Diamond Bookshelf #26 by PREVIEWS

PLUS:

• A Look Into The Rise of Graphic Novels on Awards Lists • Summer 2018 Recommended Reads • A Preview for Heathen Volume 2 from Vault Comics • Reviews and Lesson Plans by Dr. Katie Monnin • More!

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WELCOME TO BOOKSHELF T HE GR APH I C N OV EL RES OURCE FO R EDU CA TOR S A ND LIB R A R IA NS Graphic Novels have a lot to offer as literature, educational tools, entertainment and more! Whether you are a teacher or reading specialist seeking to incorporate graphic novels into the classroom; or a librarian or media specialist looking to add graphic novels to your collection, our mission with the Diamond BookShelf is to provide you with comprehensive information on the latest graphic novel news, reviews and events.

TABLE OF CONTENTS SPECIAL FEATURES Myth and Mexican Culture Meet in Coyotes Volume 1 ............................................ 8 Creators Sean Lewis and Caitlin Yarsky discuss working on Coyotes Volume 1 from Image Comics

Viking, Warrior, Outcast ................................ 25

On Our Cover Women are being taken by Wolves in the City of Lost Girls, a border town in the desert. When it’s discovered that the Wolves are the men of the villages, both Red, a thirteen-yearold girl with a katana blade, and Officer Coffey are thrown into a thriller of mythic proportions. Read more on page 8

HOW TO USE THIS PUBLICATION The BookShelf magazine was created as a compliment to Diamond’s BookShelf website. With this publication, you’ll find articles designed to introduce you to the world of graphic novels and help you learn how to integrate them into your classroom or library. You’ll also find reviews, core lists, reference recommendations and special extras to help you get started. If you want to know what comics and graphic novels are and how or why to use them, or if you are already familiar with graphic novels and are looking for a great resource to improve your collection… Read on!

Read BookShelf Online! To read a pdf version of previous issues of Diamond BookShelf, visit http://bit.ly/BookShelfMag

Preview the, LGBTQ-friendly, Nordic fantasy adventure Heathen Volume 2 from Vault Comics

EDUCATORS Celebrating Will Eisner’s Impact on Graphic Novel Storytelling ............................ 17 Prof. Katie Monnin dives into the world of Will Eisner, and how his contributions have impacted graphic novel storytelling past and present

LIBRARIANS The Rise of Graphic Novels on Awards Lists .............................................. 15 Librarian Mariela Siegert discusses the increasing popularity of graphic novels on awards lists nationwide

Graphic Novels 101............................................4 News and Notes................................................ 6 Reviews............................................................32 Core Lists.........................................................34 Resources.........................................................37

Editor: Ashley Kronsberg Contributing Writers: Dr. Katie Monnin, Illya Kowalchuk, Mariela Siegert Designer: Matt Barham Special Thanks to: Cindy Anderson, Roger Fletcher, Steve Geppi, Allan Greenberg, Dan Manser, Tom Sadowski PRINTED IN CANADA

© 2018 Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. All rights reserved. Diamond, the Diamond logo, Diamond Books logo, Diamond BookShelf logo and diamondbookshelf.com are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Diamond Comic Distributors in the United States and/or other countries.

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GRAPHIC NOVELS 101 ST A R T I N G A G R APHIC NOV EL CO LLEC TION Deciding to include comic books and graphic novels in your collection is the first step into a larger world. Now, you must decide what to do once you’re there. Here are some basic steps on your path to using graphic novels in your collection:

1. Determine Needs

First, you need to ascertain what books you would like to incorporate into your collection. Perhaps you have one or two graphic novels already, or you may be deciding to carry these books for the first time. You’ll need to decide which books would be appropriate for your community of readers, which books they’re hankering for, and which books would delight and surprise them.

2. Find An Expert

You don’t have to possess an encyclopedic knowledge of comics and graphic novels to successfully integrate them into your library’s offerings. There are people out there who can advise you on what books are valuable. Reach out to your library community or local comic book retailers who are armed with detailed information about this area of reading they have a vested interest in supporting. (See “A Great Resource: Your Local Comics Shop“ on page 46 for information) And, of course, you can also feel free to contact those of us at the Diamond Bookshelf!

3. Purchase The Books

4. Decide How To Catalog/ Where To Shelve

Now you need to decide where to put them! For information on cataloging to make integrating graphic novels into your collection easier and shelving, visit the BookShelf website for a comprehensive look at options and resources.

5. Promote Your Graphic Novels

You could have the finest graphic novel collection in history, but if no one knows about, it won’t matter. The success of your collection relies on a certain level of promotion. If you don’t get the word out, no one will know the books are there. Start including the news about your graphic novels into your existing newsletters, pamphlets, and other promotional materials. Put up easy-to-read signs at the entrances to your library so that nobody who enters will fail to know about the new additions. Add the news to your e-mail correspondence. Contact your local media and encourage them to do a story about your library’s efforts to expand and enhance readership through this vital art form. Stage contests, offer giveaways, and plan fun events. Coordinate promotions with your local comic book retailer.

6. Evaluate Success /Circulation Data

Once you have consulted with your readers, experts in the field, and any others who can offer insight, you’ll be ready with a list of titles of graphic novels to acquire for your library.

After a certain period of time, you’re going to want to crunch the numbers. Measuring the graphic novel circulation at your library indicates the extent to which your readers are using this new library resource and will help you evaluate the success of the program. It will also point you in the right direction as to which titles and series to snap up in the future!

GRAPHIC NOVEL SELECTION IS KEY but the best titles to

include can vary from library to library. There is no national standard when it comes to appropriateness of graphic novels, so it is vital — once you’ve decided on a particular book — to read through the book yourself. What might pass muster in some communities may not pass muster in yours. This website and the various resources listed throughout are your best starting points if you are approaching comics from a starter’s perspective.

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THREE CATEGORIES TO KEEP IN MIND:

7. Poll Patrons

Never forget to meet the needs of your readership. Consulting the experts and embarking on your own research into which titles to carry is a necessary element of this program, but asking your patrons what they want is also crucial.

8. Make Graphic Novels a Regular Part of Your Ordering Cycle

Once you’ve talked to your readers and assessed your circulation data to see how successful the addition of comic books and graphic novels has been, you’ll want to keep the ball rolling. An established graphic novel program in your library needs to be sustained, and making graphic novels a regular part of your ordering cycle will ensure the vibrancy of your collection. Including these titles in your regular decisions on what books to carry will help make them a significant and popular segment of your library.

1. BESTSELLERS Lists of bestselling graphic novels can be obtained each month from www.DiamondBookShelf.com. Additionally, resources such as BookScan (www.bookscan.com) can provide similar information for the highest selling graphic novels in the book-store market.

2. CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED TITLES Graphic

novels

that

have

received stellar reviews and won literary awards are sure to generate interest in the medium, will attract new readers, and also make a great case for having

REMEMBER:

As with any collection development, there is a period of experimentation during which you will learn which titles will circulate and which will not. You cannot judge the effectiveness of a graphic novel collection with a handful of titles, any more than you would do so with a handful of DVDs or audiobooks. If there’s no room in your budget to make a large initial purchase, start small and evaluate regularly. Add titles as you can, polling your patrons, reading review sources, and keeping diversity in mind. As time goes on, you will find the right combination for your readership and community. Soon, you’ll come to realize that comic books and graphic novels are an engaging and vibrant form of literature, and the promotional possibilities for your library are endless!

graphic

novel

collection.

There are a number of literary publications that review graphic novels,

including

Publishers

Weekly, Library Journal, School Library Journal, Booklist, VOYA and others. See pages 40-41 for a selection of recent reviews.

3. MEDIA TIE-INS Titles that tie in to hit movies, games, novels and TV shows are sure to appeal to fans of the same. Many manga titles are also TV cartoons, and many blockbuster movies are adapted from comic books. The BookShelf newsletter stays current with the latest media tieins and adaptations.

