DIAMOND BOOKSHELF #28

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Media Tie-Ins Issue • A guide for creating fandom events at your library • Graphic Novel renews and lesson plans for schools and libraries • And Much More! diamondbookshelf.com

WELCOME TO BOOKSHELF diamondbookshelf.com

The Graphic Novel Resource for Educators & Librarians

EDITOR Ashley Kronsberg

BookShelf DESIGNER Belinda Miller CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Dr. Katie Monnin Marianne Vadney Vince Brusio REVIEWERS Tim Smyth Social Studies Teacher, Pennsylvania

Mariela Siegert School Librarian, Illinois

Graphic Novels have a lot to offer as literature, education 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 Diamond BookShelf is to provide you with comprehensive information on the latest graphic novel news, reviews, events, and more.

BookShelf Magazine was created as a compliment to the Diamond 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 as well as reviews, core lists, reference recommendations and other special extras!

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!

CONTENTS Graphic Novels 101..............................................6

Holly Mellas Library Aide, Colorado

News & Notes......................................................8

Marianne Vadney Librarian, Texas

SPECIAL THANKS TO Cindy Anderson Roger Fletcher Dan Manser Steve Geppi For ad rates and info email ads@diamondcomics.com 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.

Top Upcoming Licensed Comics......................9 Reviews............................................................. 26 Core Lists ......................................................... 28 Resources......................................................... 29 How to Order Graphic Novels........................ 30

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21 CONTENTS Fandom 101......................................................................................................... 13 Librarian Marianne Vadney provides a how to for creating fandom events at your library.

The Five Paladins Return!................................................................................. 21 The Voltron Paladins continue their mission to defeat Galra in Voltron Volume 3 from Lion Forge.

Katie’s Korner.................................................................................................... 24 Prof. Katie Monnin provides a review and classroom lesson plan for Thi Bui’s The Best We Could Do from Harry N. Abrams.

Reviews & Lesson Plans: Otherworldly Izakaya Nobu..................................25 Prof. Katie Monnin provides a review and classroom lesson plan for Natsuya Semikawa’s Otherworldly Izakaya Nobu from Udon Entertainment.

SPECIAL FEATURES Vault Launches Myriad ................ 11 Vault Comics has announced a new imprint dedicated to telling stories for a middle grade and young adult readers.

She’s a Man-Eater!.........................18 Part Cat People, part The Handmaid’s Tale, Chelsea Cain discusses her new series from Image Comics.

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GRAPHIC NOVELS 101

STARTING A GRAPHIC NOVEL COLLECTION

D

eciding 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!

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.

3. Purchase The Books

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.

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.

6. Evaluate Success / Circulation Data

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

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.

1. BESTSELLERS Lists of bestselling graphic novels

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

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DiamondBookShelf.com.

Additionally,

resources

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.

such as BookScan (www.

REMEMBER:

new readers, and also make

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.

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

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sure to generate interest in the medium, will attract a great case for having a graphic There

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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

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!

titles are also TV cartoons, and

many

blockbuster

movies are adapted from comic books. The BookShelf newsletter

stays

current

with the latest media tie-ins and adaptations.

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NEWS AND NOTES Library of Congress Launches First Geppi Collection Just five months after his gift to the nation’s library was revealed, Diamond Comic Distributors President and CEO Steve Geppi stood at the podium for the announcement that the Library of Congress will open a new display of select items from the Stephen A. Geppi Collection of Comics and Graphic Arts from November 6, 2018, through February 11, 2019, in the Great Hall of the historic Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St., SE, Washington, DC. Geppi’s multi-million-dollar donation of more than 3,000 items from his personal comic book and pop culture collection to The Library of Congress was announced by Dr. Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress, on Wednesday, May 30, 2018. It encompassed comic books, photos, posters, original comic book and comic strip art, newspapers, pinback buttons, and other rare, vintage pop culture artifacts.

“Baltimore has had the exclusive for 23 years,” Geppi said. “And literal tears were shed when the museum closed on June 3. But so many collections sit in the basement waiting for a flood or fire to destroy them and never get displayed. I can’t live forever but wanted to put it somewhere where it could be forever.”

AMC Opens Walking Dead Universe

Harvey Awards Announces 2018 Winners

AMC has announced the first projects in development from Chief Content Officer Scott M. Gimple for The Walking Dead Universe. A series of AMC Studios Original Films, starring Andrew Lincoln and written by Gimple, are planned to continue the story of Rick Grimes, with the first expected to begin production as early as 2019.

