NoveList’s free Crash Course webinar series is all about helping library staff navigate genres to help their readers. It’s our most popular webinar series, with two (or sometimes more) webinars held per year. (Don’t want to miss any of them? Sign up for NoveList News).
Last month, we revisited a format. The chat for Crash Course in Graphic Novels was exploding with comments and book recommendations from attendees, and there were too many questions to answer during Q&A. We’re back with those answers now.
I’m a Children’s Librarian, and I have kids who aren’t into superhero comics, but they love Dog Man. What other graphic novel authors would you recommend for school-age children who enjoy Dav Pilkey’s style?
You’re in luck because in the NoveList database, we have a Curated List For Fans of … Dog Man. Look for authors who write books that are action-packed, humorous adventures with offbeat and zany characters. Usually, fans of Dog Man love the cartoony illustrations and are looking for another series to enjoy. Try Max Meow by John Gallagher or The InvestiGators by John Patrick Green.
How do you see any overlap between graphic novels and zines?
Graphic novels and zines both use images and words to tell stories that are personal, creative, and often outside the mainstream. They’re great for engaging readers who might not connect with traditional formats, and they encourage hands-on, artistic expression. Zines are usually handmade and self-published, but libraries can use both to support diverse voices and build community. Their shared focus on storytelling and accessibility makes them a natural fit for library collections and programs. Read about how library staff at school and public libraries use zines in Educators Share the Power of Zines from Publishers Weekly.
Also, the comics equivalent of a zine is called a minicomic! There is a shared handmade, self-published ethos between minicomics and zines, and many cartoonists get their start creating both.
We started putting our graphic medicine in our general adult nonfiction, but have left other nonfiction and bios in our adult graphic novels collection. Should these graphic novels stay with our adult collection, or be interfiled?
There is no perfect method for shelving graphic novels, since it can vary by the library's space or how their community looks for books. When it comes to nonfiction, some libraries keep them with fiction graphic novels so that fans of the format have one place to look for everything. However, since some are less aware that nonfiction graphic novels exist, interfiling them with other nonfiction can raise awareness when people are browsing. Assuming you have enough flexibility in your shelving space, you could test interfiling all your nonfiction for a few months, see how it impacts circulation, and go from there.
What about Spanish graphic novel authors?
You can search for authors in NoveList by their cultural identity, Latine, or by specific Spanish-speaking countries. If you’re looking for graphic novels in Spanish, a curated selection for all ages can be found in Core Collection en Español.
I work at a public library, and one time, a father came in with his third-grade daughter asking for chapter book suggestions. He seemed frustrated and said, “She only brings home graphic novels. I don’t know what they’re doing in that school.” The girl looked embarrassed, so I redirected the conversation to her and, in my sweetest voice, asked what she liked about those stories. I tried to stay professional, but it made me uncomfortable, sad, frustrated... reading is reading! Has anyone else had a similar experience? What would you do?
That can be frustrating! But you did the right thing by asking what she enjoys reading about and trying to find something similar for her. In the future, it might be a good idea to keep some literature handy about the benefits of reading graphic novels to give to parents and caregivers. You could also have a regular display of comics and graphic novels to show the library values and celebrates all types of reading. If you have access to Learn with NoveList Plus, check out our course Graphic Novels for Tweens and Teens for graphic novel resources and a terrific booklist.
What's the best way to convince older adults to attend my graphic novel book club? It seems it's harder to see them.
If the size of the images and text presents a challenge for older adults, and you think it's making it less likely for older adults to attend your graphic novel book club, there are a couple of things you can try. First, if the reader has access to a tablet or computer, they can read eBooks, which will allow them to enlarge the pages as much as needed. If the eBook route doesn't work, you can always offer magnifying glasses for those who need them to help improve the visibility of the books.
Yaika Sabat is the Manager of Reader Content and Services at NoveList. She is currently reading Severance by Ling Ma.
