Jimmy's Elbow - by James Kochalka (Paperback)

About the Book

"Jimmy is a very good boy. He even wears a tie! But when he bumps his elbow on a table, this very good boy starts feeling very bad. Did his elbow die? Was that just a dream? Or has Jimmy's magic elbow come to life and unlocked his superpowers? Well, no matter what, it's time for Jimmy and his elbow to go to school... What else could go wrong?"--

Book Synopsis

Jimmy has an elbow! Do you have one, too? Well, what if it could talk? Award-winning graphic novelist James Kochalka explores surreal frontiers of the body and mind in this psychedelic comedy for all ages.

Jimmy is a very good boy. He even wears a tie! But when he bumps his elbow on a table, this very good boy starts feeling very bad. Did his elbow die? Was that just a dream? Or has Jimmy's magic elbow come to life and unlocked his superpowers? Well, no matter what, it's time for Jimmy and his elbow to go to school... What else could go wrong?

Cartoonist James Kochalka has delighted generations of readers with series like Johnny Boo, Banana Fox, and American Elf. Now he's back with a sprawling and silly graphic novel about childhood, toys, and the mysteries inside us. Explore the nature of sensation, the meaning of America, and the fundamental silliness of having a body, in this surreal and spectacular roller coaster ride for kids, families, and very serious adults.

Review Quotes

★ "It's random, it's odd, and it's hilarious... undeniably unique and worth young readers' time." -- School Library Journal (starred review)

"Notably surreal... Readers primed for nothing but laffs may be in for a surprise, as the author folds quick takes on 'silly' vs. 'serious'--not to mention life, death, spiritual apotheosis, and what it means to be 'made in America'--into the manic proceedings. [Jimmy's Elbow] hits smack on the funny bone." -- Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

James Kochalka is, without question, one of the most unique and prolific alternative cartoonists working in America today. His comics have been published internationally by nearly everyone from the smallest alternative publishers to some of the largest publishing houses on Earth; he's recorded several music albums under the name James Kochalka Superstar (in 2016, his song "Britney's Silver Can" was named one of the 100 greatest songs of the year by Rolling Stone); and he's developed animated cartoons for Nickelodeon and Cartoon Hangover. He is the first official Cartoonist Laureate of the state of Vermont, appointed in 2011. Among his best-known works are the Monkey vs Robot series, the beloved children's series Johnny Boo, Dragon Puncher, Glork Patrol, and Banana Fox, and his magnum opus, the 14-year span of daily diary comics known as American Elf.