Member Reviews

I've told all my elementary school science teacher friends to get a copy of this book for their classrooms. The illustrations are stunning AND it is very informative. I'm sure this will appeal to children and adults of all ages.

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These cartoons are both educational and enjoyable to read. I think that my students would like them; I know that I learned a lot about sea dragons.

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The graphic novel format is a great way to educate, especially when it comes to science which is naturally very visual. I didn't really love this one though. It's chaotic, visually and thematically. Lots over overly bright colors. Multiple styles of illustration. I found it over stimulating.

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Squidtoons: Bill Bryson and David Attenborough for kids, spiced up with a lot of humour.

This is a lushily illustrated sea special about Marine Life - one of my favourite parts about nature. Its beautiful deep blue holds so much precious life and wonderful mysteries. I think the key to saving our oceans is to gain empathisers for its life from our children.

We are told of the anatomy and so much concerning the Sea Dragon. Everything is explained in a child-friendly manner and would appeal greatly to little, inquisitive eyes.

I love the "cinematography" if I can call it that. There are beautiful scenes set from the viewpoint of humans looking at seadragons or where seadragons eat their prey - and a lot of humour that would appeal to children and adults alike. The information is provided at a steady pace instead of being an info dump.

Like David Attenborough, this book's narrator comes across as charming, witty while still getting information to stick to your brain.

I'd love to read more of Squidtoons and all the other marine life this series has in store. I absolutely love the humour in this comic and the art is so appealing yet simply done. And even more jokes about sea dragons inconsistently breeding in aquariums:

And I'd definitely want this Lord of the Rings parody scene to become an actual thing!

In conclusion, Squidtoons' first installment regarding sea dragons is beautifully illustrated, creative and so much fun. Because of the jokes that were so well thought out, a lot of the information stayed with me.

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Squidtoons by Garfield Kwan & Dana Song is a fun, fact-filled book about ocean life. Laid out in comic book style, this lovely book introduces young readers to the world beneath the waves. From seashore to abyssal depths, creatures and habitats are examined in a kid-friendly, educational manner.

My cubs and I read this together and loved it! I got the original sampler from Netgalley, but it was so much fun, we got a full copy for the physical home library. They plenty of curious questions afterward, and we even made plans to visit the tidal pools near our home. The artwork is gorgeous, too! Perfect for the budding oceanographer, and as a classroom resource for many age groups.

***Many thanks to Netgalley, and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

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'Squidtoons: Exploring Ocean Science with Comics' by Garfield Kwan is a series for kids that helps them learn about creatures in the oceans. My review copy was only 31 pages, but I liked what I got sent.

The section I got sent was about the weedy seadragon. It included an anatomical drawing and talked about rarer species. The book also talked about attempts to breed more in captivity and why those attempts might be failing. Further in the book are sections about the Market Squid, Bluefin Tuna, the Yeti Crab, and many others.

The illustrations were colorful. I like that the author picks some unusual creatures to talk about. I really liked learning some new things about seadragons. I'd bet the rest of the book will be just as good.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

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Cute, humorous, and memorable science lessons

Squidtoons has it all: cute colorful illustrations, quirky kid-friendly humor, and fun science lessons. The NetGalley proof only included the seadragons section but it was enough to see that Squidtoons hits it out of the park with oceanography, biology, and strange sea life. The information is presented in such a way with humorous asides that the facts will stick with children long after they’ve finished reading the book. The vivid pictures with their clear prominence of key animal features will also stay with readers.

Squidtoons is too much fun and highly recommended for anyone with kids interested in any of the subjects covered or science in general, and for those parents who have kids who might not be interested in science but who find comics quite the cat’s meow. I think teachers and librarians would find this book in high demand. Highly recommended.

I received a sample of this book as an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) through NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

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Squidtoons: Exploring Ocean Science with Comics by Garfield Kwan is a book I requested from NetGalley and the review is voluntary. I only received a sample of 31 pages and I wanted more! This book is so awesome!!! It has the most adorable illustrations with cute cartoons to emphasize the information that is displayed. The information is also relayed in a fun way too. Kids will love this. I loved it and I am certain no kid. This is sure to be a hit! Who doesn't love sea life and comics anyway?

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A lovely beginning of a book but I cannot give an honest review without the full edition. I did adore the small maps.

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A comic nonfiction graphic novel guide to various marine animals, both common and not so common.

The ARC provided was only ¼ of the book, so I just got to read the sea dragon pages. What was provided though was attractively illustrated and provided solid information in creative and comic ways. I will be looking for the book to add to our Media Center. I think curious middle grade kids should love this, and the facts are solid. Even though I just got ¼ of the book, I myself learned a couple of things (and I have taught bio sciences in the past).

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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I downloaded what turned out to be a sampler from Net Galley.
The sampler only looks at the sea dragons and while it's nicely drawn, I did not need to be told several times over that sea dragons are not related to actual dragons. A more useful aspect would be what dangers they face in the sea from predation and environmental despoliation. Some interesting facts are related with notes about species and camouflage.
The brightly coloured pictures will entertain young children but I suggest the book is good for pre-teens.
I downloaded an e-ARC from Net Galley. This is an unbiased review.

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The Science Comics from First Second have been a huge hit in my library, and I fully expect this similarly styled book to do just as well. Presenting science through comics makes learning so much more fun for kids and even if they don't get all the jokes (because let's be real, they don't always) they enjoy it and therefore learn more and I'm a fan of that!

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What an absolute delight! This is such a fun way to educate little ones on ocean life. I thought the art style was beautifully vibrant that really worked well with the ocean setting. I giggled out loud many times. I'd highly recommend this!

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If the cover and title of Squidtoons doesn't demand attention, the idea of exploring and learning about ocean science with comics should. What a clever way to merge science, reading, and engagement- leading to new learning and the deepening of ocean knowledge. From the fluent funny and informative text and illustrations, to the talking bubbles discourse between three species of seadragons, to the pages with comics in panels, this book offers a lot to admire. The pages are filled with fictional action snapshots that reveal interesting facts about ocean life and the creatures that inhabit it. This book has a wide age appeal and is the ultimate example of the possibilities of a STREAM (Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Arts, Math) mindset towards teaching. This belongs as a mentor text in science classrooms, grade kindergarten through high school. In kindergarten writers learn about talking bubbles. After learning about a seadragon or a horseshoe crab, I could see writers drawing the animal and adding words to a talking bubble. Comics and graphic novels are fantastic portals to new schema, enhancing the readers abilities as a writer, and deepening their reading comprehension strategies between every page and panel, and effective non fiction access feature (table of contents, bold words, diagrams, labels). This will appeal to many of learners, and I highly recommend it for classroom and library shelves.

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Have you ever heard of Seadragons? I never have. Apparently they are part of the same family as Sea Horses, and they have the same style of having the male incubate the eggs. And that creature is only the first of many to be introduced in this book.

The science facts are fun, and beautifully drawn. There are bits of humor thrown in, and the pictures are colorful, and very informative.

This is an excellent book for both home and class room use. What a marvelous way to present life under the sea.

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Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

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Review: Squidtoons: Exploring Ocean Science With Comics

An excellently-presented and lovingly illustrated guide to life undersea, SQUIDTOONS will excite young readers (both those still in the read-to-me stage, and older children who delight in reading on their own) and adults (parents and educators alike) with its winning ways and gentle approach to science education. In comic format with substantial text and lovely illustrations, gaining knowledge is so easy. Readers of any age can learn much about the mysterious and fascinating undersea world.

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