Windsor Locks+Ives - Community Cartoons 2025

A GIA BOOK NT COMI OF CS

COMMUNITY

CARTOONS In partnership with Windsor Locks Public Library and Ives Main Library

A GIANT COMIC BOOK

COMMUNITY CARTOONS In partnership with Windsor Locks Public Library and Ives Main Library

COPYRIGHT © 2025 THE GIANT ROOM

This book belongs to:

TABLE OF CONTENTS The Lion and the Peacock by Liam.......................................................... 2 The Battle of Shercan by Landon............................................................ 4 A PB&J Origin Story by Librarian Matt...................................................... 6 The Dream by Asha........................................................................... 8 Burgey and Kitty by Mila B.B. .............................................................10 Bad Boy! by Miss Jane....................................................................... 12 Stan the Everyman by Liv.................................................................. 14 Superhero of Fabulous Adventures by Arsalan Altaf.................................... 16 The Alicorn by Aaliya Atlaf................................................................. 18 Sun Saves All the Planets! by Nora....................................................... 20 Eggs by Kailani............................................................................... 22 The Grim Baller by Jhonatan................................................................ 24 Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bradley.................................................... 26 The Boy Who Has Superpowers by Kailani Bermudez................................... 28 The Monster Under the Bed by Catalina Bermudez...................................... 30 Drew in the Strip by Christian.............................................................. 32 The Goldmine by Joseph Montemerlo...................................................... 34 Ella’s Magical Library by Library Dragon.................................................. 36 A Story by a GIANT Kid.................................................................... 38 Dragons and Queens! by William Montemerlo............................................. 40 You Don’t Have to Shout. by Eliza B. B................................................. 42 Dragon Day by Kiera and Emory Wesche................................................. 44 Sea lion v.s. Shark by Kepler.............................................................. 46 Egghead the Great by a GIANT Kid....................................................... 48 Long Live by Katie........................................................................... 50

ABOUT THIS BOOK Co-designed and co-written by 25 families, librarians, AI, and a multidisciplinary team of artists, educators, and writers at The GIANT Room, Community Cartoons invites all kids (and adults) to read the most heartwarming, magical, funny, exciting comic strips!

We are extremely honored to partner with Connecticut State Libraries and bring GIANT creative STEM experiences to the Connecticut community at the Windsor Locks Public Library and Ives Main Library. We implemented a Remix Station with their teams, Jane Frankel, Maria Carrasquillo, and Lois Crozier from Windsor Locks and Matt Ulman from Ives Main.

More than 25 participants joined, dreamed, created, and shared their stories and comic strips. Here, we have “remixed” their creations into one GIANT book of comics. Each comic has its own title page with the story’s title, the author’s name, and the author’s age. Using participants’ ideas, drawings, writings, and input, we created AI-generated avatars of the characters that appear in their story and an AI-generated background image as the setting for their story. There’s even a place for participants to add their official author signature!

We want to thank the librarians and staff from Windsor Locks Public Library and Ives Main Library for their partnership. Funding for this program was made possible by the Connecticut State Library and Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA), provided through the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

Let’s get reading!

Your creative collaborators, The GIANT Room

THE LION AND THE PEACOCK

By Liam, By Liam, age age 66

Author’s signature

3

THE BATTLE OF SHERCAN

By Landon, By Landon, age age 88

Author’s signature

5

A PB&J ORIGIN STORY

By Librarian By Librarian Matt Matt

Author’s signature

7

THE DREAM!

By Asha, By Asha, age age 77

Author’s signature

9

BURGEY AND KITTY

By Mila By Mila B.B., B.B., age age 13 13

Author’s signature

11

BAD BOY!

By Miss By Miss Jane Jane

Author’s signature

13

STAN THE EVERYMAN

By Liv, By Liv, age age 29 29

Author’s signature

15

SUPERHERO OF FABULOUS ADVENTURES

By Arsalan By Arsalan Altaf, Altaf, age age 39 39

Author’s signature

17

THE ALICORN

By Aaliya By Aaliya Altaf, Altaf, age age 77

Author’s signature

19

SUN SAVES ALL THE PLANETS!

By Nora, By Nora, age age 88

Author’s signature

21

EGGS

By Kailani, By Kailani, age age 66

Author’s signature

23

THE GRIM BALLER

By Jhonatan, By Jhonatan, age age 99

Author’s signature

25

CHICKA CHICKA BOOM BOOM

By Bradley, By Bradley, age age 44

Author’s signature

27

THE BOY WHO HAS SUPER POWERS

By Kailani By Kailani Bermudez, Bermudez, age age 66

Author’s signature

29

THE MONSTER UNDER THE BED

By Catalina By Catalina Bermudez, Bermudez, age age 10 10

Author’s signature

31

Drew in the strip

By Chistian, By Chistian, age age 33 33

Author’s signature

33

THE GOLDMINE

By Joseph By Joseph Montemerlo, Montemerlo, age age 77

Author’s signature

35

ELLA’S MAGICAL LIBRARY

By Library By Library Dragon Dragon

Author’s signature

37

AA story story by by aa GIANT GIANT kid kid

Author’s signature

39

DRAGONS AND QUEENS!

By William By William Montemerlo, Montemerlo, age age 66

Author’s signature

41

YOU DON’T HAVE TO SHOUT.

By Eliza By Eliza B.B., B.B., age age 13 13

Author’s signature

43

DRAGON DAY

By Kiera By Kiera and and Emory Emory Wesche, Wesche, ages 77 and ages and 44

Author’s signature

45

SEA LION V.S. SHARK

By Kepler, By Kepler, age age 99

Author’s signature

47

EGGHEAD THE GREAT

By AA GIANT By GIANT Kid Kid

Author’s signature

49

LONG LIVE

By Katie, By Katie, an an OG OG Swiftie Swiftie

Author’s signature

51

A GIANT thank you to the Windsor Locks Public Library, Ives Main Branch, the community participants, and the GIANT team members who made this publication possible.

Book Concept & Planning Azadeh Jamalian, PhD Matt Ulman Jane Frankel Maria Carrasquillo Lois Crozier Rebecca Schifilliti Book Design & Development Paulina Quezada M. Camila Soto Shadrack Munene Rebecca Schifilliti Rama Deshpande Azadeh Jamalian, PhD GIANT Community Participants Miss Jane, Arsalan Altaf, Aaliya, Nora, Katie, Jhonatan, Bradley, Kailani Bermudez, Catalina Bermudez, Chistian, Joseph Montemerlo, Kiera + Emory Wesche, Landon, Library Dragon, Liv, William Montemerlo, Liam, Librarian Matt, Asha, Mila B., Eliza B., Kepler, and others

ABOUT

The GIANT Room The GIANT Room is a creative co-design lab that provides opportunities for children, families, and educators to collaborate with designers, policymakers, scientists, artists, and engineers.

In addition, on our GIANT Remix platform, we provide opportunities for children to co-design and co-publish books and games they can read and play with their friends and family.

LEARN MORE!

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Become A Member GIANT Membership is FREE. No credit card required.

As a GIANT member, you will: have access to 500+ creative STEM challenges and how-to videos

get first dibs on open calls for upcoming remixes

be in the know about all of the latest GIANT programs

Get started and learn more here.

More GIANT Remixes Check out the GIANT Remix Studio for more personalized storybooks, activity books, comics, games, and posters.

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A GIANT Comic Book COPYRIGHT © 2025 THE GIANT ROOM