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February 2008
Volume XI, Issue 1
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| Graphic Novel News |
by Jeannine Wiese, Collection Development, Graphic Novels Specialist
An exciting new trend--more graphic novels for the young readers!
Emerging readers will fall in love with reading when they discover the new TOON Books, an imprint of Raw Junior, LLC, published under the editorial direction of Francoise Mouly with Art Spiegelman as advisor. These excellent hardcover graphic novel titles are especially designed for children four and up. They are just right for reading to the youngest child, but also perfect for beginning readers to read themselves. Each book has been vetted by educators to ensure that the language and storylines will cultivate young minds. TOON Books are conveniently available through the Ingram Graphic Novel Standing Order Program or can be ordered separately. Three new titles are planned each publishing season. Benny and Penny: Just Pretend is the first title in this exciting launch. Click here for a full review. Look for a special interview with Francoise Mouly in the April issue of Children's & Teen Librarian to learn more about these innovative books.
Marvel is strongly committed to providing superhero characters that are totally suitable for younger readers. The Marvel Adventures digest titles will continue to grow and now include even popular characters like Spider-Man, the Hulk, the Avengers, and the Fantastic Four with more to come.
Mainstream publishers continue to add to their graphic novel lists. Early elementary readers will love the fantasy fun continuing via Scholastic's Graphix imprint. Magic Pickle vs the Egg Poacher and Magic Pickle and the Planet of the Grapes are both written and illustrated by award winner Scott Morse. Magic Pickle is a flying kosher dill superhero, created in a secret government lab under the floor of little JoJo Wigman's bedroom. Magic Pickle's special assignment is to save mankind from the Brotherhood of Evil Produce that's threatening to take over the world while he keeps kids laughing. Both titles are strongly recommended for youth collections.
Grosset & Dunlap launches a new spring series, The Adventures of Daniel Boom (aka Loud Boy), with Sound Off!. This action-packed, full-color, young superhero series is perfect for readers 7 to 10. Daniel is an “ordinary” kid who just doesn't have an inside voice and understands how hard it can be when you don't fit in. He and a group of other behaviorally challenged kids stumble onto the sinister Kid-Rid Industries and its plans to take over the world. It doesn't take long for this group of five to learn their biggest problems can turn into their greatest strengths as they fight the crotchety forces of evil in the universe.
Promising new fiction series recommended for elementary and middle school readers
Pendragon:The Merchant of Death Volume 1 goes on sale in May. This works as a stand-alone fantasy graphic novel or a perfect introduction to the new graphic novel series.
Jellaby, by Kean Soo, has already garnered excellent reviews from School Library Journal and Kirkus Reviews and wonderful words of praise from Bone creator Jeff Smith and Scott McCloud, author of Understanding Comics.
Look beyond manga and superheroes for your YA collection
Consider these well reviewed nonfiction graphic novel titles for teens.
No Fear Shakespeare graphic novels from Sparknotes is a series based on the translated texts of plays found in the original No Fear Shakespeare and are suitable for ages 12 and up.
Marvel Illustrated Classics is the dramatic, new hardcover series of adapted classic literature coming in March. Teens will love them. The series is conveniently available through the Ingram Youth Graphic Novel Standing Order Program.
Publisher News for YA Librarians
Viz now offers special hardcover editions of five of its bestselling series, Bleach; Death Note; Fullmetal Alchemist; InuYasha; and Naruto. These hardcover series come bound from the publisher rather than a pre-bindery so the integrity of the text, illustrations, and color are not compromised. All five hardcover series are also available through the Youth Graphic Novel Standing Order Program.
More publishers are becoming sensitive to libraries' needs to keep collections updated, while saving shelf space and money. Dark Horse Comics, ADV, and Sterling--the U.S. publisher of Asterix--offer trade paper graphic novel omnibus editions of perennial favorites like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Star Wars, Asterix, among others.
Thomas Nelson Publishers' graphic novel initiative includes the graphic novel adaptation of New York Times-bestselling author Ted Dekker's Circle Trilogy. The three high-quality graphic novels released in October 2007 combine the elements of an international crime thriller with that of high fantasy. Protagonist Thomas Hunter finds himself living simultaneously in two parallel worlds that are threatened by dark, evil forces that may destroy both worlds. Vivid, full-color images enhance the suspense and fast-paced action bringing the story to life. YA readers can anticipate another four book series from Dekker--The Lost Books--in late fall 2008. Two worlds will once again overlap as a group of teens from the fantasy world manage to travel to Earth.
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