“Zita the Spacegirl: A Cosmic Ode to Vulnerability and Visual Storytelling
Ben Hatke’s Zita the Spacegirl (First Second, 2011) is often celebrated as a rollicking space adventure for middle-grade readers, but beneath its vibrant surface lies a nuanced exploration of imperfection, quiet courage, and the art of visual narrative. While most analyses focus on Zita’s heroism or the book’s whimsical world-building, few delve into Hatke’s deliberate subversion of […]
Little Johnny was attending his first wedding
One day, during a lesson on proper grammar the teacher asked for a show of hands for who could use the word “beautiful” in the same sentence twice. First, she called on little Suzie, who responded with, “My father bought my mother a beautiful dress and she looked beautiful in it.” “Very good, Suzie,” replied […]