Illustration credited to Shannon Wright for NPR
Glen Weldon and Petra Mayer of NPR present a remarkable list of 100 comics for a variety of readers. The comics are sorted into ten categories, and the helpful annotations are concise.
The summer certainly is an opportune time for readers of all ages to choose formats that are new to them . . . but this bibliography will be useful year-round!
http://www.npr.org/2017/07/12/533862948/lets-get-graphic-100-favorite-comics-and-graphic-novels
photo courtesy of Samantha Darby
Thank you, Samantha Darby for gathering a list of superb children’s books!
Thank you, Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art for sharing Darby’s post!
Thank you, Alison Bechdel (author/artist of the comic Fun Home) for creating another way to explore and collect media!
We serve library users – especially youth – by including materials that communicate that all types of people are important!
Notions of free-form hitchhiking (no itinerary, just scraps of money, no end in sight!) can thrill or chill. Today is the Last Day of the Rest of Your Life (Ulli Lust’s comic translated from German to English, 2013), is a memoir that does both.
Impulsively at age 17, Ulli roams through Italy for a few months with her insistent new friend, Edi. Eventually, they are ensnared at the beck and call of powerful men. Each of the two women must decide to stay, to bolt . . . or go home.
Ulli and Edi are adventurous to the point of brashness. Their journey is thrilling, with new sights, adventures, sex explorations, cocky plans for meals and shelter, and lots of laughs. The journey is also chilling, with encountering men (some aggressive, some pathetic, and most raring to go at it), taking street drugs, skirting violence, and spending time in jail.
Ulli’s journey fills 462 riveting comics pages. Reading through is like being on a roller coaster, rising then plummeting, wishing the experience would never end, and working hard to suck in a breath. There is a deluge to digest: tattoos, vomit, wine, murmurs in the dark, pubic lice, hairdos (prominent visuals in this comic), Nazis, music, rape, and hunger. But there are also small, sweet oases of starlight, satisfaction, and dreams.
After absorbing Ulli Lust’s provocative memoir in comics form, readers will want more to feel, see, and ponder. The following titles can keep the journey going:
MUSIC: Kind of Blue (Miles Davis, 1959) ◊ A classic, accessible and profound jazz album to relish after the comic’s last page (or for listening while reading).
MUSIC: Blind Faith (Blind Faith, 1969) ◊ Music about emotions, finding purpose, and facing the future. [This groundbreaking album established firm footing in Western popular culture just preceding Ulli Lust’s journey, making its style a part of the social scene of the times.]
PHOTOGRAPHS: Eye to Eye (Vivian Maier, 2013) ◊ “Eye to eye” portraits taken on streets around the world by a woman who kept these images with her personal belongings.
BOOK: Living Through This: A Mother’s Memoir of Runaway Daughters and Reclaimed Love (Debra Gwartney, 2009) ◊ A memoir of family abandoned and family reconciled, told by a mother who searched for her daughters in San Francisco.
BOOK: On the Road (Jack Kerouac, 1957) ◊ A 20th century ‘Beat Generation’ classic about searching for meaning and growth on a cross country road trip.
BOOK: Girl (Blake Nelson, 1994) ◊ A literary look at the transition from stereotypical teen to non-conforming, satisfied young woman.
GRAPHIC NOVEL: Little Fish: A Memoir From a Different Kind of Year (Ramsey Beyer, 2013) ◊ A girl from small-town America goes to college in the city, documenting changes and transitions in her life with a journal and artwork.
GRAPHIC NOVEL: We Can Never Go Home (Matthew Rosenberg, 2015) ◊ Two teens leave home and can never go back. They have music, a car, cash, a gun, and some unusual capabilities.
FILM: Submarine (Mary Burke et al. [Producers]; Richard Ayoade [Writer/Director]; 2011) ◊ Based on a novel by Joe Dunthorne, a teenage boy’s coming of age is depicted amid family drama.
References
Beyer, R. (2013). Little Fish: A memoir from a different kind of year. San Francisco, CA: Zest.
Blind Faith. (1969). Blind Faith (sound recording CD). United Kingdom: Polydor.
Burke, M., Herbert, M., & Stebbing, A. (Producers); Ayoade, R. (Writer, Director). Submarine (videorecording DVD). Beverly Hill, CA: Anchor Bay.
Davis, M. (1958; 1987). Kind of blue (sound recording CD). New York, NY: Columbia.
Gwartney, D. (2009). Living through this: A mother’s memoir of runaway daughters and reclaimed love. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Kerouac, J. (1957; 2003); On the road. New York, NY: Penguin Books.
Lust, U.; Thompson, K. (Editor/Translator). (2013). Today is the last day of the rest of your life. Seattle, WA: Fantagraphics.
Maier, V. (2013). Eye to eye: Photographs by Vivian Maier. Chicago, IL: Cityfiles.
Nelson, B. (1994). Girl. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.
Rosenberg, M. (2015). We can never go home. Vol. 1, What we do is secret. Los Angeles, CA: Black Mask.
Read the original comic. See the musical adaptation.
Marvel at the “repetition without replication” (Hutcheon, 2012, p. 7).
Alison Bechdel’s ‘tragicomic’ memoir, Fun Home (2006), is achingly moving as it propels readers through her childhood and young adulthood in a family which struggles yet copes, explodes yet has love and fun, and gets through painfully yet emphatically. Comics panels depict and convey Bechdel’s desire to connect with a demanding, enigmatic, secretive gay father, as well as her growing recognition and eventual celebration of her own lesbian identity. All the while, frank images, sumptuous captions, and plentiful samples of literary-text-as-illustration saturate the pages with poignancy, family history, and her father’s suicide. Bechdel’s yearnings, pluck, and compelling sequential art are so absorbing that readers will want to experience her memoir in a cover-to-cover sitting.
Adaptation of this comic into Fun Home, the musical, presents Bechdel’s memoir within the wonderful accouterments of live theater (as seen on May 18, 2016 at the Circle in the Square theatre on Broadway in New York City). Changes in presentation are distinct; stage replaces page, music voices characters’ views and readers’ reactions, a succinct and passionate script supplants eloquent text, and audience members are in a social group setting for the story rather than experiencing a comic solo.
Despite changes from the comic, the audience is propelled through the musical as well. The basics of Bechdel’s memoir are present in the musical’s characters, scenes, and events. (A similar idea , i.e., “enough familiar pieces,” is presented by Andrew Sparling in his blog.) The underlying visual guidance of a comics author/artist, however, is replaced with the ingenious incorporation of an adult ‘Alison’ [Bechdel] who roams the stage throughout the ‘years,’ providing intermittent narration and a number of descriptive or explanatory ‘verbal captions.’ Instead of comics panels which connect via layout, perspective and view, there is constant connection of moments and scenes on stage — in full view with no curtains, actors move, scenery changes, lighting transforms, a conductor directs, and musicians play. Instead of gutters of space on comics pages, there are gutters of expectant silence in the theatre. Instead of a cover-to-cover read, audiences are swept along a start-to-finish production with no intermission.
Lisa Kron, creator of the “book & lyrics” for Fun Home, the musical, notes the “deep river of yearning that flows through [Bechdel’s comic]” (Ross, May 2016, p. 21). As explained above, a number of features in the musical create that “deep river of yearning” on stage as well.
References
Bechdel, A. (2006). Fun home: A family tragicomic. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.
Hutcheon, L. (2012). A theory of adaptation, 2nd edition. London, UK: Routledge.
Ross, B. (Ed.). (May 2016). Playbill: Circle in the Square. New York, NY: Playbill.
The inspiration for my ‘pathfinder’ on Spooky Comics for Families was Emily Carroll’s exceptional comic, Through the Woods (Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2014). (See my post of May 5, 2016 and click here for the pathfinder brochure.)
It was easy to decide on the pathfinder’s audience (youth in grades K-12 and parents/caregivers) because at my chosen library, one department serves children and teens. It was challenging, however, to serve this audience because of the wide range of ages/grades, reading abilities, and fright tolerance; possible experience or inexperience with comics; and the need for materials for families and individuals.
The audience largely determined the format: an introductory front cover, titles and annotations in age/grade order, complementary materials in other formats, and resources for parents/caregivers about comics-reading and comics-choices.
Catalog searching involved subjects and headings such as horror, horror comic books, strips, etc., witches, and vampires; genres such as horror tales and graphic novels [although one title was catalogued as a picture book]; and keywords including spooky, ghosts, and nightmare. Most book reviews consulted came from School Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, Hornbook [Guide and Magazine], and VOYA Magazine. Other resources accessed were the Common Sense Media website, YALSA’s annual Great Graphic Novels for Teens (via the American Library Association), online information about the Eisner Award, and websites of ‘comic-cons’ such as Comic-Con International at San Diego.
The greatest joy in creating the Spooky Comics for Families pathfinder was reading through many titles as might a young reader, teen, or family. Even a scaredy-cat (me!) purred away while poring over the comics. And, it’s exciting to now have a brand new set of recommendations, in a genre that is new to me, for many types of readers!
The comics-reading experience is enriched by ideas from the creators of sequential art. Here’s a short video of Gareth Hinds talking about some of his work: Click here.
Pages 442-443:
There are five panels on the left (“Panels 1-5”) and two panels on the right (“Panels 6-7”) on pages 442-443 of Craig Thompson’s Blankets (2003). This page-spread depicts a moment in time when Raina’s father discovers her embraced in sleep with her young love, Craig. Subtle aspect-to-aspect closure is facilitated by increasingly revealing views. Panel 1 encapsulates many details within the love story – the walls are filled with images in angular mini-panels; Raina’s father is just inside the doorway. Panel 6 moves in for a medium-distance bird’s eye view of Craig and Raina, with blanket piecework and an exquisite pillow coming into focus. The sequence of Panels 1 to 6 to 7 includes images (of the embrace) that unwind counter-clockwise, ending with a close-up bird’s eye view highlighting peace and light in Raina’s profile and hair.
Beneath Panel 1, the gutter leads to a tier of small panels showing the father’s juxtaposed set of facial expressions in Panels 2-5. His face is simple and cartoonish, and communicates his overall reaction in slow motion, almost directly to the reader. There are stereotypical depictions of surprise and concern, a quick look away (to gather his thoughts?), and a tentative mouth poised to speak. In Panel 5, the shaft of his speech balloon leads to a suggestion of thought (. . .). The shaft reappears in Panel 6, effectively connecting with Panel 5 over the central gutter, then wends and propels the balloon – which never reaches the couple. The suggestion of thought lands in Panel 7 and fades within the profile of Craig’s face. The balloon is gone and the reader must narrate retrospectively. Whatever the father had thought is unvoiced, secondary to the bond between the lovers and silenced by his daughter’s happiness. Raina’s profile is in the center of a white background, dominating the page-spread and vaguely over-layered by Craig’s coexisting silhouette. Raina’s grace and beauty, with hair and light radiating, are reminiscent of other angelic, transcendent pages/panels and one of the comic’s irrepressible themes: tender hope.
Black and white art allows the reader to react without the influence of color. Shadows appear around the young lovers (in blanket folds, behind Raina’s father, and emanating from the father’s feet), but their relationship is set apart by faces and skin accentuated with light.
Thompson’s drawing style uses graceful lines when tranquility or loving connections exist, no matter what is pictured nearby. In Panel 6, the reader is drawn close to Craig and Raina, and they are enveloped in swirls, wavy lines, curls of hair, flowers, and the blanket’s curves. Such graceful depictions appear in other comics that include tender, loving moments (e.g., at times when a widow thinks of her lover in The Color of Earth (Kim, 2009), or when a man gazes at his wife in This One Summer (Tamaki, 2014, p. 97).
Several themes in Blankets are represented in this page-spread. Craig’s arm wraps warmly around Raina, but there is a trace of the unforgettable history of abuse in the right-angle of Craig’s arm; it resembles the monstrous jaw held open by Craig’s father when locking Craig’s brother in “the cubby hole” (p. 16). Raina’s wrist is angled, showing the couple’s connection. Rejection of certain tenets of faith is represented in the cut-off portrait of Christ on the wall. Trees appear in this comic in scenes of relief, retreat, hope, and peace; in this spread, Craig’s tree-painting on the wall leads the reader down to a tree-like arrangement of blanket folds on a calm bed. The “blankets” theme appears literally, enveloping and protecting Craig and Raina. Just their upper torsos, arms and heads show, presenting their relationship as greatly cerebral.
As a reader, my reaction to this spread acknowledges angularity but is touched by desire, embrace, and serenity. (I’ve been there and I’ve cherished it.) For librarians, the spread is an example of the ability of comics to depict realities, yearnings, sweetness, hope, and respite. For analysis, the spread is compelling because it is infused with the universality of young love amid struggle, such as found in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. From the beginning of Blankets, the depictions of life experiences swathed my thoughts and settled into a deep spot in my spirit.
References
Kim, D. H. (2009). The color of Earth. New York, NY: First Second.
Tamaki, M. (2014). This one summer. New York, NY: First Second.
Thompson, C. (2003). Blankets: A graphic novel. Marietta, GA: Top Shelf.
