It’s been an action-packed couple weeks since we last spoke, so here’s what’s been going on. First, I made an appearance (a hopefully not too awkward one) on the San Francisco public radio program Your Call, which appears daily on KALW. The topic of the day last Thursday was nonfiction graphic novels, particularly graphic journalism, and the in-studio guest was noted author Joe Sacco (Safe Area Gorazde). That right away is a pretty intimidating prospect: Joe is a true talent, and the work he does is incredibly important. So I just did my best to keep up and try to sound like I knew what I was talking about. Actually, once I got over my initial nerves, it was a lot of fun, and I enjoyed the chance to talk about so many different nonfiction books. I blogged about all the books covered on the show, and hopefully it provided some good attention to those books.

Carol spent the past weekend at the American Library Association’s midwinter conference in Boston. There was some terrific graphic-novel news announced there: Two Toon books (Benny and Penny in the Big No-No! and Little Mouse Gets Ready) won the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for beginning reader books and a Geisel Honor, respectively; and David Small’s Stitches received an Alex Award.

Speaking of which, the American Library Association just announced its 2010 Great Graphic Novels for Teens list. It’s a huge list: 73 titles, to be exact! And it’s a very good list. Also, they’ve pared the list down to a top 10, so you can go straight to the top if you wish. It’s such an extensive list that I hope you’ll spend some time with it.

Now on to more GNR news: This update contains several items of interest to teachers and librarians. In fact, it kind of became a theme as this update was being put together: the hard work and valuable resources these people are implementing regularly in the field. One example is Greg Hill, a library director from Alaska. Greg sent me an email just before the holidays outlining the Guys Read program and its huge success in Alaska. I thought it sounded amazing, and I asked him to run, not walk, to his computer to type out an outline of what he and his cohorts did there. It’s done, and it’s here for you now.

Carol had attended a pre-conference event at the Public Library Association Convention (PLA) in Minneapolis two years ago where Guys Read was the subject. Reading Greg's piece really showed how this program can work. Interesting that this year the pre-conference at PLA will be about graphic novels called appropriately enough "Librarians Get Graphic." You can read more details about this event here.

We also have an extensive interview with Matthew J. Smith and Randy Duncan, two university professors who have begun teaching comics at the higher-education level. Even better, they’ve turned their talents into a book that helps other professors do the same. I had a fascinating conversation with both Matthew and Randy last week and really enjoyed getting to know them. I had seen both of them speak at Comic-Con last summer, so it was wonderful to catch up with them and hear about what they’ve been doing. Both were also nice enough to share their syllabi from their classes with us, and we’ve reprinted them online for teachers everywhere to see.

More teacher and librarian resources can be found in our reviews section too. How’s that for an issue devoted to education? (Don’t worry; even if you’re not a teacher or a librarian, there’s a ton of new content just for you…just read below to see.)

Speaking of resources, I want to remind everyone to get our blog and important updates from us via RSS feed. It’s easy to sign up. Just click on the box in the upper-right-hand corner of the site (it’s in white, right under the Search box). Also, don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and become a fan of us on Facebook. That way, we’ll always keep you covered online!

That’s it for now. Enjoy the update and let us know what you think by leaving comments on the site!

Happy reading,

John Hogan (John@bookreporter.com)

Justice Served Soon
The new and improved "Smallville" has it's first-ever two-hour movie event (called "Absolute Justice"), airing February 5th.

Award Winners
Comics-related awards at ALA

In Case You Missed Them…
List of graphic journalism comics discussed on the San Fran KALW radio show "Your Call"

On the Radio
Discussing nonfiction graphic books with Joe Sacco

Lots in Store for 2010
Get your shopping lists ready with this look at upcoming graphic novels. From superheroes to fantastic fiction, there’s something for everyone coming in the weeks ahead.

Butterflies, Flowers, Vol. 1 by Yuki Yoshihara
Choko is new to Japan's corporate universe, and the autocratic Director Domoto seems all too eager to administer her trial by fire in the alternately hilarious and romantic Butterflies, Flowers. Reviewed by Casey Brienza

Grimmer Tales by Erik Bergstrom
Erik Bergstrom takes a dark and twisted look at the world of fairy tales. Beware! Reviewed by John Hogan

La Esperanca, Vol. 1-3 by Chiqusa Kawai
Two schoolmates who seem to have nothing in common end up being drawn to each other. They both want to hide their pasts. Reviewed by Danica Davidson

Dokebi Bride, Vol. 1-6 by Marley
Sunbi is a teenager who can communicate with spirits. She inherited the job of shaman from her mother and grandmother. Reviewed by Danica Davidson

Copper by Kazu Kibuishi
Copper is a boy with an eye for adventure and a heart as big as the sea. He's aided in his wonder-filled life by his trusty companion and loyal friend Fred, who just happens to be a talking dog. Reviewed by John Hogan

Missile Mouse: The Star Crusher by Jake Parker
Missile Mouse is a secret agent on a giant galactic mission: If he fails, the entire universe will be destroyed! That means this rule-breaking mouse with a penchant for trouble had better get his act together fast! Reviewed by John Hogan

Graphic Novels: Beyond the Basics edited by Martha Cornog and Timothy Perper
More and more libraries are looking to expand their graphic novel collections but lack the resources to do it. Graphic Novels: Beyond the Basics offers some immediate help in the form of a dozen essays, extensive bibliographies and case studies, and suggestions for further reading. Reviewed by John Hogan