Sardine in Outer Space: Cheerful anarchist comix for kids
Emmanuel Guilbert and Joann Sfar's wonderful series of children's comics "Sardine in Outer Space" recounts the icky, anarchistic adventures of Yellow Shoulder the Pirate and his space-crew of disobedient children who fight his arch-enemies, Supermuscleman and Doc Krok, two galactic baddies bent on brainwashing the Universe's orphans into being quiet, obedient, model children.
The storylines are wonderfully gross, chockablock with boogers and body fluids, and have many sly jokes for grownups who read these with their children. The space-themed adventures afford plenty of opportunity for absurdist humor (for example, the adventure of the baby rocket that's fallen out of its parents' nest), and the stories are refreshingly free of any moral or redeeming message, save that wild fun is its own reward.
At 100-or-so pages/volume, these are quick little reads, but they reward those who revisit them and pick up on the hidden gags and running jokes, and while they have a lot of heart, they're never maudlin or treacly. Highly recommended. Link to Sardine in Outer Space 1, Link to Sardine in Outer Space 2, Link to Sardine in Outer Space 3, Link to Sardine in Outer Space 4,
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Everything Joann Sfar does is magical! I love Sardine!
I realize this is intended to be read by a slightly older age group than my nephew, who turned 4 a few months ago. But the subject matter sounds appealing.
Does anyone who's read these think they might be suitable for me to sit down and read TO him? I very much enjoy telling him stories and if there's enough illustrations in the stories to keep his interest I think he would enjoy the stories themselves.
But if it's mostly prose with only an illustration every few pages then I'd probably have to put it off until he's a bit older. Which would be pity, from the descriptions I think he might love this stuff, and as his little sister gets older she might do well with a good female role model also.
-abs
abs,
These are fully illustrated comics. The chapters are relatively short and I bet your 4 year old would love them.
Thanks Ape Lad! That's wonderful news.
Gonna go bother the hell outta Amazon now!
Oh, and although they don't know it, my nephew and niece thank you too. (Given how gross-humor and subversive they sound my sister-in-law might curse me, but I promise to keep your name out of it. But in truth I jest, she'll love 'em too I bet.)
-abs
*laughs* I told my wife Jen about these, and she said, "Stop! Don't buy them."
She got the first two at WisCon this past year, where she helps Deb run the Galley Ho table.
*rubs hands together and cackles* Now all I need do is test them out on my nephew this Thanksgiving! Muahahaha!
-abs
There's an animated series I watch with my kid that has the same drawing style, about a kid who goes and visits a haunted house after school, I wish I remembered the name.