Friday, 28 June 2019
ReadItDaddy's Comic / Graphic Novel of the Week - Week Ending 28th June 2019: "Akissi Volume 2: More Tales of Mischief" by Marguerite Abouet and Mathieu Sapin (NoBrow / Flying Eye)
Labels:
Akissi Volume 2,
Flying Eye Books,
Marguerite Abouet,
Mathieu Sapin,
NoBrow Press,
Picture Book of the Week 2019
My French isn't that great, I can just about parse a French graphic novel (just about) but poor C lags behind a little bit (mostly because schools here are absolutely rubbish at teaching foreign languages - she gets a single French lesson per week and no French homework, GAH!)
Anyway, joy - yes joy - the joy of observing the comic adventures of a fizzingly energetic young African girl living on the Ivory Coast, and finding something new to get into every day.
Alongside her long-suffering parents and siblings, Akissi and her pet monkey Bubu are once again getting up to all sorts of mischief.
Akissi is no stranger to scrapes and shenanigans, and this time, she has to keep herself from drowning, stands up to a bully, makes peace with her arch nemesis--the prettiest girl in school, and even manages to evade a witch doctor's weird potions.
Inspired by her childhood on The Ivory Coast, writer Marguerite Abouet acutely observes what it's like to be a kid living your best adventuresome life while dealing with the usual stuff kids have to deal with over here. There are some truly brilliant observations about teachers and school in particular in this one, truly loved hearing C's cackles of laughter as Akissi exacts a particularly nasty revenge on her grumpy and mean teacher (who, quite honestly, doesn't really seem that bad compared to some of the ones I had at school).
These comic strips are superbly written and illustrated, and we've mentioned them many times as the perfect 'jump-in' point for kids who want to discover just how awesome comics are, but don't know where to start.
Needless to say, "Akissi" also ticks all the right boxes for us when it comes to diversity of character, and showing that girls can do absolutely everything boys can. Alongside Hilda, she's one of the most important characters in kid comics, so treat yourself - pick this up (and also grab Volume 1 while you're about it) and I guarantee you'll thank us later. NoBrow / Flying Eye are, as ever, knocking it out of the park when it comes to publishing some of the best translated foreign language comics you can lay your hands on.
Sum this book up in a sentence: A delicious joyful brilliant and hilarious collection of Marguerite and Mathieu's awesomely excellent comic strips featuring a brilliantly energetic mighty girl not to be missed!
"Akissi: More Tales of Mischief" (Akissi Volume 2) is out now, published by NoBrow / Flying Eye Books (very kindly supplied for review).
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