nutty as a Fruitcake: his 66th Book. These larger volumes are always good and amusing reads. The strips are in color. Among the highlights here are Garfield watching television-- I am always amused to see what kind of TV shows he finds-- and Jon shows off his frequent shopper status at the local pizza parlor. Another highlight is Jon attempting to do online shopping. I think a few folks out there who do online shopping may relate. Overall another nice collection of light and entertaining humor.I liked it. For public libraries, these volumes make a pretty good value for your Garfield and comics collections.

3 out of 5 stars.

Short Book Review: Garfield Takes Up Space: his 20th Book

Jim Davis, Garfield Take Up Space: his 20th Book. New York: Ballantine, 2010. ISBN: 9780345491787.

Genre: comics and graphic novels

Subgenre: humor, children and YA

Format: trade paperback

Source: Berea branch, Madison County (KY) Public Library 

Overall, this was pretty good. This is another amusing volume in the series. These volumes are always an easy and relaxing read for me. Highlights in this volume include Garfield trying to find his Christmas presents and Jon playing the bongos when he is depressed. Personally I always enjoy the Christmas strips in the series, and the ones in this volume were sweet and amusing. I really liked this one. 

4 out of 5 stars

Short book review: Garfield Worldwide: his 15th Book

Jim Davis, Garfield Worldwide: his 15th Book. New York: Ballantine, 2007. ISBN: 9780345917546.

 

Genre: graphic novels and comics

Subgenre: humor, children and YA

Format: trade paperback

Source: Berea branch, Madison County Public Library

 

 

This is the 15th book in the series. It is still relatively early in the series. The comics feel like Davis is in his stride versus more recent volumes where it feels like he is phoning it in. Among the highlights: Jon attempts to grow a mustache and later his date with Big Bertha. The volume was originally published in 1988, so you get some 1980s references and humor. This edition was reprinted in 2007. Overall, I liked this one. 

4 out of 5 stars. 

Short book review: Garfield: What Leftovers? His 71st Book

Jim Davis, Garfield: What Leftovers? His 71st Book. New York: Ballantine, 2021. ISBN: 9780593156445.

 

Genre: graphic novels and comics

Subgenre: humor, children and YA

Format: trade paperback

Source: Berea branch of the Madison County (KY) Public Library

 

The 71st collection, and the series keeps on going. Leftovers, as Jon points out to Garfield, are "food uneaten at the end of a meal." It may be a word but not for Garfield. As other volumes in the series, this is an amusing and light read. If you want some easy humor, these books are always a good choice. I liked it. 

3 out of 5 stars. 

Short book review: Garfield Goes Hog Wild: his 70th Book

Jim Davis, Garfield Goes Hog Wild: his 70th Book. New York: Ballantine Books, 2020. ISBN: 9780593156421.

 

Genre: comics and graphic novels

Subgenre: humor, children and YA

Format: trade paperback

Source: Berea branch of the Madison County (KY) Public Library

 

The 70th volume of the series, and this comic strip keeps on going. To be honest, Davis has long ago found his formula, and he sticks to it. The volume offers more of that light humor and amusement that Garfield is known for. Among the highlights, in Hard Times Garfield has Pooky to comfort him, and Jon has trouble swiping the debit card to buy some chips. That is a problem I am sure a few debit card users can find relatable. Overall, this was a nice comfort read that keeps it simple. 

3 out of 5 stars. 

Book qualifies for this 2021 Reading Challenge: 

Short book review: Garfield Fat Cat 3-Pack, Volume 12

Jim Davis, Garfield Fat Cat 3-Pack, Volume 12. New York: Ballantine Books, 2019. 

Genre: comics and graphic novels

Subgenre: humor, children and YA. 

Format: Omnibus collection, paperback

Source: Berea branch of the Madison County (KY) Public Library

This volume collects the following three books: Garfield Life to the Fullest: his 34th Book, Garfield Feeds the Kitty: his 35th Book (which I have read before), and Garfield Hogs the Spotlight: his 35th Book. So most of the strips were new to me, and even the ones from the one book still felt fresh since it has been a while since I read that book. 

As I've written before, Garfield comics for me are a comfort read. When I want something amusing, simple, and easy to read, I like having these comics handy. I have also written before that for libraries that collect graphic novels and comics these 3-pack volumes do make a good value. The comics are in full color, and they are printed a bit larger than the regular trades (or at least they feel that way). 

