Status
Available
Call number
Call number
GN Yan
Collection
Publication
First Second (2009), 170 pages
Description
"Meet Duncan. Charming and brave, he's the Princess's favorite-- and he's on his way to winning the throne. But lately, the walls of reality in Duncan's kingdom are wearing a little thin-- -- Meet Gran'pa Greenbax. Nothing seems to satisfy this greedy old frog's longing for a pool full of gold-- until, one day, a mysterious smile appears in the sky. Has his chance at happiness come at last? -- Meet Janet. Her nine-to-five life takes a turn for the romantic when she learns in an email from a mysterious Nigerian prince that she has been chosen to liberate his family's vast fortune. All he needs is her banking information. In three very different stories, master storytellers Gene Yang and Derek Kirk Kim pit fantasy against reality, for good or for ill" -- cover leaf.… (more)
Original publication date
2009-04-28
Similar in this library
User reviews
LibraryThing member welkinscheek
We’ve all delved into fantasy from time to time to escape our monotonous and difficult lives, some of us more than others. A lot more. We’re lucky that Kim and Yang rank among those who maybe hang out in their heads just a tad too much, and are tickled enough by what they find there to share it
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with the rest of us. The Eternal Smile is a great escape from the daily grind, but does more than provide a way out, it also opens doors to the great and mysterious within. These three stories depict people in various forms and stages of anthropomorphization (Hey, I made up a word!) coping (or not coping) with life by escaping into fantasy. These are familiar stories (a knight destroys evil to become eligible to marry a princess; a greedy boss thinks his avarice will bring him peace and fulfillment; a dowdy office worker falls for an Internet scam), but with surprising twists, reminding readers that these stories are metaphors, and if you’re brave enough to look deeper, you’ll find beautiful and frightening truths. Show Less
LibraryThing member pinkargyle
Beautifully illustrated in three distinct styles to represent three stories, The Eternal Smile is an empowering and bittersweet story about fiction versus reality. This is a quick-read with a thought-provoking message of making the most of your life, and I think many teens will relate to the
The story I enjoyed the most was that of Janet, the office assistant that willingly plays along with an Internet scam in order escape the drudgery of her life. Janet’s story really broke my heart but also had me cheering her on in the end.
A beautiful set of stories that all come together with an uplifting message, highly recommended!
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characters’ desire to live in fantasy. The story I enjoyed the most was that of Janet, the office assistant that willingly plays along with an Internet scam in order escape the drudgery of her life. Janet’s story really broke my heart but also had me cheering her on in the end.
A beautiful set of stories that all come together with an uplifting message, highly recommended!
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LibraryThing member kivarson
Heartbreakingly beautiful. Yang and Kim have given us three short stories that explore the universal themes of fear and desire behind our need to create rich fantasy worlds. The artwork is strong--especially the watercolor panels of "Urgent Request", which ache with imagined joy and sunshine.
LibraryThing member eduscapes
The Eternal Smile by Gene Luen Yang and Derek Kirk Kim is a graphic novel told in three stories. Each story weaves fantasy and reality in humorous ways. The illustrations as well as the stories are outstanding. The book is appropriate for all ages.
LibraryThing member 59Square
Beautiful and literary, this book of short stories features stunning artwork, beautifully colored; however, the stories themselves seem a little obtuse for teen audiences. The title piece "Gran'pa Greenbax and the Eternal Smile" is the strongest of the collection, and pays clever homage to the
This is a book that strikes me as a comic for people who don't really like comics, and one that comics fans can point to when singing the virtues of the format. While this book will probably win awards, it's hard to imagine a teen picking it up.
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Scrooge McDuck comics by Carl Banks. However, it's hard to imagine a modern teen appreciating the tribute. It is the first story "Duncan's Kingdom" which will have the most resonance for teens, as a young man decides to trade fantasy for reality. This is a book that strikes me as a comic for people who don't really like comics, and one that comics fans can point to when singing the virtues of the format. While this book will probably win awards, it's hard to imagine a teen picking it up.
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LibraryThing member lilibrarian
Three short stories by Gene Luen Yand and Derek Kirk Kim. The first is the fantasy of a teenager. The second tells of a frog named granpa greenbax who is fixated on collecting gold. The last story is of a quiet young lady who forms an e-mail correspondence with a man claiming to be a Nigerian
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prince. Show Less
LibraryThing member wortklauberlein
Pays homage to cartooning -- particularly Gran'pa Greenbax, with nods to Disney and his Scrooge McDuck plus Daddy Warbucks -- while engaging in an intricate exploration of the intersections of dreams and reality.