On Saturday, May 7, I traveled with my spouse to Smithtown, NY, to visit Fourth World Comics on FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2016. It was the friendliest, happiest store-based happening I’ve ever experienced.
Prior to the big day, Fourth World Comic’s website and Facebook page announced a schedule for the day, particulars about comics-giveaways and signings, and great information about lines, purchases, certificates, and comics-grading by CBCS (Comic Book Certification Service). [For information about their services and how the grading works, visit the CBCS website.]
We arrived just after 5:00 PM, when artist Sean Chen would be there to sign. We choose that time because I’m learning about Zenescope Entertainment’s Grimm Fairy Tales comics, and Chen has done penciling and created cover art for numerous issues.
Fourth World staff were everywhere, just where they were needed – doing friendly crowd-control, finding out why people were on the line and then directing them, guiding people to the rack of free comics, and answering questions. We selected free copies of these floppies:
[While preparing this post, I discovered the availability of the 2016 lineup of free comics at the FREE COMIC BOOKS DAY website.]
I asked staff to recommend a comic with Sean Chen’s work, and they quickly selected a copy of Grimm Fairy Tales Issue 103: Snow White and Rose Red Revisited from the rows of floppies in the store. Mr. Chen was quietly signing away, but when I offered my hand, we shook and he answered my question about cover design (he follows the publisher’s general direction). I felt he was pleased to be there. There were original Chen works for sale as well.
I gathered that most of the people attending the event were young men, but there were also women and families with children. Everyone paid attention to the children – many were in costume and there were smiles all around.
Based on my experience with an upbeat event, friendly atmosphere, and very helpful staff, I will definitely attend a FREE COMICS BOOK DAY event next year! (And will probably purchase another comic as I did on May 7 — there was 30% off all purchases, staff knew just where titles were, and I couldn’t resist adding Blankets by Craig Thompson to my home library.)
Video screen image retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Dav-Pilkey/e/B000APCYV8
During a recent class lecture/discussion on censorship issues related to comics, I was reminded of a video from Dav Pilkey, creator of the Captain Underpants series.
Pilkey offers three practical ways to express personal concerns without infringing on the rights of others.
I posted about the two-minute video in December 2014, and here is the link again:
Click here (then scroll to the right, through the ‘Author Updates,’ to the last video).
Flying Lessons (Runton, 2005), the third comic in the Owly series, is a meaningful story for all ages. It involves the friendship of Owly (who cannot fly) and Wormy (who helps Owly experience the joy of flight). Another key character is a flying squirrel who is afraid of owls. A Booklist review notes that the author “hits the mark” in a tale about “confronting and overcoming fears” (Booklist reviews, n.d.).
I tried to enjoy Flying Lessons, but never took flight. I am a slow reader with most of my experience in text-based literature and picture books (wherein images usually support text), and my reading kept stopping and stalling to the point of losing the story along the way.
The features of this comic that caused my frustrating response involve visual literacy. I was challenged by the salience of Owly’s round shape which overshadowed the masterfully drawn, expressive eyes. The gazes of characters bridged many gutters and prevented me from delineating panels and benefiting from pensive ‘breathing space.’ In the conversation- and thought-balloons, the use of images instead of text often brought me to a full stop in order to decipher meaning. Because my already-slow reading slowed further, the black-and-white pages became monotonous and homogenized.
As a library science student with a background in literacy development, I realize that the features that frustrated me might very well be features that support other readers. Those with more comics experience are likely to fly through this title at a speed which supports comprehension of the story line. Readers with strong spatial intelligence (as per Howard Gardner and explained in Lyga, 2004, p. 2) are likely to enjoy decoding images in the balloons. Those who might be distracted by color variances are likely to benefit from the use of black-and-white pages.
References
Booklist reviews. (n.d.). Retrieved on May 7, 2016 from the online catalog of the Comsewogue Public Library [cplib.org] at http://contentcafe2.btol.com/ContentCafeClient/ReviewsDetailID.aspx?ID=2077018
Lyga, A. A. W. (2004). Graphic novels in your media center: A definitive guide. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.
Runton, A. (2005). Flying Lessons. Marietta, GA: Top Shelf.
Looking for spoooooooky comics for youth in grades K-12, plus extra resources for sharing comics in the family?
For a sample brochure (front and back of a bi-fold) click here!
(Please note: The front cover of the brochure has the speech balloons.)
Critchfield and Powell’s account (2012) of a censorship ‘battle’ at the Jessamine County Public Library (JCPL) is a wake-up call for any librarian or library school student who assumes that policies and procedures provide all the support needed when faced with censorship attempts. Highly effective suggestions are made by Critchfield and Powell, especially on page 12 of their article, concerning spokesperson(s), confidentiality, publicity, “spread[ing] the truth,” and “remaining above the fray.” After reviewing these suggestions, other practical efforts and approaches come to mind and are listed below.
First, however, it is important to applaud the work of the JCPL circulation manager who promptly referred a concerned library staff person to a collection development committee when she believed that The League of Extraordinary Gentleman: Black Dossier (Moore, 2008) was pornographic and should not be available at JCPL. Also commendable is the work of the committee who responded, and the astute and professional efforts of the library director who monitored an unfolding censorship scheme by employees who were eventually terminated.
Next, it is important to look squarely in the face of various individual or group perspectives. Religious individuals can be sincere in their efforts to follow the mandates of their faith. Others may feel they have no choice but to “protect” children and others. Media outlets are (hopefully) dedicated to bringing news to their communities.
Given that the rights of all community individuals must be protected, careful and thorough policies, materials-challenge procedures, and follow-up are part of the foundation of library service. The following proactive efforts and approaches can be practiced as well by librarians and other library personnel:
References
Critchfield, R., & Powell, D. M. (2012). Well-intentioned censorship is still censorship: The challenge of public library employees. In Nye, V., & Barco, K. (Eds.), True stories of censorship battles in America’s Libraries (pp.8-13). Chicago, IL: ALA Editions.
Moore, A. (2008). The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black dossier. La Jolla, CA: America’s Best Comics.
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Among teens who need non-fiction titles for school assignments, there are students who would rather read anything but a history book. They open their Social Studies textbooks and cringe at seemingly dry and endless assemblages of names, dates, maps, and charts. This is the type of reader that I have in mind for Nick Bertozzi’s Shackleton: Antarctic Odyssey (2014).
This comics title presents an account of British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton’s failed quest to walk across Antarctica in 1914-1916. This bold and resilient leader started out with a ship, a captain, 26 crewmen, 34 dogs, a cat, and a fearless plan. The expedition encountered brutal elements, constant challenges, and an unforgiving expanse of harsh territory. Astonishingly, all of Shackleton’s men survived.
To introduce this title to my disinterested teen, I would address its inimitable topic. This is not your typical exploration story. Shackleton could not revel in being the first person to complete an Antarctic walk. He did not bask in a hero’s life of fame and fortune. Instead, his ‘prize’ was an extraordinary adventure through danger, cold, and wonder at the bitter-cold southern end of the world. His ship was devoured by ice; he blinked for just a moment after a hungry “widow-maker” wave plunged down; and he rallied his exhausted men over a glacier in the dark. Shackleton also allowed his crew a banjo, hot cocoa, and a soccer game in the wilderness.
I would also explain that this is not your typical history book. Wide, friendly charts have conversation balloons, mini-images in panels, and clever labels which make sense of many facts. Within the book, reality rules; there are images of slip-sliding down a mountain, frostbitten toes, and a fart in the night. The comics panels are large, small, neat, or chaotic, and always changing. The faces are plentiful and detailed, but there is room for readers to form their own mental images and think for themselves. Sharp maps appear when needed. Best of all, there are juicy ‘sound effects’ and full-blooded remarks, including the eerie “KRRRACK” of ice fields, and Mr. Worsely’s “Oh, the smell!” (p. 105).
Finally, I would provide another book for my teen: Ice Story: Shackleton’s Lost Expedition (Kimmel, 1999). It includes 44 photos taken by Frank Hurley, the expedition’s photographer. After my teen reads Bertozzi’s Shackleton: Antarctic Odyssey, Hurley’s photos will confirm the exciting history and value of Bertozzi’s comics account.
References
Bertozzi, N. (2014). Shackleton: Antarctic odyssey. New York, NY: First Second.
Kimmel, E. C. (1999). Ice story: Shackleton’s lost expedition. New York, NY: Clarion.
J. Robert Oppenheimer was an academic prodigy, a central figure in the development of the atomic bomb during World War II, and eventually an anguished scientist. On the front cover of Jonathan Fetter-Vorm’s Trinity: A Graphic History of the First Atomic Bomb (2012), Oppenheimer’s eyes stare at the reader. An atomic-bomb cloud glares above. Readers of this title will stare as well; the visual energy on each page will rivet their eyes and minds on science, history, and the formidable powers inherent in ‘The Manhattan Project’ that created the first atomic bomb. Readers will be held in an imagistic grip, and will surely feel compelled to look at other comics and related media.
There are 152 rich and efficient pages in Fetter-Vorm’s comic about the development and use of the atomic bomb by the United States during a secretive, deadly campaign to force Japan’s World War II surrender. The sequential art makes many facets of this history accessible, and it includes images, terms, and historical figures that readers have likely encountered before in academia or in popular culture. These include ‘atomic fission,’ ‘nuclear chain reactions,’ Marie Curie, Enrico Fermi, U. S. President Harry S. Truman, U. S. General Leslie Groves, Trinity, Los Alamos, and Hiroshima.
A particularly effective use of graphic panels, layout, and text boxes appears on page 49, where essential processes jigsaw together and the essence of “criticality” is explained:
Broad expanses of black and white on several pages of Trinity: A Graphic History of the First Atomic Bomb represent the profundity of science and its ability to destroy peoples at war. The predominance of ashen gray backgrounds, however, illustrates the involvement of moral, ethical, and philosophical questions and uncertainties (i.e., ‘gray areas’). Two examples are “Does the need to end a war justify the propagation of phenomenal destruction?” and “How do common folk participate unknowingly in massive violence or other aggressions?”
It’s hard to look away from the science, history, possibilities, dilemmas, revelations, and cautionary tales in Trinity: A Graphic History of the First Atomic Bomb. For further exploration in several media formats, start with these titles:
Bird, K. (2011). American Prometheus: The triumph and tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer [Electronic resource eBook]. New York, NY: Random House; available electronically via Overdrive.
Chute, H. L. (2016). Disaster drawn: Visual witness, comics, and documentary form [Comics format]. Cambridge, MA: Belknap/Harvard University.
Gonick, L. (1991). The cartoon guide to physics [Comics format]. New York, NY: HarperPerennial.
O’Neal, M. (1990). President Truman and the atomic bomb: Opposing viewpoints [Print]. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven.
Pellegrino, C. R. (2014). The last train from Hiroshima: The survivors look back [Audiobook on CD]. Old Saybrook, CT: Tantor.
Wells, H. G. (1914). The world set free: A story of mankind [Print]. New York, NY: E. P. Dutton. [This title is described on page 6 in Trinity: A Graphic History of the First Atomic Bomb.]
World War II [Videorecording DVD]. (2005). [Place of publication not identified]: Komax Licensing.
Reference
Fetter-Vorm, J. (2012). Trinity: A graphic history of the first atomic bomb. New York, NY: Hill and Wang/Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Manga and manwha comics offer a variety of features that evoke reactions in the reader. [Such features appear in two preliminary examples here, and a third title is discussed in more detail.] In Kim Dong Hwa’s The Color of Earth (manwha; 2003), for example, the fine lines, careful textures, and contrasts in visual tone evoke feelings of fascination and compassion. This first comic in a trilogy tells a poignant story about coming of age, young love, and yearning. Perhaps less subtle artistically, Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto (manga) series presents the story of Uzumaki Naruto, a rascally young ninja with secret power and a spirited goal. In Volume 1 (1999), there are varied facial expressions, full-body action, and depictions of struggle within adventure. Such features evoke empathy (Eisner, 2008, p. 47) for Uzumaki’s no-holds-barred approach, and anticipation and excitement about his actions and reactions.
In Rumiko Takahashi’s Ranma 1/2, Volumes 1 and 2 (manga; 1993), the main character (Ranma) is a spunky young man whose body hosts the spirit of a girl. He navigates through martial arts and sports training, arrangements for a bride, high school bullies, fights, sports contests . . . and sex-changes dependent on douses of cold water (instant girl, breasts and all!) or hot (a guy again!).
In the Ranma 1/2 volumes, there are features that evoke reader reactions more conspicuously than do the features in The Color of Earth and Naruto, Volume 1. Ranma’s hairstyle, for example, is always the same – a fluffy ‘do’ with a distinct braid in the back – regardless of the moment’s gender. This consistency evokes an “Ahh, there you are!” reaction, and the reader can continue without having to backtrack through Ranma’s transformations. The prominence of characters with black hair also catches the eye; the reader can effortlessly note their presence and involvement in the story.
Other features in Ranma 1/2 include the books’ endpapers and inside covers; circles of sarcastic pandas introduce comedy and elicit chuckles, and expectations of action ‘literally’ result from a page devoted to the definition of “action.” Within the books, predictable panel layouts and black-and-white images are easy to examine (McCloud, 1993, p. 192), supporting expectations for a friendly, unruffled read.
