From: Mercado, Nancy <Nancy.Mercado>
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 2004 12:02:59 -0400

I've been ga ga for graphic novels/comix since I was 15 and came across a copy of Kyle Baker's Why I Hate Saturn. There was something about the marriage of images and text and total emotional honesty that I just couldn't find anywhere else!

I wonder if there are any teachers/librarians who have read or used in the classroom Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics? It might be a bit abstract for some readers, but perhaps this book would be a great jumping off point to get kids or their teachers to talk and really think about the true art behind comix?

Along with Monica, I adore the Little Lit books. It is my hope that they have paved the way for trade publishers to do more projects like them! I'm sure many of you are fans of some of these titles already...but here are some of my favorites that might work well in your libraries/classrooms:

For younger readers:

The Adventures of Johnny Mutton (Harcourt) by Jim Proimos: the best ovine hero in all of children's literature! (Or perhaps the only??)

Sweaterweather by Sara Varon (Alternative Comics): almost wordless, this features the cutest set of animal characters you will ever see. Perfect for 2nd and 3rd graders?

For older, mature readers:

Blankets by Craig Thompson (Top Shelf): a painfully vivid
"bring-you-right?ck-to high-school" portrayal of a young boy growing up, dealing with first love, family tension, sexuality, religion etc. It's epic in it's proportions!

Epileptic by David B (Fantagraphics): done by a French artist, this is quite simply the most beautiful graphic novel I have ever seen. It's about a boy growing up with an epileptic brother. I'm anxiously awaiting for the next two books to be translated into English. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi (Pantheon) really well done autobiography of a young girl's life under the Islamic Revolution. Stuck Rubber Baby by Howard Cruise (DC Comics): coming of age and coming-out story of young man in the South during Civil Rights Era. Four Pictures by Emily Carr by Nicolas Debon (Groundwood Books): a quiet but beautifully illustrated book about the Canadian artist.

A Jew in Communist Prague by Vittorio Giardino (NBM/Comicslit): a great way to introduce young adults to the days of the "Iron Curtain"

Hopeless Savages (Oni Press) super fun comic book about a family of UK punk rockers.

The Golem's Might Swing by James Strum (Drawn and Quarterly) a smart and interesting baseball story.

Here in New York, there are tons of resources for people looking to find out more about the comic world: comic book stores with staff who are dying to recommend titles (such as Forbidden Planet, Cosmic Comics on 23rd Street, St Marks Comics), The Museum of Comic Book and Cartoon Art http://www.moccany.org , and also publisher sites such as Drawn and Quarterly http://www.drawnandquarterly.com/ and others.

I'm really excited that we are talking about this! (Can ya' tell?)

What are some of your favorites?

Best, Nancy

__________________________ Nancy Mercado Editor Dial Books for Young Readers 345 Hudson Street New York, NY 10014
(212) 414415 phone
(212) 414398 fax nancy.mercado at us.penguingroup.com
__________________________



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Received on Fri 09 Apr 2004 11:02:59 AM CDT