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NEWS AND NOTES Top 100 Best-Selling Graphic Novels of 2017 Diamond Books presents the Top 100 Graphic Novels in the book market based on data collected by Diamond Books’ retailer network and retail partners. In 2017, Diamond publishers had 15 titles in the top 100 with 2 titles ranking in the top 10 - Saga Volume 7 and The Walking Dead Volume 27. For the Top 10 graphic novels, see below. For the full list of titles, please visit: http://ow.ly/kgH830iWH4H TITLE PUBLISHER MARCH: BOOK ONE TOP SHELF SAGA VOL. 7 IMAGE COMICS EVERYONE’S A ALIEBN WHEN UR A ALIEBN HARPER PERENNIAL MARCH TRILOGY SLIPCASE TOP SHELF THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 27 IMAGE COMICS THE KILLING JOKE DC COMICS TOKYO GHOUL VOL. 1 VIZ MEDIA MY HERO ACADEMIA VOL. 1 VIZ MEDIA FUN HOME: AFAMILY TRAGICOMIC MARINER BOOKS THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: TWILIGHT PRINCESS VOL. 1 VIZ MEDIA

ISBN 9781603093002 9781534300606 9780062569028 9781603093958 9781534300521 9781401216672 9781421580364 9781421582696 9780618871711 9781421593470

PRICE $14.95 $14.99 $15.99 $49.99 $14.99 $17.99 $12.99 $ 9.99 $15.99 $ 9.99

RELEASE DATE 8/1/2013 4/1/2017 6/1/2017 9/1/2016 3/1/2017 3/1/2008 6/1/2015 8/1/2015 6/1/2007 3/1/2017

YALSA Announces 2018 Great Graphic Novels for Teens List Designed to aid Young Adult librarians with graphic novel collections, The American Library Association’s (ALA’s) Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) has announced its 2018 Great Graphic Novels for Teens list. The Teens Committee has chosen a Top Ten list from the overall titles which they feel “meet the criteria of both good quality literature and appealing reading for teens.” The list encompasses a wide variety of genres and subjects, from off-beat superheroes, to mysterious villainous sidekicks, middle school drama, roller derby, and more. Below, you can view the Top Ten Great Graphic Novels for Teens List for 2018. For the full list of non-fiction and fiction titles featured on the Great Graphic Novels List for Teens, please visit: http://ow.ly/fPr830iWHfq The Backstagers. By James Tynion IV. Illus. by Rian Sygh. 2017. BOOM! Studios, $14.99 (9781608869930) Black Hammer, Volume 1: Secret Origins. By Jeff Lemire. Illus. by Dean Ormston. 2017. Dark Horse, $14.99 (9781616557867) Brave. By Svetlana Chmakova. Illus. by the author. 2017. Yen Press, $11.00 (9780316363189) I Am Alfonso Jones. By Tony Medina. Illus. by Stacey Robison and John Jennings. 2017. Tu Books, $18.95 (9781620142639) Jonesy. By Sam Humprhies. Illus. by Caitlin Rose Boyle v.1. BOOM! Studios, $9.99 (9781608868834) v.2. BOOM! Studios, $14.99 (9781608869992) v.3. BOOM! Studios, $14.99 (9781684150168) Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation. By Damian Duffy and Octavia E. Butler. Illus. by John Jennings. 2017. Abrams ComicArts, $24.95 (9781419709470) Lighter than My Shadow. By Katie Green. Illus. by the author. 2017. Lion Forge, $19.99 (9781941302415) My Brother’s Husband. By Gengoroh Tagame. Illus. by the author. 2017. Pantheon Books, $24.95 (9781101871515) Spill Zone. By Scott Westerfeld. Illus. by Alex Puvilland. 2017. First Second, $22.99 (9781596439368)

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MYTH AND MEXICAN CULTURE MEET IN COYOTES VOLUME 1 AN INTERVIEW WITH SEAN LEWIS AND CAITLIN YARSKY BY ASHLEY KRO NSB E R G

omen are going missing in the City of Lost Girls, a border town in the desert. Officer Frank Coffey is trying to get to the bottom of this when he meets Red, a thirteen-year-old girl with a Katana blade and a mission: murder the Wolves stalking the border picking women off. When it’s discovered that the Wolves are the men of the villages, both Red and Officer Coffey are thrown together in a thriller of mythic proportions with the lives of their friends and loved ones in the balance. Coyotes Volume 1 (9781534306479) is available April 2018. Diamond BookShelf Editor, Ashley Kronsberg, discusses the graphic novel with creators Sean Lewis and Caitlin Yarsky, diving into the inspiration behind this provoking blend between myth and culture. t Coyotes Volume 1 is thought-provoking,

well balanced, and takes the idea of missing women and empowers others to fight back. What inspired this story? What made you decide to have the story take place along the border? Sean Lewis: I’d heard an NPR documentary about a woman in Mexico authorities were calling “The Blonde.” Basically, women were going missing along a bus route. The police weren’t able to find out why and the women in the area were terrified. Eventually, a woman in a blonde wig started riding these buses. She would wait until the very last stop, after everyone had gotten off the bus,

and then she would approach the driver and execute him. Her logic, it’s assumed, was the drivers were either the people responsible for these disappearances or they knew who were. I started thinking what the mythic version of this would look like? And COYOTES popped in my brain. What if the men who bring people across borders, often in predatory fashion, were ACTUALLY coyotes. I like allegory because it allows people to get out of themselves for a moment. It allows an issue to exist without overshadowing the story. Half the fight in everything is getting people to engage with polarizing ideas. You say

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importance of Red being the champion of the story as opposed to say Maria or another one of the surviving women?

a story is set along the border and people shut down. You tell them it is about werewolves and suddenly those same people are like, “I might give it a try.”

Sean Lewis: I’m kind of a sucker for coming-of-age stories. I find life so confusing a lot of the time. So much so, I still feel like a kid floundering around. So, I like characters in that part of their lives. Who are trying to figure it out, who can make mistakes but who also have the potential to become so much better than any of us… That is the beauty of a bildungsroman. It is full of potential. I think they work because they remind us we still have that potential as well.

In truth, the border is not something most Americans have any everyday interaction with. No relationship. But everyone has an opinion on it. I find it weird. I kind of look at it as nothing more than a dividing line: “What we can do for people, stops here.” That’s an interesting idea to examine, in my opinion. It also allows me to write about a group of women wielding Katana blades. So, I get to have fun and explore larger ideas at the same time.

In this world of women there are many competing ideas. You have women like the Abuelas, who have been fighting the Wolves forever. They believe in balance. They aren’t militant but reactionary. If attacked they will attack back. They believe progress takes time. Then you have the Duchess and her followers. She is a generation

t Our story follows

Red, a young girl who has joined a band of survivors who fight against the wolves taking and killing women in her community, a decision that came after she lost her sister, Maria, to the wolves. What is the

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diamondbookshelf.com The biggest research was the myth. I started reading about the history of Werewolves, men being tried in Europe for serial murders. It was insane. Now, when I write the first draft I basically don’t edit anything in the beginning. I write a non-stop stream of conscious short story. I call this the GUTS draft. It lets everything jumbled in my head come out on the page. Then, I throw it at Caitlin. Well, I should say, Caitlin and I talk a lot before she sees scripts. She has such an amazing and singular style, I stay away from “directing” her and I think more about inspiring her. I write up that long form short story that gives you atmosphere, world, events as well as the internal and external lives of the characters. This is all the information Caitlin needs. Then I let her run like wild fire. t Caitlin, your art is phenomenal and a

brilliant compliment to the story being told. Every character is filled with life, and you bring a natural diversity to the cast in tones, body types, and facial expressions. How did your art style develop to what we see in the pages of Coyotes? Do you have any special techniques that you’ve developed to bring characters to life this way?

younger than the Abuelas. Her group is an army. They are out on the offensive. They believe their freedom will come from attack. And then you have Red. The youngest person we see in this story. She is figuring out what she wants to be. Does she want to be a warrior? Does she believe the only way to safety is through violence and fear? Red is the one character who is not formed in her ideas at the top of the story. She is being trained, but does she agree with what she is taught? We are able to investigate our own feelings about gender and identity through her questions. t Sean, what kind of research went into

writing this story? How do you draft your scripts to keep everything poignant and wellpaced as the story progresses?

Sean Lewis: I mean, it’s a mash up of things I love with things that scare me. I love the B-movies I grew up with on public television in NY: Death Wish, Near Dark, Assault on Precinct 13, The Warriors… I also love Kurosawa and hip hop and punk rock. Kathleen Hanna and French films like Baise-Moi and High Tension. I’m also scared of monsters. I’m scared of what it means to be a man sometimes.

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diamondbookshelf.com Caitlin Yarsky: Thanks that’s very kind! I don’t think I have one specific way of coming up with character designs. Sometimes they’re loosely based on faces I find while looking for inspiration; other times the models I have posing for reference give me ideas on the look of the character. But more than anything it’s the writing. Sean usually has characters with such distinct personalities that, even with only a few clues or ideas on their race or wardrobe, it’s easy to imagine how those characters might look. t This series is incredibly well thought out and

provides readers with an authentic feeling as they turn each page. From the blend of Spanish and English to the individualized speech bubbles and text colors. With a growing cast, one could worry this would become muted as each new character was introduced, but that’s not the case in Coyotes. How do you two maintain the individuality of each character? Sean Lewis: Wow. That’s a really nice thing to say. I think in writing all I can try and do is ensure that each character has their own goals and their own point of view. Point of View is big for me, I feel like it’s what makes us who we are, it’s the thing that’s so identifying about us. The way you see the world ends up ebbing how you talk and how people talk about you. It defines your morality and your ethics, and it’s what allows an audience to say: I understand that person. So, I just ask them - what do you think about things? And they usually tell me. I come from theater, and in theater all you have is dialogue to express the singularity of each person. I work the same way in comics. The way a person talks gives you so much in regards to how they think. And how we think IS what makes us different from one another. So, I look a lot at their speech. What they say and how they articulate it… and if their goals and allegiances are clear in each line they speak.

and drew her with no whites in her eyes (which to me gives her more mystery and intrigue, like there is more to her than what you see). t Speaking of a growing cast, with so many

interesting characters I can’t help but ask who is your favorite?

Sean Lewis: The most fun to write is Abuela. Call it the Betty White factor, but a tough, cursing, “couldn’t care less what anyone thinks” grandma is really freeing to put on paper.