Onomatopoeia is the most provoking feature in the first two volumes of Ranma 1/2. A plethora of action/sound words appear in a variety of lettering (Eisner, 2008, p. 61), from petite examples (“SNFF SNFF”) to moderate (“TUMP TUMP TUMP”) to bulbous (“PADAPADAPADAPADA”) to page-filling (“YAAAAAA! SHRAKKKKK”). The reader swirls effortlessly into the story and stays there to ‘hear’ the scuffles and feel the fun of wild, fast-paced action. The literary ‘icing on the cake’ consists of silly sights here and there, such as a silent panda holding up a sign that says, “Uh-Oh!”
Put together these features of Ranma 1/2, Volumes 1 and 2, and these “madcap” manga comics (Ranma 1/2, n.d., page title) render the reader helpless to resist moving quickly through the pages feeling entertained, amused . . . and wide awake!
References
Eisner, W. (2008). Graphic storytelling and visual narrative: Principles and practices from the legendary cartoonist. New York, NY: W. W. Norton.
Kim, D. H. (2003); Na, L. (Translator). The color of earth. New York, NY: First Second.
Kishimoto, M. (1999). Naruto, Volume 1: The tests of the ninja. San Francisco, CA: VIZ.
McCloud, S. (1993). Understanding comics: The invisible art. New York, NY: William Morrow/HarperCollins.
Ranma 1/2: The all-time classic hit series of gender-swapping, species-bending, madcap martial arts mayhem! (n.d.). Retrieved from the website of VIZ Media at http://www.viz.com/ranma-1-2
Takahashi, R. (2002). Ranma 1/2, Volume 1. San Francisco, CA: VIZ.
Takahashi, R.; Jones, G. & Thorn, M. [Adaptors]. (2003). Ranma 1/2, Volume 2, Action Edition. San Francisco, CA: VIZ.
For the class I am taking about comics and libraries, the course blog provides links to sixteen rich resources. Three of these have been particularly helpful in my studies because I am new to the world of comics and graphic novels, and because I work as a public librarian serving children and teens:
This resource gem includes news, reviews, articles, and reference materials, all useful for coursework and professional tasks. Basic comics history and a glossary are right at one’s fingertips, and the news and the lesson plans can be used in the development of library programs and events.
For more in-depth searching, there is information about publishers, reviews, an e-magazine, an e-newsletter, and kid-friendly sites. The ordering information is a good place to start learning about vendors and comics sellers.
The book lists and reviews have been most helpful to me in readers’ advisory and collection development. There are current lists of new and upcoming publications, bestsellers and POP lists which include formats such as film and video games. Four seasonal lists per year include bibliographic information and summaries. The age recommendations (Kids, Young Adults, Older Teens, and Adults) are extremely useful. Finally, this is a helpful source for lists of comics that support the Common Core.
Lambiek, a comics store located in Amsterdam (The Netherlands), opened in 1968 and began publication of Comiclopedia in 1994. Background information includes history and photos of the Lambiek store(s) and Lambiek-founder Kees Kousemaker. ‘Window shopping’ in the Webshop containing comics and comics art is an educational experience in itself. There are thousands of comics.
Accessing Comiclopedia can introduce students and librarians in the United States to the international world of comics. News about events and exhibitions is mainly European-based, but also includes features about Americans such as Daniel Clowes and Will Eisner. Text on the site may be read in Dutch or English.
There are two reference sections which are treasure troves. The Comics History pages list (verbatim) the thirty-seven Standards from the 1954 Comics Code Authority, and also contain information about underground comics, U. S. comic strips, and Disney comics artists from a variety of countries. The Illustrated Artists Compendium offers searchable (and fun!) access to names, bios, and sample pages from over 13,000 comics artists.
At the University of Florida, the English Department is “dedicated to the teaching of comics and visual rhetoric” and publishes this website, which is like a online catalog of comics resources. Geared toward academia, it is valuable for both students and librarians.
Some of the practical and topic-based offerings include a database of comics libraries, museums and digital resources, tools for comics creators, links to discussion groups, information about presenters and presentations at 13 comics conferences, and online galleries of comics from the late 19th and early twentieth centuries.
The site also provides free access to ImageTexT, an interdisciplinary online comics journal with eight volumes, and to COMIX-SCHOLAR L (a listserv for academic discussions). An online comics exhibit with seventeen sections is titled Help is on the Way! Comic Books and Superheroes in Special Collections and includes an exhibit catalog.
“I value literature because in it men look at life with all the vulnerability, honesty, and penetration they can command . . . and dramatize their insights by means of a unique relationship with language and form.” (Hoggart, as found in Chambers, 1973, p. 132.)
The comics excellence of Art Spiegelman’s two-volume Maus (1986, 1991) certainly exemplifies Richard Hoggart’s comments (above) about valuable literary qualities. Even so, I was afraid to read a comic about the Jewish Holocaust. The enormity of that history weighs on me like a mountain, and the prospect of reading the comic sickened me. I have already sobbed, had nightmares, and trembled over The Diary of a Young Girl (Frank [English translation], 1952), Sophie’s Choice (Pakula, 1999), and Schindler’s List (Keneally, 1982). My psyche buckles and weeps when my friend, Stan, talks about being a young Polish Jew at the time, witnessing atrocities, and surviving hidden in a pantry.
The importance of Maus, however, is compelling. Noted as a comics paradigm (Martin, 2011, p. 172), it is recommended as significant to readers and celebrated by a Pulitzer Prize. And so, I decided to ‘meet’ the titular ‘mouse,’ Vladek Spiegelman, a human Holocaust survivor whose story is told by his son, Art.
Maus includes the experiences of Vladek and his wife, both Polish Jews who survived a Holocaust ghetto, concentration camps, and life-threatening times after World War II. Concurrently, Vladek’s relationship with Art and other family happenings are disclosed. Now having read it, I believe humankind must know the history and the account. Librarians need to know more than is conveyed by the summaries and subject headings.
Art Spiegelman mixes a mammoth story with ‘undersized’ comics features, making Maus readable and engaging. At just 23-24 centimeters with fewer than 300 black-and-white pages in all, the physical books are easy to handle. Small panels laid out neatly allow accessible bits of story to form impressive sequential art. The text font is small and does not overwhelm. Human characters have familiar animal heads (Jews are mice, Polish folk are pigs, Nazis are cats, and more). This anthropomorphism becomes understated as it continues but demands constant visual interpretation. As a result, various players and their plights become familiar.
What happened to me as I read Maus was unexpected. My fears did not keep me from reading on, and horror and grief did not make me cower, buckle, or weep. This comic provided a reading experience diminutive enough to be safe, yet it was potent and gripping. Vladek’s feisty survival, albeit imperfect and painful, serves as a powerful example of response to unbelievable brutality. Art’s candor is refreshing. At the end, I was somber but revitalized.
References
Chambers, A. (1973). Introducing books to children. London, UK: Heinemann.
Frank, A.; Mooyaart-Doubleday, B. M. (Translator). (1952). The diary of a young girl. New York, NY: Doubleday.
Keneally, T. (1982). Schindler’s list. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.
Martin, E. (2011). Graphic novels or novel graphics? Comparatist, 35, 170-181.
Pakula, A. J. (Screenplay and Director); Pakula, A. J., & Barish (Producers). (1999). Sophie’s choice [DVD]. Santa Monica, CA: ITC Films.
Spiegelman, A. (1986). Maus I: A survivor’s tale: My father bleeds history. New York, NY: Pantheon.
Spiegelman, A. (1991). Maus II: A survivor’s tale: And here my troubles began. New York, NY: Pantheon.
As a student of comics (i.e., sequential art), my thoughts often turn to the effects of panels and gutters as literary components. Panel delineation draws the reader to consider pieces of story, and gutters are intentional spaces which assign control to the reader (McCloud, as found in Chute, 2014, p. 25) – thereby allowing the reader’s cognition, context, curiosity, and imagination to mingle. Story and ‘visual silence’ combine in sequential art; it is a unique form of literature that draws readers forward while allowing for pauses.
On March 23, I experienced the effects of panel-like components and gutter-like spaces in works of art in the Paul W. Zuccaire Gallery at Stony Brook University. The gallery currently showcases works by Logan Marks, Myda El-Maghrabi, Ye-seul Choi, Heather M. Cruce, and Victoria Febrer in “SUM: MFA 2016 Thesis Exhibition.”
Within the remarkable art in the exhibition, there are squares and rectangles delineating and forming fields of color, pattern, shape, and images. There are also ‘silent spots’ that allow for pauses and reflections. Just as in comics-reading, such features enhanced my visual experiences, enriched my interpretations, and increased my appreciation for the works.
Although the sequential nature of the art in comics and graphic novels is not necessarily characteristic of the art I viewed, it was interesting to experiment with both sequential and non-sequential visual navigation within the works. Also, incorporating assemblage tasks which occur during navigation through a comics page (Cohn, 2013, pp. 95-100; Eisner, 2008, p. 41), and then altering the visual process was an intense but rewarding way to enjoy the art from different perspectives.
Some tangential notes (and food for thought) for librarians and literacy specialists:
Each of the approaches above formed a distinct experience, and this brings to mind many possibilities in the experiences of readers of comics and graphic novels when they explore images, text, and layout. This also brings to mind the benefits of multidisciplinary approaches for literacy support in general, which Vukelich, Christie, and Enz point out in their discussions about literacy development (2008); they note that creating art is important (pp. 97-98). Inspired by my visit to the Paul W. Zuccaire Gallery, I will add that readers benefit when art for viewing is included in library offerings – in the form of trips to galleries and museums, or in a multi-media community gallery housed in the library.
To conclude, I recommend a visit to “SUM: MFA 2016 Thesis Exhibition.” In particular, readers of comics and graphic novels will be intrigued by the ‘panels’ and ‘gutters’ waiting to be discovered there. The exhibition runs through April 9.
The following works in the exhibition inspired this commentary:
Logan Marks: Static, Remote Control & the Leftover TV Dinners, 2016
Myda El-Maghrabi: Each body is a strange beach, 2016
Ye-seul Choi: An Aerial Scene, 2016
Heather M. Cruce: See Canyon Veil, 2016
Victoria Febrer: Moving Mountains #2, 2016 (Untitled Marine Vistas #173, 174, 175, 176, 177)
References
Chute, H. L. (2014). Outside the box: Interviews with contemporary cartoonists. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago.
Cohn, N. (2013). The visual language of comics: Introduction to the structure and cognition of sequential images. London, UK: Bloomsbury.
Eisner, W. (2008). Comics and sequential art: Principles and practices from the legendary cartoonist (Rev. ed.). New York, NY: W. W. Norton.
Moon, F., & Bá, G. (2011). Daytripper. New York , NY: DC Comics.
Vukelich, C., Christie, J., & Enz, B. (2008). Helping young children learn language and literacy: Birth through kindergarten (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.
M. C. Escher. (1948). Fish / Duck / Lizard Image (No. 69): Ink, watercolor. Retrieved from the website of the M.C. Escher Foundation and the M.C. Escher Company, B.V. at http://mcescher.com/gallery/back-in-holland/no-69-fishducklizard/
Many public libraries are laying out the welcome mat for comics readers and sequential art (i.e., ‘graphic novels’ and ‘comics’). Firm footing for connecting readers with titles is supported by effective cataloging, careful placement in library collections, and ongoing study.
This exploration highlights two related sources, and this blogger’s recommendations are listed.
Karen Green (November 9, 2010) speaks to a number of challenges in the academic library. Although the Library of Congress (LoC) Classification Outline can be used to collocate graphic novels or comics by branch of learning (e.g., Theatre) [para. 2-3], this may not always place related items where one might expect to find them (para. 4-8). For example, some items from one learning area may be on the ‘Literature’ shelves and others from the same area may be on the ‘Fine Arts/Drawing’ shelves. Some items may not be categorized as ‘graphic novels’ because they were added to the collection before this LoC format heading existed. Green notes that comics creators may not adhere to conventions that facilitate collecting or cataloging, such as applying for ISBNs and seeking nationally recognized cataloging copy (para. 14). Given these considerations, Green has a personal record that tracks collections in order to help patrons who might not find what they want in the library catalog (para. 15).
Lessons in library science and public-library practicalities can be gleaned from Green’s comments. These include the work that must be done to meet challenges in acquiring graphic novels and establishing them as searchable in both the catalog and on the shelf. At this time, collecting graphic novels in the public library might only be acquired from certain vendors, and collection development might require scholarly review. As a result, public librarians may not have access to materials in the comic market that are ‘underground’ or self-published. Public librarians can consider the following ideas.
Quinn Recommendations
Laurel Tarulli (2010) speaks to challenges with the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) system, technical services operations, and changing library practices. The article includes an intense medley of earnest efforts to serve patrons, maintain cataloging excellence, and ensure high quality collection development.
