Joe Dunn (1)

This short (less than 40 pages) graphic novel tries to take the story of Anne Frank, the rise and fall of Nazis, and the Holocaust and condense them into one story for grades 3-5. They are largely unsuccessful. While the story is well-intentioned, it reads more like a history textbook, and glosses over certain facts, such as concentration camps and the eventual death of Anne and her family. The graphics are also disappointing, they are too brightly colored and seem computer generated, which makes them cold and stark. The tone of the novel is also of question, supposedly it was developed for grades 3-5, but the text is written towards the younger end, while the subject matter needs to be for a slightly older age. In addition, they present ideas, such as violence and Naziism, but they don't define them in the text, instead they include a glossary at the end and references for further research. This might be a good introduction for someone who is already familiar with the story of Anne Frank, but may not be the best choice for someone who is unfamiliar with the history of Naziism and World War II.… (altro)

This book is one of the best graphic novels to ever illustrate the attack which literally brought our nation into war. Children will enjoy the vivid, comic-book style color pictures, and the illustrations assist students with comprehending the events that led up to the attack. Students will understand how the attack was planned months in advance, how the United States was supplying ammunition to the Japanese, and how necessary it was to attack Tokyo in 1942. This graphic novel also describes the sinking of the first Japanese sub in the harbor and the radar tower that first detected the Japanese planes, but were dismissed by high command as B 17 bombers coming from the mainland.
I delight in using the graphic novels for teaching history. Using a graphic novel is a great way to introduce the concept of war, by giving students an ability to visualize the time period, the places and people of the time.… (altro)