This is classic Garfield humor with his blend of big appetite, sarcasm, and plain humor. Among my favorite strips are: Jon trying to find a date for New Year's Eve from his little black book (amusing but can seem dated in this era of online dating), Garfield being a cat and getting on top of the book Jon is reading, the mice's wedding (that was just cute), and Jon discovering he has a chest hair (yea, just one). For me, these are good comics to read anytime. Overall, I am really liking these, specially in these larger volumes. 

4 out of 5 stars. 

Qualifies for this 2020 Reading Challenge: 

Booknote: Tales from Vader's Castle

Various authors, Tales from Vader's Castle (Star Wars Adventures). San Diego, CA: IDW, 2019.  ISBN: 978-1-68405-407-7.

 

Genre: graphic novels and comics

Subgenre: Star Wars, juvenile and young adult

Format: paperback

Source: Berea branch of the Madison County (KY) Public Library

 

When Lina Graf and her Rebels team crash land on Mustafar, they need to figure out how to get out of the planet. This means trying to find and/or steal a ship. The only place that may have a ship is Darth Vader's heavily guarded fortress nearby. In order to distract themselves a bit and lower tension, they tell spooky stories. Stories feature characters like Obi-Wan Kenobi, Han Solo and Chewbacca, and others. 

This volume is basically a collection of light and fun spooky stories for young adult/juvenile readers. The volume features five stories that blend spooky with a sense of humor. If Star Wars characters sat around a camp fire to tell tales, they'd tell tales like this. The book is a light and easy read. The art varies as it is drawn by various artists; some stories look better than others. Stories are light and entertaining. While you can read this any time of the year, it makes for good Halloween season reading. It does have a nice cuteness element coated in Star Wars that works. Overall, I liked it. 

3 out of 5 stars. 

Signs the economy is bad: July 31, 2020 edition

Welcome to another edition of "Signs the Economy is Bad" here at The Itinerant Librarian. This is the semi-regular (as in when I have time and/or feel like doing it) feature where I scour the Internet in search of the oh so subtle hints that the economy is bad. Sure, pundits may say things are getting better, but what do they know? And to show not all is bad, once in a while we look at how good the uber rich have it.


Welcome to another edition. This week I found a good amount of miscellaneous news, so let's have a look. 

Education News

•  In what can only be described as some serious classist and possibly racist fuckery, a new survey reveals broad differences in remote teaching for low income children versus high income children. Via Hechinger Report. In a nutshell: "Instead of hours per day, the survey revealed that it was how students were being taught that clearly varied by income. Low-income schools spent considerably more time reviewing old content. Wealthier schools were more likely to teach new material. " And that is not all. 
• Meanwhile, college towns, which depend on college students for a lot of their economy despite bitching about college students, are having to adapt and make do with less students (or none if a college completely shut down for the fall). Story via Inc.

Rural News

•  In West Virginia, a new report finds that due to tight town budgets and summer activities closing down due to COVID-19 that more children are eating poorly. Furthermore, "According to Save the Children, one in five children in West Virginia are food insecure, Knisely reports." Story via The Rural Blog

Meanwhile back in the US colony

• Back in Puerto Rico, thousands are STILL without housing since Hurricane Maria. Via Latino Rebels. For the record, it has been almost three years since Hurricane Maria hit the island. How bad is it? The recently appointed local housing secretary admits, “We’re not going to be finished for years."

In Other News of the Bad Economy

•  As if children going hungry due to the pandemic and closures was not bad enough, stress over child care is also causing problems for parents. Story via UPI. In sum, ""The pandemic exposes how fractured the safety net is for American families." Not that the Party of Stupid and their current leader would care about something like that. 
• The Atlantic reports that more people are postponing marriage due to the pandemic. It is just not economically viable for many. 
• At home cooking is messing up U.S. farms. Story via Boing Boing. You would think that cooking at home would be a good and desirable thing. People eat at home, make their own meals, perhaps eat healthier even. The issue is that many farms are geared to sell their produce to restaurants and food service. When restaurants and food service closed down due to the pandemic, they could not easily switch gears to cater to at home cooks. When you think about it, that is a bit of a sad comment about U.S. farming as well as consumers. 
• After Walmart announced it is not opening for Thanksgiving this year, due to the pandemic, a few other retailers are following. Story via Inc. Let's be honest, aside from the fact that they are extending sales longer and sooner than Black Friday is to get people to keep on shopping. They will get people's money one way or another. 
• In culture and the bad economy because, who needs culture anyhow in the United States?
• NPR reports on a new survey showing that 1/3 of museums in the U.S. may not survive the pandemic. 
• Publishers Weekly reports that bookstore sales in May went further down.
• In rural towns, may be harder to see the local production of Little Orphan Annie or whatever as community theaters are struggling to survive in the pandemic. Via The Daily Yonder. We have a small community theater here that to be honest I have no idea if it will survive the pandemic or not. 
• In a different track, read via Latino Rebels how Mexican remittances, the money Mexican immigrants here in the U.S. send back home to Mexico, are also affected by the pandemic. The problem is that they are sending less money back home, but that is not the only issue, so check the story out. 
• This is not so much a bad sign, though it could be, as it is something I found interesting. Hard seltzer sales are going up and up. Story via Spirits Business. There is a desire among some folks for low alcohol proof drinks, and these hard seltzers seem to do the trick.