Because graphic novels and comics might be processed in a technical services department before they reach a reference librarian, they might be catalogued according to “traditional . . . models” or catalogued without information such as illustrator names (Tarulli, 2010, p. 213). In addition, current and recent cataloging may have placed graphic fiction and comics within the 741.5s and graphic non-fiction within a myriad of non-fiction collections. Further, patrons may be interested in browsing comics by publisher or being presented with a variety of items collocated by character [not by format] (Tarulli, 2010, p. 219; What is, 2016, para. 2).
Tarulli also points to the importance of a “long-term view” that accommodates readers’ needs concerning series on shelves and in the catalog (p. 216), and processes such as applying “graphic novel sticker[s]” to identify new items before they hit the shelves. The discussion goes on to include practices that may inadvertently censor materials, networking that can support the excellence of the library services, and possibilities such as opportunities to browse by catalog images instead of items in hand (pp. 218-220).
This blogger’s recommendations that follow are focused on public libraries. They aim to consider Tarulli’s observations, to acknowledge that “pop culture moves quickly” (Lyga & Lyga, 2004, p. 13), to allow for prompt but careful change, to uphold a “long-term view” for assessing library practices, and to incorporate patrons’ needs.
Quinn Recommendations
References
About good comics for kids. (2016). Retrieved from the Good Comics for Kids blog of School Library Journal at http://blogs.slj.com/goodcomicsforkids/
Green, K. (November 9, 2010). ‘Whaddaya got?’: Finding graphic novels in an academic library. Retrieved from the website of Publishers Weekly at http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/comics/article/45109-whaddaya-got-finding-graphic-novels-in-an-academic-library.html
Jacobson, A. (2010). Party on! at your book discussions: Shouldn’t a book club be for the fun of sharing? American Libraries, 41(8). Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.queens.ezproxy.cuny.edu:2048/ps/i.do?ty=as&v=2.1&u=cuny_queens&it=search&s=RELEVANCE&p=PPMI&qt=TI~%22Party%20on!%20At%20your%22~~SP~28~~IU~8~~SN~0002-9769~~VO~41&lm=DA~120100000&sw=w
Lyga, A. A. W., & Lyga, B. (2004). Graphic novels in your media center: A definitive guide. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.
Nyberg, A. K. (2010). How librarians learned to love the graphic novel. In Weinger, R. (Ed.). Graphic novels and comics in libraries and archives: Essays on readers, research, history and cataloging. Jefferson, NC: McFarland.
Tarulli, Laurel. (2010). Cataloging and problems with Dewey: Creativity, collaboration and compromise. In Weiner, R. G. (Ed.). Graphic novels and comics in libraries and archives: Essays on readers, research, history and cataloging. Jefferson, NC: McFarland.
What is appeal?/Some examples/Character. (2016). Retrieved from the website of Novelist at https://www.ebscohost.com/novelist/our-products/novelist-appeals
Free Google Advanced image – Dale Chihuly – glass in boat – morning – Palm House
I had a profound sense of my topic’s timelessness while presenting this seminar. Given that fairy-tale adaptations in the form of comics are part of a folklore process that has churned and persisted for thousands of years, I was excited to share my interest and findings with my classmates. I felt humbled and honored to be part of a larger process.
It was a pleasure to receive positive feedback about ‘setting the mood’ for the seminar with a photo of a Dale Chihuly glass creation. Libraries serve and operate within multi-faceted communities, and works of art speak well to the importance of including multidisciplinary components in our services. For a comprehensive source about Dale Chihuly and his work, visit http://www.chihuly.com – the Timeline (http://www.chihuly.com/learn#timeline), in particular, is mesmerizing!
Presenting my seminar within a class on superhero comics was serendipitous in a way, as it made me think about Ranganathan’s library-science laws, especially the third law (“Every book its reader”) and the fifth law (“The library is a growing organism”) [Rubin, 2010, pp. 407-410]. Since there are many comics styles with which both fairy tales and superhero stories can be told, adding such comics to our library collections can add a wealth of literature choices for our patrons.
Not presented in the seminar, and possibly a topic to include in a seminar on censorship, is an idea that I came across in Linda Hutcheon’s theory of adaptation (2013). Hutcheon comments that “Adults . . . ‘censor’ adaptations, deciding that some are appropriate for children and others are not” (p. 118). Our responsibilities as librarians behoove us to consider and to discuss this. Views and information on child development, morals, and ethics should be part of such a discussion.
An aspect of my presentation that didn’t fit was my plan to share resources with my classmates via the PowerPoint slides. I had thought that this would be efficient (I am an avid note-taker), but realize that a different format may better serve my classmates. My recommendations are, therefore, listed here:
VISUAL LITERACY
The Visual Literacy Toolbox: Learning to Read Images http://www.humanities.umd.edu/vislit
ALMOST EVERYTHING FAIRY TALES
SurLaLune Fairy Tales http://www.surlalunefairytales.com
HISTORY OF FAIRY TALES
Once Upon a Time: A Short History of Fairy Tales (Marina Warner, Oxford University Press, 2014)
LITERARY FAIRY TALES
Folklore and Mythology Electronic Texts http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/folktexts.html
A GRAPHIC CANON
The Graphic Canon of Children’s Literature (Russ Kick [Ed.], Seven Stories Press, 2014)
AUTHORS/SCHOLARS TO READ
Linda Hutcheon, Bill Willingham, Jane Yolen, Jack Zipes
EXAMPLE OF A FAIRY TALES COMICS SERIES FOR ADULTS
Willingham, B. (2012). Fables: Volume 1, Legends in exile. New York (NY): DC Comics.
EXAMPLE OF A FAIRY TALES COMICS COLLECTION FOR CHILDREN
Duffy, C. (Ed.). (2013). Fairy tale comics: Classic tales told by extraordinary cartoonists. New York (NY): First Second.
References
Hutcheon, L. (2012). A theory of adaptation (2nd ed.). London, UK: Routledge.
Rubin, R. E. (Ed.). (2010). Foundations of library and information science, 3rd ed. New York, NY: Neal-Schuman.
My previous post, “Comics Can Capture First-Person History” (March 7, 2016) contains a discussion about March: Book One (Lewis & Aydin, 2013). That title is about the life and activism of John Lewis, and is a primary source of information about the Civil Rights Era.
In March: Book One, John Lewis notes that a comic titled Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story was published in 1958 by the Fellowship of Reconciliation (Fellowship of, Hassler & Resnik). It is a powerful example of the importance and timelessness of non-fiction comics.
Currently, this comic is available as a sixteen-page re-issue, and also as a 2014 Memorial Edition! It is likely to have educated and inspired many people when it was originally published, and promises to continue do so in the twenty-first century.
Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story (front cover above) addresses four general topics:
References
Fellowship of Reconciliation, Hassler, A., & Resnik, B. (1958). Martin Luther King and the Montgomery story. Nyack, NY: Fellowship of Reconciliation.
Lewis, J., & Aydin, A. (2013). March: Book one. Marietta, GA: Top Shelf.
John Lewis (b. 1940; U. S. Congressman since1986) is a living legend and incredible figure from the 20th century Civil Rights Movement in the United States. Powerful accounts from his life appear as elements of a conversation depicted in March: Book One (Lewis & Aydin, 2013). This title is worthy of attention because it contains exceptional sequential art about a pivotal person and a pivotal era which changed individuals and the nation.
Growing up on an Alabama farm, Lewis’s spiritual passion translated into sermons, baptisms, and funerals for his chickens; he abhorred that they were killed for food. He was a black boy with a smart mind and a treasured education. He paid attention to segregation, Rosa Parks, racist murders, and the ideas of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.
Driven by the exigent need for the establishment of black civil rights, Lewis marched straight into the horrific dangers of nonviolent activism. Neither racism nor injustice, nor jail, nor beatings stopped him from spending his adult life as a nonviolent icon and a national leader of the Civil Rights Movement.
The passions and horrors of that time appeared in ‘black and white’ newspaper articles and photographs, and on black-and-white TV. (I saw these images myself.) Features of March: Book One keep this history and her lessons vibrant in black, white, and gray once again. The panels appear as if to be photographs laid out and bound together, but this comic goes beyond facsimile. The layouts change constantly and backgrounds alternate between dark and light. Gutters and lines move ceaselessly. There are meaningful perspectives, effective narration, and concisely-worded philosophic assertions. Subtle musical notes recap lasting folk music that rose up from turmoil and change. Readers will be moved, educated, and eager to absorb more about John Lewis and the Civil Rights Movement in March: Book Two (Lewis & Aydin, 2015).
PLEASE NOTE: The drive of Lewis and others was rallied by another comic: Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story (Fellowship of, Hassler, & Resnik, 1958). See the next post (March 8, 2016) for further information.
References
Congressman John Lewis: Representing Georgia’s 5th District. (n.d.). Retrieved on March 6, 2016 from https://johnlewis.house.gov/
Fellowship of Reconciliation, Hassler, A., & Resnik, B. (1958). Martin Luther King and the Montgomery story. Nyack, NY: Fellowship of Reconciliation.
Lewis, J., & Aydin, A. (2013). March: Book one. Marietta, GA: Top Shelf.
Lewis, J., & Aydin, A. (2015). March: Book two. Marietta, GA: Top Shelf.
Book cover image retrieved from amazon.com
Look up, librarians! Searching for an adult comic to recommend to fans of Star Wars? Launch them into another realm of fantasy, adventure, and science fiction with Saga, Volume 1, by author Brian K. Vaughan and artist Fiona Staples (Vaughan, 2013).
The front cover introduces rugged green-winged Alana, devoted Marko with his massive horns, and their newborn fixed at Alana’s breast – with gun and sword close by. These depictions promise readers robust storytelling about alien societies and family bonds. Love-struck Alana and Marko are from warring cosmic factions, and they must protect themselves and their baby from various persecutors, fiends, and dangers.
Might, right, fight, and flight exhilarate Star Wars viewers, with characters such as Darth Vader, Han Solo, and Jabba the Hutt. New readers of Saga should know that its characters also play out such issues. They include the comic’s Baron Robot XVIII, The Will (a crude mercenary with a moral code), and an arachnid lady beast.
Saga’s pages have an emphatic color palette, quickly spinning changes in perspective, and a mind-blowing array of creatures and beings. There are just enough expletives and sex to make this a grown-up read. There are just enough blood spatters and food-for-thought to excite and deepen this splendid story (Why does one abandon nonviolence?). Familiarity grounds the reader with bits of soap opera such as marital jealousy, and with slices-of-life such as baby naming and cellphone disconnects. But there are also ghost children, spells, prophecy, and magic.
The brilliancy of Vaughan & Staples’s Saga was recognized in 2013 with three Eisner Awards (Hughes, July 20, 2013, para. 1), six Harvey Awards (Seifert, September 7, 2013, para. 1), and a Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story (Walking Dead, January 8, 2014, para. 6). Share this comic with your readers, and let them know that the plight of a special child and the survival of cosmic bodies are at stake.
References
Hughes, J. (July 20, 2013). ‘Building Stories,’ ‘Saga’ dominate 2013 Eisner Awards. Retrieved on February 28, 2016 from the website of the Comics Alliance at http://comicsalliance.com/2013-eisner-award-winners-sdcc-2013/?trackback=tsmclip
Seifert, M. (September 7, 2013). Saga wins big at 2013 Harvey Awards, plus complete list of winners (para. 1). Retrieved on February 28, 2016 from the website of Bleeding Cool at http://www.bleedingcool.com/2013/09/07/saga-wins-big-at-2013-harvey-awards-plus-complete-list-of-winners
Vaughan, B. K. (2013). Saga, Volume 1. Berkeley, CA: Image Comics.
“Walking Dead” #115, “Saga” TPB Top Diamond’s Sales Charts for 2013 (para. 6). (January 8, 2014). Retrieved from the website of Comic Book Resources on February 28, 2016 at http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=50140
Eisner comments that “critical to the success of a visual narrative is the ability to convey time” (2008, p. 28). For a student of comics, ‘reading responses’ may bring to mind the possibility of several layers of time.
In a single comic, the reader may perceive the passage of time in the gutters or from frame to frame (McCloud, 1994, pp. 70-72).
When bound together, a series of comics/issues/volumes (such as the four stories in Eisners’ A Contract With God [2006]) offers another layer of time, i.e., the perceived ‘flow’ or ‘jump’ from one comic to the next. The reader manipulates their own experience, choosing to pause between comics/issues/volumes or to continue without a gap in reading time. Each choice becomes a ‘gutter’ in time, affecting how the reader grasps and interprets the comic(s).
References
Eisner, W. (2006). Part I: A contract with God. In The contract with God trilogy (pp. 2-23). New York, NY: W. W. Norton.
Eisner, W. (2008). Comics and sequential art: Principles and practices from the legendary cartoonist. Tamarac, FL: Poorhouse.
McCloud, S. (1994). Understanding comics. New York, NY: HarperPerennial.
Image retrieved from The Graphic Mac (Dempsy, 2008)
Notes to readers:
1) A Contract With God, as discussed here, is one comic in a collection of Will Eisner’s works (2006); it is grouped therein under the same title with three other comics. This story quartet also has been published as a stand-alone: A Contract With God and Other Tenement Stories.
