MY AUNT IS A MONSTER
Grades 4 and Up
Reimena Yee
Random House Graphic, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-59312-546-5
336 pp.
Summary
Orphaned Safia Haziz, who is blind, is taken in by her aunt, Lady Whimsy - a.k.a. the World’s Greatest Adventurer - who has been turned into a blue-furred, wolf-like monster by a mysterious curse. When Lady Whimsy’s arch-nemesis, Pineapple Tart, resurfaces, Safia and Aunt Whimsy set off to track her down via ocean cruise and jungle exploration. This vivid and colorful graphic novel is a delightful romp.
Curriculum Connections
Themes: Travel, journalism, art, disability, monsters, graphic novel format.
Language Arts/Creative Writing
Safia reads in Braille. This is the Braille alphabet (from Perkins School for the Blind). Read more about it here.
Use this site for Braille translation:
Safia also listens to audio books. My Aunt is a Monster is not yet available on audio, but students can listen to another graphic novel as an audiobook. How is the story told when you can’t see the illustrations?
*Vermont has an ABLE Library that serves patrons who are blind and visually impaired. They supply Braille and talking books to anyone in Vermont that needs them.
Lady Whimsey’s quarterly magazine, Observations, took her all over the world to investigate strange phenomena. Some of her articles included “The Man with a Very Long and Strong Mustache” (issue 1); “Mysterious Animal” (issue 15); and “The Most Charming Taxidermies” (issue 101).
-What are some ideas you would write about for this magazine? Brainstorm three wild and wacky happenings or places. - and try writing an article of your own.
Art
Reimena Yee does most of her illustrating on the computer. Try this program to make your own graphic panel:
Or print out paper templates and draw your story by hand. Find out How to Make a Comic here.
Discussion Questions
The idea of an obscured or hidden monster is a theme in literature, such as “Beauty and the Beast.” What are some other stories that feature monsters that may not be fully revealed to the main character or the reader? Does Safia’s opinion of her aunt change once she knows what Lady Whimsy’s true appearance is?
Safia is delighted to make a friend when she meets Hebe. They swear to go on adventures together, yet Hebe betrays Safia. How does Safia forgive Hebe? Does the end of the story hint that they may still be friends with adventures ahead?
Aunt Cathryn and Lady Whimsy give Safia an “adventure kit” which contains new bedtime story cassettes, a diary, a sketchbook, a recorder; and a receptacle for keeping everything. What would be the essential items in your adventure kit? Draw or list them.
For Lady Whimsy and Aunt Cathryn, Safia’s adventure kit is a “reminder that whenever you feel sad or lost in this big world, you’ll always have a home. And people who love and support you.” How do you define home? What items represent your home?
“According to the Cooperative Children’s Book Center’s 2019 study, only 3.4% of children’s books have disabled main characters. Compare this statistic with the CDC's finding that 26% of Americans have disabilities and it’s easy to see there’s a problem.”
See this article from Book Riot on “The Current State of Representation of Disability in Children’s Books.”
What other books have you read or can you find that feature disabled characters? Make a list.
Safia is a main character who is disabled and multidimensional.
See these resources for selecting books that represent characters with disabilities:
How to Select Children's Books with Representations of Disability Experiences
Author Online
Reimena Yee describes herself as a strange and fancy graphic novelist, illustrator, designer, and comics outreach lead. She comes from Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, but is now based in Melbourne, Australia. On Reading With Your Kids, see a podcast with Reimena Yee.
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Long Distance
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Sidekicked
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The Last Kids on Earth
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