Uber Rich

• Jeff Bezos has the gall to claim that he has no idea how often or how bad his company Amazon rips off third party sellers. Via VICE. I think we need to make a clear distinction here. It is not that he does not know. It is that he does not want to know since he still profits from it. Big difference.

Signs the economy is bad: July 24, 2020 edition

Welcome to another edition of "Signs the Economy is Bad" here at The Itinerant Librarian. This is the semi-regular (as in when I have time and/or feel like doing it) feature where I scour the Internet in search of the oh so subtle hints that the economy is bad. Sure, pundits may say things are getting better, but what do they know? And to show not all is bad, once in a while we look at how good the uber rich have it.


Once more, welcome to another edition. Let's see what we got this week.  Not too many items, so let's get on with it.

Education News

•  As schools still struggle to decide whether to open for the fall or not, or open in what capacity if any, parents are seriously concerned about their jobs, if they still have one, and child care. Via The Hechinger Report.  There is something to be said for the fact that schools, institutions for education, are more basically babysitters so parents can go to work because in the Bad Economy both parents do have to work to keep food on the table. So when schools get disrupted, that precarious plan of parents working gets messed up as well. Then again, my sympathy only goes so far since more often than not many of those parents degrade and are outright hostile to schools and funding them properly. So suddenly, when the shit hits the fan they are all "OMG, we need those schools to open" without much regard for the teachers who will risk their lives to care and teach for their demon spawns. And let's not even get started on the total disregard for other school staff like, oh, say, the janitors who have to sanitize the whole thing.

The Bad Economy  Around the World 

•  In Hong Kong, under the stairs shops, small mom and pop stores in the city, often kept by residents of a building to help them pay rent, are disappearing. They are becoming a victim of redevelopment (i.e. getting gentrified it seems). Story via Al Jazeera.

  

In Other News of the Bad Economy

• Well, child hunger is up in the United States. Via The Rural Blog. Probably because feeding children is not quite a priority in the U.S., kind of goes along with not funding schools properly and other things for the common good. 
• Do you live in the U.S.? Do you need an affordable modest car because, you know, you pretty much need a car for things like getting to work? You can't afford a giant truck or gas guzzling SUV? Well, you are up shit's creek because car companies are basically phasing out small subcompact cars that used to be the affordable option. Via VICE. It is not necessarily that they are stopping production and not making them at all. They are just NOT making them for the U.S. market. You can go to any other part of the world and still find them, but in the U.S. where people really need a car, because public transportation is laughable where it may exist, well, as I said, shit's creek.
• If things keep going the way they are, we are probably not going to see polar bears much longer. Story via VICE. By the way, this is not something in the far off future. Polar bears can go extinct in 80 years or so. 
• As we all know, the Bad Economy and the pandemic have hit small businesses hard. The U.S. government has been pretty inefficient (read here they helped their rich buddies instead) in helping small businesses out. However, in some small good news Country Time, the lemonade people, decided to help their own and they are offering bailouts for children's lemonade stands. Story via ABC 30. This is not a joke. Read the story for details, deadline to apply is August 12, 2020.

Hustlin' in the Bad Economy

• The illicit drug trade is one where you definitely need to hustle and be creative to keep the money rolling in. The latest smuggling scheme? In Italy, police intercepted a shipment of cocaine smuggled inside hollowed out coffee beans. Via Boing Boing. So many questions. One, who looked at a coffee bean and said, yep, we can smuggle cocaine in these little babies? Two, who got stuck with the job of hollowing out all those coffee beans? 
• Restaurants have been hit very hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, as they gradually reopen, they still need workers. It turns out that in addition to the usual workers, like cooks and waiters, restaurants may need a few new types of worker. So if you need a job, this may be an option, or if you already work in a restaurant, some of this may become extra duties. Story via Departures.

