The Dumbest Idea Ever!: A Graphic Novel

by Jimmy Gownley, Jimmy Gownley (Illustrator)

Overview

Jimmy Gownley's graphic novel memoir about the "dumb" idea that changed his life forever!

At thirteen, Jimmy was popular, at the top of his class, and the leading scorer on his basketball team. But all that changed when chicken pox forced him to miss the championship game. Things went from bad to worse when he got pneumonia and missed even more school. Before Jimmy knew it, his grades were sinking and nothing seemed to be going right. How did Jimmy turn things around, get back on top at school, and land a date with the cutest girl in class? Renowned comics creator Jimmy Gownley shares his adventures as he grows from an eager-to-please boy into a teenage comic book artist. This is the real-life story of how the DUMBEST idea ever became the BEST thing that ever happened to him.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545633758
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	02/25/2014
Sold by:	Scholastic, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	240
File size:	130 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	10 - 14 Years

About the Author

Jimmy Gownley is an award-winning comics author who began writing and drawing comics at age 15. His acclaimed series, Amelia Rules!, was launched in 2001 to a flurry of rave reviews and became a New York Times bestseller. He has been nominated for multiple Eisner awards and his most recent book, The Dumbest Idea Ever!, won the Children’s Choice Award. He cofounded the organization Kids Love Comics, which works to promote comic books and graphic novels as a valuable tool for literacy. Jimmy lives in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for The Dumbest Idea Ever:

* "Humble, endearing and utterly easy to relate to; don't miss this one." —Kirkus, starred review

"It's a deeply personal and genuine work of autobiography, and an open letter of assurance to aspiring artists everywhere." —Publishers Weekly

"This is an excellent example of autobiographical sequential art at its most deeply felt." —Booklist

From the Publisher

★ 2013-11-13
The charismatic creator of the Eisner-nominated Amelia Rules! series recounts his beginnings as a cartoonist. From the very first panel, Gownley's graphic memoir is refreshingly different. He's not the archetypal nerd, and he doesn't retreat to draw due to feelings of loneliness or isolation. Gownley seems to be a smart kid and a talented athlete, and he has a loyal group of friends and a girlfriend. After he falls ill, first with chicken pox and then pneumonia, he falls behind in school and loses his head-of-the-class standing--a condition he is determined to reverse. A long-standing love of comics leads him to write his own, though his first attempt is shot down by his best friend, who suggests he should instead write a comic about their group. He does, and it's an instant sensation. Gownley's story is wonderful; his small-town life is so vividly evinced, it's difficult to not get lost in it. While readers will certainly pick up on the nostalgia, it should be refreshing--if not completely alien--for younger readers to see teens interacting without texting, instead using phones with cords. Eagle-eyed readers will also be able to see the beginnings of his well-loved books about Amelia. He includes an author's note that shouldn't be overlooked--just be sure to keep the tissues handy. Humble, endearing and utterly easy to relate to; don't miss this one. (author's note) (Graphic memoir. 10 & up)

Kirkus Reviews