The Harvey Awards revealed its 2018 winners at a gala marking the 30th anniversary of the prestigious comic book awards show and a return to New York City during New York ComicCon. • Book of the Year: Monstress by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda (Image) • Digital Book of the Year – Barrier by Brian K. Vaughn, Marcos Martin and Muntsa Vicente (Panel Syndicate) • Best Children or Young Adult Book: Tie between The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang (First Second) and The Tea Dragon Society, by Katie O’Neill (Oni Press) • Best Adaptation from a Comic Book/ Graphic Novel: Black Panther (Walt Disney Pictures) - Directed by Ryan Coogler. Adapted from “Black Panther” (Marvel Comics) • Best Manga: My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness by Nagata Kabi (Seven Seas) • Best European Book: California Dreamin’: Cass Elliot Before the Mamas & The Papas by Pénélope Bagieu (First Second)

In Lincoln’s final appearance on the hit series The Walking Dead, the character of Rick Grimes is mortally wounded and last seen being flown away by helicopter to an unknown destination. The first film will explore the story of where Rick is taken and what he faces in a new corner of the zombie apocalypse.

As part of Gimple’s multi-year plan for The Walking Dead Universe, there are other projects currently in development, including additional films, specials, series, digital content and more. Some of the stories will relate to The Walking Dead as fans know it while others will be standalone stories that break into new creative territory.

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GET MORE OF YOUR FAVORITE FANDOMS! TOP TEN MEDIA-TIE IN BOOKS

IRON MAIDEN VOLUME 1: LEGACY OF THE BEAST

ADVENTURE TIME: FINN

Boom! Studios 9781684152933 January 2019 It’s Adventure Time with Finn and you!

Embark on the most mathematical journey imaginable by diving into tales all about your favorite human in the Land of Ooo. From playing retro board games to facing down foes, Adventure Time: Finn collects all the stories that make the Eisner Award-winning series perfect for fans of all ages.

Heavy Metal Magazine 9781947784079 October 2018 When dark forces conspire to corrupt the fabric of reality, Eddie’s immortal soul is shattered and strewn across the cosmos his unbound essence corrupting countless worlds! Now, a weakened, primal Eddie must journey across space and time to battle the twisted legions of The Beast, seek out the lost shards of his soul, and bring order to the realms!

APOCRYPHA: THE LEGEND OF BABYMETAL

Z2 Comics 9781940878218 October 2018 Discover the myth of the worldwide music sensation BABYMETAL. Tasked with defeating the forces of darkness and division, the metal spirits must travel through a variety of eras of time, assuming different forms and identities. What we are seeing is not the BABYMETAL of the present. It’s the original story based on BABYMETAL you’ve never heard before!

KICK-ASS VOLUME 1: THE NEW GIRL

Image Comics 9781534308329 September 2018 KICK-ASS is back—ready to wipe out the city’s criminal low-lives, destroy its gangs, and save its communities from decay. But there’s a new face beneath the old mask, a new figure wearing that famous green and yellow spandex. Who is this new vigilante superhero?

RICK & MORTY: POCKET LIKE YOU STOLE IT

DOCTOR WHO: THE GOOD DOCTOR

Penguin Group UK 9781785943843 November 2018 Features the first female incarnation of the venerable Time Lord with Juno Dawson writing Jodie Whittaker as the 13th Doctor.

Oni Press 9781620104743 April 2018 Morty is on a quest to free himself (and all the other Mortys) from the clutches of Ricks, who collect Mortys and force them to battle one another for schmeckles and glory. Along the way, he’ll discover the grisly history of Morty battling… the strength in himself that’s needed to free the Mortys once and for all?

THE FLCL ARCHIVES

Udon Entertainment 9781772940916 February 2019 FLCL took anime to places it had never been with its spectacular off-the-wall animation, outrageous storyline, and endearing characters. This mesmerizing 6-episode series features everything from giant destructive robots to a crazy pinkhaired alien woman, and its influence on the anime industry is felt to this day. The FLCL Archives collects artwork from this landmark production, including key promotional art, character and location designs, rough sketches, and more.

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: BATTLE LINES

IDW Publishing 9781684054381 April 2019 Several sources of conflict collide as the maniacal Agent Bishop goes to war with the alien forces on Earth while the Turtles must embrace unsavory allies and race to stop a massacre, but new divisions between the Turtles themselves may thwart any chance they have for success!

I KILL GIANTS

Image Comics 9781607069850 April 2018 Barbara Thorson, an acerbic fifth-grader is so consumed with fantasy that she doesn’t just tell people that she kills giants with an ancient Norse war hammer — she starts to believe it herself. The reasons for Barbara’s troubled behavior are revealed through the course of the book, as she learns to reconcile her fantasy life with the real world.

TIM BURTON’S THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS: ZERO’S JOURNEY

Tokyopop 9781427858979 October 2018 When Jack Skellington’s faithful pet Zero gets lost, the ghost pup must get the help of the residents of Christmas Town to find his way back. With Halloween plans on hold while Jack mounts a search, will they be reunited in time to save both holidays?

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T

he hit show from Fox is now a graphic novel! Created by the show writers and animators, the comic series is 100% authentic Bob’s Burgers flavor. All-new original stories expand the fan-favorite animated series with in-cannon stories such as Louise’s Unsolved Mysteries, Tina’s Erotic Friend Fiction, A Gene Belcher Original Musical, and more!

