Backpack Stories

by Kevin O'Malley

You don't think much about your backpack. It's just kind of dirty and crammed with stuff. But wait - did you know the backpack has a history? That it could be a superhero's secret weapon? Or an exploding science experiment? Or even a living creature of immense proportions? Kevin O'Malley has created four surprising comic-book style stories to entertain and amaze backpack wearers everywhere.

Genres: Picture Books, Graphic Novels, Humor, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2009

About the author

There is more than one author by this name on Goodreads.

Kevin O'Malley is the co-author and illustrator of the popular Miss Malarkey series as well as the award-winning Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude and the national bestseller Gimme Cracked Corn and I Will Share. He lives in Baltimore, Maryland.
He also has visited hundreds and hundreds of schools.

Reviews

[Chelsea]

debated even adding this to goodreads but I read it. it's really short and i was honestly a little confused.

[Haley Overstreet · Rating 1 out of 5]

Weird book man

[Sarah W · Rating 2 out of 5]

pageintraining Sarah W.
Closing: "Backpacks aren't the only things with scary surprises inside, just look inside your LUNCHBOX." #picturebookparty #backpackstories
29 minutes ago Favorite Reply Delete
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If you look at the cover just right & the backpack resembles a giant face. The front pocket even says feed me. The chapters inside this picture book include History Man; Volcano, or Candy is Dandy; Jet: Super Backpack Girl; & Day of the Living Backpack. History offers a fictional evolution of the backpack, including an Egyptian lugging a giant stone. Lint-covered candy and a backpack are all that are needed to create an award-winning volcano explosion. A few other consequential items are used as well, including a calculator, but really it is the candy & backpack that are the keys.

For Ordinary Ashley, a heavy backback is more than she can bear on her way to school. It weighs her down until three crises snap her alter-ego to attention. Of course, it is the kitten rescue that comes last and with the most amount of attention. In Day of the Living Backpack, it is Captain Cable to the rescue! This chapter was the inspiration for the cover. Apparently ignoring a backpack is a bad idea as the backpack then eats a footstool.

The closing picture is great. The caption reads "Backpacks aren't the only things with scary surprises inside, just look inside your LUNCHBOX."

For an extension, maybe children could interview the boy from Day of the Living Backpack.

[Stephany Hensley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Backpack stories was an interesting graphic novel. It starts out with a boy explaining where he thinks backpacks came from, how from ancient times when they used different materials to make backpacks, and called it different names other than backpack. Than the story shifts into him having a science project. He has so many things in his backpack that it explodes and he uses it as a volcano experiment by adding candy around a dryer sheet. It was funny and creative with a lot of good pictures to go about the story. This book seemed intended for older kind from 8-12 years old. Who can relate to science experiments, and the other factual history mentioned in the book, when he talked about the history of the backpack. The genre seemed to be about imagination, it seemed like magic was the dominant thing in this book. It turned normal backpacks into something special for the kids. I rated it well because it would keep older readers engaged because it had magic, humor and it was a comic book type of read that could keep students interested because its not like every other book.

[Ms.Gaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kevin O'Malley's lastest title is a simple, humorous graphic novel for children in early elementary grades.
Every child seems to have a backpack these days and the four short tales in Backpack Stories will have children smiling and imagining (maybe wishing) how fun it would be if they had a backpack with magical powers. What if that one piece of partially eaten candy really was enough to turn a backpack into a volcano? What makes Ordinary Ashley's backpack so special?

The word play, silliness, and exciting illustrations make this a good choice for a reluctant reader.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am very curious to share this with students and see what they think.


I thought it was hilarious. But the humor is fairly sophisticated--for example, on page 5 ... "In ancient Greece an inventor named GottaLottaStuffus created what he called a 'Packus Backus,' Which menat "Pack back.' The name never caught on."



I will update my review when I've had some kids look at it!

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

A juvenile graphic novel of silly stories about backpacks - the history of the backpack, a superhero with a backpack and a cautionary tale about a backpack out of control.

Sure to delight any 2nd to 4th grader!

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Genre: Picture book, young/middle readers
Not a picture book for the very young. There is humore, but geared to a young/middle reader. I didn't really enjoy the book and found it hard to get through. Maybe young/middle readers will enjoy it better than I did, but some may feel distracted as well.

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of four wacky stories about backpacks of extraordinary proportions. Done in comic book format, the text and humor seem aimed at upper elementary or even middle school age readers. Kids are likely to enjoy it on several levels- for content as well as for the format and images.

[Joenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Four separate stories tell, in words and cartoons, the surprising history and activities of the ordinary backpack.

[Joella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Laugh-out-loud funny. Just the type of book that Jorrien would love to read to a niece or nephew. :)

[Vandy]

nice superGIrl character with backpack...also shows older backpacks

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

The stories are a little confusing for the target audience to follow. It's amusing to me, but I'm not sure the kids really get it.

[Jane Jergensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked The Day of the Living Backpack best. I used it with K-2 students and they found the humor. We made our own lunchbox stories as a writing project.

[Kirstin Baker]

This is a twin text that I would use with my "Volcanoes: The Science Behind the Fiery Explosions."

[Valerie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not my style - graphic novel read