Creative Comics for Cool Kids
PRAISE FOR PIZZA, PICKLES, AND APPLE PIE
“A broader perspective for readers who think no further than cupboards and fridges when asked where their food comes from….tasty.” —Kirkus Reviews
“PIZZA, PICKLES, AND APPLE PIE is a breezy, brief, illustrated history of many of today’s popular foods. Told in comic format, this engrossing piece of nonfiction for middle graders… (is) the sort of fun, catch-your-eye, nonfiction book that a kid can pick up, thumb through, and read a section. (The book) will readily lend itself to multicultural food discussions, related classroom cooking projects, and food-sharing activities. Young readers will enjoy the cartoonish digital illustrations featuring tons of food, multicultural characters, and a cartoonish Thomas Jefferson chowing down on his beloved waffles. Try it! It’s good for you!” —Richie Partington, Richie’s Picks
“This history of food favorites is both informative and entertaining. Over the course of a few pages per food kids learn how certain foods were developed and evolved over the decades (or centuries)…Wonderful, detailed graphic novel style illustrations show the amazing varieties of food both throughout history and around the world.” —Youth Services Book Review
PRAISE FOR CHECKUPS, SHOTS, AND ROBOTS
2025 Kansas NEA Reading Circle List
“Rickert offers an antidote to skepticism and misinformation surrounding medical science in this high-energy, occasionally irreverent comics-style work…The author doesn’t shy away from depicting incidents of questionable or alarming medical ethics, bias, and unintended consequences, particularly involving the care of people of color. Still, readers will come away feeling that, when it comes to medical innovation, they’re standing on the shoulders of giants. Lively back matter includes how Rickert rendered historical figures and instructions on researching and creating one’s own comic.” —Publishers Weekly
“The humor woven throughout, such as illustrations of Robert Koch and Louis Pasteur arguing over who created the best vaccine, lighten the overall tone…A survey of medical technology and practices that will appeal to graphic novel readers, students who enjoy the gross and bloody, and STEM enthusiasts.”—School Library Journal
Why Comics?
- 90% of the information processed by the brain is visual.
- Comics dramatically increase retention.
- They also aid in the understanding of difficult material.
- They serve the needs of visual learners and provide new opportunities for those with learning differences while benefiting all learners.
- They’re fun!
