Podcasts about telgemeier

You might not think that 224 pages devoted to a sixth grader's tricky journey with braces would make for a bestseller, but since its publication in 2010, Raina Telgemeier's graphic novel “Smile” has remained hugely popular with the kid set. And her follow ups “Guts,” “Drama” and “Ghosts” have earned her rave reviews from kids, tweens, parents and librarians for the humorous, hopeful, and honest depictions of life as an anxious kid. We'll talk to Telgemeier, a Bay Area native, about her work and how she taps into the zeitgeist of adolescence. Guest: Raina Telgemeier, author of "Smile," "Guts," and "Sisters," among other popular graphic novels for teens and kids

Graphic novelist Raina Telgemeier has been described as "like the Beatles for teenagers." Her popular books depict feelings and emotions young people may not want to talk about with adults, like adolescent anxiety, loneliness and embarrassment. John Yang sits down with Telgemeier to discuss her work and her legions of fans. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Graphic novelist Raina Telgemeier has been described as "like the Beatles for teenagers." Her popular books depict feelings and emotions young people may not want to talk about with adults, like adolescent anxiety, loneliness and embarrassment. John Yang sits down with Telgemeier to discuss her work and her legions of fans. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

You might not think that 224 pages devoted to a sixth grader's tricky journey with braces would make for a bestseller, but since its publication in 2010, Raina Telgemeier's graphic novel “Smile” has remained hugely popular with the kid set. And her follow ups “Guts,” “Drama” and “Ghosts” have earned her rave reviews from kids, tweens, parents and librarians for the humorous, hopeful, and honest depictions of life as an anxious kid. We'll talk to Telgemeier, a Bay Area native, about her work and how she taps into the zeitgeist of adolescence. Guests: Raina Telgemeier, author of "Smile," "Guts," and "Sisters," among other popular graphic novels for teens and kids

Marvel's Predator vs. Wolverine is at the top of the comic book charts for September. Transformers #1 has sold out and will head back for a second printing. Raina Telgemeier, Daniel Clowes and more have won CxC Awards. All on Comic Book Club News for October 4, 2023.SUBSCRIBE ON RSS, APPLE, ANDROID, SPOTIFY, OR THE APP OF YOUR CHOICE. FOLLOW US ON TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, TIKTOK, AND FACEBOOK. SUPPORT OUR SHOWS ON PATREON.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

[REBRAOADCAST FROM: Feb 1, 2022] Raina Telgemeier is a bestselling author and cartoonist, writing acclaimed YA novels such as Smile, Guts, Sisters, Ghosts, and Drama. She discusses her books and career as our inaugural "Get Little" author! Telgemeier takes questions from fans, kids and parents alike.

[REBRAOADCAST FROM: Feb 1, 2022] Raina Telgemeier is a bestselling author and cartoonist, writing acclaimed YA novels such as Smile, Guts, Sisters, Ghosts, and Drama. She discusses her books and career as our inaugural "Get Little" author! Telgemeier takes questions from fans, kids and parents alike.

Sit back and say ‘Aaaahhhh!' For this month's Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo take a trip to the dentist with Raina Telgemeier's 2010 autobiographic novel Smile. Raina looks back on how her orthodontic woes served as a marker for her adolescence, from the loss of her two front teeth in 6th grade circa 1989 through finally ditching those braces in freshman year ‘92. This prompts Paul and Arlo to recount their own dental dramas in dramatic (traumatic?) detail before praising Telgemeier's skillful cartooning, her incisive rendering of middle school social mores, the way historical events are set against the backdrop of teen life, and more. Plus, the boys have thoughts on the This Is Us series finale.   NEXT: more drama, more trauma.     BREAKDOWN 00:00:23  -  Intro / This is Us 00:35:17  -  Smile 01:35:33  -  Outro / Next     MUSIC “Dentist!” by Steve Martin, Michelle Weeks, Tichina Arnold & Tisha Campbell, Little Shop of Horrors (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (1986) “Braces” by Robbo, A Kid's Life (2000)     GOBBLEDYCARES Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/  Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/ Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-racism resources: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/ The Trevor Project provides information and support to LGBTQ youth: thetrevorproject.org Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/  US (877) 565-8860 Canada (877) 330-6366 National Center for Transgender Equality: transequality.org Advocate for writers who might be owed money due to discontinuance of royalties: https://www.writersmustbepaid.org/  Help teachers and classrooms in need: https://www.donorschoose.org/ Do your part to remove the burden of medical debt for individuals, families, and veterans: https://ripmedicaldebt.org/ Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

Raina Telgemeier is a bestselling author and cartoonist, writing acclaimed YA novels such as Smile, Guts, Sisters, Ghosts, and Drama. She joins us to discuss her books and career as our inaugural "Get Little" author! Telgemeier will also take questions from fans, kids and parents alike!

