Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Jellaby
    Jellaby
    Jellaby
    Ebook160 pages18 minutes

    Jellaby

    By Kean Soo

    4/5

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    Quiet but bright Portia has just moved to a new neighborhood with her mom. Adjusting to life without a father is hard enough, but school is boring and her classmates are standoffish -- and even Portia's mom is sort of distant. But things start to get better when Portia mounts a midnight excursion into the woods behind her house where she discovers a shy and sweet purple monster. Life with Jellaby is exciting, but Portia's purple friend has secrets of his own...
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherCapstone Young Readers
    Release dateJan 7, 2014
    ISBN9781496501073
    Jellaby

    Related to Jellaby

    Titles in the series (2)

    View More
    View More

    Related ebooks

    Children's Animals For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Taking centre STAGE

      Apr 11, 2021

      Taking centre STAGE
      1 min read

    • Article

      We ♥ Sabrina

      Apr 8, 2021

      Two of Sabrina’s many talents are singing and songwriting, and she knew from a young age that she wanted to sing. “We have a video of me in the kitchen. I was so young and was singing ‘God Bless America,’” Sabrina recalls. The 21-year-old star rememb

      2 min read

    • Article

      Doodlebug & Dandelion Sushi Dragon

      Sep 1, 2021

      Doodlebug & Dandelion Sushi Dragon
      3 min read

    • Article

      Q & A

      Nov 1, 2021

      Q & A
      2 min read

    • Article

      Crypto-funnies

      Oct 29, 2020

      Crypto-funnies
      1 min read

    • Article

      Whoa! How Embarrassing!

      Oct 3, 2019

      Whoa! How Embarrassing!
      3 min read

    • Article

      Are You A BLABBER MOUTH?

      Mar 2, 2022

      Are You A BLABBER MOUTH?
      2 min read

    • Article

      Word Warrior Competition 2021

      Nov 4, 2021

      He is back … and you are invited to spend some time with Detective Nkomba! Enter the Word Warrior 2021 Competition NOW! Show us the end result of your in-depth interview in a written piece of no longer than three pages. 1. Set the scene: are you a ta

      2 min read

    • Article

      My Cartoon Friend

      Jul 1, 2021

      Cartoons are cool, and friends are essential, so having a cartoon character as a friend should be super-cool, right? Errr … not always! After experimenting with some new and unknown animation software, a young African animator, Lwazi, mistakenly expo

      3 min read

    • Article

      The TAYLOR era!

      Feb 7, 2024

      The TAYLOR era!
      3 min read

    • Article

      Wrote this Poem Just to Show It

      Jul 1, 2022

      Wrote this Poem Just to Show It
      5 min read

    • Article

      Caitlin Colleary

      Nov 1, 2021

      Caitlin Colleary
      3 min read

    • Article

      Whoa! How Embarrassing!

      Aug 8, 2019

      It was my school’s sports car nival day and I was about to run the r elay race. I was standing at the start line waiting for the race to begin and I was daydr eaming. I thought I hear d the starter so I started sprinting as fast as I could. Suddenly

      3 min read

    • Article

      Then Again, Maybe I Will: The Reads I Kept Hidden in My Youth

      Sep 25, 2018

      1. I found the paperback on a metal card table at my neighbor’s garage sale: Judy Blume’s Then Again, Maybe I Won’t. I was 8 years old and already loved the author for books like Blubber, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, and Superfudge. The well-worn

      4 min read

    • Article

      Hailstone Numbers

      Nov 1, 2021

      Hailstone Numbers
      2 min read

    • Article

      SWIFTIE Forever! TAYLOR

      Jan 6, 2022

      SWIFTIE Forever! TAYLOR
      2 min read

    • Article

      Do You (really) See Red?