“If you like Bob's Burgers and you like comic books then you may feel like you’re living in one of the greatest times in human history,” said Loren Bouchard, the creator of Bob’s Burgers. “But, of course, we could really mess it up. Then you’d feel like you were living in one of the worst times in human history. Either way, we hope you’ll check it out. We tried to make something that’s true to the show and true to the form without being a sad knock-off of either!”

Bob’s Burgers was the recipient of a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program, and nominated for a Critics’ Choice Television Award, Teen Choice Award, and Annie Award, and continues to be one of the most popular animated shows today.

The show follows the every day lives of the Belcher family – Bob, Linda, Tina, Gene and Louise. The family runs a burger restaurant in an unnamed seaside community. When asked about the inspiration behind Bob’s Burgers, Bouchard said: “I love families that run restaurants. I’ve always been fascinated when you walk into a like a pizza place or a little quick restaurant, and there’s a kid behind the recounter mopping up or wrapping up the sandwich to go. And it was very clear that Fox was looking for a show about a family, so it was natural to pitch a family comedy that was also a workplace comedy.”

Counter to traditional character creation, Bouchard explained that the characters were made to fit the actors. “I knew who I wanted to be in the show before who I even knew who they were, if that makes sense. They were all cast first, and then

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we created the character to fit the actor. I knew Jon Benjamin should be the dad; we knew John Roberts should be the mom; we knew Kristen Schaal should be the youngest child and that Eugene Mirman should be her brother; and then with Dan Mintz, we added him at first as an older brother, but then we changed him just before episode one.”

Moving from the TV show to a comic book was an easy decision for Bouchard. “I love working on the comic book! We were nervous for about a minute because it felt like ‘oh god, it’s hard enough to do a TV show, how do you do a comic book?’ It felt like we would be almost competing with ourselves in a funny way. Not just for time and resources to work on it, but also ideas! You don’t want to take an idea that been on the show and turn it around, it would feel secondhand if either one stole from the other.”

Since writing the comic book, Bouchard and his creative team have used the comic book to do what resembles the fantasy sequences on the TV show, giving what Bouchard calls a look “inside the minds of the characters.”

Along with the comic book issues and the graphic novel, a soundtrack is now available, and a cookbook is coming in 2019. Dynamite Entertainment is the publishing house for the Bob’s Burgers comic and is also home to several franchised titles. For more information on franchised titles from Dynamite entertainment, please visit http://ow.ly/zzVy30mCdW0.

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VAULT LAUNCHES MYRIAD A NEW YA/MIDDLE GRADE IMPRINT

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ast-rising publisher Vault Comics has revealed MYRIAD, a new publishing imprint with a distinct focus on middle grade (MG) and young adult (YA) stories that will be delivered in a wide range of unique and convenient formats.

importantly save her brother, is to enter and win the Grand Wrasslin Tournament.

MYRIAD will offer a bevy of titles in a variety of unique sizes and formats packaged in robust formats beyond the traditional 22-page floppy comic book.

“Myriad is a place for emerging and established creators alike to reach the broadest possible audience.” said Wassel. “The idea is simple: Tell stories just as daring, just as beloved, and just as relevant as those coming out of Vault, but for an even wider audience. Current Vault fans will enjoy the selfsame care and craft in Myriad— and now their kids can, too. These are hilarious, heartbreaking, jaw-dropping stories for everyone.”

“This is all about choice. Our aim is to engage readers in a manner they’ve come to expect— which is through richer, deeply immersive tales offered in formats readers and parents will recognize from content services like Netflix,” added Daniel MYRIAD’s first slate of titles are set for a 2019 release, including WRASSLE CASTLE, and UNFINISHED CORNER. WRASSLE CASTLE is a middle grade title written

by Paul Tobin & Colleen Coover. Paul and Colleen previously collaborated on Banana Sunday and the Eisner-winning Bandette. Paul is a New York Times-bestselling author, with other works including Colder, Made Men and several titles for Marvel Comics. Colleen is also known for the Eisner-nominated Small Favors. The artist on WRASSLE CASTLE will be announced soon.

Lydia Riverthane has always wanted to join Wrassle Castle, but due to her parents’ disapproval, she has been forced to secretly train in the forest. Her three best friends—aka the Underground Alibi Society— help her by providing cover stories when needed.

Lydia also secretly trains with her brother, John Gator-Chomp, a high-ranking wrasslin instructor.

Lydia idolizes her brother—until he’s arrested for stealing one of the Legendary Wrasslin Folios! A crime he DID commit! But…why? Lydia believes the only way she can learn the truth, and more

BONDING is a YA title written by Matthew Erman with art by Emily Pearson. Matthew has written Scout Comics’ Long Lost (along with Lisa Sterle), the CORPUS Anthology, and is a 2018 Ghost City Comics finalist. Emily is known for her art on The Wilds and Snap Flash Hustle, both with Black Mask Studios.