2) The length of this essay corresponds to the great number of features necessary for the study of four deeply meaningful comics. The result shows the cohesiveness of the comics, and the organization of this essay will help to locate features of interest.
— A. Quinn
Introduction
Four stories, originally published between 1978 and 1995, make up “Part I: A Contract With God” in Will Eisner’s comics trilogy published in 2006. In the information-packed Preface, Eisner explains that he was born and raised in New York City, and influenced by the graphic art of Otto Nückel, Franz Masareel, and Lynd Ward (pp. xiii-xiv). Eisner’s career was devoted to “combining and refining words and pictures” (p. xix).
In the stories, Eisner’s fictional tenement neighborhood is home to characters which are, at times, visually stereotypical. They include slouched elderly rabbis, a dolled-up young girlfriend, a busty musical diva, a drunken failure of a man, a lonely building ‘super,’ a sweet looking but evil young temptress, a gold-digging chick, and a frumpy intellectual. Nonetheless, the characters experience and propel them up and down in life, and Eisner’s storytelling is compelling for new comics readers as well as established fans.
This reading response focuses on what Eisner offers his readers as he asks them to relish his ‘slice of life’ stories.
“A Contract With God”
Frimme Hersh is an orphan in late-nineteenth century Russia. As a boy, he is rescued from ferocious anti-Semitic persecution and he dutifully creates a contract with the Divine. Later, in his permanent home in New York City, he lives his adult life as a devout Jew. The death of Frimme’s adopted daughter, however, devastates his faith and leads to a furious end to his commitment to God. Frimme becomes a greedy and unhappy businessman. His perceptive girlfriend offers to convert to Judaism, and Frimme is moved. He demands a new contract with God from synagogue elders. The results, however, are literally short-lived. The reader is left to ponder some basics in the human condition: spirituality, organized religion, ethics, economic class, grief, disillusionment, and emotional emptiness. In the “Epilogue,” heroic young Shloime Khreks finds Frimme’s original contract, and possibilities are left to the reader.
“The Street Singer”
The main character in this story is a poor husband whose melodic voice echoes in tenement alleys, earning him tossed coins and a promise of fame from a bygone operatic diva. She will make him a star! After returning to the reality of home with a badgering wife and baby on the way, he convinces his bartender and himself that stellar days are ahead. The problem is that he absolutely cannot remember where the diva lives and he only knows her stage name. It’s back to drudgery and unfulfilled potential. The hopes in the story line are punctured by the realities of poverty, hunger, sex for favors, domestic violence, and giddy promises of success and fame.
“The Super”
Unlikable Mr. Scuggs is a cranky, scary looking tenement super. He is fed up with his tenants, and finds relief in alcohol and the pin-up girls on the walls of his basement apartment. When Mrs. Farfell fetches him to fix the hot water, her young niece catches his eye and later arrives at the door of his apartment. The combination of his inebriation and her startling behavior leads to the provocation of violence and a suicidal ending. These events are not unheard of in cruel domains where alcohol use leads to raw emotions and where evil causes tragedy despite the appearance of innocence.
“Cookalein”
Tenement dwellers escape to the country during the summer, and ‘cookaleins’ are inexpensive hotels where moms-in-charge cook for their vacationing families. Other hotel-bound vacationers in Eisner’s story include a secretary looking for a rich husband, a conceited young man masquerading as a well-to-do, a medical student who plays sax in a hotel band, lonely Mrs. Minks, and fifteen-year-old Willie – who is strapping and naive. None of the characters dominate this rollicking story, and neither do their summer experiences. Plausibility and probability (terms from animation discussions in Disney’s Fantasia [2000; originally 1940]) fill this visual narrative with commonly known happenings: flirting, travel preparations, snobbery, chauvinism, unhappiness, infidelity, seduction, rape, rescue, and loss of innocence.
Eisner’s sequential art and the evocation of reaction
Each of Eisner’s stories begins flatly with a full-page illustration that has no frame, no gutters, and no text save for a simple number indicating the order of the stories. These pages provide scenery, but no emotion. It is within each comic that the art conveys depth of meaning. In “A Contract with God,” there is text-as-image, (such as Hebrew letters and punctuation which convey Judaic themes), predominance of full pages with no frames (surrounded by white spaces which serve as large gutters that emphasize the importance of the panels’ contents), and overflowing water and pelting rain that submerge Frimme Hersh in overwhelming grief. Most pages are saturated with plentiful ink striations – angled to lead the reader through a driving story, or horizontal/vertical to halt the reader for moments of thought. From childhood through Frimme’s self-determined amoral metamorphosis, the panels go from small and detailed to large and blackened, communicating progression from the past into stark reality. The catalyst for Frimme’s return to religion is his girlfriend, pictured close up with simple, appealing features. The art quickly returns to striation with movement that culminates in a swirling yet rainless storm of death. The backgrounds in the final two pages of the “Epilogue” are black and strong, forcing the reader to be somber. Striated rays of lamplight and a glare of light on Sliome Khreks ask for closure: What is in that aged contract, and what will come of those who enter into its terms?
At the beginning of “The Street Singer,” vertical striation surrounds text in the atmosphere of an alley; this feature stops the reader and starts a new story. Most of the subsequent pages contain three to five panels, with medium/neutral views and black or white backgrounds that allow for the exploration of numerous characters and components of the tale, and a variety of emotions. High views and bird’s eye perspectives accentuate moments wherein the reader may ponder realities such as urban confinement, looming pressure, post-coital return to routine, and various bits of litter in the life of the everyman.
Close-ups, cluttered panels, and moment-to-moment transitions give the reader plenty of tools for closure (McCloud, 1994, p. 70) in “The Super.” The reader gets to know Mr. Scuggs as a larger than life character on single-panel pages. On pages where he is small among the details, however, circumstances are seen to whittle him down under the pressures of his job. Swirling images ‘describe’ his sad escapes into alcohol-induced fantasy. Dark surroundings on pages 116 and 117 give way to glaring, bright backgrounds that clearly show the rapid pace of Mr. Scuggs’s growing despair, and a billowy text balloon with creepy musical notes draws the reader’s eye to evidence of a twisted victory near the story’s end.
With a large variety of characters and events, the art in “Cookalein” is busy with details and a great number of text balloons. In this final story of Part I in Eisner’s trilogy, vertical striations slowly return and increase, leading the reader to gaze down into pools of thought as “A Contract With God” nears its end. The backgrounds get busy, and depictions of young Willie become more prominent. By the final pages, Willie is large, deep and dark in thought, and surrounded by a sky filled with lines of background. There is hardly a gutter in which the reader might look away. The reader’s perspective is from behind Willie, and together they can look down on a city of many stories.
Other features of this comics quartet
The lack of color (i.e., the use of black and white only) in these comics suggests the years when color images/photographs might not have been commonplace. For example, “A Contract With God” takes place toward the beginning of the twentieth century, and “The Street Singer” takes place “during the early 1930s” (p. 65). Based on personal observations, the world of “The Super” includes a child in dress from the early to mid-twentieth century, and the vehicles depicted in “Cookalein” are from that era as well.
Audience and collection development
Six libraries in the Suffolk Cooperative Library System own this trilogy title. Three place it with adult graphic novels, and two place it with graphic novels for young adults. One library places it on the 741.5 shelves.
The content of the stories are appropriate for young adults and adults, but this title will probably circulate more in an adult collection serving readers who have observed or experienced some of the events. Also, interest in middle-aged characters may be found more among adults. Minor depictions of nudity and sexual activities are further considerations. Regardless, young adults interested in comics in the library may know of Will Eisner, making it easy to search for his work by author regardless of collection. Cataloging this work as a 741.5, however, may ‘maroon’ it; this consideration echoes Kat Kan’s ideas in “Cataloging Graphic Novels” (2016).
Final thoughts
A Contract With God was chosen for review here because at first skim among four choices, it appeared to be the least appealing. A potentially negative review was in the works. After reading only a few pages, there was an about-face in direction! One can really sink their literary teeth into Eisner’s offerings.
If there is any doubt that comics can address everyday moments and the human condition with meaningful art, the stories explored here are evidence that comics can do just that. Also, Eisner’s masterful comics make it easy to forget about format and think about content that is from the real world.
References
Dempsy, J. (2008). Create a hand-held fan from your favorite image [sample of a product created with a Photoshop action: Panos FX Fan]. Retrieved on February 22, 2016 from the website of The Graphic Mac at http://www.thegraphicmac.com/create-hand-held-fan-effect-your-favorite-image
Eisner, W. (2006). The Contract With God trilogy. New York, NY: W. W. Norton.
Fantasia [60th anniversary DVD edition of a motion picture originally released in 1940]. (2000). Burbank, CA: Walt Disney Enterprises.
Kan, K. (2016). Cataloging graphic novels. Retrieved from Diamond Bookshelf at http://www.diamondbookshelf.com/Home/1/1/20/181?articleID=37812
McCloud, S. (1994). Understanding comics: The invisible art. New York, NY: HarperPerennial.
Honestly, I was feeling so-so about our comics-store ‘Visit’ assignment; the library is where I want to be! But I trust our professor’s wisdom and looked for a store near the public library where I work.
A young adult recommended “the best one,” 4TH WORLD COMICS AND TOYS in Smithtown, NY. Her zest lit up a spark for my plans: Visit two stores to shed more light on local options! Google and the weather (wintery travel these days) cemented my second choice: GOLDEN MEMORIES COMICS AND TOYS in Selden, NY.
I walked IN the door of each store feeling neutral, but walked OUT feeling like I had just found buried treasure. And, by the way, I left each store with a full shopping bag of comics gems – new and vintage floppies, trade paperbacks, and one thick hardcover! (So much for pocket money for the next two months.) If you love libraries and books, you know what I mean: stacks of new reading! So much for neutrality!
Collections
Both stores are spick-and-span and well organized, with sharp signage and sensible, compact floor plans. GOLDEN MEMORIES has handwritten signs, painted-wood comics holders, and is less than half the size of the ‘posher’ 4TH WORLD – but in both stores, it’s easy to follow the groupings of comics by publisher/imprint, find ‘new arrivals,’ discover TV-related items, and follow the tabs in vast rows of old comics. You can’t miss the posters, chachkas, and collectibles. They’re nestled in everywhere. 4TH WORLD also has exclusive-looking board games, more tie-in items and books for sci-fi buffs and rock-star fans, cardboard stand-up figures, novelty beverages, a wider price range for collectible figures (up to $399!), trendy coloring books, and books about how to draw comics.
I was going to report that 4TH WORLD’s environment felt more comfortable to me and more instinctive to explore, because most of the store looks like a library! Scores of trade paperbacks and hardcover comics are lined up in tidy rows of spines, edged-out, and plentiful. This is what I’m used to . . . but my report about the environment of GOLDEN MEMORIES trumps that. That store ‘feels’ like a jam-packed museum that you don’t want to leave until they kick you out. The front covers of comics are displayed all over, wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling. Browsing there is more of a pop-culture experience than a literature search.
Comics for kids are easier to find in 4TH WORLD, simply because there are more of them, and the displays are cleverly noticeable. In GOLDEN MEMORIES, the kids’ comics don’t take up much space, and I needed to ask where they were.
A question
I asked my official question at both stores: “Where can I find comics with the old fairy tales?” Both contingents of staff perked up at that question. The GOLDEN MEMORIES guy, wearing a well-loved Star Trek tee shirt and reasonable beard stubble, had a lot to say and he seemed to know his stuff. Basically, the store didn’t have much to offer me except for a small section of about a dozen old “Classic” floppies ranging in price from $3 to $12. In fact, he doubted if I’d find the old tales for sale, but he recommended trying eBay. Our ‘business’ conversation evolved and became a long, down-home talk about remembering stories in comics from our childhoods, like The Ugly Duckling that my well-intentioned parents made me throw away during the anti-comics frenzy of the mid-twentieth century. We also talked about some of the lyrics in Metallica’s songs.
At 4TH WORLD, the two clerks in their logo-ed tees, caps, and fantastic piercings said much the same as the GOLDEN MEMORIES guy and they also seemed to know their stuff. They did, however, show me titles that might be related to what I asked for, including Full-Cover Graphic Novel Adaptation Classics Illustrated Deluxe Tales from the Brothers Grimm, Vertigo Fables: Legends in Exile, and a chaptery-looking book of Grimm’s Fairy Tales retold with a smattering of three-color illustrations. They explored with me.
Staff reactions
I’ve seen surprised faces when some librarians I know hear that I’m interested in comics. (Is it my gray hair? My love for Renaissance and folk music?) I expected those faces in the stores, but I didn’t see any. At both stores, staff didn’t blink an eye when I came in. I was given the same attention as was given to younger customers. Staff were just as enthusiastic with my limited knowledge as they were with customers who could speak the lingo and talk the titles.
Assumptions
The staff at 4TH WORLD did a fabulous job of describing maturity levels and age appropriateness for the comics they showed me. I think they assumed that I was interested in fairy tales to buy for children, although I never said who the comics fairy tales were for. It was different at GOLDEN MEMORIES. The clerk spoke to my question and didn’t mention kids at all.
