Titles From the Same Source

Earlier in the year I wrote about a few YA titles that sounded rather similar that had been popping up on my radar.  Since then I've noticed a few more.



THIS IS NOT A DRILL by Beck McDowell (Nancy Paulsen Books, October 25) showed up unannounced and I slipped it into my TBR title.  But I keep slipping when I say the title and calling it THIS IS NOT A TEST, like the Courtney Summers book from St. Martin's that I reviewed in June.  Both are set in schools, but have little in common aside from that.  Well, both also have a title referencing automated warning systems.  The titles might cause some confusion for shoppers, but since the subject matter is so different a little knowledge of the synopsis should be enough to tell them apart.  (This is a situation in which a good librarian or clerk is likely to be more helpful than a search engine.)



THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green (Dutton) is already considered a modern classic and crossover success.  JEPP, WHO DEFIED THE STARS by Katherine Marsh (Hyperion, October 9) is getting some great reviews.  I'll be reviewing it for the official tour on October 2nd, as well as hosting a guest blog and giveaway.  Again, these are two very different books - one is contemporary; the other historical.  But both books' titles reference Cassius' famous admonition "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves" from William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.  It's a great quote that suits both books well and considering how little they overlap, it shouldn't hurt either one.

Noticed any other recent titles that share DNA?

Review: Teen Boat!

By Dave Roman
and John Green (Not that John Green, YA fans)
Available now from Clarion Books (Houghton Mifflin)
Review copy

Collaborators Dave Roman and John Green originally published the TEEN BOAT! mini-comic through their own Cryptic Press.  You can still visit the old websites associated with that version of the comic.  TEEN BOAT! won an Ignatz Award and now it is available in a full color version with extra comics and other bonus material.

The art of TEEN BOAT! is clean with easy-to-distinguish and consistent character designs.  The girls aren't overly sexified either.  They look like teen girls and their designs are stylized the same as the guys.  The art doesn't stand out from the crowd, but it is definitely not hideous.  And believe me, you'd be surprised how many comics and graphic novels get published with awful art.

TEEN BOAT! first came onto my radar when I read the AV Club review praising its light parody of Saturday morning cartoons.  After reading it myself, I cannot come up with a better description than that.  TEEN BOAT! is an updated, self-aware Saturday morning cartoon that invites the reader to laugh at the ridiculous premise and plots and enjoy the story anyway.

The protagonist of TEEN BOAT! is actually named TEEN BOAT!  He's a high school student who can turn into a boat at will, but must turn into a boat when wet.  He gets in and out of trouble, dates an Italian gondola, and runs for class president.  Like most teen guys, he's pretty self-absorbed.  One of the running gags is how he doesn't notice that his best friend is both into him and has shape-changing abilities of her own.

Older teens will probably find TEEN BOAT! too short and silly.  But hey, I'm an adult and thought it was cute.  TEEN BOAT! is probably best for tweens, especially ones that still enjoy the cheesiness of Saturday morning cartoons.  There is some underage drinking and gambling, but it the protagonist does not partake and the behavior is punished.