Burt's Way Home

Author John Martz
A cosmic accident has left Burt stranded on Earth . . . or so he says. An early graphic novel of foster care and the meaning of home, for fans of Binky the Space Cat.
 


Burt is an alien from a distant galaxy with advanced technology, but an accident has made his parents disappear and trapped him on Earth. And no matter what he does, he can't seem to get lowly Earth technology to work well enough to get him home.
 
That's his story, anyway. From the perspective of his foster mother, Lydia, Burt is a confused and lonely little boy who's difficult to understand and lives in his own world. But she's less focused on understanding him than she is on taking care of and supporting him.
 
Burt struggles to adjust to his new home, and Lydia tries her best. But when Burt embarks on a plan to teleport home once and for all and ventures into the cold all alone, Lydia will have to find a way to bridge the gulf between them.
JOHN MARTZ is an illustrator, cartoonist and designer. He is the author and illustrator of Evie and the Truth About Witches, Burt’s Way Home, A Cat Named Tim and Other Stories and the illustrator of Who’s on First? and Crocodile Hungry. His work has also appeared in MAD Magazine and The Nib. He lives in Toronto. View titles by John Martz
  • SELECTION | 2023
    Texas Little Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List
"Beginning readers will absolutely love reading this graphic novel and will find this story intriguing, funny, suspenseful, heartwarming and well-plotted as they practice their reading." —Midwest Book Review

"In [Burt’s Way Home], Martz’s ingenious design of the two perspectives opens the door for interpretations . . . invit[ing] the reader to wonder, to relate, and to turn it into our versions of the story." —CM Reviews

"Sensitive and respectful, this is a great book to have in your collections." —Mom Read It

About

A cosmic accident has left Burt stranded on Earth . . . or so he says. An early graphic novel of foster care and the meaning of home, for fans of Binky the Space Cat.
 


Burt is an alien from a distant galaxy with advanced technology, but an accident has made his parents disappear and trapped him on Earth. And no matter what he does, he can't seem to get lowly Earth technology to work well enough to get him home.
 
That's his story, anyway. From the perspective of his foster mother, Lydia, Burt is a confused and lonely little boy who's difficult to understand and lives in his own world. But she's less focused on understanding him than she is on taking care of and supporting him.
 
Burt struggles to adjust to his new home, and Lydia tries her best. But when Burt embarks on a plan to teleport home once and for all and ventures into the cold all alone, Lydia will have to find a way to bridge the gulf between them.

Author

JOHN MARTZ is an illustrator, cartoonist and designer. He is the author and illustrator of Evie and the Truth About Witches, Burt’s Way Home, A Cat Named Tim and Other Stories and the illustrator of Who’s on First? and Crocodile Hungry. His work has also appeared in MAD Magazine and The Nib. He lives in Toronto. View titles by John Martz

Awards

  • SELECTION | 2023
    Texas Little Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List

Praise

"Beginning readers will absolutely love reading this graphic novel and will find this story intriguing, funny, suspenseful, heartwarming and well-plotted as they practice their reading." —Midwest Book Review

"In [Burt’s Way Home], Martz’s ingenious design of the two perspectives opens the door for interpretations . . . invit[ing] the reader to wonder, to relate, and to turn it into our versions of the story." —CM Reviews

"Sensitive and respectful, this is a great book to have in your collections." —Mom Read It

2024 Elementary School Collection

The Penguin Random House Education Elementary School Collection features outstanding fiction, nonfiction, and picture books from Penguin Young Reader’s, Random House Children’s, DK, and Grupo Editorial, as well as children’s publishers distributed by Penguin Random House. Explore online or download this valuable resource to discover great books in specific topic areas such as: Leveled Readers,

Read more

DK Learning Phonic Books Sampler Request

Thank you for your interest in DK Learning | Phonic Books. To download the DK Learning | Phonic Books sampler with four complete readers, please click here and complete the form. Once your information is successfully submitted, a link to download the sampler will be provided on the confirmation screen.   Click here to learn

Read more

PRH Education Translanguaging Collections

Translanguaging is a communicative practice of bilinguals and multilinguals, that is, it is a practice whereby bilinguals and multilinguals use their entire linguistic repertoire to communicate and make meaning (García, 2009; García, Ibarra Johnson, & Seltzer, 2017)   It is through that lens that we have partnered with teacher educators and bilingual education experts, Drs.

Read more

PRH Education Classroom Libraries

“Books are a students’ passport to entering and actively participating in a global society with the empathy, compassion, and knowledge it takes to become the problem solvers the world needs.” –Laura Robb   Research shows that reading and literacy directly impacts students’ academic success and personal growth. To help promote the importance of daily independent

Read more