Caitlin Yarsky: Sean has a way with character development and dialogue that distinguishes everyone really clearly. And since the story is already oozing with attitude, I have a great time visually on my end, giving them unique mannerisms and expressions. Duchess for example jumped to life immediately for me.

Though, I always will have a soft spot for the Duchess. She’s the first character I saw in my mind when I thought of the story. There was something about this woman in the desert wearing Victorian clothing as a statement. Who refused to sweat in front of the people around her… She was fully formed from the get go. I knew what she wanted and what she believed in. Those are the type of characters you wait for.

The juxtaposition of her conservative dress with her punk, badass leadership style led me to want her to have special, Victorian/old silent movie-like speech bubbles to compliment that. Or for Abuela, on the surface she has a quintessential granny look, but she’s fierce and mystical, so I started finding inspiration from images of the Mexican Revolution for her wardrobe in later scenes,

Caitlin Yarsky: My favorite is definitely Abuela, at least from an art perspective. Older people can be really fun to draw, as they naturally have more character in their faces and you have more license to exaggerate. Plus she has this mysterious, ancient past mixed with a wild, tough attitude. I always get excited when Sean brings her into new scenes.

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LEGENDARY STORIES TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS INSPIRED BY MYTHS/FOLKLORE Dark Ark

Judas

Published by: AfterShock Comics Written by: Cullen Bunn Illustrated by: Juan Doe Format: Softcover, 120 pgs, Fantasy/Horror Ages 13 and up 9781935002642 • $14.99 Available April 2018

Published by: BOOM! Studios Written by: Jeff Loveness Illustrated by: Jakub Rebelka Format: Softcover, 112 pgs, Literary Ages 13 and up 9781684152216 • $14.99 Available August 2018

The wickedness of mankind has moved the Creator to destroy the world by way of the flood. Noah has been tasked with building an ark to save his family and the animals of the world. But this is not Noah’s story. Darker powers have commanded the sorcerer Shrae to build his own ark and save the unnatural creatures of the world — vampires, dragons, the naga, the manticore, and more. But what will happen on a vessel crawling with monsters, where insidious intrigue and horrific violence are the rule of law?

Judas Iscariot is one of the most tragic figures of the Bible -- an acolyte, a betrayer, a villain. But if it wasn’t for Judas... the story of Jesus wouldn’t work. Before he was born, he was a slave to the story. In a religion built on redemption and forgiveness, one man had to sacrifice himself for everyone... and it wasn’t Jesus. Little Red Wolf

Published by: Lion Forge Written by: Amélie Fléchais Illustrated by: Amélie Fléchais Format: Hardcover, 80 pgs, Fantasy Ages 4 and up 9781941302453 • $19.99 Available Now!

Dark Fang

Published by: Image Comics Written by: Miles Gunter Illustrated by: Kelsey Shannon Format: Softcover, 120 pgs, Horror Ages 16 and up 9781534306547 • $9.99 Available May 2018

Her name is Valla. She is a vampire who has resided on the bottom of the ocean for a century. When her aquatic paradise is destroyed by a dark liquid plague, she travels to the surface in search of answers. What she finds is a world threatened by climate change and a civilization powerless to stop it. Eventually mankind will be wiped out and Valla will have no food supply. If she is to survive, then the fossil fuel industries must fall.

Namwolf

Published by: Albatross Funnybooks Written by: Fabian Rangel Jr. Illustrated by: Logan Faerber Format: Softcover, 132 pgs, Horror Ages 13 and up 9780998379227 • $17.99 Available Now!

When scrawny Marty Spencer is drafted into the Vietnam War, he finds himself smack dab in the middle of the heart of darkness. But Marty has a secret. A secret even from himself. And Vietnam is a hell of a place to find out you’re a werewolf. Collects issues #1-4 of the NAMWOLF series.

Herakles Book 1

Published by: Lion Forge Written by: Edouard Cour Illustrated by: Edouard Cour Format: Hardcover, 160 pgs, Action/Adventure Ages 13 and up 9781942367499 • $19.99 Available July 2018

Author Edouard Cour revisits one of the greatest Greek myths by painting the often-heroic Herakles as, well… somewhat of a jerk. Crude and stubborn at times, we meet a man-halfhuman with a psychology more complex than he appears, entangled in guilt over the ghosts who have haunted him since childhood. A mournful sadness seizes him as he crosses the fleeting silhouettes of a woman and her three children. Brimming with pathos and dark humor, this portrait of Herakles is a graphic whirlwind leaving little respite and often revealing beautiful surprises.

Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files: Dog Men

Published by: Dynamite Entertainment Written by: Jim Butcher, Mark Powers Illustrated by: Diego Galindo Format: Hardcover, 128 pgs, Fantasy/Adventure Ages 16 and up 9781524105440 • $24.99 Available Now!

Scales & Scoundrels Volume 1: Into the Dragon’s Maw Published by: Image Comics Written by: Sebastian Girner Illustrated by: Galaad Format: Softcover, 144 pgs, Fantasy/Adventure Ages 9 and up 9781534304826 • $9.99 Available Now!

A loner by trade, Luvander is forced to team up with a team of scraggly adventurers, each hoping to find a treasure of their own in the forbidden tomb: there is Prince Aki, of the Scarlet Sands Empire, anxious for first taste of adventure yet blind to the consequences. His royal Shadow and bodyguard, Koro, whose very honor hangs in the balance of her prince’s success. And Dorma Iron, a stocky young dwarf whose journey will take her deeper into the darkness than she ever wished to tread. Subspecies Volume 1

New York Times-bestselling author Jim Butcher expands his “Dresden Files” novel series with the all-new “Dog Men” story set within official continuity, created exclusively as a graphic novel! Harry Dresden is a man on the edge. He’s been drafted by a senior member of the White Council of Wizards to investigate a series of murders in rural Mississippi. As always, there’s more afoot than is immediately apparent. The question is, will Harry’s state of mind keep him from seeing it, and will his actions lead him into direct conflict with the wizard who’s depending on his help?

Lose yourself in in the dark forests of Amélie Fléchais’ spectacular artwork. A young wolf, on a journey to bring his grandmother a rabbit, is charmed by the nice little girl who offers to help him…but nice is not the same as good. A haunting fairy tale for children and adults alike.

Published by: Action Lab Entertainment Written by: Cullen Bunn, JimmyZ Illustrated by: Daniel J. Logan Format: Softcover, 96 pgs, Horror/Sci-Fi Ages 16 and up 9781632293855 • $9.99 Available June 2018

Michelle survived being attacked by the vampire Radu, defeated him on more than one occasion, and has been living with the fallout for years. Her life forever changed since she was infected by him, she has adjusted to her existence as a creature of the night. Now, though, the unthinkable has happened. Radu has resurfaced... only now there appears to be FIVE incarnations of the fiendish vampire.

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THE RISE OF GRAPHIC NOVELS ON AWARD LISTS B Y M ARI E L A S I E GERT

love the end of year. The culmination of all the year-end lists fresh in my inbox – 2017 best books for kids and young adults, book award nominees, books to watch for in 2018 – you get the idea! It is a magical time for librarians and book lovers to review and anticipate books of all genres and formats.

However, even though I am pouring over all these lists and trying to make my Newbery predictions, one list that can often be overlooked is the State Award Reader’s Choice. This is a great resource that usually stands the test of time for quality literature. Whether you are looking at the Rebecca Caudill in Illinois, Three Apples in New York, or the Bluebonnet in Texas, many states have a student choice award program. Not only do the books on these lists make their way into just about every school and public library, but many teachers and school librarians rely on these lists when it comes to choosing classroom literature choices or creating lessons. Also, if a school library has a tight budget, these books may need to carry the collection for a few years. The last few years have seen a rise of graphic novels on the State Award lists. There are many reasons for graphics to appear. We could look at the average number of graphic novels being published compared to 10 years ago. We can look at how graphic novels have developed a strong hold in the literary world and publishing companies. We could see the changing attitudes of graphic novels in schools, public libraries, and even homes. We can discuss how students have more choice than ever before to read what they want for enjoyment with no strings attached. We could determine that the importance of visual literacy is apparent, showing that graphics have a place in enhancing it. Regardless of the reasons, graphic novels are finding their way onto the state lists, and the message is clear: graphic novels are enjoyed by kids,

valued by teachers and librarians now more than ever, and deserve a place on your shelf. They are not going anywhere anytime soon! The different state award lists have different criteria for nominations. Cynthia Leitich Smith has compiled all the state award programs for your perusement at https:// cynthialeitichsmith.com/lit-resources/read/awards/ stateawards/. Michelle Glatt, school librarian and chair of the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers’ Book Award of Illinois, has noticed an increase in graphic novels being nominated and moved to the final yearly list.

When asked about this increase, Glatt explained that “this is to be expected and celebrated, as readers’ choice lists exist to represent and promote the wide range of excellent literature that engages and inspires students-and graphic texts are certainly doing so.” She continued by saying, “it’s such an exciting time! We’re living in a sort of second golden age, where graphic texts are flourishing and authors and illustrators are pushing boundaries to expand the definitions of format, genre, and literacy itself — and our young people get to grow up in it.”