00:00:00 Molly RauhHello and welcome back to this CCIRA Literacy Conversations podcast. I'm your host Molly Rauh with my co-host Jessica Rickert. Today's podcast features, Marc Tyler Nobleman.00:00:14 Jessica RickertMarc's work centers around writing fiction and nonfiction books for young people, Mark shares how he writes books that grab an interest people will welcome. Mark we're so excited to chat with you tonight. Could you start by telling us a little bit about your background?00:00:34 Marc Tyler NoblemanWell, thanks for having me. And I am very excited to be making my return to CCIRA. It's either my third or my fourth; I can double check that before I get there. So I am an author of books for young people. I've been doing this for most of my adult life. I've written both nonfiction and fiction. My main criteria is I want to write books that grab your attention. I want to tell....If it's nonfiction, I want to tell an Untold Story, or at least what I hope will be an untold story to most readers. And if it's fiction, I just want to surprise you. I wanted to be funny, or just feel fresh to you in some way, and something that you that might grab you just from a quick, quick little glimpse, or a quick initial explanation, not a deep dive. But just I want to grab people right away.00:01:25 Jessica RickertSo when did this start? When did you start writing?00:01:29 Marc Tyler NoblemanWell, same time as everybody when I was a tiny person, but I liked it at the time, unlike a lot of my peers. And so I would write short stories. I know I did that in high school, so that might be the earliest I can say definitively. And in college, I knew I wanted to become some kind of a professional writer. It didn't know what. And I got out of school, and I stumbled into being a children's book author that was not on my agenda. Not that I was against it. I just didn't think of it. And here I am. All these years later, I'm very happy with that. I mean, it's expanded into a variety of types of writing, but that is my that is, my focus really is writing for young people. And and there are adults, their loved ones who are adults, their parents, their teachers.00:02:15 Molly RauhWell, and you and I have already... So people who can't see, he and I share the love of comics. And so I'm kind of curious. One of your more nonfiction stories is about the sort of originally unknown second co-creator of Batman. How did you get into that story?00:02:42 Marc Tyler NoblemanYes.00:02:42 Molly RauhHow do you spell across that? Where does that come from?00:02:45 Marc Tyler NoblemanWell, do we do? Should I explain to who our listeners who Batman is, or do you think they already know? They probably...00:02:53 Molly RauhI hope they know00:02:54 Marc Tyler NoblemanThey probably know. Let's give them that benefit of the doubt. So that is my big story. I will be talking about that in person. I don't want to spill the beans too much on that. But I'll answer your question, which doesn't spill the beans, which is that I was a comic book reader since I was in, again, a tiny person. And back then it wasn't cool. Now it's cool now anyone can do it, now, there's no judgment, but back then it was not exactly mainstream, or, you know, widely accepted. In fact, you know, when I was in, when I was in grade school to high school, I think there were only two or three mainstream superhero movies in that entire 10 or 12 year stretch. Now there's two or three a week, just to put it in perspective. You know, there were the Superman movies. And then at the very end of high school, the Batman movie came out. Those are the main ones. And then there was a couple lesser ones. So it really wasn't something that was, you know, widely accepted. And I, as a as a person who became a writer, I started to pay attention not only to the fictional side, but to who created these characters. And I, I remember that on my 16th birthday. The cover of Time Magazine was Superman's 50th birthday, and it talked about his creators. So I was a sixteen-year-old reading Time magazine in my school library, you know, having an epiphany that yeah, these characters came from somewhere, and I was interested in that. So I don't know exactly when I learned about the story behind Batman, but I know it was not in college. It was after that. Because in college, I proof that I did not know about The Unsung co-creator, because there's not my proudest moment, but I'm just gonna be honest with you, because you're all adults, some of my friends and I would crank call each other each other, not strangers. And this is back in the answering machine days. So our goal was to just fill out the tape. Just talk until we got cut off. So I would just ram- We would all just ramble. You know, I would just pick up a book and start reading. I would tell some story from my childhood. I am. One of the stories I told was this story began Batman, and all I mentioned was Bob Kane, the artist, the man who was credited on Batman at the time, the only person. I didn't mention Bill Finger. So as as late as college, I had never heard of this man who then end up becoming the subject of my most, I think, my most popular book and a huge part of my life, which is, again, a story that I'll tell in great detail at the conference. But you know, just the point being that, you know, you can't, as we I'll say, as adults, and as teachers and Educators can't believe everything you read. Got to look further, you might be even if it's something as huge as Batman, maybe even, especially if it's something as huge as Batman, you've got to know your source. You've got a double check. Make sure you're getting the true story you might be, you know, pulling the wool over your eyes.00:05:39 Molly RauhNow, you just made me more curious. There's no answer.00:05:41 Marc Tyler NoblemanThat's the goal right? 