A man, a woman—and their parasites. Marcus has been alone since the loss of his closest friend and has just recently entered the dating scene, while Laura has drifted in and out of relationships since high school. They meet and strike up a good rapport, learning about each other, friendship, and how to deal with the slug-like parasites that have infected humanity. Bonding is a funny, quirky, and honest look at love, in a world where people wear their anxieties, not on their sleeves, but on their chests like big ol’ leeches.

UNFINISHED CORNER is a YA title written by Dani Colman. Dani is a powerful new voice, writer and editor known for essays in Image Comics' ODY-C and Black Jack Ketchum, and for the story "All Thumbs" in the Femme Magnifique anthology.

The art team on UNFINISHED CORNER will be announced soon.

Jewish mythology has it that when God created the universe, He left a tiny corner of it unfinished.

Opinion is divided on why, but everyone agrees that the Unfinished Corner is a dangerous place full of monsters. Twelve-year-old Miriam neither knows, nor cares about the Unfinished Corner.

She’s too busy preparing for her Bat Mitzvah, wrestling with whether she even wants to be Jewish—until an angel appears, whisking her and her best friends Avi and David off to this crazy and monstrous land with a single mission: Finish the Unfinished Corner.

For more information on upcoming MYRIAD titles, readers can visit www.myriadcomics.com.

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Ghost Ship | 9781947804296

FANDOM EVENTS 101: HOW TO GET STARTED CREATING EVENTS

BY MARIANNE VADNEY

S

o you want to host fandom events at your library and either need help getting started or need a few new ideas? You have come to the right place! Hosting larger convention inspired programs are awesome and popular, but you need to start with smaller programming to advertise for these larger future events. The good news is if you have experience creating any kind of library program, you already have the skills you need.

First, consider your audience. Depending on whether your program is aimed at adults, teens, tween, children, or the entire family will affect not only the activities you plan, but also what pop-culture fandoms you want to highlight.

Some popular fandoms are widely enjoyed by all ages such as comic book heroes, Harry Potter, Star Wars, etc. On the other hand, if you are creating a program for an adult audience, you might consider franchises such as The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, or Deadpool. Teens and tweens have a lot of overlap in interests, whether they admit it or not, so the challenge level of the activities will narrow the audience more than the franchise for their age groups.

Once you have an audience in mind, consider the type of program you want to create. Would you like to provide a passive program, an

active program, a food program, games, crafts?

Ideally, you should have a combination of things. With teen and tween programs, remember it doesn’t matter what the program’s theme is, if you feed them, they will come. Ask yourself what time of day, what day of the week, and how long of a program you want. Will you have help from other staff or volunteers? Budget is also a concern for most libraries, so know how much you have to work with and plan accordingly.

If you need inspiration, there are many pop-culture franchises to choose from and the best part is many companies provide free event ideas and/ or swag to get you started. Most people might be familiar with Free Comic Book Day, but there are several other themed days including: Batman Day, Walking Dead Day, and Harry Potter Book Night. Once you get a feel for how some of the larger fandom events work, try making your own.

It is easy I promise!

Keep an eye on publishing company and distributor websites that deal in comics or other trending pop-culture. Many, like Diamond Book Distributors, have newsletters that will keep you in the loop about events and they often include promotional kits, giveaways, or other things you can use. They are also great sources for learning

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FANDOM EVENTS 101

what fandoms are currently trending. If you have a Local Comic Book Shop, they make great programming partners for Free Comic Book Day, Halloween ComicFest, and Doctor Who Comics Day (see page 38 for more information on working with your Local Comic Book Shop). Whatever you do, don’t forget your best resource is your community. What kind of program do THEY want?

If you don’t know, talk to them. It is easy to get a teen talking about their favorite fandoms!

event or you have received donations, you may consider hosting a contest with fandom themed prizes such as a simple bookmark, a $10 Funko Pop, or themed candy. You don’t have to break the bank, but contests hold more esteem if the winner can walk away with more than bragging rights. Be sure to reach out to Diamond BookShelf if you are ever in need of door prizes!

So now that you have an idea of who the program is aimed at and what fandom you want to highlight, now it is time to plan the details of the programming. If you are the only person working the event, keep it simple. Pick one main activity and pair it with something passive like a movie or television showing. Since many fandoms cross media platforms, it is easy to pair a viewing party with contests, snacks, games, or crafts.

If you do plan on showing movies or TV shows, be sure you have the rights to show content legally.

This can be obtained from the owning party or websites like Swank which carry a variety of copyrights. If you are having a viewing party, consider pairing it with a costume contest, trivia contest, or movie bingo. Snacks can be as simple as popcorn or an activity where attendees make their own themed snacks. If you plan on having an activity going on before the viewing, make sure you have accounted for the running time of the showing and for your allotted time for the program. No one wants to leave a movie during the conclusion because the library is closing.

