#Vera Brosgol

[therefugeofbooks]

I've spent a slow afternoon reading and browsing comics in a library specialized in comics and graphic novels ✨️

#old pics and old memories 🥲 #but this is your sign to go to the library 💫 #booklr #comics #book photography #anya's ghost #vera brosgol #libraries #the refuge of books

[haveyoureadthiscomic-poll]

#anya's ghost #vera brosgol #first second #graphic novel #graphic novels #poll

[onebluebookworm]

31 Days of Literary Spookiness: Graphic Novel Edition - October 3

Anya's Ghost - Vera Brosgol

#31 days of literary spookiness 2023 #31 days of literary spookiness #anya's ghost #vera brosgol

[kittymaine]

Today I read Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol. It is a graphic novel about a ten year old girl who goes to a russian camp in Connecticut for a month and her struggles to fit in and understand the other kids at camp.

For me, this was an extremely relatable book. I'm not a russian immigrant and I never went to summer camp, but I think the core experience that this book is showing is the feeling of being the one weird kid, the kid who doesn't like the same things as the other kids, doesn't have their experiences or their tribal knowledge, who always feels just off center from everyone else and the desperation to try and make yourself fit. And then that eventual relief when you realize that you can be happier if you just stop trying to get everyone else's approval. I feel like everyone has felt this way at least once in their life, so I expect this kind of story can appeal to everyone.

The art was also great! The artist has a way of drawing the environments that made me think to myself "yeah, yes I know exactly what that outhouse smelled like. I know exactly how buggy it was. I think I stumbled down that exact same rocky trail." I don't know if I'm describing this very well, but I'm trying to say her art really set the scene perfectly. And I think she nailed the narrative tone too. The narration really felt like a ten year old girl, which helped to immerse me in the story even more.

I'm super happy I read this book! A good start to 2024, I think. I would recommend this book to anyone who finds the premise even a little bit interesting. It is a very well crafted book.

#be prepared #vera brosgol #graphic novel #summer camp #russian #Connecticut #booklr #booktalk #book rec

[leftycharacters]

Today's left-handed character is Annushka Borzakovskaya from Anya's Ghost

#left handed #lefty characters #Annushka Borzakovskaya #anya's ghost #vera brosgol

[books-to-add-to-your-tbr]

Title: Anya’s Ghost

Author: Vera Brosgol

Series or standalone: standalone

Publication year: 2011

Genres: fiction, graphic novel, comics, fantasy, horror, paranormal, supernatural

Blurb: Of all the things Anya expected to find at the bottom of an old well, a new friend was not one of them...especially not a new friend who’s been dead for a century. Falling down a well is bad enough, but Anya’s normal life might actually be worse. She’s embarrassed by her family, self-conscious about her body, and she’s pretty much given up on fitting in at school. A new friend - even a ghost - is just what she needs...or so she thinks.

#anya's ghost #vera brosgol #standalone #2011 #fiction #graphic novel #comics #fantasy #horror #paranormal #supernatural

[basketbear-books]

Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol; Illustrated by Vera Brosgol

Anya needed a friend.  Emily Reilly fits the bill, but Emily is a ghost.  Anya’s friendship with Emily forces her to reflect on her life.  Anya’s embarrassment about her body, her family; everything is thrown back in her face by Emily, and now she must confront it.  Vera Brosgol’s hilarious tale is illustrated perfectly.  Her purple and black palette are exactly what a century-old ghost would choose.

#Vera Brosgol #middle school #graphic novel #russian american #body image

[gn349]

ANYA’S GHOST

[Cover art for Anya’s Ghost]. (n.d.). Retrieved March 10, 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anya%27s_Ghost

Anya’s Ghost by Vera Brosgol is a coming-of-age graphic novel that tells the story of Anya, an unpopular girl, who befriend’s Emily, the ghost of a girl who died 90 years ago. Emily attempts to help Anya become popular, but things take a terrifying turn when Emily’s true motives are revealed. Anya attempts to solve Emily’s murder, but digs deeper into a horrifying past and a truth that has been covered for quite some time.

