sampler

Kids Can Press whets readers' appetites with COMICS! COMICS! COMICS! GRAPHIC NOVEL SAMPLER (2011). These teasers from full length books about Binky, Lila and Ecco, Otto and Crackers, and more will certainly make readers search out further adventures of their favorites from this sampler. The final entry, "What Are Comics?" from Lila and Ecco's Do-It-Yourself Comics Club should be required reading for anyone looking for some basic information about comics and graphic novels. <37>

if you give an illustrator a box...

Kazu Kibuishi, creator of the AMULET series of GNs, has edited a collection entitled EXPLORER: THE MYSTERY BOXES (Amulet, March 2012). Seven graphic novelists provide their answer to the question: what's in the box? Raina Telgemeier, Dave Roman, and Kibuishi himself are among the talented artists and illustrators whose stories are a part of this collection. Sometimes the boxes contain wondrous gifts; other times there are more sinister things that rise from the box. Students will enjoy exploring the different stories as well as the different artistic approaches. Teachers might easily use this book to demonstrate mood and tone since the scaffolding of the visuals makes it readily apparent which stories are more lighthearted than others. <666>