If you can secure an adequate budget for an

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So keep calm and nerd on!

Need some ideas to get you started? Check out these nerd-tastic suggestions!

Fans are very dedicated and emotional when it comes to their favorite characters. Even if you don’t personally like their ship or OTP, be kind and maintain peace among your attendees during discussions. It is our job as librarians and/ or teachers to make sure the space we provide is safe and judgment free, so patrons feel comfortable coming to events.

Other questions you might hear when hosting fandom events include who your favorite character is, TV show, movie, book, ect. Don’t make things up. The fans will know! For example, if you are hosting a Harry Potter party and an attendee asks what you house you are in, you will lose all respect in their eyes if you have no idea what they are talking about. If you are not familiar with the fandom, ask them to tell you about it.

Most fans are glad to share information about what they love and why. If you are hosting an event about a fandom be sure to watch it, read it, or at least research it beforehand.

These days there are plenty of options and resources for even the least fandom savvy person to host an event. Though I do recommend finding a fandom you enjoy, having the desire to provide these programs to others is commendable on its own. Just remember when in doubt, check out websites for distributors, fan sites built by other librarians or teachers, or even Google. Even if you do not know a librarian or teacher personally, if they have posted information or written an article about a fandom or event, most will be willing to chat with you about it.

The TV show Supernatural is popular with teens and adults. Have a Supernatural marathon and pair it with a game altered to fit the theme.

Take the classic party game Wink. Simply make the person who is “it” a demon, and it is up to everyone else playing the hunters to find them.

The Wink game can be altered to fit other fandoms with a strong villain group such as the Death Eaters of Harry Potter, Escaped Arkham inmates of Batman, Changelings of My Little Pony (pre-season seven), and the Sith of Star Wars.

Harry Potter often has clever challenges for the main characters, so it makes the perfect inspiration for a themed escape room. Do attendees need to find a magical item or perhaps escape Death Eaters? There is plenty of material to work with and many manufactured props that can be purchased and used or crafted.

Escape rooms work with almost any fandom! I am currently building a Gravity Falls: Bill Cipher’s Revenge escape room. They can also work with a super hero theme as patrons can work together to escape the villain or find an antidote to a villain’s poison.

If you are on a tight budget there are many free paper craft templates available online for a variety of characters and challenge levels.

There are many free templates for perler bead characters and objects. Once you purchase the starting grids, iron, and parchment paper, a larger bucket can go quite a long way. Depending on difficulty level, perler beads can take quite a bit of time so letting patrons work on their pattern while a movie is playing is not a bad idea. Thankfully fandoms and crafts go hand-in-hand so a quick Google search can provide all sorts of inspiration, patterns, and examples!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR • Marianne Vadney is a Young Adult Librarian for Abilene Public Library Mockingbird Branch, and a member of the Texas Maverick Committee. She is a lover of all things nerdy, obsessed with her cats, and a proud Slytherin. If she’s not at work, she’s most likely reading comics, playing video/tabletop games, or cracking out the dice for her next Dungeons & Dragons campaign.

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SHE’S A MAN-EATER!

BY VINCE BRUSIO

A

dolescent girls can be real monsters!

A mutation in toxoplasmosis causes menstruating women to turn into ferocious killer wildcats — easily provoked and extremely dangerous.

As panic spreads and paranoia takes root, the fate of the world rides on the shoulders of one twelve-year-old girl, Maude. As her detective dad investigates a series of strange maulings, Maude worries she may be the killer.

Part Cat People, part The Handmaid’s Tale, Chelsea Cain spoke with us about her upcoming series Man-eaters from Image Comics, available March 2019.

Man-eaters Volume 1 (9781534311435) will be available everywhere April 2019.

very scary and dangerous and extremely grumpy.

Naturally their unprovoked attacks cause a great deal of societal consternation, and measures are taken to help the women control themselves. So… yeah, absolutely no idea where that idea came from… ▼ Tell us about the main characters in Maneaters. What makes them tick? What sets them off? What makes them warrant a comic series?

Our hero and narrator is a 12-year-old girl named Maude. I’d like to read more comic books from the point of view of twelve-year-old girls. Maude is on the cusp of adolescence in a world that is very frightened of female adolescence because of this whole transforming-into-panther-monsters thing.

Also, her dad is a detective, investigating what appears to be a serial mauling. Maude is wry and smart and reflective, and she wears a pink hat. I like her a lot. ▼ How many drafts did you crank through before settling down on the final character designs? What characters are more complex?

Which are more explosive?

I sent Kate a lot of “look book” images I found online of strange cat print wallpaper and sarcastic teenage girls and Hot Topic jeans and cat ear headbands and other symbols of the revolution.

I also sent her some dorky drawings I did of layouts, so she could see what I was picturing, or at least some lame version of what I was thinking.