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When I decided to look at these award lists to see if there were any trends, I was pleasantly surprised. Cece Bell’s El Deafo and Victoria Jamieson’s Roller Girl not only impressed the Newbery committees, but also quite a few state award lists. The former is a non-fiction memoir while the latter is a wonderful story of friendship and independence. Another popular action/adventure graphic, Kazu Kibuishi’s Amulet: The Stonekeeper, showed up on lists as well. Eisner Award winning Raina Telgemeier was a staple with multiple titles showing up on various lists. All these graphic novels were expected and are quite well known, but it was refreshing to see some titles that were not repeated on every state list, such as the Caldecott winner This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki & Jillian Tamaki which tells an amazing story of a young girl coming into her own as she discovers the secrets and problems around her. Lowriders in Space by Cathy Camper and Nimona by Noelle Stevenson are both adventurous, fun graphic novels with a different style that appeals to many readers. Through the Woods by Emily Carroll is a collection of short stories that has an ominous presence with the chilling, and foreboding, black, white, and red artwork. The space adventure in Hilo the Boy Who Crashed to Earth by Judd Winick, the non-fiction Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans by Don Brown, and the middle school awkwardness in Awkward by Svetlana Chmakova are great choices that are making their way

into students’ hands because of these lists. And of course, the powerful March: Book One by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell is starting to get the recognition it deserves. Many of these graphic novels have been listed in YALSA’s Great Graphic Novels for Teens or ALSC’s Graphic Novel Reading List selected by the Quicklists committee. However, to see some of these become award winners is an honor regardless of the format. Janet Thompson, Children’s Librarian at the West Belmont Branch in the Chicago Public Library system and former Newbery committee member states, “the graphic format of El Deafo by Cece Bell and Roller Girl by Victoria Jamison is distinctive, but it is the storytelling that makes them standouts.” This is what it comes down to: the story, regardless of the format. To see them on state award lists, and being nominated by teachers, librarians, and students, is refreshing to see. Do you use your State Award Reader’s Choice lists? Are there graphic novels on it? I’d love to know! Tweet me @marris116

Mariela Siegert is a Middle School Librarian at Westfield Middle School in Bloomingdale, IL as well as a reviewer for School Library Journal and First Second.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES http://www.ala.org/alsc/publications-resources/book-lists/graphicnovels2016 http://www.ala.org/yalsa/great-graphic-novels https://cynthialeitichsmith.com/lit-resources/read/awards/stateawards/

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CELEBRATING WILL EISNER’S IMPACT ON GRAPHIC NOVEL STORYTELLING BOTH THEN AND NOW BY I LLYA KOW A L CH U K A ND DR . KA T I E M O N N I N

t’s hard to overstate the contribution Will Eisner has had on the world of comics and sequential art. Two of his most iconic works, A Contract with God and The Building echo through the years and reverberate into today’s most powerful graphic literature. Eisner’s foresight and innovation set the stage for future creators who continued his legacy of shaping the medium. For example, we can see the connective tissue between A Contract With God, a tale of marginalized voices, and books like Katie Green’s Lighter Than My Shadow and Thi Bui’s The Best We Could Do. Through his vision and profound innovation of the art form, Eisner set the stage for the current crop of comic creators looking to push the boundaries of graphic storytelling and contemporary culture. By telling stories with an equal amount of emphasis on art and text, Eisner believed throughout the mid 20th century, and until his passing in 2005, that a new, more contemporary version of literature could be achieved for future readers and writers. And his vision was successful both then and now. Eisner established the graphic novel as a literary-level art form in 1978 with the publication of A Contract with God. This artistic literary endeavor created dynamic understandings and storytelling implications for all of the elements of story (character(s), setting(s), plot(s), theme(s), et cetera). Subsequently, Eisner’s work with graphic novels transitioned beyond just a new literary label. His work has now widely entered classroom settings and informed how 21st-century educators can rely on graphic novels to balance the literacy needs of our own time and place in history. Eisner seemed to foresee that 21st-century readers and writers would need to be able to understand literary-level storytelling through both words and images. The combination, Eisner thought, could tell more practical stories to future generations that may be more reliant on the combination of reading with both print-text and image-text due to the advent of more image-based, screen-like and visual storytelling venues that were growing in both popularity and significance throughout the 20th-century. We see this in Eisner’s nostalgic graphic novel, The Building, where he suggests to the reader that the constructs around us possess and carry part of our collective memory, our soul, if you will. Will Eisner reveals himself as one of these constructs – willing to help the rest of us understand the world we flit through via his boundary-pushing, prophetic, and risky creations. Due to this avant garde approach, many publishers were unwilling to bring Eisner’s books to print.

unflinching narrative of a lifelong battle with self-esteem, anorexia, and sexual assault. There is no happy ending here, merely a mild assurance to the reader that while she’s not cured, she’s OK. While this 517-page black and white tale is anything but light, it is absolutely necessary as we begin to shed light onto the dark ramifications of white-male centric culture. Eisner and Green’s books shook up the status quo, and we’re all the better for it. Together, we urge other publishers to emulate Lion Forge’s courage in publishing such a book.

Similarly, Katie Green’s Lighter Than My Shadow pushes graphic novels into a new realm. Her story tells an

As Green clearly understood, reflective and honest stories about art imitating life and life imitating art was

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imperative to Eisner’s vision for the graphic novel format both then and now. Eisner wrote in the introduction of his 1991 graphic novel To the Heart of the Storm that the injustices he had an inkling may be reemerging right before the start of a new century (injustices that he and his peers literally fought to end in WWII) may unfortunately need readdressed: “Whether all this [the graphic novel’s ability to reflect the American experience] is proof of a new, prejudice-free world, or simply evidence that the same old hatreds are still within us, is arguable. I cling to the hope that kids growing up today can no longer easily assume a socil superiority with its license to discriminate” (p. xi). While Eisner’s story in To the Heart of the Storm focuses on both biographical and fictionalized elements of such claims between WWI and WWII, dozens of contemporary graphic novel creators (whose stories are now regularly assigned in classrooms around the world as literary-level texts) have held onto and carried forth his intentionally and soulfully lit graphic novel torch about biographical and fictionalized stories regarding equity in the 21st-century: • • • • • • • • •

Art Spiegelman’s Pulitzer Prize winning Maus II Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis I and II Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home Craig Thompson’s Blankets Harvey Pekar’s Our Cancer Year Belle Yang’s Forget Sorrow Josh Neufeld’s A.D. New Orleans After the Deluge Guy Delisle’s Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea John Lewis’ March Series

When we read his graphic novels today, it’s easy to see how the story was the main impetus for Eisner’s desire to extend the medium into a complex and expanded novel. This is what I teach my students, that relatable themes in story are central to every piece of content worth consuming. What are the books that stick with us through the years? In The Uses of Enchantment, Bruno Bettelheim posits that our favorite tales provide some window into the greatest challenge of our life. Reading Engagement Theory states that the texts we stay soulfully connected to as lifelong learners at any age (both teachers and students, no matter our ages in which we read them) are those that are grounded in each of our individual interests, motivations, schemas, and choices. Knowing this, it makes sense that my colleague Illya’s favorite text is The Hobbit. In 1994, Illya read this unexpected journey while sitting on a beach in Greece, two weeks before leaving his Long Island home for college in Boulder, Colorado. And my favorite text, read around the same age as Illya read The Hobbit, is Great Expectations, which I read a few weeks before heading off to college as well. Both set to take on new journeys and expectations of ourselves, both of us soulfully did and still do connect to these pivotal texts.

During Eisner’s youth, two educators (I.A. Richards and Louise Rosenblatt) also understood that in order to engage readers with soulful thematic connections they must be in an engaged relationship with a text. Eisner had the foresight to see how words and pictures significantly deepen these very connections between reader and book. And 101 years after his birth, and 40 years after his publication of the first graphic novel, we have Will Eisner to thank for not only the rapidly growing market for graphic novel sales, but also, and much more importantly, the growth of an entirely new generation of graphic novel creators and readers who are expressing and discussing some of the most significant stories to comment on the human condition in the 21st-century.

Spring 2018

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RECOMMENDED READS SUMMER 2018 K I D S TIT LES, AG E S 4 -1 2 A Polar Bear in Love Volume 3

Published by: Yen Press • Written by: Koromo • Illustrated by: Koromo Format: Softcover, 160 pgs, Manga/Humor, $15.00 ISBN: 9781975326227 Available July 2018 The unlikely love story between a polar bear and a seal continues in the third volume of A Polar Bear in Love!Can these two continue to beat the odds?

Doctor Who: One Doctor, Two Hearts

Published by: Penguin Group UK • Written by: Various • Illustrated by: Adam Howling Format: Hardcover, 48 pages, Sci-Fi, $9.99 ISBN: 9781405933742 Available August 2018 One Doctor. Two Hearts. Three Knocks. Four Daleks… A Doctor Who counting book with a timey-wimey twist on every page! earn your 1, 2, 3 across the stars, with the help of the Doctor and friends! Featuring Doctors, companions and monsters both past and present, kids of all ages will love this Doctor Who numbers book.