Each of the three stories in the book employs a different visual style, yet each
Remarkably free of sentimentality and rich in intellectual content, it employs many of the tropes of fiction to make something wholly original.
Each of the three stories in the book employs a different visual style, yet each
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revolves around the use of fantasy as a door out of -- and back into -- an unbearable world. Remarkably free of sentimentality and rich in intellectual content, it employs many of the tropes of fiction to make something wholly original.
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LibraryThing member kperry
Creators of AMERICAN BORN CHINESE are back again with another interesting graphic novel called THE ETERNAL SMILE. THE ETERNAL SMILE contains three completely separate stories, unlike in AMERICAN BORN CHINESE where the three stories came together in the end. The one thing these stories do have in
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common is the theme and would generate great discussion in the classroom.The first story, “Duncan’s Kingdom,” centers around a young knight in the royal guard of a magical kingdom. After slaying the Frog King in order to win the hand of the beautiful princess, Duncan realizes his life isn’t what he thought it was.“The Eternal Smile” is the second story in the book. Gran’pa Greenbax, a greedy old frog, will stop at nothing to achieve his goal of owning enough gold to fill a pool. He wants enough gold so that when he dives in the pool he can’t reach the bottom. When he runs out of new ventures he turns to religion in attempt to manipulate people out of their money. Gran’pa Greenbax, after a violent outburst, is taken from his world and told the truth about his existence and finally discovers the reason he has been in search of enough gold to fill a pool.The final story, “Urgent Request,” revolves around a lonely computer tech employee named Janet Oh. After being turned down for a promotion at work, she feels like her life is going nowhere until she receives an email from Prince Henry Alembu of the Royal Family of Nigeria. He asks her for money to help his family escape the political unrest in his country and in return will transfer $350,000,000 to her bank account as soon as he and his family are safe. Janet Oh agrees to help and in doing so, changes her life for the better.I enjoyed AMERICAN BORN CHINESE much better, but I’ve found that the more I sit and think about THE ETERNAL SMILE, the more I like it. It might just be one of those books that grows on you. The artwork is great! LOVE LOVE LOVE the cover and the variety of the work between the three stories. Derek Kirk Kim definitely has talent!What do you guys think? Have you read it yet and if so, did you like it as much as you liked AMERICAN BORN CHINESE? Show Less
LibraryThing member tiamatq
Gene Luen Yanga brings us three stories about fantasy, reality, and the way we think and dream about both. The first story looks at a young man named Duncan, serving in a medieval court and trying to win the heart of the princess. When he sets out to fight the Frog King, he discovers a mysterious
Then there's Gran'pa Greenbax, a greedy frog with an insatiable desire for a bottomless pool of gold (sounds like a certain old duck, hmmm?). His latest profitable adventure has led him, his assistance, and his twin nieces, to the Eternal Smile, a grin that's always hovering in the sky.
And finally there's Janet, a woman that no one ever notices. She's been working the same nine-to-five job for seven years. When things are at their most dreary, she gets an email from a Nigerian prince who needs her help saving his family fortune... if only she'll give him her bank account information, she'll be rewarded beyond her wildest dreams.
These stories may appear to be fluffy and aimed at younger readers, but each deals with heavy issues (abuse, self-confidence, greed, and faith). The Gran'pa Greenbax story may be the most disturbing of them - though besides borrowing from Uncle Scrooge, it made me think of those Looney Tunes cartoons where the animator is able to reach into the animation cell and mess with things. Overall, these are uplifting stories about how we reconcile our fantasies with our real lives.
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bottle labeled Snappy Cola, and suddenly everything in the kingdom seems out of place.Then there's Gran'pa Greenbax, a greedy frog with an insatiable desire for a bottomless pool of gold (sounds like a certain old duck, hmmm?). His latest profitable adventure has led him, his assistance, and his twin nieces, to the Eternal Smile, a grin that's always hovering in the sky.
And finally there's Janet, a woman that no one ever notices. She's been working the same nine-to-five job for seven years. When things are at their most dreary, she gets an email from a Nigerian prince who needs her help saving his family fortune... if only she'll give him her bank account information, she'll be rewarded beyond her wildest dreams.
These stories may appear to be fluffy and aimed at younger readers, but each deals with heavy issues (abuse, self-confidence, greed, and faith). The Gran'pa Greenbax story may be the most disturbing of them - though besides borrowing from Uncle Scrooge, it made me think of those Looney Tunes cartoons where the animator is able to reach into the animation cell and mess with things. Overall, these are uplifting stories about how we reconcile our fantasies with our real lives.