      Nov 1, 2021

      Do You (really) See Red?
      3 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Jellaby

    4/5

    113 ratings15 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 3/5
      Cute, but it didn't feel like it had enough going on to end where it ended... It was like reading a more involved single issue. I'm guessing it would read better if the first two volumes were combined.
    • 2/5
      Very cute art that reminded me a bit of Calvin and Hobbes, but the story was just quiet enough that I wasn't hugely invested. I may read the next in the series anyway since it's so short to see if it grows on me a bit.
    • 4/5
      Summary:This little girl moved into a new town with her mom but does not have her dad there. Her mom was not there for her much and she was having a hard time in class with her friends. So in the meantime she met a friend who was a monster. But she became really good friends with him and he knew some secrets about why her dad is gone. Personal Reaction:This book was very cute. I loved how the little girl made a friend that she could talk to and have fun with. Classroom Extension Idea:This is a great book for children to read to maybe understand why their parents divorce or split up.
    • 3/5
      Reason for Reading: I've wanted to read this since I first heard of it, then I read a short story in a recent Flight anthology. Somebody recently reviewed it in one of the challenges I'm in and that prompted me to finally read it. A quick read with cute illustrations. Certainly more serious than I thought it would be, which came as a surprise. A cute purple monster just makes you think it's going to be a silly book but it's not and it's not for young children either as there are serious themes, mainly Portia's absent father and her friend Jason's obviously neglectful parents who are never home. Portia also has nightmares which are disturbing and could be frightening to younger or sensitive children, so do pay attention to the recommended age of ten plus. The book isn't silly but that doesn't mean it isn't funny. It has it's moments and I did enjoy Jellaby as a character. However, I just didn't connect with the book as other's have done. The children felt much younger than they are supposed to be which was off-putting and the fact that Portia doesn't know where her dad is seems strange once it is apparent that he is somewhere. I'm pretty sure I know what happened to him, but we will have to find out in the second book. This book is also very much a "Part 1" as it ends with them going off on a journey and the words "to be continued". I know most people love this book but "just OK" for me; the combination of cute and seriousness didn't work for me, plus I had a lot of unanswered questions. I also questioned the nature of Jellaby, whether he was an "imaginary" friend, evidence points otherwise and yet still the question lingers.
    • 4/5
      Jellaby is about a lonely young girl who meets a strange, purple creature who is really quite friendly. What would you do to help a new friend? Even if he isn't human?
    • 4/5
      December 29, 2008

      So cute. I'm not sure what Jellaby is, besides adorable. I love the burgeoning field for graphic novels for kids, though.