Anya’s Ghost by Vera Brosgol is a slightly scary realization that not everything is what it seems, but it also offers undertones of self-acceptance. The novel provides moments of humor and unsettling aspects that leave the reader wanting more. While the reading level for this novel falls a bit more on the middle school side, it is also an exciting read for high schoolers. Brosgol does a magnificent job portraying Anya as the epitome of teen angst but also offers some important lessons that teens will surely value. Bullying, self-doubt, embarrassment, and faltering friendships are only some of the themes included, but they are relatable by the novel's end. While I was first confused when I first finished the story, reading it a second time allowed me to better appreciate Brosgol’s writing and the importance of the story. While I think young readers might feel a little lost with the different aspects of the storyline, such as the use of a 90-year-old ghost, they will surely be able to pick up the aforementioned themes. I give this graphic novel a 4/5 because I genuinely enjoyed reading it both times, but the need to re-read it can be a little off-putting if you don’t understand the story the first time. All in all, I would suggest this novel to any teens or pre-teens who are interested in a spooky tale with some lighthearted humor and strong themes!

AWARDS:

Eisner Award - Best Publication for Young Adults (Ages 12-17)

Meet the characters from Anya’s Ghost!

#anya's ghost #vera brosgol #self acceptance #ghosts #young adult literature #young adult mystery #young adult fiction #Youtube

[recurring-polynya]

Despite absolutely despising the Disney Pinocchio film as a child (stories where characters were naughty caused me a great deal of anxiety), I watched Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio last night.

1) It also caused me a great deal of anxiety 2) I read that Guillermo del Toro made it because the Disney version also freaked him out as a child

That’s not the important part, the important part is that I am now obsessed with the four rabbit grim reapers who are voiced by Tim Blake Nelson:

At first, I was convinced that they must be a reference to the Black Rabbit of Inlé from Watership Down. I have never read or watched Watership Down. My relationship with Watership Down is that everyone I know irl who has read it was traumatized by it, and a lot of horror writers I like were inspired by it. I refuse to read it, thought, because Ursula K. LeGuin says it’s a shitty male power fantasy, and I always listen to Ursula.

I looked it up though and it turns out those rabbits are canonical to the book. What the fuck?? To be fair, I read the wikipedia synapsis of Pinocchio and Carlo Collodi was wilding. Wikipedia makes no mention of the rabbits, though, but I was able to find the part where they appear:

"Aren't you afraid of death?"

"Not a bit. I'd rather die than drink that awful medicine."

At that moment, the door of the room flew open and in came four Rabbits as black as ink, carrying a small black coffin on their shoulders.

"What do you want from me?" asked Pinocchio.

"We have come for you," said the largest Rabbit.

"For me? But I'm not dead yet!"

"No, not dead yet; but you will be in a few moments since you have refused to take the medicine which would have made you well."

"Oh, Fairy, my Fairy," the Marionette cried out, "give me that glass! Quick, please! I don't want to die! No, no, not yet--not yet!"

And holding the glass with his two hands, he swallowed the medicine at one gulp.

"Well," said the four Rabbits, "this time we have made the trip for nothing."

And turning on their heels, they marched solemnly out of the room, carrying their little black coffin and muttering and grumbling between their teeth.

In a twinkling, Pinocchio felt fine. With one leap he was out of bed and into his clothes.

The Fairy, seeing him run and jump around the room gay as a bird on wing, said to him:

"My medicine was good for you, after all, wasn't it?"

"Good indeed! It has given me new life."

"Why, then, did I have to beg you so hard to make you drink it?"

"I'm a boy, you see, and all boys hate medicine more than they do sickness."

"What a shame! Boys ought to know, after all, that medicine, taken in time, can save them from much pain and even from death."

"Next time I won't have to be begged so hard. I'll remember those black Rabbits with the black coffin on their shoulders and I'll take the glass and pouf!--down it will go!"