She is very good at that — drawing my ideas better than I can. I love her for that.

▼ Vince Brusio: What sparked the idea for this series?

Chelsea Cain: Man-eaters is a monster story about women who turn into ferocious killer wildcats when they get their periods. They are

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▼ It looks like the book should appeal to readers of Kelly Sue DeConnick’s Bitch Planet. Could you elaborate a bit on that comparison?

▼ What was the most challenging/rewarding thing for you in developing this series for Image Comics?

I guess it’s because we both have such sparkling personalities. And really good taste in shoes.

And also, maybe something to do with tapping into a well of simmering female rage? Nah… It’s probably the shoes. No WAIT. It’s the simmering female rage! I don’t know. I love Bitch Planet, and I suspect that people who appreciate Bitch Planet (smart, excellent people) will appreciate Maneaters as well. I also think that Man-eaters can reach some readers who maybe aren’t totally ready for Bitch Planet? (Age-wise, not wokewise.) I am here for you, seventh-graders. Also — not that Bitch Planet isn’t hilarious — but I think Man-eaters might be a little funnier. There.

I said it.

My friend Lia Miternique and I started a company called Ministry of Trouble to publish Maneaters with Image. Our artist, Kate, lives in Poland, and apparently cashing a check there is really a pain. So, I got to call my bank and say, “I need to wire money to Poland from the Ministry of Trouble.” They think I’m some sort of international criminal now. So that’s pretty rewarding.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR • Vince Brusio writes about comics and writes comics. He is the longserving Editor of PREVIEWSworld.com, the creator of PUSSYCATS, and encourages everyone to keep the faith...and keep reading comics.

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LION FORGE Written by: Mitch Iverson Illustrated by: Rubine, Beni Lobel $14.99 | 136 pgs. | Ages 9 to 12 | ISBN: 9781941302699 | On Sale JANUARY 29, 2019 The five Paladins of Voltron are back and ready to continue their mission to defeat the Galra and bring peace to the galaxy. But bringing peace isn’t as simple as it sounds, as their new mission takes them places beyond forming Voltron. Together the Paladins form a plan to infiltrate a Galra supply chain of imprisoned planets known as the SPRAWL.

Their new mission strikes at the heart of the Galra Empire and gives the Paladins new challenges to face on their quest to bring peace throughout the galaxy. It may be difficult, but the Paladins are up for any challenges that come their way in the newest volume of Voltron Legendary Defender!

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KATIE’S KORNER:

GRAPHIC NOVEL TEACHER’S GUIDES

BY DR. KATIE MONNIN

The Prince and the Dressmaker

First Second Written and Illustrated by: Jen Wang Ages 12 and up $16.99 | 288 pgs. | ISBN: 9781626723634

dresses. With Frances’ help, he ignores his father’s expectations of him and goes out at night dressed as a woman named “Lady Crystallia.”

Major Characters: Lady Sophia Rohan, Frances, Emile, the Prince Sabastian (also, Lady Crystallia), King Leo, Queen, Princess Juliana, Prince Marcel, Peter, Madame Aurelia, Princess Louise Major Settings: Paris, Beauty Pageant, Trippley’s, the Royal Home, Spa Town, Remote Monastery Themes: Identity, Family, Normative Culture, Artistry and Self-expression, Truth and Honesty

Lesson Plan Recommendation Using the Common Core Standards (CCS) for Young Adults Craft and Structure CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.5

Review

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!

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.

Elements of Story

Plot: Frances is an unknown seamstress working in Paris. When she is discovered by Prince Sabastian he immediately hires her to sew him

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Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of where to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a comedic or tragic resolution) contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.

Directions for Lesson Plan

Using two dice, and working in pairs, follow these steps: STEP 1: Read the words and the images on the front and the back cover and write down what you think this graphic novel will be about.

STEP 2: Reader #1 rolls two dice. Adding the two numbers together from the dice, Reader #1 and Reader #2 must collectively decide what they think will happen in __(# added up by two dice)__ pages in the story.

Thinking about how many pages they must predict ahead, Readers # 1 and # 2 use words, images, and / or a combination of words and images to predict what they think will be happening that many pages ahead in the story. Both readers can record their responses in the space below.

STEP 3: Readers keep going back and forth rolling the dice, adding up the numbers, and writing/ drawing their predictions until they finish the story.

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Otherworldy Izakaya Nobu Volume 1

Udon Entertainment Written by: Natsuya Semikawa Illustrated by: Virginia Nitouhei Ages 13 and up $12.99 | 164 pgs. | ISBN: 9781772940671

an otherworldly place. In one chapter, oden potatoes bring solace to weary soldiers. In another chapter, Miss Shinobu’s special napolitan brings comfort and a sense of home to a rigid tax collector. Even the unique dish ankake yudofu satisfies an otherwise dissatisfied and picky princess.

No matter what concerns you bring with you when you eat at Nobu, there’s a strong chance the Japanese style restaurant’s cuisine might transform your life.