      Library copy
    • 4/5
      W found Jellaby himself on a recent visit to the library, so we took it home. I found it reminiscent of A Monster Calls in theme, but more accessible for W both graphically and in its storytelling. W finished reading it with my Other Reader, unprecedented and a sign of how taken he was with the book, so R & I read it together. W wants the second book and so do the rest of us!
    • 4/5
      Not long after Portia Bennett and her mother move to a new town to start their lives over, Portia discovers a huge purple monster she names Jellaby and enlists the help of fellow student Jason, as they two search for a way to find their new friend's true home--a search which may connect Portia to her missing father.
    • 5/5
      My son has enjoyed graphic novels by Kazu Kibiuishi and I have been looking for more like that. I had heard about this book but it was nice to get a look at it. I found it very interesting and it touches on so many themes-- bullying and feelings of isolation and loneliness. But it is written in a hopeful and humorous manner. I will definitely be purchasing this for our library!
    • 4/5
      Jellaby might be the most adorable monster/dragon ever created. His every nod or wide-eyed stare had my daughter and I melting in our seats. But this graphic novel isn't just about an irresistible critter and all his (?) cute, funny antics. It is also about a girl whose daily companion is loneliness -- caused by the inexplicable loss of her father at a young age and the social chasm that separating a weirdo like her from the rest of the kids at school. JELLABY is about family and loyalty, in whatever shapes they come in. And be prepared because, most heartbreakingly of all, it is a cliff-hanger of a story. I received a complimentary digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
    • 4/5
      ARC provided by NetGalleyPortia is a quiet, but bright young girl who has just moved to a new neighborhood and a new school. It's hard enough to get used to these changes, but she's also adjusting to life without her father, who has mysteriously disappeared. And to make things even stranger her mom is acting distant! What's a girl to do? But then one night, after a strange and troubling dream, Portia discovers a shy, sweet, loving purple monster in the woods behind her house. Portia's life with Jellaby is definitely a lot more interesting now, but where did he come from? And what secrets does he know?*brief note* OK if you've read Jellaby before this is a reprint of the first book. But Kean Soo has gone back in and redone some of the illustrations and cleaned them up a bit taking into account everything he's learned over the years.*This is my first foray into the Jellaby world and...I love it! I mean seriously how can you not like a female character that's bright, intelligent, and just wants to have a couple of friends without demeaning her own intelligence? And then you get Jellaby who doesn't talk at, but communicates through the shaking of his head and other non-verbal queues. He's just so much fun to watch and wonder what he's going to do as he figures out the world around him, including eating some flowers. Kean has created engaging characters that feel like you could step out your door and run into them in your neighborhood. Even the bullies that Portia encounters aren't crude half portrayed characters, but they have depth to them. Overall the writing reminds me a bit of Hayao Miyazaki, with the depth to the characters.While the artwork appears simple in nature, with think lines delineating the characters and a few colors giving them depth, they are stunningly beautiful. I mean seriously drawing a lovable purple monster that doesn't look like Barney is difficult, but Kean pulls it off. Jellaby is one of those types of monsters that you just want to take home with you and keep him safe. And seeing the human characters interact with each other reminds me a bit of Peanuts, just those simple lines giving depth to the characters and making them feel alive. Like they'll walk off the page and come over and talk to you. I love it.I can't wait to read the second book in the series and I would highly recommend this book to fans of Andy Runton and Kazu Kibuishi. I give the book 4 out of 5 stars.
    • 4/5
      I got a copy of this book to review through the Amazon Vine program. It was a cute little read and I enjoyed it. I think younger kids will enjoy it as well.Portia is a lonely and very smart little girl who has just moved to a new town with her mother. She’s having trouble fitting in at school, her mother is somewhat distant, and her father is missing. Then one night she wanders into the woods and happens to run across a sweet and lost purple monster named Jellaby. Portia’s life gets a lot more exciting with Jellaby hanging around.This is a very cute and sweet little book, but it is just the beginning of a larger story. The illustration is pretty simple and very cartoony. The pictures are all done in purple tones, I really think it would have been better in full color...but the author does have an explanation for why he used purple tones at the end of the book. The story is just the beginning of a larger story and very simple. Still it was cute and well done and at times pretty funny. Portia is a sad and lonely girl and it was fun to see her cheer up in Jellaby’s company and even make another friend at school through the secret of Jellaby.There is a little mystery here about finding out what happened to Portia’s dad, but that really wasn’t addressed in this story much. It’s a well done and cute little book. Definitely appropriate for younger children to middle grade kids. I think given the simplicity of the story children will enjoy this more than most adults.Overall an adorable little graphic novel. The drawing is done in purple tones and is very simple and cartoony but does a good job of showing the characters’ emotions. The story is well done but simple, I think kids will enjoy this. Right now I am on the fence about whether or not I will read future books in the series, I am kind of curious as to what will happen next...but there just wasn’t a complicated enough story here for me.
    • 4/5
      This made my inner child very happy.
    • 4/5
      A heartwarming graphic novel. The book's content and story are appropriate for children, and it's a fun story to read even for adults. The end left me hanging!
    • 4/5
      Portia doesn't fit in at school - she reads above everyone else's level, she can't make friends, and she has trouble keeping her mind on class. Portia, more than anything, is lonely. And then she finds Jellaby, a purple dragon creature with a sense of humor and a brave streak. She has problems keeping Jellaby a secret - Jason, Portia's classmate and carrot-lover, quickly discovers him. Both Jason and Portia work to find out where Jellaby came from and how to get him home, all the while hinting that there may be a connection between Jellaby and Portia's missing father.I thought this was a terrific book, but I wanted more more more! I've heard that Kean Soo has said one of the inspirations was Calvin and Hobbes, and I did think a lot of the strip while I was reading it, but I spent a lot of time thinking of Susie rather than Calvin. I can't wait until the next book comes out, because this felt a little short.

    Book preview

    Jellaby - Kean Soo

    Enjoying the preview?
    Page 1 of 1