GOING EXTINCT ISN'T FOR EVERYONE
Sybil knows that there is something off about her next door neighbor, but she can't seem to get anyone to believe her. Everyone is so busy going about their days in the busy streets of New York City that they don't notice Bolivar. They don't notice his odd height, his tiny arms, or his long tail. No one but Sybil sees that Bolivar is a dinosaur.
When an unlikely parking ticket pulls Bolivar into an adventure from City Hall to New York’s Natural History Museum, he must finally make a choice: Bolivar can continue to live unnoticed, or he can let the city see who he really is.
PRAISE FOR BOLIVAR
- Russ Manning Most Promising Newcomer Award Nominee (for comics illustration)
- Eisner Award Nominee: Best Publication for Kids (ages 9–12)
- Excellence in Graphic Literature Award Nominee: Best in Children’s Books
- Ringo Award Nominee: Best Kids Comic or Graphic Novel
★ PUBLISHERS WEEKLY STARRED REVIEW
★ SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL STARRED REVIEW
★ BOOKLIST STARRED REVIEW
- 2017 JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD SELECTION
- NPR BEST BOOKS OF 2017
- NY PUBLIC LIBRARY BEST BOOKS FOR KIDS: 100 TITLES FOR READING AND SHARING 2017
★ "Debut author-illustrator Rubin spins a delightful tale that captures the childhood frustration of not being taken seriously by adults, as well as an amusing exploration of curiosity and friendship. The intricate details of the carefully crosshatched artwork and gorgeous panoramic scenes of street life give readers a great many things to discover in each panel. It’s an irreverent but loving tribute to a city whose residents have seen it all but sometimes miss what’s right in front of them, too." - Publishers Weekly
★ "The speech balloons are all color-coded, making it easy to tell who is talking, and the narrative is divided into five chapters each about the length of a traditional picture book. Detailed images feature lots of crosshatching and many hidden delights. The characters are appealing and made distinct by wonderful use of color... VERDICT: This brilliantly drawn story will resonate with a wide audience. Read it aloud chapter by chapter with younger kids, who will enjoy pointing out the hidden details, or give it to independent readers." - School Library Journal
★ "Part chapter book, part graphic novel, Rubin’s authorial debut is a masterful one. The text, delivered in bite-size speech bubbles and compact sentences, crackles with sly humor. And Rubin’s sweeping panoramas (from city blocks to the subway) and idiosyncratic details—all rendered in rich hues and lively cross-hatching—never fail to infuse the everyday with a dash of quiet magic. With a whopping dino-sized heart at its core, this is as much an ode to the bustling Big Apple as it is a celebration of curiosity and childlike wonder. Readers all over will soon be joining Sybil’s ranks; to see this towering,tiny-armed anomaly is to believe." - Booklist
Straddling the line between picture books and graphic novels with evident ease, Sean Rubin brings to life the tale of a reclusive Upper West Side dino and the girl that who loves him. ...Manhattan is rendered in intricate, crosshatched illustrations so accurate you'll be craving a hot pastrami on rye by the time the book is done. - NPR Best Books of 2017
- Graphic Policy Best Graphic Novel of 2017
- Comicosity Best Graphic Novel of 2017
- ICv2 Top Ten Kids Graphic Novels of 2017
- Comicon's 8 Best Original Graphic Novels of 2017
- Paste Magazine's Best Kids Comics of 2017
"This book is a masterpiece." - Eileen Gardner, School Librarian
"An instant classic."- Graphic Policy
There’s a lot to pore over in the colorful and detailed crosshatched artwork in this over-200-page story, which seems very much a love letter to New York City. There’s humor and heart, and Sybil is an endearing, lovable protagonist. I look forward to what Rubin brings readers next. - Kirkus
Bolivar is a very special book, a wonderful new mix of comics and prose, like a new Maurice Sendak treasure. It is beautifully drawn as a love letter to charming New York City neighborhoods... and the dinosaurs that may live in them." - David Petersen, creator of Mouse Guard
"...[An] "in-between" book that's perfect for teaching kids the visual literacy of comics. They can explore the "silent" illustrations as well as watching the speech dynamics between characters and the relationship between panels as the story unfolds... [great] for those who might not have read comics before." - Comicon.com
"The thing is, you don't have to be a New Yorker, or even like NYC, to thoroughly enjoy this book. Bolivar the dinosaur speaks to the introvert in all of us... Dinosaurs may not be around anymore but Bolivars abound. Even little Bolivars who will pick up this book and instantly connect with someone just like them. So for the Bolivars and the Manhattan-lovers, the graphic novel enthusiasts and the parents just looking for a good bedtime story, Bolivar the book is the place to go. Dino-mite stuff." - Elizabeth Bird, Fuse8 Blog
Bolivar is a special book and a brilliant debut. Its written and visual narratives come together seamlessly... do yourself a favor and get a copy--for you and everyone you know. - Avery and Augustine
Bolivar is an Archaia release that’s a textural pleasure; wonderfully dense but gently smooth... It’s a children’s book, but more importantly it’s a book children would be lucky to own, I think. [...] Sean Rubin ‘s drawings care a lit about architecture and space and atmospheric detail... and the grasp on how to light a scene with colour to create a time of day is fantastic. [...} Sybil’s fixation on the fact that Bolivar is a dinosaur is presented as a quest for truth and comprehension rather than for domination. Once the dinosaur is noticed, and adults begin to respond poorly, Sybil only wants to help Bolivar escape (which he does, into diverse New York streets and trains and restaurants). It’s a paean to how observing difference doesn’t have to be about separation, but recognition. - Women Write About Comics
Bolivar is a mashup: a book for kids that adults will love, a graphic novel, a picture book, an oversize illustrated novel... This is an amazing book and my first personal starred review of 2018 - Sommer Reading
Aimed at a grade-school audience, [Bolivar is] a clever hybrid of the traditional picture-book format and an outright comic book, alternating seamlessly between blocks of black text on white background and panels of word-ballooned action... The illustrations of this secretly magical New York are warm and textured, like a crosshatched Annie Hall, and Rubin has a gift for soothing language and gently rolling structure. This one deserves to be a bedtime staple. - Vulture.com/New York Magazine
"This delightful graphic novel made me happier than any other reading experience in 2017... .Bolivar made me smile with every single page, and Sean Rubin’s delightful character work will fill your heart with joy as you cheerfully read this brilliant graphic novel over and over again." - Aaron Long, Comicosity