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LibraryThing member cassiusclay
Personal Response:
I enjoyed these stories greatly. The overall theme of the book is to be true to yourself. Each story establishes this idea in its own unique way. The stories display to the reader that fantasy isn't always better than reality, being true to yourself is more valuable than money,
Curricular Connections:
I could see these stories being excellent to serve the purpose of displaying the importance of self-esteem, especially the final story.
I enjoyed these stories greatly. The overall theme of the book is to be true to yourself. Each story establishes this idea in its own unique way. The stories display to the reader that fantasy isn't always better than reality, being true to yourself is more valuable than money,
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and sometimes we should let ourselves escape for awhile. These stories are very easy to relate to and would be excellent for any teen reader who has felt that sometimes they wish they were somewhere else. Curricular Connections:
I could see these stories being excellent to serve the purpose of displaying the importance of self-esteem, especially the final story.
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LibraryThing member derfman
This graphic novel is comprised of three separate stories with similar themes. They convey messages about truth, reality, and contentment. I also thought that each story was touched with a bit of melancholy and an undercurrent of sadness infuses them. But don’t get the wrong idea; the book is
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still delightful and a joy to read. Each of the three different stories has a different art style befitting the story. Show Less
LibraryThing member mhg123
From two masters of the graphic novel--Gene Luen Yang (American Born Chinese) and Derek Kirk Kim (Same Difference and Other Stories) come fantastical adventures through the worlds we live in and the worlds we create: the story of a prince who defeats his greatest enemy only to discover that maybe
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his world is not what it had seemed; the story of a frog who finds that just being a frog might be the way to go; and the story of a woman who receives an email from Prince Henry of Nigeria asking for a loan to help save his family. With vivid artwork and moving writing, Derek Kirk Kim and Gene Luen Yang test the boundaries between fantasy and reality, exploring the ways that the world of the imagination can affect real life. Show Less
LibraryThing member zzshupinga
This graphic novel is a collaboration between two masters of the field--Gene Luen Yang ([[ASIN:0312384483 American Born Chinese]]) and Derek Kirk Kim ([[ASIN:1596436573 Same Difference]])--with Gene writing wonderful short stories and Derek bringing his evocative drawing style. Together they show
Gene's stories create blur the line between fantasy and reality and create a world that we can all instantly recognize and feel a part of....and leave us wanting more. Even though he only has a few pages, the characters have more depth to them than many longer books and help us instantly feel a connection to them. Derek's evocative drawing style brings these characters and worlds to life. The greatest example of which is in the third story "Urgent Request," which alternates different color schemes and is drawn in a more lose style than the other two stories, but has a greater sense of power and purpose, which is difficult to describe in words.
If you've never read any of Gene's or Derek's work pick this book up and discover the magic they can create. Then....go pick up their other books and enjoy those worlds as well.
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us three different stories about the worlds we create and the worlds that we live in. In the first story we meet a young prince who discovers his greatest enemy is not who it seems to be; the second story (which is where the title of the book comes from) shows us a wealthy frog that finds that sometimes things aren't as they seem and the simple life maybe better; and the final story is about a young woman who may have discovered her Prince. Gene's stories create blur the line between fantasy and reality and create a world that we can all instantly recognize and feel a part of....and leave us wanting more. Even though he only has a few pages, the characters have more depth to them than many longer books and help us instantly feel a connection to them. Derek's evocative drawing style brings these characters and worlds to life. The greatest example of which is in the third story "Urgent Request," which alternates different color schemes and is drawn in a more lose style than the other two stories, but has a greater sense of power and purpose, which is difficult to describe in words.
If you've never read any of Gene's or Derek's work pick this book up and discover the magic they can create. Then....go pick up their other books and enjoy those worlds as well.
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LibraryThing member francescadefreitas
Three stories that play wonderfully with the borders of reality. A prince finds his fantasy world unravelling at the edges, a greedy frog starts a new religion so he can obtain a pond with enough gold to swim in, and a Nigerian fraud pays off unexpectedly. Hilarious Second Life reference.This would
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be a good introduction to graphic for nervous post-modernists. And for anyone who enjoys stories with a twist. Show Less
LibraryThing member KatherineC032
This book consists of three different amusing and creative stories. The ideas and plots are unique and interesting, each one shows a different meaning and moral.The first story is about a prince that defeats his enemy and receives everything he ever wanted, but soon discovers that the life he’s
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living is not real or what it seems. The second story is about a greedy frog that loves money and will do anything to be rich. He believes that money is the only thing that brings him happiness, but he soon learns that he was wrong. The third story is about a woman that receives an email from Prince Henry of Nigeria asking for a loan, but, learns exactly why the people you meet on the internet can't always be trusted. Show Less
LibraryThing member Brian.Gunderson
These three stories read like science fiction short stories and they all trace the liminal line between imagination and self-deception. I really enjoyed the artwork here. It's crisp and creative.