I found an illustration, too!!

Never in my life have I considered having some grim reaper rabbits stroll into my house in order to threaten my children into taking their medicine.

Anyway, thank you Guillermo del Toro, for never shying away from taking something weird as Hell and completely leaning into it. (I’m still incredibly pissed at Encanto for trying to turn 100 Years of Solitude into a feel-good family film)

#pinocchio #guillermo del toro's pinocchio #i am unwilling to say that i enjoyed watching pinocchio because i absolutely did not #i was in a state of absolutely horror and anxiety the entire time i was watching it #but more love and care went into every shot of that film than anything i have ever seen #it was a marvel of art and technology and heart #also vera brosgol worked on it and i love vera brosgol #yes i have read the entire story about cate blanchett voicing the monkey and i still can't get over cate blanchett voicing the monkey #also at one point i exclaimed 'who is this film FOR?' and my husband looked me dead in the eye and said 'YOU' #speaking of which i am not sure who THIS POST is for but it is a Peak Polynya post for sure

[neil-gaiman]

im a big fan of coraline but im also such a fan of graham annable that i associate him as a "co creator" of coraline's look in the film as much as you are as the creator of the novel

That's lovely -- Graham did amazing storyboard work. As I remember, the majority of the character designs were by Shane Prigmore, Dan Krall and Shannon Tindle, but a host of amazing artists worked on it including Vera Brosgol and Jon Klassen.

This is from Shane Prigmore's blog of Coraline expressions.

[lc-holy]

Hi! So, I really love the way you draw comics (that strike-back comic sheet of felix' looking at the srntimonsters is incredible). Do you have any... Tips for making them? Like, how do you think where each "square" will be placed, how to fit things in one page etc etc... How exactly did you learn to make comics like this (including all aspects)? Do you mind sharing?

Thank you !

Actually, I don't know if my comics are correct, if the composition is good etc... I went to art school but it had nothing to do with illustrations and comics (I was mostly doing logos, advertising posters etc...).

I posted my first comics on Deviantart, I was drawing Super Mario comics and it wasn't great. I was contacted by someone who took comic book classes and she made me a PDF with lots of tips and told me how to improve my comic book pages. And it was very helpful.

I can share with you some tips she gave me. Here are some tips given to me by "lepouvoirduflan" on deviantart :

-Read a lot of comics, even comics you don't like. It will allow you to discover a lot of different styles.

I have been drawing comics since I was a child. At the beginning, I was inspired by Asterix and Tintin comics.

More recently, a comic book that I really liked: "Be prepared" by Vera Brosgol. There is also "Lettres Perdues" by Jim Bishop. I wasn't a fan of the story but the drawing style and use of colors is incredible.

"Les sœurs Grémillet" by Gi Gregorio and Barbucci. "Les carnets de Cerise " by Joris Chamblain and Aurélie Neyret. I do not remember the story but the drawings and colors are very nice.

In a less childish style there is "Jerôme K. Jérôme Bloche " by Alain Dodier, Serge Le Tendre and Pierre Makyo.

There are also the W.i.t.c.h. comics that I like a lot in terms of composition.

If you understand French, you can watch this very interesting youtube channel about comics: https://www.youtube.com/@lefilsdebulle/videos

-Tips for comic book page composition:

Except that if you decide to do manga, you have to apply the Z rule. You must be able to read the panels from left to right and from top to bottom

Other examples with comic book pages:

-Speech Bubbles:

I think speech bubbles are one of the most complicated things to incorporate into a comic page.

The reading must be fluid and there is an order to respect when several characters speak in the same panel.

Speech bubbles are also subject to the Z rule.

The speech bubbles must revolve around the characters.

Speech bubbles are of course subject to exceptions

They may be misaligned or not follow the Z rule, usually when the character is in a confused, scared, dreamy situation. But even if they are oddly placed, the speech bubbles are placed in a logical way.

