An Annotated Bibliography by Jack Baur and Amanda Jacobs-Foust with Carla Avitabile, Casey Gilly, Jessica Lee, Holly Nguyen, JoAnn Rees, Shawna Sherman, and Elsie Tep May 17th, 2012 Table of Contents Introduction 2 Young Readers 3 Middle School 7 High School 14 Older Teens 22 Prepared by BAYA for the California Library Association 1 Introduction It’s no secret that comics (or “graphic novels,” if you prefer) are hot items in the library world these days. Oh, we’ve known that for years, but recently publishers have been getting into the game in a big way. Too big, arguably. As publishers struggle, it seems like more and more they are turning to graphic novels as new revenue streams, to diversify existing properties, or as ways to repackage old content. With the deluge of titles coming at us, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for a librarian who isn’t deeply invested in their GN collection or tuned into the world of comics publishing to discern the excellent titles from the merely popular, and the quality from the... well, crap. And oh there’s a lot of crap out there these days... But there’s a whole lot of great stuff, too. Comics are a wonderful and unique medium, which allow any kind of story or instruction to be delivered in a way that is fun, engaging, and accessible. Just like other storytelling forms, the content can be simple and amusing, or it can be deep and challenging. It’s no surprise that comics are seeing such a jump in popularity and acceptance now. The way that they merge text and image reminds young readers of the highly visual information environments they see every day, and their experience reading comics will help them develop the visual literacy skills they need to synthesize and evaluate information elsewhere. That makes it our job as librarians serving teens to ensure that the comics we provide for them are the absolute best. That’s what this guide is for: to help you start sorting the good from the bad. We at BAYA have assembled a list of more than 80 of our favorite titles for teens, with thorough annotations to help you figure out what’s right for you. We have loosely divided our selections into four categories: Young Readers, Middle School, High School, and Older Teen/Adult. Use these age suggestions as a guide, but remember that, as in most situations, your mileage will vary. Many of the “Middle School” titles would be perfect in even an adult collection and, just because we may have placed something in the “High School” category for reasons of theme or content, that doesn’t mean It wouldn’t work just fine for younger readers in the right environment. As with all collection development – but particularly when you’re talking comics – the best thing you can do as a selector is to get your hands dirty and see the books for yourself! Indeed, thanks to the visual nature of comics, a quick flip through a book should give you a pretty good indication of whether it’s right for your collection. Besides, there are so many exciting stories out there for you that it would be an absolute shame if you missed the chance to explore them! Jack Baur Teen Services Librarian, Berkeley Public Library President, BAYA: The Bay Area Young Adult Librarians May 17th, 2012 2 YOUNG READERS Azuma, Kiyohiko. Yotsuba&!. Yen Press, 2009 - present. 11 volumes, ongoing. See the world through the eyes of Yotsuba, an incorrigible 5 year-old girl with an eternal sense of adventure and boundless charm. Having recently been adopted by a young man and moved to a new town, Yotsuba makes new friends and explores her new home with infectious wonder in this delightfully twee shojo manga series. Barba, Corey. Yam. Top Shelf Productions. 2008. 88p. 9781603090148. Yam is the silent story of a young boy and his adventures on surreal island of Leche de la Luna, where cupcakes live, flowers are musicians and Yam can communicate with his crush via dreams. Sweet and quirky, this single volume leaves you wanting more. Eliopoulis, Chris (auth.) and Guara, Ig (illus.). Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers. Marvel Books, 2010- present. 4 volumes, ongoing. “And there came a day, a day unlike any other, when Earth's mightiest heroes were unaware of a threat greater than all of them could handle. And on that day, a teleporting puppy scoured the world to assemble a team of animals to fight the foes no single beast could withstand!” And with that begins the story of a unique team of superhero sidekicks on their quest to claim six Infinity Gems which could destroy the Earth. The pets of such notable superheroes such as Thor, Reed Richards, and Kitty Pryde, embark in a beautifully drawn adventure filled with tongue in cheek humor, sharp dialogue, and laughs to tickle both kids and their parents. Gownley, Jimmy. Amelia Rules!. Atheneum Books for Young Readers. 