Little Tails Under the Sea

Published by: Lion Forge • Written by: Frédéric Brrémaud • Illustrated by: Frédéric Brrémaud Format: Softcover, 32 pgs, Action/Adventure, $14.99 ISBN: 9781942367543 Available July 2018 Chipper and Squizzo are a precocious puppy and squirrel who love to explore new and exciting environments, flying their cardboard box airplane to wondrous worlds full. Dive into an underwater world of strange and fascinating creatures with the adorable adventure-seeking duo!

Mermin Volume 5: Making Waves

Published by: Oni Press • Written by: Joey Weiser • Illustrated by: Joey Weiser Format: Softcover, 168 pages, Humor/Adventure, $12.99 ISBN: 9781620105238 Available August 2018 The battle between Mer and Atlantis begins! And while Mermin the merman is at his father’s side, the rest of his friends and family are scattered around the battlefield, trying to help in any way they can. Except for Pete, who’s about to stage a jailbreak out of Atlantis with a team of Mer-prisoners! Will they make it to Mer in time to stop the war? The thrilling conclusion to the Mermin series!

Sheets

Published by: Lion Forge • Written by: Brenna Thummler • Illustrated by: Brenna Thummler Format: Softcover, 224 pages, Graphic Literature, $12.99 ISBN: 9781941302675 Available August 2018 Marjorie Glatt feels like a ghost. A practical thirteen-year-old whose daily routine features unforgiving customers, unbearable P.E. classes, and the fastidious Mr. Saubertuck who is committed to destroying everything she’s worked for. Wendell is a ghost. A boy who lost his life much too young, seeking purpose in the forbidden human world.

VIEW THE FULL KIDS TITLES LIST HERE: http://ow.ly/EZhJ30iWMsD Spring 2018

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RECOMMENDED READS SUMMER 2018 Y OUN G ADULT, A G E S 1 3 -1 6 Alters Volume 2

Published by: AfterShock Comics • Written by: Paul Jenkins • Illustrated by: Leila Leiz Format: Softcover, 120 pages, Superhero/LGBTQ, $14.99 ISBN: 9781935002697 Available June 2018 With her nemesis, Matter Man, finally under control, Chalice begins a new chapter of her life as spokeswoman and primary recruiter for the Gateway Army. However, when she encounters a brand-new Alter living in extreme poverty, she is forced to recognize that not everyone wants to be found, giving her a new perspective on the complexity of her own situation. From the writer of Wolverine: Origin, Sentry, and Hellblazer.

Hunters

Published by: Lion Forge • Written by: Josh Tierney • Illustrated by: Miguel Valderrama, Carlos Valderrama Format: Softcover, 216 pages, Fantasy/Adventure, $19.99 ISBN: 9781942367635 Available June 2018 Famed warrior Azarias has gathered a small army of varied adventurers on a quest to gather the dust of a distant island god in order to save the life of their king. Along the way, they encounter numerous beasts and monsters all in the process of gathering artifacts necessary to locate the island god before ultimately defeating it.

No. 1 With A Bullet

Published by: Image Comics • Written by: Jacob Semahn • Illustrated by: Jorge Corona Format: Softcover, 156 pages, Drama, $16.99 ISBN: 9781534306714 Available June 2018 Nash Huang is at the top of her game. But when the iRis Shutter contact lens hits the market, Nash’s life is personally invaded. The latest leap forward in “technological progress,” these contacts not only play video or augment reality... but also record with the blink of an eye. Fighting to keep her life together after a leaked sex tape goes viral, a clingy super fan is the last thing on Nash’s mind... but that’s exactly when the bodies pile up and the terror begins.

Quantum and Woody! (2017) Volume 1: Kiss Kiss, Klang Klang

Published by: Valiant Entertainment • Written by: Daniel Kibblesmith • Illustrated by: Kano Format: Softcover, 128 pages, Superhero/Adventure, $9.99 ISBN: 9781682152690 Available July 2018 The world’s worst superhero team returns in an explosive new ongoing series! Starting right here, deeply alarming and untrustworthy writer Daniel Kibblesmith (The Late Show with Stephen Colbert) and eye-popping artist Kano (Daredevil) give the Valiant Universe the adjective-worthy superheroes it deserves: QUANTUM AND WOODY!

Sword Princess Amaltea Volume 1 Manga

Published by: Tokyopop • Written by: Natalia Batista • Illustrated by: Natalia Batista Format: Softcover, 176 pages, Fantasy/Romance, $10.99 ISBN: 9781427859174 Available June 2018 In a fairytale world where queens rule and magic is power, a defiant young princess is sent on the biggest quest of her life -- to rescue a prince in distress and marry him! But when she finds him, it seems the prince isn’t so eager to go along with her queendom’s plans. Join Amaltea as she sets out on an epic journey to slay dragons, battle bandits and make princes swoon.

VIEW THE FULL YOUNG ADULT TITLES LIST HERE: http://ow.ly/8gTr30iWMBP 20

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RECOMMENDED READS SUMMER 2018 M ATUR E READERS, A G E S 1 6 + CALEXIT

Published by: Black Mask Comics • Written by: Matteo Pizzolo • Illustrated by: Amancay Nahuelpan, Tyler Boss Format: Softcover, 224 pages, Politics, $14.99 ISBN: 9781628751819 Available July 2018 What if a fascist, autocratic President took over the United States? And what if that President lost California, the sixth largest economy on Earth, by a margin of almost 3 1/2 million votes? What if the day after that President took power, the largest mass demonstration in history occurred, and the state with the largest turnout was California. What if California refused to be ruled?

Hit-Girl Volume 1

Published by: Image Comics • Written by: Mark Millar • Illustrated by: Ricardo Lopez Ortiz, Amy Reeder Format: Softcover, 112 pages, Superhero/Adventure $16.99 ISBN: 9781534308091 Available July 2018 HIT-GIRL IS BACK. The pint-sized Punisher-meets-Polly-Pocket has left America behind and set off to serve justice around the world. First stop: Colombia. A mother seeking vengeance for the murder of her child enlists Hit-Girl to destroy his killer, but Mindy has bigger plans for Colombia’s most feared hitman.

Jazz Maynard Volume 2: The Iceland Trilogy

Published by: Lion Forge • Written by: Raule • Illustrated by: Roger Format: Hardcover, 144 pages, Crime, $19.99 ISBN: 9781942367826 Available August 2018 Jazz trumpeter and master thief Jazz Maynard is roped into a dangerous heist in the cold reaches of Iceland, where ghosts from his past surface to haunt him and his closest friends. But he’s a man of steadfast virtue and even greater strength, capable of dealing out as much pain as he receives...

Peek-A-Boo

Published by: Zenescope • Written by: Victoria Rau • Illustrated by: Various Format: Softcover, 148 pages, Horror/Comedy, $19.99 ISBN: 9781942275794 Available July 2018 A mother seeking solace with her two teenage children after a recent tragedy signs up for a group hiking and camping tour. But navigating the difficult terrain is the least of the hikers’ worries as the group soon finds they’re being stalked by unseen predators.

Zojaqan: The Complete Series

Published by: Vault Comics • Written by: Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly • Illustrated by: Nathan C. Gooden, Vittorio Astone Format: Softcover, 160 pages, Fantasy, $19.99 ISBN: 9781939424310 Available June 2018 A grieving mother wakes in a brutal but fantastic landscape where the currents of time pull her into the future, lurching forward days, years, and millennia. Her name is Shannon Kind, and her life in our world has vanished without warning.

VIEW THE FULL MATURE TITLES LIST HERE: http://ow.ly/GM1A30iWMJe Spring 2018

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CREATOR SPOTLIGHT â&#x20AC;&#x201C; NATASHA ALTERICI W RI TER/ILLUSTR A TOR OF HEATHEN F R O M V A U L T C O M I C S

Corythosaurus Migration by Natasha Alterici

Based in Oklahoma, Natasha Alterici is a freelance artist and illustrator working in the comics industry. Since earning her Fine Arts degree in 2009, sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worked on a variety of art projects as well as contributed to several series titles in cluding Illustrated Girl, Speeding Bullet Presents, Literati Presents, Mixed Signals, Mindscapes and Dreamquakes, D4VE, and LUCID. Most recently, Alterici has authored and illustrated the new fantasy series HEATHEN from Vault Comics (preview on page 25). HEATHEN is the story of a viking girl Aydis, who after being banished from her village for kissing another girl, sets out on a mission to challenge the god king Odin. In Volume 1 she teamed up with the cursed Valkyrie Brynhild, outwitted the shape-shifting Ruadan, and gained the favor of lustful god Freyja. Now on its second volume, the atmospheric reinterpretation of Norse mythology through a queer lens of Heathen continues to push the boundaries of long-form illustrated narrative. For a preview of Heathen Volume 2, flip to page 25!

Excerpt from Heathen Volume 1

Natasha is currently working on several freelance projects along with Heathen. You can view/order her art on the following platforms:

http://www.alterici.com https://www.facebook.com/NatashaAlterici/ https://twitter.com/Alterici https://www.instagram.com/alterici_art/

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VIKING, WARRIOR, OUTCAST A PRE VIEW OF H E A TH E N VOL U ME 2

Heathen Volume 2 Written by: Natasha Alterici Illustrated by: Natasha Alterici Publisher: Vault Comics Format: Softcover, Full Color, 112 pages, $19.99 ISBN: 9781939424297

he critically acclaimed, sell-out hit HEATHEN, from writer-illustrator, Natasha Alterici, continues in Volume 2.

