Grade 3

by Doktor Karayom

Let’s go!

Come check out an assortment of stories about those belonging in the third grade classroom. Found in GRADE 3 are bits and pieces featuring the innocence and hardships of those at this level—from the students, the stray dog they took in, and the teacher pregnant with instant noodles. Witness the oddities in these stories about being rejected by your crush, that tiring gardening project, coming away disappointed upon exchanging gifts, going to the market with dad, and the explorations that are only natural to young people. The familiar will become hardly recognizable, mesmerizing yet unsettling. Perhaps inevitable with time and age. How about you? What’s your GRADE 3 story?

215 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2024

Reviews

[Dymar De Claro · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Love it! The art style and the red color suited the story really well! Love the different themes explored and tackled. Some stories have deeper meaning (family, domestic abuse, estado sa buhay, politcal undertones) some are just pure madness (but don’t get me wrong I like how weird it is haha). Parang fever-dreams lang atake! Excited for more 🤙🏼.

[jelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

loveeed it

[Jaymee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this artist. In the nicest way possible, I would like to ask him what is wrong with him.

I was excited to see he has a short story collection, after seeing his work at Alt Philippines 2024. When I saw the book, I was hoping that the accompanying book in his installation there entitled "Gagaling ka" was in here, or that it was this book, but it isn't. Nevermind; this was such a fun (loosely used term) romp into the supernatural and the surreal, and I'm hoping he also publishes that gorgeous picture book. I first saw his installations that looked like macabre confession booths in Art Fair 2022, and I knew I would be following his works. With my interests in mortuary studies, precolonial/folk healing, and my forays in medical anthropology, he's the perfect artist that captures everything I love, in the goriest, liveliest way possible, ironically because his works feature skinless people whose innards are spilling out, or whose heads and arms are sprouting flowers and all kinds of wild things that can only come from our wildest fears and imaginations. I'm giving this 4 stars only because some stories feel unfinished, but I cannot wait for more of his stories. I can't get enough of his freakish works, and his haunting words.

[Marilag · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ang talino nang pag-kkwento at kung paano inilahad ang mga seryosong topic tungkol sa domestic abuse, poverty, death, at kung paano ang takbo ng imahinasyon ng isang Grade 3. Napakakilabot din ng bawat art habang binabasa ang mga narration. Solid.

[Aly-ssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

Such a cool art style!! I thought the collection of stories were really interesting as well! Some of the stories left me DISTURB, and others were surprising sweet. It was fun riding the rollercoaster of emotions. I’m excited for future books :)

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a comics masterpiece. The illustrations are hauntingly weird and beautiful. Stories are creepily good. The author have a very creative imagination. Up until now, I still think of Kill Oh (my fave story in the comics).

[Andeng · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sobrang trip ko talaga 'yung art style kaya napabili ng kopya at hindi ako nagsisi.

May mga nagustuhan akong kwento gaya ng Nanay ko si Darna at Cotton Buds.

Hindi ko lubos akalain na makakaramdam ako ng lungkot at awa.

May bigat ang bawat kwento kaya ihanda ang sarili.

[Eba · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love his visual work but his stories... not so much.

[Neil Franz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kakatwa at nakakatuwa. Ang galing ng pagsasakuwento ng mga bagay-bagay.

[Emmzxiee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soafer ganda nito!!!! Ang ganda pati ng art tsaka ng mga stories. May sense at merong ipinaglalaban.

[Ninil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darna!