What bothered me (the negatives/weaknesses)?
GOLDEN MEMORIES smelled of mildew, and it was cold.
Would I choose a store (the positives)?
Yes, I would choose 4TH WORLD COMICS AND TOYS, the store most likely to have what I need in stock. They have a savvy sign-up system for discounts and pull-sheets. They shook hands with me, offered their first names, and offered any help now and in the future. A great shopping experience.
Yes, I would also choose GOLDEN MEMORIES COMICS AND TOYS. The experience was quite social. It felt like an ‘everybody-knows-your-name’ store. There’s a photo of the owner as a kid (OK, an educated guess, but you’d think that, too). A teen walked into that store and the clerk said, “Yeah, just go in the back and take the one you needed – just leave some for the rest of the guys.” The clerk seemed like a friend to his customers, especially the young guy walking with a cane. He helped the young man plan a trip to FORBIDDEN PLANET, making sure he knew about a special-travel-needs discount on the Long Island Rail Road.
Allen Ellis and Doug Highsmith’s “About Face: Comic Books in Library Literature” (2000) surveys and discusses information and views about comics from the 1940s through the 1990s.
While studying the article, I found myself thinking about my high school days. At the time, there were school dress codes which forbid students to wear denim pants, known then as ‘dungarees’ or ‘blue jeans’ – pants made of heavy, dark blue fabric, affordable and essential for laborers who needed sturdy and comfortable work clothes. Eventually, such pants became popular garb for youth. School dress codes came to permit ‘jeans’ – pants made of heavy, dark blue fabric, affordable and more form-fitting than dungarees, but still sturdy and comfortable.
Looking back, the anti-dungarees rules and attitudes appear elitist (those pants were cheap), fussy/arrogant (those pants were not ‘school’ clothes), and restrictive (those pants might allow students to relax).
Perhaps comics have been the ‘dungarees’ of literature for youth. Views of comics have been elitist (Ellis & Highsmith, 2000, pp. 1, 14), fussy/arrogant (Crutchfield, n.d., as found in Ellis & Highsmith, p. 9), and restrictive (Price, 1941, as found in Ellis & Highsmith, 2000, p. 11).
Ellis and Highsmith discovered the abovementioned views, as well as changing perspectives and evolving attitudes. On pages 7-13 of their 2000 article, they discuss literature and commentary considered or written by library professionals. Examples include Frederic Wertham’s Seduction of the Innocent (1954), Jules Feiffer’s The Great Comic Book Heroes (1965), Comics Librarianship: A Handbook (Scott, 1990), and articles by library professionals with views ranging from anti-comics to pro-comics to mixed, including Helen M. Wright (Ellis & Highsmith, 2000, pp. 10-11), Margaret E. Kalp (p. 13), Ann Prentice (p. 15), Will Eisner (p. 17), and Scott McCloud (p. 25).
Views toward comics in the 1940s included a judgement of “national disgrace” (North, 1940, as found in Ellis & Highsmith, 2000, p. 1) and mixed views from professionals and mothers. Views in the 1950s were similar (p. 13), and there were discussions about crime and horror in comics (p. 4) and the role of comics in literacy development (Kalp, 1951, as found in Ellis & Highsmith, p. 13; Nyberg, n.d., as found in Ellis & Highsmith, p. 10). In the 1960s, views were influenced by “scholarly study of popular culture” (Ellis & Highsmith, p. 6; Sadler, 1964, as found in Ellis & Highsmith, p. 15) and the needs of comics readers (Clarke, 1973, as found in Ellis & Highsmith, p. 15). Caveats explained that comics differ from traditional children’s literature (McGuff, 1968, as found in Ellis & Highsmith, p. 16). The 1970s reveal a “growing appreciation” for comics (Eisner, 1974, as found in Ellis & Highsmith, p. 17) and increasing interest in quality comics collections (Parker, 1971, as found in Ellis & Highsmith, p. 16). Motivation toward library use and literacy needs were discussed in the 1980s (Dorrell & Battle, 1980; Dorrell & Carroll, 1981; Sparks, 1981 – all found in Ellis & Highsmith, p. 32), but there was also criticism of the “fun” in comics (Schubert, 1981, as found in Ellis & Highsmith, p. 18) and the “[pollution of] children’s minds” (Van De Voorde, 1981, as found in Ellis & Highsmith, p. 19). There was evidence that some librarians themselves were comics readers (Alward, 1982, as found in Ellis & Highsmith, p. 19), and that technical processing and cataloging of comics was developing (Scott, 1984, as found in Ellis & Highsmith, p. 20). In the 1990s, some discussions celebrated comics in the library and the marketplace (Ellis & Highsmith, p. 23), and noted service to students (Barron, 1991; Sherman & Ammon, 1993 – both found in Ellis & Highsmith, pp. 23-24), although there was debate about the presence of comics literature in library holdings (pp. 24-26).
Based on Ellis and Highman’s six-decade survey, I predict that comics will become commonly accepted as valuable reading choices in libraries and communities, much as jeans have come to be ‘routine’ apparel choices and absolutely acceptable in schools and on the street.
It is fitting to note here the impact of terminology. The term ‘dungarees’ has been part of evolving popular views about denim pants, and can communicate work-use by laborers. The term ‘comics’ has been used regularly, but can communicate that their contents are humorous (Ellis &Highsmith, 2000, pp. 8-9).
I suggest that we use the term “sequentially illustrated stories,” as per Eisner’s suitable term, “sequential art” (2005). Further, I suggest we put on our jeans – or any garb of choice, go to the library, and get reading comics!
References
Eisner, W. (1985, 2005). Comics and sequential art. Tamarac, FL: Poorhouse.
Ellis, A. W., & D. Highsmith. (2000). About face: Comic books in library literature. Serials Review 26(2), 21-43.
Feiffer, J. (1965). The great comic book heroes. New York, NY: Dial.
Scott, R. W. (1990). Comics librarianship: A handbook. Jefferson, NC: McFarland.
Wertham, F. (1954). Seduction of the innocent. New York, NY: Rinehart.
A first step in studying comics literature is to learn about arranging visual language and written language to tell stories (Cohn, 2013, pp. 2, 13; Eisner, 2005, p. 7; Eisner, 2008, p. 7; McCloud, 1994, pp. vii; Wolf, n.d., as found in Eisner, 2005, pp. 1, 8).
Will Eisner explains in Comics and Sequential Art that depictions and words together in sequence can produce both meaning and aesthetic impact (2005, p. 8). Eisner’s remarks and comics examples (from his mid-twentieth century work) are highly detailed and mesmerizing. The presentations are academically complex, and visually powerful due to illustrative intricacy and copious tone gradients of black and white. As such, Eisner can – to the point of ‘brain-strain’ – sate a student’s wish to understand mechanisms that function within comics. (Pushing through any intellectual fatigue, however, is worth it because the result is utter fascination.)
Neil Cohn’s introduction to visual language in comics (2013) leads the reader down sophisticated linguistic lanes, winding through the use of tools such as modality [e.g., visual markings], meaning [e.g., abstract or practical suggestions], grammar [e.g., a system of rules for visible presentations], and sequential units [e.g., frames and placement] (pp. 4-8).
Moving forward in Eisner’s Comics and Sequential Art to a chapter on “The Frame,” there are presentations more accessible to a comics-neophyte, including encapsulation of events and flow of the narrative (p. 39). There is more text than illustration in these lessons, with step-by-step commentary about the creation of panels (pp. 42-44, 64-89), borders (p. 44), outlines (pp. 53-60), dimension (pp. 50-52, 54, 59), illustration as narration (pp. 45-50), and perspective (pp. 92-101). These presentations elicit feelings of curiosity and awe concerning the mastery needed in order to create comics that speak to readers.
(Please note: Eisner presents R. Crumb’s “A Short History of America” [which depicts a geographical location over time] (2005, pp. 46-47], a grand example of subtle content and panel sequencing which make it almost effortless to read the images. Crumb’s panels bring to mind the visual impact of Virginia Lee Burton’s splendid Caldecott-winning picture book, The Little House (1942), which tells the poignant story of the House’s evolution from rural-to-urban-to-rural.)
Scott McCloud’s ‘gift’ to comics newbies, Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art (1994), encompasses the concepts above and shapes them firmly into an effective foundation for the study of comics. This is the text that brings together Cohn’s and Eisner’s lessons (and surely others) for the neophyte! McCloud’s presentations are bold and contain a wide variety of pedagogic examples; there is a targeted “Introduction” on page viii and a logical, enthusiastic development of comics-creation processes on pages 2-23. After studying Chapter 1: “Setting the Record Straight,” the reader will shout a literary “Hallelujah!” because they will understand that comics are “juxtaposed pictorial and other images in deliberate sequence, intended to convey information and/or to produce an aesthetic response in the viewer” (p. 9).
McCloud also enlightens with a helpful lesson in similarities and differences between film and comics: Visual animation contains a procession of filmed images on one screen in prearranged time, and comics contain a procession of images in spaces, which readers explore in their own time (1994, pp. 7-8).
References
Burton, V. L. (1942). The little house. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.
Cohn, N. (2013). The visual language of comics: Introduction to the structure and cognition of sequential images. New York, NY: Bloomsbury Academic.
Eisner, W. (2005). Comics and sequential art. Tamarac, FL: Poorhouse.
Eisner, W. (2008). Graphic storytelling and visual narrative: Principles and practices from the legendary cartoonist. New York, NY: W. W. Norton.
McCloud, S. (1994). Understanding comics: The invisible art. New York, NY: HarperCollins.
How did Quinn (me), the blogger who publishes QUINNLOOK, come to take a class in comics and libraries? (The following is my personal introduction to my classmates in LBSCI 790.)
Three avenues by which I arrived at this exploration can be found in the words of Mem Fox (a literacy scholar and author of books for children and adults):
A child’s question to Mem Fox: “Where do your ideas come from?”
Mem Fox’s answer: “Real life; books; and feelings of the deepest kind.”
(Fox, n.d.)
Quinn’s REAL LIFE:
Quinn’s ‘BOOKS‘:
Quinn’s FEELINGS OF THE DEEPEST KIND:
References
Fox, M. (n.d.). Questions answered. Retrieved on February 6, 2016 from Mem Fox: Writing, Teaching, Learning, Loving, Living at http://memfox.com/for-children/for-children-questions-answered
Ihimaera, W. (1987; first US edition 2003). The whale rider. Orlando, FL: Harcourt.
Seeger, P. (1986). Abiyoyo: Based on a South African lullaby and folk story. New York, NY: Macmillan.
“a picture exhibited a part at a time by being unrolled before the spectator” (Full definition, n.d.)
QUINNLOOK is back!
Previous explorations in this blog looked at young adult literature. Now let’s peer into the world of COMICS AND GRAPHIC NOVELS IN THE LIBRARY!
But why start this post with a definition of cyclorama? My current limited experience with comics and graphic novels has a ‘panoramic’ feel, e.g., the way the panels can sequence from side-to-side, the way that one visual leads so strongly into the next, the way that my thoughts expand so effortlessly when I read them.
When I searched for panorama in the dictionary, cyclorama was in the list of definitions. This reminded me how comics and graphic novels ‘unroll’ over pages. I’m curious about how the frames/texts/perspectives come together to tell stories.
During the three-and-a-half years I’ve worked in a Children’s and Teen Services public library department, I’ve seen graphic novels take their place on the shelves as defined collections. I have a beginner’s understanding about this form of literature, and I need to appreciate it further. I am quite intrigued about what comics and graphic novels offer to readers and to the library community.
It’s exciting to have the opportunity to study in a graduate seminar, where I expect lively discussions and lots of discovery concerning literature that can bring about both enthusiasm and hesitance among library users (and staff!).
My thoughts, wonder, and learning will ‘unroll’ via QUINNLOOK as my literary panoramas expand!
Reference
Full definition of PANORAMA. (n.d.) Retrieved on January 29, 2016 from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/panorama
Click here: CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS ALIKES. . .
. . . to access an annotated list which includes books, graphic novels/comics, a book on CD, funny resources, how-to manuals, a film, and music that will delight any young adult who loves the spirit of Dav Pilkey’s The Adventures of Captain Underpants!
Video screen image retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Dav-Pilkey/e/B000APCYV8
In a two-minute video [scroll to the right, through the ‘Author Updates,’ to the last video], Dav Pilkey talks about some people’s objections to Captain Underpants. He also offers three simple changes that can help people express concerns while protecting intellectual freedom.
Book cover image retrieved from http://alpha1.suffolk.lib.ny.us/search~S14?/tlife+as+we+knew+it/tlife+as+we+knew+it/1%2C2%2C7%2CB/frameset&FF=tlife+as+we+knew+it&3%2C%2C6/indexsort=-
REVIEW of Pfeffer, Susan Beth. Life As We Knew It. Harcourt, 2006. 352 p. $17.99. 978-0-15205-826-5.
[VOYA codes:] 4Q 3P J S
Miranda, her family, and the whole town prepared for a thrill when they looked up to watch an asteroid collide with the Moon, but the impact proved to be appalling. The Moon was so severely damaged that it became a gravitational menace in the sky, causing tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and the decimation of entire islands, cities, seacoasts, and populations.
