Copper

I really enjoy Kibuishi's art, but this book left me wanting more. It is mostly full of one-page comics which are too brief to have much substance. Every so often there is a moment of depth and feeling, but it's just not enough for me. Really not sure if my students will take to this one... I guess we'll see! ( )

Mostly single-page stories. Mushroom Crossing, which is a few pages long, is a favorite. ( )

Summary: Copper and his dog Fred go on a variety of adventures - often despite Fred's neuroses and anxiety. But Copper's usually more than willing to keep spirits high, and even occasionally get them out of trouble.

Review: Rather than a regular graphic novel, Copper is a series of short comics, mostly one page (although a few are longer, and there are a few recurrent characters and themes). I'd encountered Fred and Copper in "Maiden Voyage" in the first volume of Flight, but I got a much better sense of their personalities from reading all of their comics together.

So, from the cover, and the shelving at my library, I was expecting this book to be aimed at a fairly youngish audience. And while there wasn't anything that made it inappropriate for the younger set, there was a pretty dark tone to some of the comics that I wasn't expecting. I like the interplay between Copper and Fred, but for every story in which Copper gets the last word ("Climbing"), there's another one in which Fred's more pessimistic outlook seems to be more apt ("Outside"). While there's a sense of whimsy and adventurousness and charm in a lot of these stories, I also got an undercurrent of anxiety and bitterness ("Bubbles") and loneliness ("Signals") from more than a few of them... which I think actually made me like the collection more in the end. It's rare that a comic can achieve that balance, with its perspective feeling so mature and realistic, despite the talking dog and giant mushrooms. 4 out of 5 stars.

Recommendation: I don't know if I can come up with any read-alikes, but I found this book had more depth than I was expecting given its size and cover, so I'd say it's worth checking out for any comics fan, especially if you like the strips Kibuishi has on his website. ( )

Summary:
This is the story of Copper, an adventurous little boy, and Fred, his dog who lacks the adventurousness and curiosity that Copper has. They always tend to end up in pretty unideal situations.

Personal Reaction:
I liked this story because it was cute to think of the dog as the little boy's conscience. It wasn't as funny as I like my comics to be but the illustrations were adorable.

Classroom Extensions:
1. This would be a good book to read a little short story when I need something to take up the few minutes before lunch or the end of the day.
2. This book could be read to the class and then have the students write a short story about who might keep them out of trouble, whether it is a sibling, an animal, or an imaginary friend even. ( )