Julia's House for Lost Creatures

Ben Hatke is another author who I couldn't wait to share with my kids. He recently finished up his Zita the Spacegirl series, which I LOVED. It's a graphic novel series for 3rd-5th graders and while the main character is a girl, I think it's one that boys would enjoy as well.

Julia's House for Lost Creatures has a similar feel. I think of it as an introduction to graphic novels for readers of picture books. Most of the pages are laid out like your typical picture book with the whole page laying out one scene. But a few have 2 or more panels like a graphic novel. I didn't over analyze it to figure out why he changed it up. I just figured it was good practice for my kids when they read their first comic book or graphic novel!

 

Julia is adorable. She has the coolest house and she decides she would like some company so she makes a sign that acts as an invitation to every creature imaginable.

 

Her house is soon overrun with guests and chaos ensues! What's a girl to do?? Assign chores, of course.

Ghosts, mermaids, and trolls are nothing new but Ben Hatke's comes up with some original creations too. Charlotte is going through a phase where she is scared of dragons, lions, Santa so I've been careful to introduce new creatures. She loved all of these little guys and kept asking over and over again what their names were. If you think these are cute, read his Zita the Spacegirl series and then pass them on to a kid you think would love them. Or hold on to them until your kids are old enough to enjoy them!