LibraryThing member fyrefly98
Summary: This book is a collection of three stories, each addressing places where the line between fantasy and reality gets blurry. In "Duncan's Kingdom", Duncan is a knight and the hero of the kingdom, but he can't shake the feeling that there's something he's not being told. In "Gran'pa Greenbax
Review: I liked these stories a lot. "Gran'pa Greenbax" was my least favorite; it was over-the-top in terms of the dialog and the artwork, and even though all of the over-the-top-ness did have a point, it was enough initially to put me off of the story. I liked "Urgent Request" quite a bit; the artwork was totally gorgeous and it was great to watch Janet come to terms with herself and her situation (But it wasn't a "Girl Power!" type of thing; it maintained a little haunting note of melancholy underneath it all.) But I think "Duncan's Kingdom" was my favorite, maybe because it was a more traditional type of fantasy, but I think because it packed the biggest emotional punch. 4 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: This is one of those graphic novels that I think has something to appeal to almost everyone who likes graphic novels, and maybe something to entice those that haven't tried one before.
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and the Eternal Smile", Gran'pa Greenbax is a money-loving frog who seeks to capitalize on a mysterious smile that appears floating in the sky. In "Urgent Request", Janet is lonely and unappreciated, but when she receives an e-mail from a Nigerian prince requesting her help, she decides to respond and see what happens.Review: I liked these stories a lot. "Gran'pa Greenbax" was my least favorite; it was over-the-top in terms of the dialog and the artwork, and even though all of the over-the-top-ness did have a point, it was enough initially to put me off of the story. I liked "Urgent Request" quite a bit; the artwork was totally gorgeous and it was great to watch Janet come to terms with herself and her situation (But it wasn't a "Girl Power!" type of thing; it maintained a little haunting note of melancholy underneath it all.) But I think "Duncan's Kingdom" was my favorite, maybe because it was a more traditional type of fantasy, but I think because it packed the biggest emotional punch. 4 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: This is one of those graphic novels that I think has something to appeal to almost everyone who likes graphic novels, and maybe something to entice those that haven't tried one before.
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LibraryThing member bluepigeon
I'd enjoyed ABC by Yang and never read anything by Kim. The short stories seem all to be themed around loss and disconnect. Not loss in the sense of losing something or someone, but loss of purpose or will. There is a certain quality of desperation in the stories. In the first story this becomes
All in all, a good small collection of stories which will surprise as you read.
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evident about two thirds of the way, in the second one at the very very end, and the third one is dripping of desperation from beginning to end. The stories explore a wide range of subjects from evangelism/exploitation to internet fraud (sounds hard to believe, when i put it that way) but they are very human, very real, and sad. But they all manage to end in a bit of an up note, which is refreshing. The art work is exceptional, which surprised me, because I usually do not like the super colorful, computer-generated look. But the drawings of humans as well as non-human characters is exceptional. The last story certainly stands out in terms of the art work, with most panels drawn in dreary grays like black and white etchings.All in all, a good small collection of stories which will surprise as you read.
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LibraryThing member blurble
Gene Yang and Derek Kirk Kim together, what more to say? 3 excellent stories, with different art styles and an interesting personal twist.
LibraryThing member joeydag
three stories about things not being what they seem. These stories did not connect well with me. Oh, well.
LibraryThing member Salsabrarian
Three different stories, rendered in different styles, about three characters who come upon defining moments that change the courses of their lives. Duncan must choose between living a fantasy or reality; money-grubbing cartoon character Gran'pa Greenbax rediscovers the lure of the pond; and
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"insignificant" Janet has an online encounter with a Nigerian prince, or so she thinks. There's a bittersweetness to these characters' defining moments, that moment when one thinks "I'm a loser" and then, "but I'm not going to be a loser forever!" Show Less
LibraryThing member JoanAxthelm
This graphic novel has three stories, each of which do a great job of turning the reality we are first presented with on its head. In doing so, the stories prod us to ask ourselves what is important in life. The stories themselves are each wonderful fantasies.
LibraryThing member mrgan
Really nice art hobbled by writing that tries so hard to be rich and deep and surprising, but ends up reading as flat as a day-old elderberry soda. Odd.
LibraryThing member bobbybslax
Very unique stories tied together by the idea that people want/need to escape for the sake of their own self-worth.
Pages
170