Books in Explorer Books series

A bullied boy discovers a door guarded by a sly monster . . . A painting of a door opens in a forgotten Egyptian tomb . . . A portal in the park promises to turn you into a much cooler version 2.0—if you can just get the bugs out . . . Edited by New York Times bestselling comics creator Kazu Kibuishi, who is also a contributor, the third volume in this highly praised series gathers some of the foremost and fastest-rising talents in comics for kids: Jen Wang (Koko Be Good), Johane Matte (Explorer: The Mystery Boxes), Steve Hamaker (colorist of Jeff Smith’s Bone series), Faith Erin Hicks (Friends with Boys), DougHolgate (Zack Proton series), and Jason Caffoe (Explorer: The Lost Islands and Flight). Readers maynever walk into a room the same way again.

Seven clever stories answer one simple question: what’s in the box? Funny, fantastic, spooky, and suspenseful, each of these unique and beautifully illustrated short graphic works revolves around a central theme: a mysterious box and the marvels—or mayhem—inside. Artists include middle school favorites Kazu Kibuishi, Raina Telgemeier (Smile), and Dave Roman (Astronaut Academy), as well as Jason Caffoe, Stuart Livingston, Johane Matte, Rad Sechrist (all contributors to the groundbreaking comics anthology series Flight), and upcoming artist Emily Carroll. Praise for Explorer: Mystery Boxes STARRED REVIEW "An outstanding out-of-the box anthology from renowned comics veteran Kibuishi. With eye-popping full-color art and palettes ranging from candy-colored to ethereal earth tones, this is both a visual feast for the eyes and a healthy helping of thought for the soul. Superb.” –Kirkus Reviews, starred review STARRED REVIEW "Coherent for all its variety, there will be something here for most readers." –School Library Journal, starred review

The highly anticipated second volume to the critically acclaimed Explorer series, The Lost Islands is a collection of seven all-new stories written and illustrated by an award-winning roster of comics artists, with each story centered around the theme of hidden places. Edited by the New York Times bestselling comics creator Kazu Kibuishi, this graphic anthology includes well-written, beautifully illustrated stories by Kazu (the Amulet series), Jason Caffoe (the Flight series), Raina Telgemeier (Drama and Smile), Dave Roman (the Astronaut Academy series), Jake Parker (the Missile Mouse series), Michel Gagné (The Saga of Rex), Katie and Steven Shanahan (the Flight series), and up-and-coming new artist Chrystin Garland. Praise for Explorer 2: The Lost Islands STARRED REVIEWS "A second gathering of new graphic tales, diverse of plot and atmosphere but thematically linked by island settings and every bit as stellar as its predecessor…First rate." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review "With this second showcase Kibuishi affirms his editorial savvy for amassing talented creators and providing a vehicle to let them do what they do best: use comics to tell funny, thoughtful, and just plain good stories." --Publishers Weekly, starred review "Lost Islands is a great sequel to The Mystery Boxes (Abrams, 2012) that is masterfully told and beautifully drawn. A must-have for any collection." --School Library Journal, starred review "This sophomore effort’s solid artwork, dialogue, and stories will still be a great introductory title for young or struggling middle-school readers starting to explore the world of graphic novels." --Booklist "Variety of style is the real draw of Kibuishi’s graphic anthologies, and tweens reluctant to stray from their comic-book favorites will find the gamut of visual presentations eye-opening." --The Bulletin of The Center for Children’s Books "Another satisfying anthology that will leave readers eager for the next." --The Horn Book

Did you know that tigers leave their droppings in piles called scrapes to mark their territory? Or that storks poop on their legs to cool off? Or that squid-eating penguins have pink poop? Elephants have biggest poop in the zoo, but what animal has the smallest? Who Pooped in the Zoo? San Diego Zoo, for children ages 8 to 12, explores animal poop as a way of understanding the behavior of animals that live at the zoo. After a general explanation of the facts and functions of feces, the book discusses how animals use poop to define territory, establish status, find mates, build houses, and keep in touch with the rest of the herd. AWARDS: Bronze, Foreword Magazine's Book of the Year Awards, Juvenile Nonfiction, 2007. Finalist, Ben Franklin Book Awards, 2008.

