Parents who have a non-reader in their family often ask me what they can do to get their child reading. Middle grade novels are frequently over 300 pages long and staring at text for hours on end does not appeal to non-readers. What they need is a good graphic novel where the visual component of their brain wakes them up and they begin reading the shorter passages.

Tommy the Coward, a new release from PAPERCUTZ, fits this plan perfectly. Here’s what to expect:

Brave the unknown!

Thomas Anderson, AKA Tommy, is your average—if timid—kid. He lives with his parents and his siblings, Andrew and Dorothy. But everything scares Tommy. A bump in the night! The sun?! Waaaah!

One day, Tommy’s parents go on a trip, and our intrepid heroes venture into the woods—hoping to help Tommy overcome his fears. But when Andrew and Dorothy get trapped in a dark realm called the Ravenous Woods, it’s up to Tommy to face his fears. Will he be able to save the day?

The fast paced tale will have you rooting for Tommy. His character arc makes the tale even better. The color graphics are excellent and always fit the story well.

There’s a touch of fantasy included which serves to change Tommy’s way of thinking. Hopefully this will also convince reluctant readers that there really are books that they will like. One like Tommy the Coward.

ABOUT THE CREATORS

“This story is very close to me. The adventures of Tommy the Coward were born in my mind when my son was little. Luca was 6 years old and had some minor fears; this is a normal thing for children, but I wanted to help him be stronger and listening to Tommy’s exploits helped Luca overcome his fears. I hope this comic book entertains and inspires many readers as it did with Luca.”
– Writer, Marco Sonseri

“Telling stories for children is a great joy for me, and if these stories also have an educational and formative value and can help young readers grow up, I am even happier. Drawing Tommy was an adventure of training and growth for me. I hope that my drawings, embellished by Andrea’s colors, have done justice to the story written by Marco, and I really hope they will be liked by everyone a lot.”
– Artist, Roberto Lauciello

“When you have children, when they are small you believe that they will conquer the world. If you have children you know that you have to lower your expectations. If you have children you know that everything in their imagination is bigger and more dangerous if they have to face it alone. Tommy faces life like any other child, with ingenuity and imagination and I like to think with the right amount of fear.” – Colorist, Andrea Piccardo

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It’s almost time for another Marvelous Middle Grade Monday. Won’t you join us? It’s here I share highlights and links from other bloggers about middle grade books. Many of the posts will have reviews, interviews, and tips on writing. Take a look at PAST MMGM POSTS.

It’s easy to get a spot in the lineup. Email me the title of the book or feature and a link to your blog at gpcolo[at]gmail[dot]com

Make sure you put MMGM or Marvelous Middle Grade Monday in the subject line so it gets sorted accurately–and don’t forget to say what you’re featuring) You MUST email me your link by Sunday evening (11 PM Eastern Time) in order to be included in the list of links for that week’s MMGM.

*Please note: these posts are not a reflection of my own opinions on the books featured. Each blogger is responsible for their own MMGM content and I do not pre-screen reviews ahead of time, nor do I control what books they choose. I simply assemble the list based on the links that are emailed to me.