And if you’re still hungry for more, keep an eye out for Otherworldly Izakaya Nobu Volume 2 out later this month.

Elements of Story

Plot: In a Japanese style pub with otherworldly cooking powers, customers find food that transforms their lives.

Major Characters: Nobu Chief, Miss Shinobu, Hans, Nikolaus, Commander Berthold, Gehrnot, Johann Gustav, Hildegarde, Ignatz, Kamil Major Settings: Streets of Eiteriach, Izakaya Nobu Themes: Food, Community, Culture, Transformation

Review

I first heard of Otherwordly Izakaya Nobu this past October at New York City Comic Con. Only an occasional manga reader, I sat in a panel room and listened to a room full of my peers and friends talk about some of their favorite manga titles for young adults. Everyone on the panel, and an obvious nodding audience, agreed that Otherworldly Izakaya Nobu Volume 1 should be one of the first titles occasional or new readers to manga should read right away. When my Editor at Diamond had Otherworldly Izakaya Nobu Volume 1 on her next list of titles for me to consider a few weeks later, I saw it as a universal sign that I should indeed review the title.

A Japanese style pub called “Nobu” offers much more than just food to its many patrons. Located in a back alley of the fictional medieval European city of Eiteriach, Nobu showcases new food courses that completely transform the lives of the patrons that eat them. In fact, each patron’s transformation is so intense they often feel as though their consumption of Nobu’s foods takes them to

Lesson Plan Recommendation Using the Common Core Standards (CCS) for Young Adults

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.1 Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

Directions for Lesson Plan

Because each chapter (or course) centers on a specific patron(s) and his or her food order(s), students can use a series of entries in a server’s notebook to keep track of all the various food orders and their resulting experiences. These entries will provide high level overviews of the key ideas and details from each chapter of the story.

For accompanying lesson plan infographic, please visit diamondbookshelf.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR • Dr. Katie Monnin is the Director of Education at Pop Culture Classroom in Denver, Colorado. She has written dozens of articles, curricula, reviews, lesson plans, and 8 books about teaching graphic novels, animation, video games, social media and other pop culture topics in the classroom.

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GRAPHIC NOVEL REVIEWS Oblivion Song Volume 1 Image Comics

Robert Kirkman’s new graphic novel is a far cry from Walking Dead but Oblivion Song will remind readers of why Walking Dead was such a success.

The plot follows Nathan Cole, a man who lost his brother when 300,000 citizens of Philadelphia phased into a monstrous parallel dimension. It has been ten years but Nathan has not given up hope and works with a small team who have found a way to venture into the Oblivion and bring people back.

The monstrous are horrific, beautiful, and deadly but like the walkers they are only the background terror to a study of what makes us human. What do you do when you husband has been lost for years and you have moved on but suddenly comes back? How do you deal with a job and school when you have been running from monsters and fighting to not starve? Nathan seems to have a clear mission but his past is full of mysteries that drive him forward. The biggest question is how do you rescue someone who doesn’t want to be saved?

Marianne, Librarian, Texas

Backways Volume 1 AfterShock Comics

There are little pockets of our world that are forgotten and claimed by the denizens of the Backway. The people there have created their own societies in dimensions just outside of the normal.

Anna’s girlfriend has gone missing, and she will stop at nothing to get her back even if it means tearing the Backway apart. Anna finds a guide in the mysterious woman known as Coyote Bones as they navigate the dangers of the Backway.

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The graphic novel provides a new fresh mythology that will feel alluringly familiar. The art nicely detailed giving even the background characters a life of their own. Anna is also a breath of fresh air.

She is focused, unflappable, and has a will of iron.

Coyote Bones is a mystery all unto herself that I can’t wait to figure out in future volumes. If you are looking for action, horror, magic, and mystery you will love Backways.

Marianne, Librarian, Texas

Tarot Café: Book 1 Tokyopop

This beautifully drawn collection follows Pamela—a woman who runs a small café, and also does Tarot readings for a variety of human, sub-human, and even super-human clients. Among her clients are a lovelorn cat, a vampire, a magician, a fairy, and a variety of people just looking for love and answers. Pamela will read for anyone—the greatness of her gift (or is it a curse?!) being second only to the greatness of her heart.

Throughout the book, tarot cards are used not only to help the characters, but also to illuminate for the reader the situations and relationships in which the characters find themselves. Along with the picture of the card, the possible meanings are given, both for standard and reverse orientation.

Cards appear in readings, and also at the beginnings of chapters, setting the tone for events to follow.

All the artwork created by Park for Tarot Café is lush and gorgeous—textures appear in shadows, backgrounds, and fabric, and beg to be touched.

Each character has hair so incredibly beautiful that one can imagine the texture of each tress, and the way it must move in the wind. Every character has such detailed features that it is easy for a reader to become lost in any of the various sets of lover’s eyes—large, dewy, and deep.

