Monday, October 12, 2009

Usagi Yojimbo, The Floating Circus and The Schwa was Here


Usagi Yojimbo by Stan Sakai

Usagi Yojimbo is a samurai who lost his master in battle.  He travels around helping towns people and other samurai and fighting bandits assassins and ninjas.  Every once in  a  graphic novel  he  helps his bounty hunter friend Gen, or fights a demon who thinks he's a god.  Usagi Yojimbo is a fun action packed adventure through 17th century Japan.  Even my dad has read most of the Usagi Yojimo graphic novels and loves them.  Stan Sakai is the bomb.

The Floating Circus by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer

The Floating Circus takes place in Pittsburgh in 1853.  Owen lives at an orphanage with his brother Zach.  When it's time for adoption Owen runs away and leaves his brother to be adopted alone.  Owen runs away to a floating circus on a boat and travels all around the country cleaning stalls for the circus but later he runs into some unexpected problems.  

 If you like books that give you a history lesson without boring you to death you'll like The Floating Circus.

The Schwa was Here by Neil Schusterman

When Anthony Banano meets a kid named Calvin Schwa his life changes.  Schwa is partly invisible.  Only four out of five people notice him.  Anthony and Calvin start making money off Calvin's partial invisibility, but who ever thought one bet could change your whole life?!

This book is awesomeness.  In fact, the only book I can compare it to is one of my favorites series ever: Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney.





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5 comments:

  1. Rick WaymanOctober 14, 2009 at 9:42 PM

    The Floating Circus sounds like a great book. I'd like to know more about what kind of history lessons it contains. The book was set not too long before the Civil War - does it compare and contrast life in the North and the South during that era?

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousOctober 23, 2009 at 1:19 PM

    You've piqued my interest in the Floating Circus, too. We just spent last week in Pittsburgh, so I wonder if there will be things in the book that will connect with what we saw or learned about the area.

    I just reserved a copy at the library.

    Holly

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  3. AnnOctober 27, 2009 at 12:42 PM

    Saucepan,
    How many books are in the Usagi Yojimbo series? I don't think we have them all at the library. I think I'm going to try the Schwa.
    Thanks for tips.
    Ann

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousDecember 14, 2009 at 2:56 PM

    Hey Saucepan,

    I really like your review on The Floating Circus. It sounds awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  5. SaucepanSeptember 28, 2010 at 9:35 AM

    yes,theFloating Circus contrasts life between the north and south in that era

    ReplyDelete

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