Review: ZEN PENCILS: VOLUME TWO: DREAM THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM

The second collection of “Zen Pencils” comics, ZEN PENCILS, VOLUME 2:  DREAM THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM continues the same format as the first volume. Cartoonist Gavin Aung Than takes quotes from all kinds of famous people and then uses those quotes as written word for a series of different inspiring comics.  Some of the people quoted in this volume include Isaac Asimov, Maya Angelou, Robert Kennedy, William Shakespeare, Amy Poehler, Jim Henson, and Kevin Smith. Some of the comics continue adventures and stories from the first volume: the young boy who instead of playing sports wants to be a great dancer, the young woman who wants to be a wrestler, the boy who becomes a courageous knight, and the ancient philosopher.  Some of the comics fit quite well with the quotes that inspired the illustrations and story. Meanwhile, others just don’t seem like a very good match. Overall, I enjoyed DREAM THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM. I look forward to other books of “Zen Pencils” in the future.

Short Review of ZEN PENCILS: INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES FOR KIDS

Before reading ZEN PENCILS: INSPIRATION QUOTES FOR KIDS, I had never heard of "Zen Pencils" before. Apparently, it's an online comic of some form.  The book takes quotes (some long, some short) from a variety of different people and then illustrates a sequence of action to go along with the quote. The author uses a variety of different forms of illustrations in the book. Personally, I enjoyed some of the ongoing storylines that the author imagines; there are certain characters that reappear throughout the book, but in different adventures and different contexts. ZEN PENCILS: INSPIRATION QUOTES FOR KIDS isn't a typical graphic novel, but because of that it will appeal to an audience that probably doesn't read graphic novels very often.