2009-ongoing. 7 volumes, ongoing. What’s not to love about a comics series that details the arcane and the disgusting (see: sneeze barf), while tackling real-life issues such as divorce, bullies and being the new kids at school? The series centers on recent 3 Manhattan transplant and tomboy, Amelia as she adapts to her new life in a small town with her new friends Reggie, Rhonda and Pajamaman. Together, they they form G.A.S.P (Gathering of Awesome Superpals) and battle their arch enemies, the Park View Terrace Ninjas. The series begins with The Whole World's Crazy (2009. 160p. 9781416986126). Hatke, Ben. Zita the Spacegirl. First Second. 192p. 9781596434462. An unsuspecting young girl turns into an intergalactic heroine in this charming, adventurous, story of friendship and bravery. Fans of fantastical monsters, aliens, and doomed planets will rejoice in the colorful inking and playful illustrations, including a giant mouse, “doorpaste”, and more robots than you can shake a stick at. Holm, Jennifer (auth.) and Matthew Holm (illus.). Babymouse. Random House Books, 2005-present. 15 volumes, ongoing. Babymouse is smart and imaginative; full of quirks and character flaws that make her lovable and endearing throughout her adventures with her truest friend, Wilson Weasel and her arch enemy, Felicia Furrypaws. The thick black line drawings are warmed by the dedicated, yet restrained use of pale pink. This is an enjoyable series that has well-earned it’s popularity with young readers by being sweet and sassy. The series begins with Queen of the World (2005, 96, 978037583229) and notable volumes include Puppy Love (2007, 96p, 9780375832291) where Babymouse tries to care for Buddy the Dog; Dragonslayer (2009, 96p, 9780375857126) in which Babymouse must overcome her F- and slay her personal dragon – MATH! – and A Very Babymouse Christmas (2011, 96p., 9780375867798) during which Babymouse learns the true meaning of the holidays. Kibuishi, Kazu. Copper. Scholastic GRAPHIX. 2010. 96p. 9780545098939. A brave young boy and his worried but caring dog have a series of incredible adventures in a wild fantasy land. Copper features brilliant illustrations and steampunk-esque designs from Kibuishi, but the heart of this story is the friendship between a boy and his best friend. 4 Konami, Kanata. Chi’s Sweet Home. Vertical, 2010 - present. 8 volumes, ongoing. A young kitten named Chi goes for a walk, only to find herself lost from her mother! Fortunately, she is found by a boy named Yohei who takes her in to become a part of the Yamada family, in an apartment building in which pets are strictly forbidden. Marked by sharply observed animal characterizations and a nigh endless supply of cute, this manga series is a must for cat lovers. Krosoczka, Jarrett J. Lunch Lady. Knopf Books for Young Readers. 2009-present. 8 volumes, ongoing. Lunch Lady and her sidekick, Doris, are crimefighters when not preparing and serving food in the cafeteria. Operating out of the secret kitchen lair and with the help of the Breakfast Bunch, Dee, Hector and Terrence, they fight evil and solve crimes. The series begins with Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute (2009. 96p. 9780375846830), but be sure not to miss the second installment: Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians (2009. 96p. 9780375846847). Pien, Lark. Long Tail Kitty. Blue Apple Books. 2009. 51p. 9781934706442. Long Tail Kitty opens with “Where I Live” in which the titular character describes where his house is: “by the hill, by the meadow, by the lake, by the river, by the town, on the street where I live”. This sweet cadence of language is consistent throughout the remainder of the book, which includes four more stories accompanied by witty watercolors. The stories are devoted to fun and friendship, concluding with “Though We’re Far, We’re Friends,” which includes a fold-out page of 70 fun things to do. Notable activities include the Quietest Singer, Caddy Wampus and Loudest Longest. A worthy read that will delight young readers. Runton, Andy. Owly. Top Shelf Productions, 2004-present. 5 volumes, ongoing. Gentle Owly and his clever best friend, Wormy spend their days on adventures in their forest home; making friends and learning valuable life lessons. Runton’s simple black and white drawings manage to be both lively and warm in this mostly wordless – but entirely charming – all-ages comic. The series begins with The Way Home & The Bittersweet Summer (2004. 160p., 9781891830624). Each volume is a delight, but Tiny Tales, 5 (2008, 144p. 9781603090193) which collects out-of-print and the original mini-comics, is not to be missed. Slade, Christian. Korgi. Top Shelf, 2007-present. 3 volumes, ongoing.