Our Favorite Graphic Novel Series for Kids

I admit it. I’m not a huge fan of graphic novels, but one graphic novel series for kids has a special place in my heart. Bird and Squirrel by James Burks is our family’s favorite graphic novel series, because we love the memorable characters and intense action in every story. And it all started when my daughter received the first book in the series on her seventh birthday.

Why I Don’t Love Graphic Novels for Kids

I don’t love graphic novels because they aren’t easy to read aloud. But over the years both of my kids have asked me to read them over and over again. I love to use different voices when I read, so by the time I get through an entire graphic novel of complete dialogue my voice is spent!

Dialogue is fun to read, but in graphic novels the language of the dialogue can be too simplistic. You don’t find rich vocabulary and description in graphic novels. And I miss having that description to rest my voice and add variety.

Why Kids Love Graphic Novels & Why You (And I) Should Too

Graphic novels may not make the best read alouds, but there are plenty of reasons why kids love them and why you (and I) should too.

Motivate Kids to Read

Kids who won’t pick up a chapter book full of text will pick up a graphic novel full of illustrations. The visual nature of graphic novels entice kids of all ages.

Appealing Stories

Graphic novel series for kids usually are built on interesting characters who face adventure. Kids are drawn to the action and intensity the characters face.

Easy to Read

Graphic novels are easy to read because the illustrations carry the plot. Even when children don’t fully grasp the text, they can use the pictures to make meaning. And when they do encounter new words, the pictures are there to support their efforts in decoding.

What We Love About James Burks’s Graphic Novel Series for Kids

After reading Bird and Squirrel on the Run to my daughter on her birthday, my perspective changed. She loved that book. The personalities of the animal characters won us over and made us want to read more. Over the years we bought every book in the Bird and Squirrel series and never got tired of reading them.

James Burks gave the two main characters opposite personalities which makes every book hilarious to read. It’s fun to predict how each character will respond to situations that arise.

Bird

• Carefree and fun-loving
• Adventure seeker
• Dare-devil
• Acts before thinking
• Optimistic

Squirrel

• Likes order, tidiness, and routine
• Adventure avoider
• Cautious, fearful of dangerous activities
• Thinks before acting
• Pessimistic

Another thing we love about this graphic novel series for kids by James Burks is the gripping nature of each adventure. There’s always an element of fear, but it’s not so scary that young kids can’t handle it. I know my son was a bit leery of the old penguin with the creepy yellow eyes at first, but he also found it interesting and wasn’t put off by it.

Summaries of Bird & Squirrel Books

Bird & Squirrel on the Run (#1)

In this first book in the series, Bird and Squirrel are on the run from one of the most obvious predators of both birds and squirrels–a cat! During the adventure, they take shelter with some moles, get chased by bees, survive a trip down a waterfall, and have a close call with a hawk all while on the run from the cat. Lucky for them the hawk and cat cross paths and the chase ends. Bird and Squirrel can finally head south for a well-deserved vacation to recover.

Bird & Squirrel on Ice (#2)

This is my son’s favorite book in the series. Bird and Squirrel meet a penguin named Sakari who takes them to her village when she mistakenly identifies Bird as “the chosen one.” The penguin village is enslaved to the great whale, feeding him the bulk of their catch each day. Bird doesn’t understand the full scale of being “the chosen one,” but luckily his friend Squirrel and new friend Sakari work out a plan to save his life and free the village from the Great Whale once and for all.

Bird & Squirrel On the Edge (#3)

When Bird and Squirrel take on some wolves to protect a helpless bear cub, Bird is accidentally hit on the head with a pine cone that was intended for the wolves. Squirrel realizes that Bird has amnesia and now has to try to be brave for both Bird and the bear cub. In this adventure, Bird and Squirrel seem to switch personalities. The once fearless Bird is now afraid of everything. It’s up to Squirrel to take the lead. In the end all is set right when the bear cub finds his voice, Bird gets his memory back, and the cub is reunited with his mother.

Bird & Squirrel On Fire (#4)

Squirrel is glad to be back home after their last adventure and wants to relax, but Bird wants to throw a party. They meet Red, a new character who Squirrel takes a special interest in. One day the couple go in search for water, but the crazy beaver has dammed the river and left everything bone dry. When Bird and Squirrel are lured into a hole in the ground and trapped by rats, Red comes to the rescue. But the rats return later, crashing the party and causing a fire to burn Squirrel’s beloved home. When the fire continues to blaze and a young raccoon has goes missing, Squirrel and his friends work together to fix everything.

Bird & Squirrel All Tangled Up (#5)

Red leaves Squirrel in charge of taking care of their little daughter, Birdie, while she goes out. When Bird stops by and tells Birdie about the elusive Bigfeet she is determined to go search for it. Squirrel is against the idea at first, but when Bird convinces him it’s time Birdie learns basic survival skills, they set off together. After taking shelter from a storm with an old fox who unexpectedly treats them kindly, Squirrel decides to turn over a new leaf and put his fear aside. But a giant spider captures Birdie and Squirrel is put to the test. In the end, both Squirrel and Birdie learn something new about courage.

Bird & Squirrel All or Nothing (#6)

The Horned Toad 500 is a cross-country race that Bird’s father has always succeeded in winning. Bird has no interest in the race, but his dad has a broken wing and needs a replacement. He’s pressured into participating to carry on the family legacy by the taunts and insults of the other racers. With Squirrel as his partner the twosome face each obstacle and in the end Bird discovers what makes a true champion.

Things to Do After Reading Bird & Squirrel

Get a Peek Behind the Scenes

After reading Bird and Squirrel, get a peek into James Burks’s sketchbook and hear how he creates his stories by watching this video. Mr. Burks shares how he organizes his ideas, plans his story outlines, and lists ideas for obstacles and conflicts. You’ll see how he tries out different drawings and puts checkmarks next to the keepers. In the video Burks talks about giving his characters personality. He gives Squirrel a helmet because it keeps Squirrel safe, he never knows when something might fall from the sky.

Write a Letter to James Burks

Not all children’s authors take the time to respond to fan mail, but James Burks wrote back to my daughter. Your child can write to him by using the email address listed on his website.

Write Your Own Graphic Novel

Invite your child to write a graphic novel. Give them some paper with frames already drawn or let them make their own. Use the a Bird and Squirrel book as inspiration for how to design a page.

Older kids can go watch the behind the scenes video for tips on planning their graphic novel like James Burks. First, come up with characters. Spend time sketching your characters in different positions to get to know them better. Doing that can give you story ideas. Next, plan out the events in order. Finally, get started with your draft by working on one story segment at a time. Plan out the frames you’ll need and start drawing.

Whether or not you like graphic novels, chances are your kids will love them. Bird and Squirrel is our favorite graphic novel series for kids. You’ll love the animal characters and never get bored when you join them on their wild and crazy adventures.