-There is not only one way to compose a comic page, there are many! That's why you have to make several sketches.

When I make a comic page, I write the dialogue and describe the action that takes place there. Then I make square panels and very rough drawings.

Then I work on the composition of the page and how I will place the panels.

Then I did something cleaner. I changed the place of the first two panels (the comic is not finished yet, things can still change). I left room for the text but I still need to draw the speech bubbles.

I hope this helped you!

#ask me anything #art tips

[should-have-been-at-the-club]

3rd place Ophelia!

(Art bu Vera Brosgol, from To Be Or Not To Be)

Oh, that's lovely!

#not a poll

[thewhip]

Illustrations by and Vera Brosgol and Mingjue Helen Chen for a roller derby-themed show.

#roller derby

[brandonjg227]

There's this graphic novel called Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol. I didn't read the book, but I did read it online and it was brillant. Focusing on young-adult readers, the book delivers an exciting coming-of-age story of a teenage girl and a ghost.

#anya's ghost #anya borzakovskaya #Emily Reilly #novels #books

[librarycomic]

Sunshine: How One Camp Taught Me About Life, Death, and Hope by Jarrett J. Krosoczka. Scholastic Graphix, 2023. 9781338356311. 240pp. http://www.powells.com/book/-9781338356311?partnerid=34778&p_bt

This is a sequel to Krosoczka's graphic memoir Hey, Kiddo, about his parents and being raised by his grandparents. It's worth noting if you loved that book, there are some great moments featuring Krosoczka's grandparents in this one. But those are bookends to the main story, which is about the summer when he was sixteen when Krosoczka worked at Camp Sunshine, a place for kids with life-threatening illnesses. At the beginning, he says it changed his life, and if you're an adult you can probably imagine what he learned from helping kids. But it's the characters that bring it to life -- Sister Francis, who puts up with no BS; Mrs. Gormley, the chain-smoking chaperone; Gary, team leader for the Teen Group; Diego, the quiet-at-first kid who Krosoczka helps one-on-one (his drawing skills help them connect); and the Orfaos, the family he dines with throughout the week. There's a mascot costume that really stinks, and some great campfire conversations in addition to all the normal camp hijinks one would expect. Somehow the positive attitude and general corniness of all camp experiences don't get in the way and everyone has a great time (including me, an adult reader who is usually too cynical to enjoy books like this).

I'd put this in any grade school and middle school library, and many in high school would enjoy it, too. It's lovely, and it's going on my shelf next to Mike Dawson's Troop 142 (still the funniest camp book out there), Vera Brosgol's Be Prepared (I'll never forget the outhouse), and Chris Grine's paranormal Secrets of Camp Whatever.

#bookreview #graphicmemoir #graphicnovel #graphicnovelreview #summercamp

[marscomicscorner]

ghost helps a highschool loser with beautification arc and it goes wrong

Anya’s Ghost by Vera Brosgol

Anya, 1st generation in America living with single mom from Russia, is trying to integrate in an American high school while befriending a ghost called Emily that helps her cheat at tests. (I love when people actually use their powers for petty things for their own advantage. You have telepathy damn right you will use it to levitate the remote control over. If I had stopping time powers Id never loose a fight. anyway.)

ENTER VERONICA SAWYER i mean ANYA

the potat throws away the previous сырники because she’s apparently ‘fat’ which is a SHAME AEEEEE

veronicaaaaa

WHAT SCHOOL has skirts as PE uniforms? 

Beep tests indeed were, I didnt miss that as part of my American school experience.

context: mom thinks Benjamin Franklin was an American president

lesbo 

context: why don’t Anya like going to church? Well, it’s orthodox and that means it’s got russians present. old ones. Which is a very valid point, I can confirm.

This reminds me of dipper daydreaming about dancing with Wendy “oh Dipper, show me that list again.... aaaah”

Anne Boonchuy’s ghost.... 

10/10 would recommend. 

#graphic novel #anya's ghost