Dragon's Library

Showing posts with label webcomics. Show all posts

Sunday, February 2, 2025

Girls with Slingshots Volume 2

Written by: Daniel Corsetto

First line: She slammed into Thea's life at a roller derby bout and it was love at first collision.

Why you should read this book: Volume 2 contains the second 1000 comics of this complete series, and begins to focus more seriously on the issues that were hinted at in volume 1: that everybody needs to grow up sooner or later, or else they will end up very lonely and unfulfilled. While Jamie works out her situation with Erin, Hazel loses Zack because she doesn't want to take the responsibility for life that Zack is seeking in a romantic partner. Although it's still fun and funny, things get real, with other characters moving in more adult phases of their life, eventually prodding Hazel to start thinking about her past, and the events that led to her character formation and her assumptions about the world.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You don't see why you should have to change when the world could just accommodate your desire for great sex and a cool apartment.

Girls with Slingshots Volume 1

Written by: Daniel Corsetto

First line: If you've read Girls with Slingshots, you know that the classy exterior of these books encases a collection of dick and fart jokes (although not enough of either IMO), stories featuring a potty-mouthed cactus, Clarice the dominatrix flinging a dildo at her coworker's head, Hazel counting used condoms in the trash can to recall a drunken one-night stand, the death and resurrection of a gassy, deranged cat, the physically impossible game of Strip Laser Tag, lesbian sex in the employee's break room, hangovers, STDs, and a lot of puking.

Why you should read this book: Volume one contains the first 1000 comics (plus some new bonus comics) of this complete web series about a group of friends navigating their twenties and questions of sex, love, employment, housing. Hazel Tellington and her best friend Jamie McJack, along with a huge cast of characters (including cats and talking houseplants) drink, love, learn, and do all the insane things that cartoon young adults can get away with. In this volume, Hazel begins her writing career and falls in love with a cabdriver named Zack, while Jamie unpacks her complicated sexuality and falls for the asexual Erin.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You're judgy about drinking and promiscuity.

Thursday, November 5, 2015

I Am Princess X

Written by: Cherie Priest

First line: Libbie Deaton and May Harper invented Princess X in fifth grade, when Libby's leg was in a cast, and May had a doctor's not saying she couldn't run around the track anymore because her asthma would totally kill her.

Why you should read this book: In a really fast paced thriller, May Harper never fully accepted the death of her best friend, Libbie, even though she went to Libbie's funeral years ago. When she starts to see images of their character, Princess X, all over town and the Internet, she's convinced that Libbie is in trouble, in hiding, and desperately trying to send her a message. With the help of a disgraced computer hacker called Trick, May follows the clues left in a webcomic and races against time and a dangerous interloper they call the Needle Man in an effort to learn what really happened to her best friend.

Why you shouldn't read this book: Your child is in desperate need of a bone marrow transplant.

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FAQs

What's in Dragon's Library?

The intention was to create a record of every book that I read. I wish I'd had the idea about twenty-five years ago, but better late than never.

What's the deal with all those Amazon links?

Dragon's Library is a real, live Amazon affiliate site. Go ahead! Click those links. You can buy any book on this site (heck, you can buy any book in the world) directly from a trusted source. [Disclosure: I get 4% of the sales. Please buy a book and help support a struggling artist.]

How do you choose books?

Years of reading to elementary kids has given me a good sense of what kids respond to. I only review children's books if both my students and I enjoyed them. Otherwise, I favor speculative fiction, classic literature, and non-fiction books about science. However, I have been known to read just about anything.

Will you review my book (or a book I like, or a book I am publicizing)?

Yes. Yes, I will. I will review pretty much anything you send me, provided it does not suck. I do not review books I don't enjoy. If I like it well enough to finish it, it will appear on this site. Email me for further details.

Read to Your Dragonet

Studies show that children who regularly hear books read and see adults reading books have an easier time learning to read. If your children do not realize that books are fun and contain interesting ideas, they will be less motivated to learn how to read and write. Children who do not learn to read and write have difficulty succeeding in school and at life.

Even infants can enjoy books. You can check baby board books out of the library. Your baby will enjoy sitting on your lap as you read the words and point to the brightly colored pictures. If your baby wants to chew on the book, that's OK too.

Toddlers and pre-schoolers should understand how to hold a book (right side up) and how to turn the pages (left to right in English). Even if they're not ready to read, you can help your child prepare for school by teaching them how to talk about the stories they've heard. Pre-schoolers should be able to tell you something about character, setting, conflict, and resolution. After reading a story, prompt your child to tell you who the story was about, where it happened, what the problem was, and how it was solved.

If your grade-school child has difficulty learning to read, you can advocate for them. Your public school district is required to provide special help to kids with learning disabilities. If you suspect your child has dyslexia or some other difficulty in recognizing words, you may have to fight for your child's rights. Your child has the right to be tested by the district to determine the level of his or her disability, and your child has the right to a qualified specialist who can understand the best way for your child to learn. Some districts may be reluctant to pay for the extra help your child needs. Don't give up! Make sure your child gets the help he or she deserves. In America, every child has a right to an education.

You can learn more about children's books at the American Library Association website. Your public library is a great place to introduce your children to books. They will have special programs and incentives for kids of all ages to love reading. In most systems children are entitled to their own library cards from the time they are old enough to write their own names. It's a great way to teach responsibility as well as foster a lifelong love of learning and books.

If you can't get to the library, but you have an Internet connection, you can find many full-text books on-line. For adults, Project Gutenberg offers thousands of full-text books you can download for free.