Seven clever stories answer one simple question: what’s in the box?Funny, fantastic, spooky, and suspenseful, each of these unique and beautifully illustrated short graphic works revolves around a central theme: a mysterious box and the marvels—or mayhem—inside. Artists include middle school favorites Kazu Kibuishi, Raina Telgemeier (Smile), and Dave Roman (Astronaut Academy), as well as Jason Caffoe, Stuart Livingston, Johane Matte, Rad Sechrist (all contributors to the groundbreaking comics anthology series Flight), and upcoming artist Emily Carroll.Praise for Explorer: Mystery BoxesSTARRED REVIEW"An outstanding out-of-the box anthology from renowned comics veteran Kibuishi. With eye-popping full-color art and palettes ranging from candy-colored to ethereal earth tones, this is both a visual feast for the eyes and a healthy helping of thought for the soul. Superb.”–Kirkus Reviews, starred reviewSTARRED REVIEW"Coherent for all its variety, there will be something here for most readers."–School Library Journal, starred review "This standout anthology will leave its audience with a fresh appetite for more from both the series and the individual contributors."–The Horn Book"Award-winning comics creator and editor of the celebrated Flight anthologies, Kibuishi offers yet another great anthology geared toward middle-school readers. Always clever and never boring, these diverse stories run the gamut from creepy to sarcastic to witty to cute to Zen to wacky to thoughtful. While the pieces feature different artists and styles, each one is complete and so well composed that the transitions from one to another do not seem jarring or out of place. A great introductory title for young or struggling middleschool readers starting to explore the world of graphic novels."–Booklist

Travel back to the time of the celts! Who were the Celts and who were their leaders? Why did they come to the British Isles and how did they live? Explore this ancient civilisation to understand how prehistoric people have influenced the way we live today. Find out all about the lives of the Celts - from the well-known leader Boudicca, to the Druid priests that were highly important in Celtic society. Discover the artefacts that give evidence of their way of life, and how historians have pieced together the evidence of their lives. Learn about the homes and communities that they lived in, the food that they ate, how they travelled and worshipped, and the influence of the Romans on their society. And try your hand at making your own Celtic torc!A great tool for project work at KS2!

The highly anticipated second volume to the critically acclaimed Explorer series, The Lost Islands is a collection of seven all-new stories written and illustrated by an award-winning roster of comics artists, with each story centered around the theme of hidden places. Edited by the New York Times bestselling comics creator Kazu Kibuishi, this graphic anthology includes well-written, beautifully illustrated stories by Kazu (the Amulet series), Jason Caffoe (the Flight series), Raina Telgemeier (Drama and Smile), Dave Roman (the Astronaut Academy series), Jake Parker (the Missile Mouse series), Michel Gagné (The Saga of Rex), Katie and Steven Shanahan (the Flight series), and up-and-coming new artist Chrystin Garland. Praise for Explorer 2: The Lost Islands STARRED REVIEWS "A second gathering of new graphic tales, diverse of plot and atmosphere but thematically linked by island settings and every bit as stellar as its predecessor…First rate." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review "With this second showcase Kibuishi affirms his editorial savvy for amassing talented creators and providing a vehicle to let them do what they do best: use comics to tell funny, thoughtful, and just plain good stories." --Publishers Weekly, starred review "Lost Islands is a great sequel to The Mystery Boxes (Abrams, 2012) that is masterfully told and beautifully drawn. A must-have for any collection." --School Library Journal, starred review "This sophomore effort’s solid artwork, dialogue, and stories will still be a great introductory title for young or struggling middle-school readers starting to explore the world of graphic novels." --Booklist "Variety of style is the real draw of Kibuishi’s graphic anthologies, and tweens reluctant to stray from their comic-book favorites will find the gamut of visual presentations eye-opening." --The Bulletin of The Center for Children’s Books "Another satisfying anthology that will leave readers eager for the next." --The Horn Book

A bullied boy discovers a door guarded by a sly monster . . . A painting of a door opens in a forgotten Egyptian tomb . . . A portal in the park promises to turn you into a much cooler version 2.0—if you can just get the bugs out . . . Edited by New York Times bestselling comics creator Kazu Kibuishi, who is also a contributor, the third volume in this highly praised series gathers some of the foremost and fastest-rising talents in comics for kids: Jen Wang (Koko Be Good), Johane Matte (Explorer: The Mystery Boxes), Steve Hamaker (colorist of Jeff Smith’s Bone series), Faith Erin Hicks (Friends with Boys), DougHolgate (Zack Proton series), and Jason Caffoe (Explorer: The Lost Islands and Flight). Readers maynever walk into a room the same way again.