In her candid, heart-wrenching journal, Miranda’s entries intensify as life bears down and bleakens for her and her family. They must fight storms, brutal cold, epidemics, and the threat of starvation in Pennsylvania. In their minds, they must fight the growing stench of death. For all they know, they might be the last survivors on Earth.
Despite taunting and haunting the reader, Life As We Knew It is also powerfully inspiring. Readers are drawn into Miranda’s new life, and they learn about strength, determination, and hard-won victories amidst a constant battle for survival. Despite the suffering – and some whining and yelling at times – there are huge swells of hope, sacrifice, romance, and exuberance along the way. Readers can see themselves making life-or-death decisions and growing wildly creative and resilient alongside her. Just as the Moon changes life for Miranda and all on Earth, this story will change the reader.
(Readers will also insist on devouring The Dead and the Gone [2008], which is the next of four titles in a series.)
Recommended for teens of all ages
1. Microsoft Office clip art image 2. Image of Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building retrieved from http://www.loc.gov/about/
Surf: Exploring online can lead to a variety of information about the resources of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (including intellectual freedom support), then to Columbia University’s Graphic Novels Page (a treasure trove of information) and then to certain historical notes and information about the Library of Congress Comic Book Collection. The Library of Congress information includes the following:
Search: A more direct search will lead to a general introduction to the Library of Congress Comic Book Collection within the Library’s website.
Free Google Advanced Image of split-screen image (from trailer and book cover)
‘Meeting’ authors and illustrators – in person or on film – makes literature come alive for readers of all ages!
Ten of the fourteen storytellers* in The Chronicles of Harris Burdick (Chris Van Allsburg [illustrator], 2011) add to the mysterious fun of this story phenomenon in a book trailer from the publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Watch the video to the very end!
(Can you guess which author never shows their face?)
*(Lemony Snicket , Lois Lowry, Louis Sachar, Kate DiCamillo, M. T. Anderson, Linda Sue Park, Gregory Maguire, Jon Sciezka, Walter Dean Myers, and Chris Van Allsburg himself)
Book cover image retrieved from http://alpha1.suffolk.lib.ny.us/search~S14/?searchtype=t&searcharg=the+adventures+of+captain+underpants&searchscope=14&sortdropdown=-&SORT=DZ&extended=0&SUBMIT=Search&searchlimits=&searchorigarg=Ycaptain+underpants%26SORT%3DD
REVIEW of Pilkey, Dav. The Adventures of Captain Underpants. Scholastic, 1997. 120 p. $5.99 Paperback. 978-0-590-84628-8.
[VOYA codes:] 3Q 4P M
Middle-schoolers who want silly, laugh-out-loud reading choices will find what they’re looking for in Dav Pilkey’s first Captain Underpants title, and there are over a dozen more related Captain Underpants stories already published. They will find it almost impossible to stop reading this story about buddies George and Harold, their sassy pranks, slapstick wit, and the baldy briefs-clad superhero they create by hypnotizing their meanie school principal.
The mischievous, giggly reading fun is supported by short chapters, cartoony illustrations, ‘easy-to-get’ comedy, and a storyline that bounces through quick adventures with bank robbers, bad-guy robots, good-guy cops, and a victorious superhero who just might be getting out of control. Most readers will dash back to the library to borrow another Captain Underpants title to see what happens next.
There was some disappointment with the newsprint paper used to construct the paperback review copy; the fragility of the pages in the “Flip-O-Rama” sections made it difficult to grab and flip pages as directed for some “cheesy animation” fun. Also, some readers and adults in their lives might not be comfortable with the talk of “poop” and the like in this title, but the vocabulary used is not unheard of among young students.
This title demonstrates the power of humor and imaginative stories to entertain and to keep readers reading. It will engage almost any middle-schooler, even those struggling or reluctant to pick up a book. Class clowns will love it, and shy or reserved students may appreciate the chance to lighten up and have fun with literature.
Image of Lynd Ward’s book collection retrieved from Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1598530828/braipick-20
Free Google Advanced Image
Book cover image for Eric Drooker’s Blood Song retrieved from the online catalog of the Suffolk Cooperative Library System at http://contentcafe2.btol.com/ContentCafeClient/CoverImage.aspx
Many young adults who visit the reference desk are hooked on history. To connect with that interest, it’s helpful to gather information about the history of the graphic novel format.
Lanier (2007) explains that in the early twentieth century, a number of artists throughout the world created wordless “woodcut novels” which were aimed at making political statements via “visual rhetoric” (para. 5). As a result, there were no geographical boundaries for their stories and messages, and also no need to be literate in order to ‘read’ them (para. 3). Two of these artists were Belgian Frans Masereel and American Lynd Ward.
Popova (2011) refers to Ward as the “Father of the Graphic Novel,” although this may be an Americanized view. Regardless, it’s exciting to find information that spans not only decades, but centuries, in discussions of the format.
Several of Ward’s woodcut novels are held in collections within the Suffolk Cooperative Library System (SCLS) via the catalog at Live-brary.com. A collection of six woodcut novels by Ward is available via Amazon.com (image above).
Lanier points to contemporary work by graphic novelists Peter Kuper and Eric Drooker. Drooker’s graphic novel Blood Song (image above) is held in YA collections in two SCLS libraries.
References
Lanier, C. (2007). The “woodcut novel”: a forerunner to the graphic novel. World literature today, 81(2), 15. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA160279681&v=2.1&u=scls_main&it=r&p=LitRC&sw=w&asid=741e9bca11c75e81cdeb2590d6b13ddf
Popova, M. (2011). Depression-era woodcuts by Lynd Ward, father of the graphic novel. Brainpickings. Retrieved from http://www.brainpickings.org/2011/10/19/lynd-ward-box-set/
Microsoft Office clip art
SUMMARY and COMMENTARY on Zipes, J. (2009). Why fantasy matters too much. The Journal of Aesthetic Education, 43(2), 77-91.
I’ve heard a narrator describe fantasy as “the plausible impossible” in Disney films. This phrase provides a logical explanation for the draw and popularity of the fantasy genre among teens (Koelling, 2007, as found in Cart, 2011, p. 98).
Zipes’s discussion (2009) about the exaggerated significance of fantasy is also logical and includes reasonable points, as follows: Fantasy is a form of commoditized speculation about social conditions (p. 77), sold to audiences and possibly dumbed-down (Anderson, as found in Shoemaker, 2004 and cited in Zipes, p. 89). Fantasy is based in “understanding . . . reality” but contests it (Zipes, p. 78). It has evolved from “utopian wishes” in classical fairytales (p. 78), to reflections on postmodern collapses of desirable social and cultural conditions (p. 86), to cautionary dystopian tales (pp. 87-89). Zipes also discusses irony and imagination, presenting examples of fantastical works by Peter Sis (p. 84) and Neil Gaiman (pp. 85-86). The article, however, suggests an imbalanced view of fantasy as a showground for socioeconomic commentary (p. 89) and predictions which are increasingly viscous and disturbing. This is one level on which the genre can and should be explored.
Zipes’s discussion is missing the potential for fantasy to also provide a sprightlier level of fun and refreshment. Just as dreams can, fantastic fiction can “reorganize . . . cognitive repertoire” (Hobson, 2002, location 1236) and produce plain-and-simple fascination, inspiration, or amusement. Pierce comments, “Fantasy . . . is the pure stuff of wonder” (1993, as found in Cart, 2011, p. 102).
For further thought and discussion, consider Ursula K. Le Guin’s speech wherein she chides Amazon for trying to punish a publisher of science fiction and fantasy (Dwyer, November 20, 2014) and Mem Fox’s interest in “the beautiful possibilities and riotous excitement that literature can provide” (n.d.).
References
Cart, M. (2011). Young adult literature: From romance to realism. Chicago, IL: American Library Association.
Dwyer, C. (2014, November 20). Book news: Ursula K. Le Guin steals the show at the National Book Awards. The two-way: Breaking news from NPR. Washington, DC: NPR [National Public Radio]. Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/11/20/365434149/book-news-ursula-k-le-guin-steals-the-show-at-the-national-book-awards
Fox, M. (n.d.) Learning from learning. Retrieved on November 21, 2014 from Mem Fox: Writing, teaching, learning, loving, living [website] at http://memfox.com/for-teachers/for-teachers-learning-from-learning/
Hobson, J. A. (2002, 2005). Dreaming [‘A Very Short Introduction’ edition]. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press; New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Zipes, J. (2009). Why fantasy matters too much. The Journal of Aesthetic Education, 43(2), 77-91.
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Reading aloud to middle and high school students is a topic of discussion in the library world, hooray!
Even if you are confident reading aloud to any age group, it’s a good idea to gather tips for success with teens in particular.
Candy Blessing (2005) offers advice for conducting a read-aloud program that will motivate struggling teen readers. Barrett (2000) suggests that reluctant readers will benefit as well. Some of the ideas span a wide range of audiences, but Blessing focuses on the teen experience. Her tips are summarized here:
References
Blessing, C. (2005). Reading to kids who are old enough to shave. School library journal, 51(4), 44-45.
Barrett, V. D. (2000). Are we reading to our teens? Book report, 19(1), 35-38.
Book cover image retrieved from Goodreads at http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12715627-on-the-flip-side
REVIEW of Carter, Nikki. On the Flip Side: A Fab Life Novel. Dafina KTeen/Kensington, 2012. 250 p. $9.95 Paperback. 978-0-7582-7269-0.
[VOYA codes:] 3Q 2P J S
Sunday Tolliver is determined to get her college degree and become an entertainment lawyer. She is also a talented singer/songwriter and rising star. As Sunday chats to the reader during her freshman year, she casually flips back and forth between dorm, friends and studying to studio sessions, stage, show-biz ‘family,’ and dollar signs along the way.
For teens who want a touch of everything, this title has plenty of believable characters, romance, family dynamics, cool talk, head-to-toe fashion, show business, and sass. In the mix there are opportunities – but no pressure – to think about life decisions: Stay in school? Hang with friends? Trust your boyfriend? Stick with talent and success? Give it up for a dream?
Readers who get hooked by Sunday’s story will love the upfront style, entertaining patois, and with-it scenes. They will want to find out how Sunday arrived where she is and what happens next, by reading other novels in the ‘Fab Life’ series. Other readers may tire of the relaxed pace, predictable plot, and frequent ramblings about who thinks what and why it matters to Sunday. Either way, Carter has crafted a likable story about things that do matter to many teens: friends, music, romance, family, money, and school.
(The review copy includes ‘Discussion Questions’ and an excerpt from Carter’s Time to Shine: Fab Life Novel #5.)
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Robert Crum’s article, “Are professional book reviewers better than amateurs?” appeared online in his “Fiction” column in The Guardian (2012, October 1). In the context of the British Man Booker literature award, Crum discusses the need for quality book reviews. He believes that high quality incorporates “literary critical context” (para. 8). This is, for sure, an important and desirable review feature.
Crum’s article made me think about the potential for a divide to form between professional and amateur reviews when selecting titles, i.e., a divide between “traditional, confident criticism” (para. 5) and “neglected points of view” (para. 9).
Let’s not allow such a divide to emerge. If professional reviews are ‘apples’ and amateur ones are ‘oranges,’ we can in fact compare them. Reach for the apples, but don’t neglect the oranges. Keep them both in the ‘fruit bowl’ of collection development and service to patrons. Librarians, please keep up-to-date about the ‘ingredients’ in your readers’ advisory ‘recipes.’
Some readers like apples; others like oranges; and others like fruit salad. Latham & Gross (2014) point out that young adult readers need to be connected with titles that suit their tastes (p. 95).
OK, the analogies are a bit corny and perhaps overdone . . . but worth considering.
References
Crum, R. (2012, October 1). Are professional book reviewers better than amateurs? The Guardian [online periodical]. Guardian News and Media Limited.
Latham, D., & Gross, M. (2014). Young adult resources today: Connecting teens with books, music, games, movies, and more. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.
Book cover image retrieved from http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/mister-orange?store=allproducts&keyword=mister+orange
REVIEW of Matti, Truus. Mister Orange. Ill. by Jenni Desmond. Trans. by Laura Watkinson. Enchanted Lion Books, 2012. 159 p. $16.95. 978-1-59270-123-0.
[VOYA codes:] 3Q 3P M J S
Opening the covers of Mister Orange (a translation of a 2011 Dutch novel) is like opening a box of watercolor paints. The book design, nimbly-sorted language, and short chapters are simple and pleasing. Like many paintings, the story inside is comfortably familiar yet compelling. And, just as artists bring life to their creations via subtlety and resolution, author Matti slowly builds an engaging, multi-layered account of family, friendship, fear, loss, hope, and the power of art.
Linus Muller lives in New York City with his loving, hard-working family, amidst the home front of World War II. When his brother enlists, Linus becomes the family’s new fruit-and-vegetable delivery boy. On his route, Linus meets ‘Mr. Orange,’ an intriguing artist who introduces him to a vivid world of color, imagination, and hope. Mister Superspeed, an imaginary superhero, helps Linus picture the world in his head and sort out its complexities and realities.