Booknote:Garfield Belly Laughs: his 68th Book

Jim Davis, Garfield Belly Laughs: his 68th Book. New York: Ballantine Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781984817778.

Genre: graphic novels and comics
Subgenre: humor, children and YA
Format: paperback
Source: Berea branch of the Madison County (KY) Public Library


This collection turned out pretty good. Just when I thought Davis may be running out of steam, he
reveals some more amusing strips. Some highlights include:

• The mice install air conditioning.
• Garfield's advice for dealing with what's going on (ignore it). 
• The spider gets a fitness tracker.

Davis has also gotten a bit better about keeping up with popular culture, but odds are in a decade or so some of these strips will seem dated. Until that happens, enjoy the humor now. Still, the book was a fun, comfort read overall, and I really liked it. If you are looking for some good humor and smiles, this is pretty good.

4 out of 5 stars. 

Booknote: Age Happens: Garfield Hits the Big 4-0

Jim Davis, Age Happens: Garfield Hits the Big 4-0. New York: Ballantine Books, 2018. ISBN: 9780345526090.

Genre: comics and graphic novels
Subgenre: humor, children and YA
Format: paperback
Source: Berea branch of the Madison Library (KY) Public Library

This is a collection celebrating Garfield's 40th birthday. The volume starts with a foreword by Lin-Manuel Miranda, who is also a bit Garfield fan. The volume is a collection of Garfield birthday strips year by year from the first year to the fortieth year. We get birthday jokes and humor including the birthday nightmares, which I always find amusing. All the strips in the volume are in color. In addition, the book includes bonus features. One is a section of Garfield cartoon tributes for his birthday from other artists. Among the artists are Dean Young ("Blondie"), John Rose ("Snuffy Smith"), Scott and Borgman ("Zits"), and Terri Libenson ("The Pajama Diaries"). We also get a gallery of fan art, which is drawings by children; some are seriously cute.

Overall, this is a pretty good and amusing volume. If you like birthday humor in general, you'll like the volume. I really liked it, and I think other readers will like it as well. I'll note the volume also includes a collection of Jim Davis' Top 40 strips. This section includes one of my favorite strips: Liz telling Garfield about the orange tabby she had as a child. It's one of the sweetest strips Davis has created. Anyhow, this is one I recommend.

4 out of 5 stars.

Booknote: Asterix and the Black Gold

Albert Uderzo and Rene Goscinny, Asterix and the Black Gold. London, UK: Orion Books, 2002.  ISBN: 0752847139.

Genre: graphic novels and comics
Subgenre: children and YA, historical fiction, humor
Format: hardback
Source: Berea branch of the Madison County (KY) Public Library

This book is volume 26 in the series. When druid Getafix runs short of rock oil, and merchant Ekonomikrisis forgets to fulfill the druid's order, it falls to Asterix and Obelix to go find some in the Middle East. The oil is an essential ingredient in the potion that gives Gauls their superhuman strength. As if that is not bad enough, a Roman spy will attempt to stop our heroes.

I always enjoy this light and humorous series. One of the things I enjoy are small historical tidbits you find here and there that may actually teach you a thing or two. Of course, some of the pop culture references are pretty good as well. As time passes, some pop culture references may get a bit outdated but overall the books still hold up well including this one.

Overall this was a light, fun, and quick read. I always like the humor in the series, and stories were Asterix and Obelix get to travel are always fun. I really liked this one.

4 out of 5 stars.

Booknote: Asterix Omnibus 1

René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo, Asterix Omnibus 1. London, UK: Orion Children's Books, 2016.  ISBN: 9781444004236.

Genre: comics and graphic novels
Subgenre: humor, children and young adult
Format: hardback
Source: Berea branch of the Madison County (KY) Public Library

This omnibus edition collects the first three volumes in the long running series. In Asterix the Gaul, we meet our protagonist and the rest of the village's cast. The Romans manage to place a spy in the village in the hopes of learning the secret of their superhuman strength. Hijinks ensue. In Asterix and the Golden Sickle, Druid Getafix breaks his golden sickle, which he needs to cut herbs for his superhuman strength potion. Asterix and Obelix go on a long journey to get a replacement. In Asterix and the Goths, it's time for the annual druids' convention. The Goths kidnap Druid Getafix hoping he will share his secrets with them. Instead, he tricks them as Asterix and Obelix work to rescue him.

Overall this is a nice collection with good humor, small historical references, and a pun here or there. I used to enjoy this series in  younger days, and I still do. It is definitely entertaining and worth reading. I really liked this one.

4 out of 5 stars.

Book qualifies for this 2020 Reading Challenge: