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Mike Dawson, Boy Scout Troop 142. Awesome 2: Awesomer. 2009

Since seeing this excerpt in Awesome, I’ve been able to read several chapters of Dawson’s Troop 142 epic in minicomics form, and it appears that the whole book is online, and now there’s to be a print edition of the book from Secret Acres in September! This is one well-documented story. And deservedly so. I have to admit, I never bothered to think very much about what might happen at Boy Scout camp, but there’s something so true and right about the way the boys do and don’t get along in this book. I love the additional level of the adult scoutmaster (or whatever you call them) discussion and the interior dialogue of the lefty, non-joiner-type, middle-class dad (i.e. the guy more like me). It makes what could be a compelling YA book and makes it into much more than that. I’m not sure if it also makes it a book kids won’t or shouldn’t read—I’d love to hear from teachers on that one.

Age: maybe 4-6 grade (though there’s very realistic cursing among the boys), maybe teen. Opinions?

What is this Notable thing? Read the intro to the Best American Comics Notables of 2010 here.