Aydis the banished viking sets sail on the open sea to reach Heimdall, the magical entrance to the land of the gods. She’ll need the help of a crew of worldly pirate women and man-eating mermaids to survive the dangerous journey. Back on land, the cursed Valkyrie Brynhild and the goddess of love Freyja are chipping away at Odin’s power, testing the god-king’s patience and tempting his wrath. Spring 2018

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A PREVIEW OF HEATHEN VOLUME 2

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A PREVIEW OF HEATHEN VOLUME 2

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KATIE’S KORNER:

GRAPHIC NOVEL TEACHER’S GUIDES B Y D R. K A TI E M ONNIN

Dream of the Butterfly, Volume 1: Rabbits on the Moon

Major Characters: Butterfly, Tutu, Teacher, Rabbits, Thief, Judge, Cat, The Flying Bandit, Orphanage Chicken Attendant, Mr. Panda

Publisher: Lion Forge

Major Settings: Mountain, School, Snowstorm, Valley, Town, Court, Vehicle, Orphanage, Factory, Bus, Streets, Ferry

Written by: Richard Marazano

Themes: Coming of Age as a Girl, Fear, Homesickness, Manners, Politics, Equality

Illustrated by: Luo Yin Format: Softcover, 112 pages, $12.99 ISBN: 9781941302392 REVIEW This graphic novel touched a unique chord for me. I’ve read thousands of graphic novels and have a short list of those that took me by surprise. Dream of the Butterfly is now on that list.

LESSON PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS USING THE COMMON CORE STANDARDS FOR YOUNG ADULT READERS Key Ideas and Details: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.3 Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision. LESSON IDEA FOR YOUNG ADULT READERS Directions: The decisions in this graphic novel are key, both for Tutu and the anthropomorphic animals she meets in the new and mysterious world she finds herself stuck in. For that reason, teachers can ask students to choose one of two options in order to both read the graphic novel and meet the standard for reading key ideas and details in literature that emphasize decisionmaking and a propulsion of plotbased action in the story.

If someone asked me to summarize this hypnotizingly engaging graphic novel in one line I would say: If you like stories about young adult female heroines who are truly heroic and yet still uniquely human than you’ll love this graphic novel. When Tutu suddenly finds herself mysteriously lost and transported to a foreign world of anthropomorphic talking animals she finds herself accused of what they see as the most heinous crime of all: Being a little girl! From the animals’ perspectives everything about Tutu is wrong. First, she’s a little girl. Second, she speaks when not spoken to. Third, she doesn’t know her place. Repeatedly using the phrase “Comrade” in what can only be seen as a commentary on some of the pro and con political issues that surround both communism and democracy, the animals don’t understand her. And they don’t want her there. But not all of them. Some of the animals understand her situation and are willing to risk it all, for reasons that are heroically unique to them as well. But figuring out this world does come with a price, and Tutu must decide if she and her new friends wants to pay that price. LANGUAGE ARTS ELEMENTS OF STORY Plot: Tutu is a strong, yet self-doubting strong female heroine who finds herself transported to a mysterious world full of talking animals, and it is up to her (and some new animal friends) to figure out what she’s willing and not willing to do to get back home.

1. Identify 5 key decisions Tutu must make throughout the story in order to progress the story and its plot. Trace Tutu’s evolution on a timeline that marks each decision point (5) and the reasons why she makes each of the selected 5 decisions. Be sure to write at least 2-3 sentences explaining each decision and note the page number for evidence and future discussion. 2.

Students can keep this timeline by drawing a straight line across a blank sheet of paper and marking 5 slots for the 5 identified decisions they will briefly label on the top of the timeline and describe in sentences below the timeline.

Identify 5 key decisions Tutu must make throughout the story in order to progress the story and its plot. Draw the evolution of Tutu’s features as she makes each of your selected decisions (appearance, clothing, accessories, and thought/dialogue balloons changes and or growth). Be sure to draw an arrow away from each key feature that directly relates to one of Tutu’s decisions and briefly label and explain it in a sentence or two. Be sure to note page numbers for your choices as well.

Spring 2018

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Cici’s Journal: The Adventures of a Writer-in-Training Publisher: First Second Written by: Joris Chamblain Illustrated by: Aurélie Neyret Format: Hardcover, 160 pages, $17.99 ISBN: 9781626722484 REVIEW When a young girl learns that her journal is more for looking inward rather than outward she truly discovers what family and friends are truly all about. Teamed up with her friends Lena and Erica, Cici is inspired to start following some intriguing and mysterious people in order to figure out their secrets. Although her journalistic efforts originally have simple and good intentions to help better understand the world and its people, Cici and her friends quickly discover that someone else’s secrets can often reveal your own deepest, darkest secrets as well. But Cici is just a little bit more inquisitive than her two friends when she chooses to mislead not only them, but also her family and go ahead and follow an older woman from a bus to a public library, all the while writing details in her journal. But Cici and her inquisitive journal follow the older lady at their own peril. At the end of the day, Cici must really reflect on how her own choices and journal have led her to figuring out more of an inner puzzle than an outward puzzle. LANGUAGE ARTS ELEMENTS OF STORY Plot: Cici’s journal is supposed to solve mysteries for people she observes. Her journal, however, discovers something much more personal for Cici than for others. Major Characters: Cici, Cici’s mom, Lena, Erica, Mrs. Flores, Michael Langer (Mr. Mysterious”), librarian, Elisabeth Ronsin, Hector Bertelon Major Settings: Cici’s Home, Woods, Tree House, Petrified Zoo in Woods, the Café, Public Library, Old “History and Geography” Room in the Library, Mrs. Flores’ House

LESSON IDEA FOR YOUNG ADULT READERS Directions: Since this graphic novel easily emphasizes both reading and writing because of Cici’s journalistic emphasis teachers can ask students to keep their own journal while reading; by keeping a journal students will be meeting both a reading and a writing standard (listed above). To begin, teachers, librarians, and/or parents can ask students to get out several sheets of paper (or a notebook) and a writing utensil. Students can meet the reading and the writing standard by completing the following 3 steps: 1.

First, teachers can divide the graphic novel into 4-5 sections (to be read over 4-5 days) and tab each section for each student.

Either in or out of class assign students to read one section per day.

Themes: Coming of Age, Family, Friendship, Adventure, Imagination LESSON PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS USING THE COMMON CORE STANDARDS FOR YOUNG ADULT READERS Common Core Standard(s) Reading Literature for Craft and Structure /CCSS.ELA-LITERACY. RL.8.6 Analyze how differences in the points of view of the characters and the audience or reader (e.g., created through the use of dramatic irony) create such effects as suspense or humor. Writing Text Types and Purposes / CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.1.B Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.

At the end of each section students need to write their own journal responses to the following reading questions focused on identifying, developing and comprehending various characters’ points of views: Which 2-3 characters have strong points of view in the story? What does each character believe? How do you know (cite page numbers, quotations, or paraphrases)?

Dr. Katie Monnin is an Associate Professor of Literacy at the University of North Florida. Besides the joy that comes with reading comic books and graphic novels, Dr. Monnin enjoys a Peter Panish life of researching and writing her own books about teaching comics, graphic novels, and cartoons: Teaching Graphic Novels (2010), Teaching Early Reader Comics and Graphic Novels (2011), Using Content-Area Graphic Texts for Learning (2012), Teaching Reading Comprehension with Graphic Texts (2013), and Get Animated! Teaching 21st Century Early Reader and Young Adult Cartoons in Language Arts (2013); Teaching New Literacies in Elementary Language Arts (in press, 2014). When she is not writing (or sitting around wondering how she ended up making an awesome career out of studying comics and graphic novels), Dr. Monnin spends her time with her two wiener dogs, Sam and Max.

Spring 2018

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GRAPHIC NOVEL REVIEWS The Pervert

The Prince & The Dressmaker

Written by: Michelle Perez Illustrated by: Remy Boydell Publisher: Image Comics Format: Non-fiction, Softcover, 160 pages, Color ISBN: 9781534307414 Ages: 16 and up

Written and Illustrated by: Jen Wang Published by: First Second Format: Hardcover, Color, 288 pages, $24.99 ISBN: 9781250159854 Ages: 9+

As someone who enjoys fairy tales (a lot) there are only certain times when I think: Wow, and I thought traditional fairy tales were entertaining!

