Bolivar - Hardcover

Rubin, Sean

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1684150698 ISBN 13: 9781684150694

Publisher: Archaia, 2017

Synopsis

What would you do if your neighbor was a dinosaur? 

Sybil knows that there is something off about her next door neighbor, but she can't seem to get anyone to believe her. Everyone is so busy going about their days in the busy streets of New York City that they don't notice Bolivar. They don't notice his odd height, his tiny arms, or his long tail. No one but Sybil sees that Bolivar is a dinosaur.

When an unlikely parking ticket pulls Bolivar into an adventure from City Hall to New York's Natural History Museum, he must finally make a choice: Bolivar can continue to live unnoticed, or he can let the city see who he really is. (Junior Library Guild Selection). 

About this title

About the Author

Sean Rubin was born in Brooklyn, New York. As a city kid, he entertained himself by collecting interesting things, learning about obscure subjects, and drawing characters from books. He is an illustrator for the Redwall series and a contributor to the Eisner award-winning Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard anthology. Sean studied Art and Archeology at Princeton University, where he met his wife, Lucy. They have two sons and live in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Reviews

K-Gr 3—Eight-year-old Sybil lives in Manhattan, on West 78th Street, next door to Bolivar, the world's last dinosaur. Bolivar loves corned beef sandwiches, bookstores, museums, and jazz—but he hates attention. That's why he lives in the most frenetic city in the world, where everyone is much too busy to notice him. That is, everyone except Sybil. Despite Sybil's efforts, no one believes in Bolivar's existence. But when the dinosaur must sort out an unjust parking ticket, his privacy slips, and he and Sybil must deal with the consequences. This hybrid picture book/graphic novel relies on a combination of text, speech balloons, comic panels, and panoramic illustrations. The speech balloons are all color-coded, making it easy to tell who is talking, and the narrative is divided into five chapters each about the length of a traditional picture book. Detailed images feature lots of crosshatching and many hidden delights. The characters are appealing and made distinct by wonderful use of color; Sybil stands out with her bright yellow school uniform, and gray-green Bolivar easily blends in with the scenery. VERDICT This brilliantly drawn story will resonate with a wide audience. Read it aloud chapter by chapter with younger kids, who will enjoy pointing out the hidden details, or give it to independent readers. Pair it with Nadja Spiegelman's Lost in NYC and Zack Lieberman and Louis Neubert's Max & Charlie for a trio of titles that burst with lovely artwork and a wealth of affection for New York.—Kelley Gile, Cheshire Public Library, CT

Edition details

• Publisher: Archaia
• Publication date: 2017
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1684150698
• ISBN 13: 9781684150694
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 224