Heartwarming Graphic Novels for Kids

All Ages Comics Owly and Jellaby Also Excellent Children’s Books

Jun 26, 2009 Michael Jung

Help children discover the joy of kids comic books by introducing them to Owly, Jellaby, and Binky the Space Cat.

Want to give kids comic books that transcend language barriers, teach visual literacy, and provide heartwarming experiences? Then give them gifts of Andy Runton’s award-winning comic Owly, Kean Soo’s popular monster story Jellaby: Monster in the City, and Ashley Spire’s first graphic novel Binky the Space Cat.

Owly: The Way Home & The Bittersweet Summer

Owly is a kind and generous owl who loves taking care of birds and insects – even though they always fly away from him. But his lonely life changes in The Way Home when he saves a lost worm from drowning and decides to brave a long journey to take his new friend back to his family. Then in The Bittersweet Summer, Owly makes new friends in two hummingbirds, only to learn that being a good friend sometimes means letting go.

Readers will be amazed to find that none of the characters in Owly speak – and don’t need to. Thanks to artist Andy Runton’s excellent visual storytelling, the characters’ expressions, body language, and accompanying symbols are all readers need to understand these simple heartwarming stories. It’s a unique reading experience, and one that makes Owly graphic novels perfect gifts for English language learners, young children, or anyone who wants to see comics presented in their purest visual form.

Jellaby: Monster in the City

What do you do when you’re a friendly purple monster lost in the middle of a city? Well, if you’re Kean Soo’s loveable dragon-like creature Jellaby, you’ll be lucky enough to have two kids – Portia and Jason – who are willing to do anything to make sure you find your way home safely.

In this continuation to Kean Soo’s popular graphic novel Jellaby, Portia and Jason meet a mysterious magician who seems to know a lot about Jellaby, including a way to get him home. But when the magician takes Jellaby to Xolotl, a female monster with a sinister agenda, Portia and Jason must protect Jellaby – even if that means going up against a twenty-foot tall creature with a hair-trigger temper.

Originally a series of online comic strips that focused on Portia teaching Jellaby how to be a gentleman, the Jellaby graphic novels offer more adventure-based stories that deal with touchy issues like abandonment – without losing the innocence that made the online comics so fun. Reminiscent of children’s movies like E.T., the Jellaby graphic novels combine fanciful characters with real world issues to create some great touching stories.

Binky the Space Cat

Binky is a housecat with a dream. He wants to build a rocket ship and boldly go where no cat has gone before (even though he’s never been outside his house). He’s already training for his mission in the zero-gravity chamber (aka the clothes dryer), flight simulator (ceiling fan), and G-Force replicator (hairdryer). But most important, Binky must practice the art of catching and eating bugs (who he’s convinced are advance scouts for an alien invasion) to protect his humans from being enslaved by evil aliens.

As the launch date to his mission approaches, Binky finishes building his rocket ship, boards with his trusty copilot/mouse toy, and starts the countdown… only to realize he’s forgotten something important that could jeopardize his entire mission.

In this first (but hopefully not last) book to Ashley Spire’s Binky Adventure series, Spire introduces readers to a feline Walter Mitty who’s just as charismatic as Garfield or Snoopy. Like Owly, Binky doesn’t speak, allowing Spire to tell his story through a mix of hilarious captions and comic book art. Equal parts picture book and graphic novel, Binky the Space Cat is one comic that’s fun to read both alone and out loud to groups.

Find more great kids comic books and graphic novels at Kids Graphic Novels with Girl Heroes and Kids Graphic Novels for Animal Lovers.

Owly recently starred in an online animated short film by Sprite Animation Studios and Top Shelf Productions. Go to this animated cartoon website to see the short.

Runton, Andy. Owly: The Way Home & The Bittersweet Summer. Marietta: Top Shelf Productions, 2004. ISBN: 978-1-891830-62-4

Soo, Kean. Jellaby: Monster in the City. NY: Disney/Hyperion Books, 2009. ISBN: 978-142310565-7

Spires, Ashley. Binky the Space Cat. NY: Kids Can Press, 2009. ISBN: 978-1-55453-309-1

The copyright of the article Heartwarming Graphic Novels for Kids in Graphic Novels/Comics is owned by Michael Jung. Permission to republish Heartwarming Graphic Novels for Kids in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.