October Graphic Novel Celebration ends this week, but on Sunday November 1 there will be a Twitter chat on graphic novels (and using GNs in teaching) at 8:00pm EST. Use #GNCelebration to participate.

This week I'm going to do a quick share of three unique graphic novels. Please enjoy.

Jane, the fox & me by Fanny Britt and Isabelle Arsenault

For readers aged 10-100+

Left out and bullied, Helene turns to the book Jane Eyre in order to shut off sadness. She understands Jane. She also understands the hardships facing her mother, but she isn't sure what to do about it. Then a school camping trip forces Helene outside her routine comforts and the darkness lifts. First, she falls into a lovely friendship and then she learns to appreciate and express herself. The fox is a surprise. One that will touch any reader.

French Milk by Lucy Knisley

For readers aged 17-100+

A memoir, French Milk chronicles Lucy and her mother's trip to Paris, but there are a few twists. Like how the story puts a unique focus on food and eating and how that plays into their sight-seeing and feelings. Like the way Knisley uses both illustration and photography, grounding the graphics in her personal view of Paris. In the end, with each facing important birthdays, this mother-daughter team experiences poignant memories and inner conflicts, but all with hope for a bright future. A true and sweet read.

Building Stories by Chris Ware

For readers aged 21-100+

Get ready for a hands-on, puzzle-piecing reading adventure. This graphic novel is like no other because it's a novel-in-a-box and has different parts and pieces that can be read in different orders, enhancing the reader's view of each character or situation. Tying it together are the settings--houses, homes, apartments, buildings. The unusual spin Ware puts on the story is the sense of melancholy, which counters the hope that the settings provide. The cozy and welcoming themes of getting settled or feeling at-home are dashed by the unhappiness of the characters. The sadness of this collection is undeniable, but it does make one think.