Holly, Library Aide, Colorado For more reviews, visit diamondbookshelf.com.

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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 Bully Wars Image Comics | 9781534310445

KIDS (Ages 4-8)

Captain Marvel: Ms. Marvel – A Hero is Born Marvel | 9781302915391

Benny and Penny: Just Pretend Raw Junior | 978935179269

TEENS+ (Ages 13 and up)

Cellies Volume 1 Lion Forge | 9781941302941

Agent 47 Volume 1 Dynamite | 9781524106607

Dance Class 3-in-1 Papercutz | 9781545805336

Charlie’s Angels Volume 1 Dynamite | 9781524108489

Albert Einstein: Time Mason Volume 1 Action Lab | 9781632294470

Doctor Who: Choose Your Future Journal Penguin Group UK | 9781405941938

Clyde IDW Publishing | 9781684054473

Animosity Volume 4 AfterShock Comics | 9781949028034

Creataceous Oni Press | 9781620105658

Aria: The Masterpiece Volume 1 Tokyopop | 9781427860002

Descendents: Evie’s Wicked Runway Book 3 Tokyopop | 9781427859709

Atari Classics: Atari Force Dynamite | 9781524105389

Eddie Spaghetti Fantagraphics | 9781683961772 Fast Enough: Bessie Stringfield’s First Ride Lion Forge | 9781549303142 Hot Alien Love Rocket Action Lab | 9781632294210

Doctor Who: Thirteen Doctors 13 Stories Penguin Group UK | 9780241356173

Little Pierrot Volume 3 Lion Forge | 9781941302620

Encounter Volume 2 Lion Forge | 9781549302718

Luke on the Loose Raw Junior | 9781935179368

Fun Fun Fun World Lion Forge | 9781941302781

Mr. Fibber Fantagraphics | 9781683961789

Geeky Fab Five Volume 1 Papercutz | 9781545801222

Powers in Action Volume 1 Action Lab | 9781632294418

Glint Book One Lion Forge | 9781549302992

Red Panda & Moon Bear Top Shelf | 9781603094443

Gum Girl Book 1 Image Comics | 9781534312029 Harry Moon Good Mischief Rabbit Publishers | 9781943785407

This is a Whoopsie!

Lion Forge | 9781941302873 The Windy Day Lion Forge | 9781942367987 Zig and Wikki in the Cow Raw Junior | 9781943145256

Harry Moon Professor Einstone Rabbit Publishers | 9781943785315 Honey Moon Skeletons in the Closet Rabbit Publishers | 9781943785780

MIDDLE GRADE (Ages 9-12)

Infinity Gauntlet: Deluxe Edition Marvel | 9781302915957

Alison and Her Rock Awesome Robot Action Lab | 9781632294371

Loud House 3-in-1 Papercutz | 9781545805305

Lazaretto BOOM! | 9781684152773

Aspen Mascots Aspen Comics | 9781941511602

Maria M. Fantagraphics | 9781683960164

Battlepug: The Compugdium Image Comics | 9781534310285 Belzebubs IDW Publishing | 9781603094429 Betrothed Volume 1 AfterShock Comics | 9781949028119 Beyonders Volume 1 AfterShock Comics | 9781949028065 Charlie’s Angels Volume 1 Dynamite | 9781524108489

OLDER TEENS (Ages 16 and up) Abberant Volume 1 Action Lab | 9781632294173 Absolute Batman: The Black Mirror DC Comics | 9781401289553 The Ballad of Sang Oni Press | 9781620105801 Billie The Bee Fantagraphics | 9781683961734 Bitter Root Volume 1 Image Comics | 9781534312128 Black Betty Volume 2 Action Lab | 9781632294111

Bad Machinery Volume 7 Oni Press | 9781620105627

Miraculous Season 2: Bye, Bye Little Butterfly!

Action Lab | 9781632294395

Black Butler Volume 27 Yen Press | 9781975383619

The Ballad of Yaya Volume 1 Lion Forge | 9781942367642

Nancy Drew: Cold Case Dynamite | 9781524108496

World’s End Harem Volume 4 Ghost Ship | 9781947804302

Big Alien Moon Crush Action Lab | 9781632294210

Oddly Normal Volume 4 Image Comics | 9781534310650

Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs Volume 5

For more core list titles by age group, visit diamondbookshelf.com

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RESOURCES

BOOKS ABOUT GRAPHIC NOVELS 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-to-navigate 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 comprehension-building 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 gamechanging tool for the classroom and beyond, this full-color 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.

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

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

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!

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HOW TO ORDER COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS YOU HAVE MANY OPTIONS – CHOOSE THE ONE THAT WORKS BEST FOR YOU!

1. BUY FROM YOUR LOCAL COMIC BOOK SHOP 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.

2. BUY FROM YOUR USUAL WHOLESALER OR BOOK JOBBER 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!

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!

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.

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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.

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