Lesson Plan: Nimona

Review

It’s been a few years since I have been this excited about a new name on the graphic novel scene!

Clever and endearing, Nimona is about a young wannabe villain (Nimona herself) who seeks out the most famous villain in the kingdom, Sir Ballister Blackheart, in order to be his understudy. After cunningly convincing Blackheart to let her tag along on his next evil plan, Nimona immediately goes to work. A little too happy for good measure, however, Nimona begins her first day on the job by immediately revising Blackheart’s latest evil plan. As for Nimona’s revisions? Well, let’s just say she’s a little more sinister than Blackheart imagined.You can find Stevenson and her work – including her new graphic novel that I will review and write a lesson plan for in this column – online at: gingerhaze.com. Trust me, it’s worth a visit. In fact, I would be willing to say that Stevenson is probably the most talented young graphic novelist I’ve come across in at least the last five years. In other words, my bet is that you’ll see her name again. And each time you do it’ll probably mean there’s a new, addictively engrossing graphic novel for you to pleasantly devour.

Blackheart may be a villain, but he knows the rules. According to Blackheart, villains upset the established order, cause chaos. 

According to Nimona, villains seize the day. No matter the cost! And despite Blackheart’s advice she is pretty sure she knows the rules too. The problem is that they are HER rules. Villains destroy. They even murder if necessary. They take out anything and anyone in their way. No matter the cost.

With their definitions of villainy at odds this duo must figure out just who they are. The reader is merely along for the ride, and what a ride it is. I’ve never fallen more in love with villainy before, and especially two very volatile villains themselves.

A message for Stevenson: Please tell us there is a sequel in the making. Please? I already miss my much adored and beloved new villainous friends.

English Language Arts Elements of Story

Plot(s): Nimona wants to be a villain so she seeks out the most well-known villain in the kingdom, Sir Ballister Blackheart. Blackheart and Nimona set out together to take over the kingdom, but their plans are more than slightly different. As a result, Blackheart must really start to wonder about the fishy story Nimona told him about her background. Who is Nimona, really? And, no matter what the answer, why does Blackheart want to be her ally?

Major Characters: Nimona, Ballister Blackheart, the King, Sir Goldenloin, Director of Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics, Dr. Meredith Blitzmeyer, Gloreth

Major Settings: Blackheart’s Fortress, the Kingdom, Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics, news station, His Majesty’s Royal Treasury, His Majesety’s Hospital, the Antlered Snake

Major Themes: Heroes and Villains, Science, Right and Wrong, Rules, Shift and Change, Mentorship, Friendship, Loyalty

Reading/Literacy Recommendations For Young Adult Readers in Language Arts Grades 4 – 8

All standards dealing with “Key Ideas and Details” relate to teaching the following lesson plan with Noelle Stevenson’s Nimona.

Reading Lesson Idea for Language Arts Readers in Grades 4 – 8

Directions: The key to understanding Nimona is chronicling and comprehending Nimona’s character development as the story progresses. One way to keep track of Nimona’s story is to do a series of character sketches of her physical appearance and significant quotations.

For the following activity students need to identify key moments in Nimona’s story and complete a number of detailed, visual character development sketches (complete with Nimona’s hair style, wardrobe, facial expressions, accessories and more). Students will also need to identify and add significant quotations to each character sketch (citing the page number), quotations that coordinate with each character sketch and its details.

Doing a character sketch for each chapter will be most helpful. The easiest way to do so is to ask students to complete one character sketch at a time, chapter-by-chapter, as they read. The following sketch and balloon can by used for each of the eleven chapters.

Nimona Character Sketch: Chapter _________