J vs. K

Alexander (How Sweet the Sound) and Craft (School Trip) emphasize the importance of nurturing creative expression and healthy competition in this meta illustrated collaboration. J Ennis— a talented cartoonist who loves creating comics for his peers (and the praise that comes with it)—is eager to become the first fifth grader to win Dean Ashley Public School’s annual creative storytelling competition. When J discovers that new kid K Wright has a gift for language, he’s initially unbothered, especially since K couldn’t “draw a straight line if he had a ruler.” Then K’s rhythmic prose starts winning over J’s loyal fans, which ignites between the two a motivating and warmhearted rivalry. After all, there can only be one gifted fifth grader at DAPS—right? Renderings of J’s action-packed stories as well as b&w spot illustrations depicting the characters’ antics evoke physical humor and classic superhero comics flair. Author’s notes are sprinkled throughout the text; while some contextualize narrative decisions and define words, others showcase Craft and Alexander’s gentle ribbing and easy camaraderie, directly paralleling J and K’s evolving friendship. Ages 8–12. Agents: (for Alexander) Arielle Eckstut, Levine Greenburg Rostan Literary; (for Craft) Judy Hansen, Hansen Literary. (May)