The Pervert follows the account of a trans girl surviving through sex work in Seattle. Originally published in the Eisner-nominated comics magazine ISLAND, this fully painted bound edition is brutally beautiful and strikingly honest. Telling an almost impossible path between desperation, hope, alienation, and connection, The Pervert is an important story that aims to bring unique personal stories into the limelight of comics. Perez’s heartfelt and gut-wrenching story asks readers to evaluate the human identity, and empathize with the struggle between one’s personal self and the self the world sees and accepts. Coupled with the arresting art of Boydell, these creators have cultivated a touching and unforgiving graphic novel that demands the attention of its audience. This title is perfect for readers interested in LGBTQ+, nonfiction, and memoirs. Due to some explicit language and graphic content, The Pervert is recommended for readers 16 and up. Reviewed by Diamond BookShelf

Jen Wang’s The Prince and the Dressmaker is one of the most thoughtful contemporary fairy tales to hit the 21st century young adult reading world in a while. But that’s not the best part. The best part is that it’s fairy a tale for the whole family to read and to talk about. To begin, the two main characters have some serious secrets. While Frances cannot reveal that she is the Prince’s dressmaker, the Prince cannot reveal that he is wearing her dresses. In fact, Prince Sebastian is not only wearing the dresses, but also secretly sporting them as Paris’ new raging fashion icon “Lady Crystallia.” And to make matters worse the Prince’s parents are trying to find him a bride. Playing his role as Prince during the daytime and Lady Crystallia at nighttime, the Prince is set on a collision course with himself. Will he be the Prince his family wants him to be? Will he be the Prince Frances needs him to be in order to gain her dresses some much-deserved attention? Or, will the Prince be true to himself? Reviewed by Professor Katie Monnin

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Sheets

Beautiful Canvas

Written and Illustrated by: Brenna Thummler Published by: Lion Forge Format: Softcover, 240 pages, Color, $12.99 ISBN: 9781941302675 Ages: 9+

Written by: Ryan K. Lindsay Illustrated by: Sami Kivela Published by: Black Mask Format: Softcover, 112 pages, Color, $14.99 ISBN: 9781628751826 Ages: 16+

Thirteen-year-old Marjorie certainly feels like she may be dealing with some issues way above her age range. Her mother has passed away. Her father is depressed. And while her father tries to overcome his depression Marjorie must learn to take over the family laundry business. Quickly! It’s just not that easy, however, for Marjorie. The bullying at school isn’t helping her feel much better about either herself or the family business. And just in case she hasn’t been experiencing too much stress (and childish bullying) a man in town is badgering and intimidating her by saying that he is going to take over her family business and turn it into a spa and yoga resort. And even with a mysterious ghost messing around in her family’s laundry business (literally) Marjorie is starting to think that she may be a little tougher than both she and her family first expected, for what she finds in the laundry sheets may just surprise her.

With more gritty swagger and hot pink blood than could ever be necessary, Beautiful Canvas follows hitwoman Lon Eisley through - among many other things - a really crappy day. There is pyrokinesis and monster muscle all around, but what makes this title a worthy ride is the three females driving the plot: Milla is the bored brutal billionaire, Asia is Lon’s pregnant girlfriend, a mysterious figure with skills hiding behind her circular spectacles, with Lone herself the tortured warrior necessary to complete the brooding tone of this twisty tale. For Fans of: The peripheral mythos building of Neil Gaiman and Tarantino flicks. Reviewed by The Book Table’s Bianca Walters

Reviewed by Professor Katie Monnin

For more reviews, visit http://bit.ly/BookShelfReviews Spring 2018

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CORE LISTS BookShelf presents a list of selected essential titles for different age ranges releasing between May 2018 and August 2018

Titles for Kids (Age 6+) Adventure Time / Regular Show BOOM! Studios | 9781684151660 Bad Machinery, Volume 5: The Case of the Fire Inside Oni Press | 9781620105047 Benny and Penny: Just Pretend Raw Junior | 9781935179269 BroBots and the Shoujo Shenanigans! Oni Press | 9781620105214 Courtney Crumrin, Vol. 3: The Twilight Kingdom, Softcover Edition Oni Press | 9781620105184 Dinosaur Explorers, Vol. 1: Prehistoric Pioneers Papercutz | 9781545801291 Disney Descendants: Evie vs. Evil Volume 1 Tokyopop | 9781427858320 Disney Manga: Miriya and Marie Tokyopop | 9781427857828 Dodo BOOM! Studios | 9781684151189

The Lost Path CubHouse | 9781941302446

Dark Souls III: Design Works Udon Entertainment | 9781772940640

Kitty Cones: The Purrfect Day Pocket Books | 9781683832393

Diablo House IDW Publishing | 9781684051205

Kitty Cones: What Makes Us Happy? Pocket Books | 9781683832379

Dread Gods IDW Publishing | 9781684052028

Little Tails Under the Sea Lion Forge | 9781942367543

Earth Is My Witness Pocket Books | 9781683831310

Luke on the Loose Raw Junior | 9781935179368

Elsewhere Volume 2 Image Comics | 9781534306899

Lulu Is A Rhinoceros Wicked Cow Studios | 9780692070987

Eugenic BOOM! Studios | 9781684152063

Luna the Vampire: Pickled Zits IDW Publishing | 9781684052608

Fireworks, Should We See It from the Side or the Bottom? Yen Press | 9781975353261

Mickey Mouse and Walt Disney: How They Conquered The Third Reich Hermes Press | 9781613451663 Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir: Bug Out Action Lab | 9781632293664

Titles for Young Adults (Age 13+)

Fruit Ninja & Jetpack Joyride Dynamite | 9781524105730

A Sea of Love Lion Forge | 9781942367451

Fuzzy Baseball, Vol. 2: Ninja Baseball Blast Papercutz | 9781545800089

A Strange and Beautiful Sound IDW Publishing | 9781684051625

Ghoul Scouts: I Was a Tweenage Werewolf Action Lab | 9781632292605

Actionverse: Midnight Tiger | Stronger Action Lab | 9781632293930

Harry Moon Professor Einstone Rabbit Publishers | 9781943785315

Alters Volume 2 Aftershock Comics | 9781935002697

Honey Moon Shades and Shenanigans Rabbit Publishers | 9781943785810

Angelic Volume 1: Heirs & Graces Image Comics | 9781534306639

Hotel Transylvania Volume 3: Motel Transylvania Papercutz | 9781545800157 Johnny Boo Book 8: Johnny Boo and the Ice Cream Computer Top Shelf | 9781603094351 Junior Braves of the Apocalypse Vol. 2: Out of the Woods Oni Press | 9781620105276

For Better or For Worse: The Complete Library Volume 2 Library of American Comics | 9781684052561 Forbidden Scrollery, Vol. 3 Yen Press | 9780316511919 Fruits Basket Another, Vol. 1 Yen Press | 9781975353391 Giant Days Extra Credit BOOM! Box | 9781684152223 Grass Kings, Vol. 2 BOOM! Studios | 9781684151813 Green Almonds: Letters from Palestine Lion Forge | 9781941302897 Grimm Fairy Tales Tarot Zenescope | 9781942275725 Hack/Slash vs. Vampirella Dynamite | 9781524106645 Haikyu!! Volume 23 Viz Media | 9781421596105

Animosity: Evolution Volume 1 Aftershock Comics | 9781935002680

Hatsu Haru Vol. 1 Yen Press | 9781975327439

Backways AfterShock Comics | 9781935002611

Invincible Compendium Volume 3 Image Comics | 9781534306868

Clockwork Lives Graphic Novel Insight Comics | 9781683833772

It Will All Hurt Image Comics | 9781534306721

Cloud Hotel Top Shelf | 9781603094252

Jem and the Holograms: Dimensions IDW Publishing | 9781684052424

Spring 2018

diamondbookshelf.com Jim Henson’s Storyteller Fairies BOOM! Studios | 9781684152124

Dumb Fantagraphics | 9781683961161

Dull Margaret Fantagraphics | 9781683960980

Kamo Volume 1 Manga Tokyopop | 9781427858672

Fissure Vault Comics | 9781939424174

Forlorn Funnies Vol. 1 Fantagraphics | 9781606993859

Kiss and White Lily for My Dearest Girl, Vol. 6 Yen Press | 9781975300616

Goldilocks and the Infinite Bears: A Pie Comics Collection Lion Forge | 9781941302576

Ghost Money Vol. 1: Death in Dubai Lion Forge | 9781942367444

Last Born Volume 1 Black Mask | 9781628751123

Heathen: Volume 2 Vault Comics | 9781939424297

Little Witch Academia, Vol. 1 Yen Press | 9781975327453

HitGirl Volume 1 Image Comics | 9781534308091

International Cheesecake: Good Girl Comics Around the World Tor Books | 9780765398680

No. 1 With A Bullet Image Comics | 9781534306714

I Hate Fairyland Volume 4 Image Comics | 9781534306806

Gwar: Orgasmageddon Dynamite | 9781524105013

Titles for Older Teens (Age 16+)

Ibitsu Yen Press | 9781975353315

Jimmy’s Bastards Volume 2 Aftershock Comics | 9781935002581

Ice Cream Man Volume 1: Rainbow Sprinkles Image Comics | 9781534306752

John Carpenter’s Tales of Science Fiction: VAULT Storm King Productions | 9780997059946

Alien Bounty Hunter: Volume 1 Vault Comics | 9781939424273 Babel Fantagraphics | 9781606999097 Babyteeth Volume 2 Aftershock Comics | 9781935002703 Barnaby Volume Four Fantagraphics | 9781683961123 Belle: Beast Hunter Zenescope | 9781942275787 Black Cloud Volume 2: No Return Image Comics | 9781534306691 Black Science Premiere Hardcover Volume 1 Remastered Edition Image Comics | 9781534307407 Brilliant Trash Vol. 1 Aftershock Comics | 9781935002628 CALEXIT Black Mask | 9781628751819 Crossroad Blues: A Nick Travers Graphic Novel Image Comics | 9781534306486 Dark Fang Volume 1: Earth Calling Image Comics | 9781534306547 Dead of Winter: Good Good Dog Oni Press | 9781620104835 Death of Love Image Comics | 9781534305076 Dementia 21 Fantagraphics | 9781683961062