Young teens will relate to Linus and be intrigued by entertaining characters who help him think about family, friends, war, and the future. Older teens will recognize younger selves and be absorbed by a tale that holds plenty of food for thought. All readers will paint mental images of 1940s city life and of a world that becomes both harsher and sweeter for Linus as time marches forward. Many will also wish to learn more about World War II, the history of New York City, modern art, and artist Piet Mondrian.
Strongly recommend
Cover image (by Pascal Campion for the upcoming Avengers: No More Bullying #1) courtesy of Marvel Comics in Yes! Magazine, retrieved from http://www.yesmagazine.org/happiness/superheroes-fight-against-bullying-in-new-comic-book-to-be-released-by-marvel?utm_source=YTW&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=20141031
Many libraries are preparing for next year’s summer reading clubs for teens and children. The 2015 theme for New York State Reading Clubs (part of the New York State Department of Education) is “Every Hero Has a Story.”
Whether or not your library is preparing with the ‘hero’ theme, take a look at an article in Yes! Magazine (Bainbridge Island, WA: Positive Futures Network, 2014, October 31). In the article, Christopher Zumski Finke writes about an upcoming single-issue comic book which depicts Marvel Comics heroes who fight bullying.
Finke comments that earlier in October, Marvel Comics published a collection of comics with “antibullying” covers. Finke’s article, “The Avengers Join Guardians of the Galaxy and Other Marvel Heroes to Make Bullying History” includes images of a number of those comic book covers.
The Marvel series resulted from a partnership of Marvel Comics with STOMP Out Bullying, a “bullying and cyber-bullying prevention organization for kids and teens.”
It can be challenging to evaluate a title in 200 words or less, the standard limit in certain professional journals. In order to accomplish this, it may take ‘practice, practice, practice.’
The following is the result of reducing “Looking for a Cool Sewing Resource?” (my book review posted November 1, 2014) from 286 to 199 words. See what you think!
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REVIEW of Rannels, Melissa; Alvarado, Melissa; and Hope Meng. Sew Subversive: Down & Dirty DIY for the Fabulous Fashionista. Taunton, 2006. 186 p. $14.95 Paperback. 978-1-56158-809-1. Resources. Index.
[VOYA codes:] 3Q 2P S A/YA
If teens think of sewing as a chore, this upbeat title will change their minds. The pages are colorful, with bold photographs, sassy jargon, realistic advice, encouragement, and energizing projects that will make readers want to sew and shout, “I made this and it’s so cool!”
As a sewing manual, this is compact yet detailed, and contains basic sewing skills, advanced techniques, and easy-to-follow drawings. As a guidebook, it can inspire fashion design ideas and inventive clothing recycling. The ‘Resources’ include information about storefront and online suppliers, sewing organizations, and DIY websites.
Problems include some lengthy sections in faint typeface, and unrealistically short project times. Also, there are stereotypical clichés about boyfriends and undergarments, and frivolous references to partying with alcohol. And, what about the guys? It would be great to have a Sew Subversive that would speak to them as well.
This title will contribute to an appealing collection of fabric-arts materials for mature older teens. Team it with hands-on help from a sewing instructor or sewing group, as well as titles such as Sara Trail’s Sew With Sara (C & T, 2009), Ellen Warwick’s Injeanuity (Kids Can Press, 2006), and CosmoGIRL! Make it Yourself (Hearst Books, 2007).
REVIEW of Rannels, Melissa; Alvarado, Melissa; and Hope Meng. Sew Subversive: Down & Dirty DIY for the Fabulous Fashionista. Taunton, 2006. 186 p. $14.95 Paperback. 978-1-56158-809-1. Resources. Index.
[VOYA codes:] 3Q 2P S A/YA
If teens think of sewing as a chore, this upbeat title will change their minds. The pages are colorful, with bold photographs of ‘fab’ creations modeled by co-owners of an “urban sewing studio.” The sassy jargon (fabric’s “party side”), realistic advice (“Try sewing barefoot”), encouragement (“ . . .it’s sewing, not surgery!”), and energizing projects will make readers want to sew and shout, “I made this and it’s so cool!”
Including “subversive” in the title appears to be a ploy to attract readers rather than indicative of the book’s theme, which celebrates individuality and creativity. As a compact yet detailed sewing manual, it includes basics (such as needle threading), advanced techniques (such as pin-tucking), and easy-to-follow drawings. As a guidebook, it can inspire fashion design ideas and inventive clothing recycling. The jam-packed ‘Resources’ have information about storefront and online suppliers, sewing organizations, and DIY websites.
Problems with this title include some lengthy sections in faint typeface, and unrealistically short project times. Also, young-adult librarians should be aware of stereotypical clichés about boyfriends and “hot panties,” and may need to make collection decisions concerning frivolous references to partying with alcohol. If held in an adult collection, this innovative title might be out of browsing range for creative young ‘fashionistas.’ And, what about the guys? It would be great to have a Sew Subversive that would speak to them as well.
This title will contribute to an appealing collection of fabric-arts materials for mature older teens. Team it with hands-on help from a sewing instructor or sewing group, as well as titles such as Sara Trail’s Sew With Sara (C & T, 2009), Ellen Warwick’s Injeanuity (Kids Can Press, 2006), and CosmoGIRL! Make it Yourself (Hearst Books, 2007).
Image retrieved from https://www.google.com/search?q=akala+hip+hop+shakespeare&espv=2&biw=1920&bih=971&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=sSdQVPn3OcW1sQSttoGoBA&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg
Hip-Hop & Shakespeare? Akala at TEDxAldeburgh
In a 20 minute video, filmed in 2011, Kingslee “Akala” Daley (a Hip-Hop artist who created The Hip-Hop Shakespeare Company) presents a lecture and demonstrates the close connections and uncanny similarities between the poetry of Hip-Hop and the writing of ‘The Bard.’
Akala includes short, rap-style performances of poetry from Wu-Tang Clan and Shakespeare.
The knowledge and understanding gained by watching and listening will compel librarians to include both Hip-Hop and Shakespeare in effective collections of literature for young adults.
Topics addressed by Akala in the video include:
– preconceived notions of Hip-Hop and Shakespeare
– the functions of rhythm in poetry, especially as spoken word
– ‘Griots’ in medieval West African empires who transmitted “rhythmic oral poetry” traditions to future generations
– origins of Hip-Hop in New York City in the late 1970s and early 1980s
– the concept of “custodians of knowledge” from all cultures and eras
– “unity in human cultures and ideas”
(Look for further information about Akala and his work at the website of The Hip-Hop Shakespeare Company.)
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On September 28, 2014 at QUINNLOOK, Young Adult Reading Interests: Going to the Source contained a list of highlights learned from interviews with teens, identified here as E (a young man) and T (a young woman).
The experience of interviewing teens about reading was a pleasure, thoroughly engaging, and enlightening as well. It is important to go to ‘the source,’ (i.e., the people we prepare to serve), ask for opinions and feedback, and listen carefully; young adults have enthusiasm and profound things to say.
The following questions were prepared for those interviews, and a few of the responses are shared here:
CORE QUESTIONS
1. Can you tell me about a favorite book, or a book you like a lot, and why?
E: No favorite book. Likes “post-apocalyptic science fiction.”
T: “A lot of favorites.” Divergent (Roth, 2011) — because it is emotional and has lots of action. The Testing (Charbonneau, 2013) — because it is “a mix of Divergent and The Hunger Games (Dashner, 2009).”
2. Who is your favorite author, or an author who you think is a good writer?
T: Margaret Peterson Haddix. James Dashner is a good writer and “one of a kind.”
3. When school is out (for example, during winter breaks, spring breaks, or summer vacation), do you read, and if so, what do you read?
E: Likes to read while on vacation. Preference for reading print books. “I like the feel of a book.”
T: Likes very much to read when school is out, and looks for “a really big book.” Looks for new books by authors read before. Likes to read books in series, especially during summer vacation.
4. Is there a specific title or book you would like to read in the future?
E: The Maze Runner (Dashner, 2009) — Likes to read a book before seeing the movie. Movie trailers inspire reading.
T: My Faire Lady (Wettersten, 2014).
5. Have you ever read a book you didn’t like? If so, why didn’t you like it?
E: Can’t remember the title(s), but “the contents were probably too young.”
T: Dewey’s Nine Lives: The Legacy of the Small-Town Library Cat Who Inspired Millions (Myron & Witter, 2010) — in part, because it involved abandonment. Also, Galileo’s Daughter: A Historical Memoir of Science, Faith, and Love (Sobel, 1999) — required for school and it was boring.
6. What kind of book is good for a teen to read?
E: Books with characters similar in age to themselves.
T: Books that do not remind you about school. Books that let you “get lost in the story.”
BACKUP QUESTIONS
7. What do you think about going to the library to borrow books?
E and T: It is good. They want to own copies of books they like.
T: Dislikes when library books are in bad or “disgusting” condition.
8. Do you think librarians can recommend a book that you will like?
E: Yes, but usually looks [online] at Goodreads.
T: Emphatic “Yes.”
9. Do other people in your family like to read, and do you see them reading?
E and T: The whole family reads.
E: Wants to read books in a foreign language someday. Has seen his grandmother reading an Italian translation of The Hunger Games (Dashner, 2009).
10. Who do you talk with about the books you read?
E: His mother — and they share book recommendations with each other.
T: Her mother and a friend. Conversations about books are often spontaneous.
11. Should graphic novels be considered books?
E: Yes. “They involve reading and a story.”
T: No. Does not really know what they are, but wouldn’t read them anyway.
12. What else would you like me to know?
E: When choosing a book to read, “tends to stray away” from books assigned at school.
T: Students would read more if they could read for extra credit in school.
Book cover image created by the Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation retrieved from https://www.google.com/search?q=the+book+thief+movie+cover&espv=2&biw=1920&bih=971&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=wgpNVJyhJdDLsATYvYC4DQ&ved=0CC4Q7Ak#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=Hds4fiJeDiMI2M%253A%3BHZdQxH-K4yTQ_M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fdeniabletruth.files.wordpress.com%252F2013%252F12%252Fthe-book-thief-movie.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fdeniabletruth.wordpress.com%252Ftag%252Fbook-thief%252F%3B337%3B500
REVIEW of Zusak, Markus. The Book Thief. Illus. by T. White. Alfred A. Knopf, 2005. 550p. $12.99 Trade pb. 978-0-385-75472-9. A Readers Guide (About the Book. Questions for Discussion. Related Titles. Internet Resources. In His Own Words: A Conversation with Markus Zusak).
[VOYA codes:] 5Q 4P S
Liesel is sprouting through adolescence in World War II Germany and becoming a stealer of food and books. The horrors of war creep into her needy neighborhood, until her smothering world is overrun with terror, anxiety, Nazi propaganda and oppression. Liesel and her foster parents have secrets that threaten to extinguish them – a hidden Jew, adrenalined burglaries in the mayor’s mansion, compassionate deeds, and more. Young Rudy Steiner doesn’t know all the hidden nightmares in Liesel’s sleeping and waking hours, but together they share the comforts of friendship and the thrills of wit, pluck, covert daring and twinges of desire that anchor their day-to-day survival.
There is something astonishing to rejoice about in this heart-wrenching, thought-provoking story, and that is the power of words, books, and writing. Liesel cannot resist them, and clutches them close to her in any way she can. Death itself is the compelling narrator who teases the reader with hints of the future, begs for comfort, and twists the many notions of mortality. Stolen books, crusty papers, profound announcements, and small, exquisite, pictured stories claimed from the heart and soul bring this award-winning title to life. (The story has also been brought to life in a motion picture based on this title and released in 2013.)
In an earnest style that brings to mind Anne Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girl, The Book Thief gracefully affirms the power of the human spirit and the ways in which words and books keep the lifeblood flowing when existence is critically wounded. Readers will be awed and very likely changed by the profound beauty and vigor in this one-of-a-kind book.
Highly recommended
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After locating professional and alternative review sources for R. J. Palacio’s book, Wonder (New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 2012), and Madeleine George’s book, The Difference Between You and Me (New York, NY: Viking, 2012), a small study of literature reviews led to the following discoveries and reflections:
Image taken from a webpage at healthychildren.org (from the American Academy of Pediatrics) at http://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/Media/Pages/Beyond-the-Buzz-Tips-for-Managing-Social-Networking-Sites.aspx
Young adult librarians may be called on to assist parents of teens, and medical professionals can provide family-friendly resources and information for their use.
For inquiries concerning media use and teens, the American Academy of Pediatrics (which is described on their website as dedicated to “the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults”) provides relevant and useful information. There are online articles, audio, and video, with a comprehensive and easy-to-browse list in the “Family Life/Media” section of their Healthychildren.org webpages.
One set of resources, “Social Media Resources for Parents and Teens,” contains annotations and links to Healthychildren.org (“adolescent media use”), AAP.org SafetyNet (“internet safety”), Facebook Safety (“summary. . . tips. . . tools”), Common Sense Media (“age-appropriate media use”), and NetSmartz Workshop (“tips and discussion starters”).
QUINNLOOK 