Interceptor Heavy Metal Magazine | 9780998919065 Jack Kirby Checklist: Centennial Edition TwoMorrows Publishing | 9781605490830 Jazz Maynard Vol. 2: The Iceland Trilogy Lion Forge | 9781942367826 Kaijumax Season 3: King of the Monstas Oni Press | 9781620104941 Kakegurui: Compulsive Gambler Vol. 5 Yen Press | 9780316447560 Karma Police Vault Comics | 9781939424266 Kill or Be Killed Volume 4 Image Comics | 9781534306516 Konohana Kitan Vol. 1 Tokyopop | 9781427859464 Monstress Volume 3 Image Comics | 9781534306912

Titles for Adults (Age 18+) Bettie Page Vol. 1 Dynamite | 9781524106447 Black Betty Volume 1 Action Lab | 9781632293633 Die Laughing Fantagraphics | 9781683960911

Hanger Manga Volume 1 Tokyopop | 9781427859587

DollFace Volume 4 Action Lab | 9781632293565

Spring 2018

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RESOURCES B O O K S A B O UT G RAPHIC NOV ELS Superhero Comics

By Chris Galaver A complete guide to the history, form and contexts of the genre, Superhero Comics helps readers explore the most successful and familiar of comic book genres. In an accessible and easy-tonavigate format, the book reveals: the history of superhero comics-from mythic influences to 21st-century evolutions; cultural contexts-from the formative politics of colonialism, eugenics, KKK vigilantism, and WWII fascism to the Cold War’s transformative threat of mutually assured destruction to the on-going revolutions in African American and sexual representation; key texts-from the earliest pre-Comics-Code Superman and Batman to the latest post-Code Ms. Marvel and Black Panther; approaches to visual analysis-from layout norms to narrative structure to styles of abstraction.

Going Graphic: Comics at Work in the Multilingual Classroom

By Stephen Cary Comics are natural for second language development. Their unique mix of abundant comprehensionbuilding visuals and authentic text readily engages learners, contextualizes language, and offers a window into the culture. Building on the latest brain-based research, second language acquisition theory, and progressive literacy principles, Stephen Cary offers twenty-five proven activities for comics-based instruction in all classrooms, especially TESL/TEFL settings, and for all grade and English-proficiency levels.

Reading with Pictures: Comics That Make Kids Smarter

By Josh Elder Uniting the finest creative talents in the comics industry with the nation’s leading experts in visual literacy to create a game-changing tool for the classroom and beyond, this fullcolor volume features more than a dozen short stories (both fiction and nonfiction) that address topics in Social Studies, Math, Language Arts, and Science, while offering an immersive textual and visual experience that kids will enjoy.

Graphic Novels in High School and Middle School Classrooms: A Disciplinary Literacies Approach

By William Boerman-Cornell, Jung Kim and Michael L. Manderino The ultimate guide for using graphic novels in any middle school or high school classroom, this book considers how the graphic novel format can support critical thinking and help reach disciplinary goals in history, English language arts, science, math, fine arts, and other subjects. Using specific graphic novels as examples, this book considers how to help students read, question, and write about both fiction and non-fiction. Whether teachers are new to graphic novels or have been working with them for years, this book will help improve instruction.

U S E F U L

L I N K S

The Comic Book Project – Center for Educational Pathways http://www.comicbookproject.org/

Good Comics for Kids (School Library Journal Blog) http://blog.schoollibraryjournal.com/goodcomicsforkids

ComicsResearch.org – Academic & Library Resources http://www.comicsresearch.org/academic.html

Making Curriculum Pop http://mcpopmb.ning.com

Eek! Comics in the Classroom! (Education World) http://www.education-world.com/a_curr/profdev/profdev105.shtml

Maryland Comic Book Initiative http://archives.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/programs/ recognition-partnerships/md-comic-book.html

Expanding Literacies through Graphic Novels (Members Only) http://www1.ncte.org/Library/files/Free/recruitment/ EJ0956Expanding.pdf

No Flying, No Tights (Graphic Novel Review Site) http://www.noflyingnotights.com/

Building Literacy Connections with Graphic Novels: Page by Page, Panel by Panel http://www.graphicnovelreporter.com

Using Comics and Graphic Novels in the Classroom (The CouncilChronicle, Sept. 05) http://www.ncte.org/magazine/archives/122031

GNLib: Graphic Novels in Libraries https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/gn4lib/info

YALSA’s Great Graphic Novels for Teens List http://www.ala.org/yalsa/ggnt

More Links DiamondBookShelf.com maintains an ever-growing database of web resources for educators and librarians. Categories include official Publisher sites, resources for teachers, resources for librarians, graphic novel and comics review sites, resources for kids and more!

Spring 2018

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HOW TO ORDER COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS Yo u ha v e man y o p tion s – c h oose th e o ne t hat w o rks bes t f o r yo u!

1. BUY FROM YOUR LOCAL COMIC BOOK SHOP

2. BUY FROM YOUR USUAL WHOLESALER OR BOOK JOBBER

For a variety of reasons, your local comic book shop could be the best possible resource for your purchase of graphic novels. In fact, many local comic shops service both schools and libraries already with the latest comics and graphic novels.

Baker & Taylor, Booksource, Brodart, Follett, Ingram, and other wholesalers all carry a full line of graphic novels. Most schools and libraries already do business with one or more of these companies, and it’s easy to add in your order through these procurement channels.

3. BUY DIRECT FROM DIAMOND If there are no comic book stores in your area and your usual wholesaler doesn’t have deep stock on a variety of titles, Diamond does sell directly to educators and librarians. For more information, call Allan Greenberg at 443-318-8001 ext. 8564 or email library@diamondcomics.com or schools@diamondcomics.com

A GREAT RESOURCE: YOUR LOCAL COMIC BOOK SHOP Quality comic book shops are a valuable resource for libraries and schools seeking graphic novels and graphic novel information. In the past, such partnerships have proven successful for all involved, with increased sales and circulation, as well as the satisfaction that comes with community involvement. As comic book and graphic novel specialists, comic shop retailers have up-to-date knowledge on the most recent and upcoming hits, and a great familiarity with what their customers are reading and enjoying. Many are more than willing to work together on cross-promotional events, reaching out to and expanding the audience of graphic novel fans. So, how do you go about finding and dealing with your local comic shop? Well, it’s easier than you think. By following these easy steps, you’ll be coordinating with your local comic shop in no time!

Find a Store. We’ve already done the work for you! To find your closest comic shop, all you have to do is use the Comic Shop Locator Service. Just log on to http://www. comicshoplocator.com and enter your zip code. It’s as simple as that! Located on the store listings is the School and Library Partners icon above. Stores with this designation have told us they are willing to partner with schools and libraries to aid with selection, programming, purchasing, and more.

Research and Choose a Store. Once you’ve located a store, the next thing to do is find out more about it. If you used the Comic Shop Locator, many of the stores have posted brief profiles. The best way to find out more information about a store is to visit it in person. That way, you’ll have the opportunity to browse through the store’s collection and get personal advice from the knowledgeable experts on hand. All stores will have their own unique approach – find one that you feel comfortable with. Introduce Yourself. Going into any new environment can be intimidating, especially when you have preconceived notions. But there’s nothing to fear from comic shop retailers. Many of them are happy to welcome librarians and teachers into their stores because they understand the mutual benefit working together can achieve. Let them know you’re interested in using graphic novels, and they will be more than happy to help!

Spring 2018

For Our Monthly e-Newsletter! Designed to inform educators and librarians about the best graphic novels for their school or library, stay up to date on the latest industry news, read creator interviews, see exclusive previews and lesson plans, and more! Subscription comes with a free downloadable graphic novel pdf from a Diamond Book Distributors publisher. w ww. D iamon d Book S h elf.c om /su b scribe

BOOKSHELF WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU! What did you think of this issue of Diamond BookShelf? Send your feedback, ideas, and suggestions for future articles to: DIAMOND BOOKSHELF 10150 YORK ROAD HUNT VALLEY, MD 21030

EMAIL: EDITOR@DIAMONDBOOKSHELF.COM

We at Diamond have known for years that comic books and graphic novels are excellent teaching and learning tools… we’re pleased that so many educators are starting to agree! We hope you find this publication and our website a useful resource to convince others that comics can make a difference in helping to promote literacy, motivate readers, and more.

If you find Diamond BookShelf worthwhile, be sure to pass it on and tell your colleagues! Diamond Comic Distributors is the world’s largest distributor of Englishlanguage comic books, graphic novels and comics-related merchandise. We believe that comics are not only great fun and great art, but also have educational value and are terrific tools for promoting literacy. The BookShelf magazine and website are two of Diamond’s outreach initiatives to support the use of comics and graphic novels in schools and libraries.