00:05:42 Molly RauhI'm gonna have to come see you at the conference, so I can get more info.00:05:44 Marc Tyler NoblemanPlease, do. That's what I want. I want a big group on a big, huge attendance.00:05:50 Molly RauhOkay, so, thinking more about because, you know, we have teachers here. And so they're trying to inspire their own next generation of authors. In terms of process, how do you go about writing a book? Like what? What steps do you work through?00:06:11 Marc Tyler NoblemanSo if it's fiction, I like to try to sketch out the arc of the story in advance. Now you're not locked in, but it helps me to have guideposts. And when I teach creative writing to kids in the summer and at various times during the year and I always tell them that you, I recommend that you do that, but don't feel beholden to it. You know, if your writing and your story goes in another Direction, that's okay, you're not breaking a law or a rule, but it does help to have that outline, especially, I think, the ending, because I really think with fiction, it's and I think it's important at least it helps me to have some sense of your destination so that you get there and an exciting way. I talk about it with kids by saying, if you know, there's let's say it's a Sunday, and your family is all hanging out, looking for something to do. Someone in your family might say, let's go get ice cream, but you know, we're not going to go straight there. We're going to take the scenic route. Another person might say, let's just get in the car and drive, and who knows where we'll end up. So in one, in case you've got a destination which you might get excited about, and then you take a roundabout way to get there, because that's fun in another, you're excited because you don't know what at all where you're going. So it's just one of the two, but I just prefer knowing that we're going to get ice cream at the end. That's how I like to write that I know that's where we're going. Now with nonfiction. It just starts with just the, the, the, you know, the spark of the electricity running up my spine. I mean, I read something, I hear something that I feel is so enticing and even better again, if it hasn't been done before, and it's own book. So most of my nonfiction in recent years, it's that category. Its if given my know some of the story, of course, but it hasn't been the focus of its own book. And so I love that I love feeling like I'm walking through the forest by myself. No one else is looking for mushrooms or whatever you're foraging for. You're the only one you're going to get all the best spoils. And I also just love the excitement that I see on faces of both kids and adults want to telling a story that that is new for them. So, you know, with all no love loss to Rosa Parks and Babe Ruth. And, you know, any number of other textbook names that get tons of picture books about them all deserve it. Muhammad, Ali. And, well, a lot of the presidents are falling out of favor these days. But, you know, you know who I'm talking to. Ruth Bader Ginsburg. All these people have multiple picture books by now, and they deserve them. But I want to I want to be one of the people that writes about someone that you don't really know. So that, to me, is just it's a little riskier as some some publisher. Some editors don't want to work on books that aren't pre-sold. But for me, it's the only way forward. I just want to be fulfilled by the read, the process. So with fiction, I have to sketch it out a bit with nonfiction. I just have that spark, and I just download as much as I can about the topic. And then I go through and it's fun, because then you go through and pick out the kid-friendly parts. The parts that you know are going to excite kids. It might not be them. You know, the linear story from. I mean, it will be linear when it's done, but, you know, you might be missing big moments that are not appropriate or interesting for kids. You still have to make it, you know, a cohesive whole. So that's finest. Yet. What are the pieces of this that work best for my audience? 00:09:36 Jessica RickertAnd how, like, what resources, do you have "go to" resources when you're researching for those non-fiction books?00:09:45 Marc Tyler NoblemanYeah, I just use Wikipedia exclusively. I basically just rewrite Wikipedia articles and act like its original. Wait. You're going to share this with other people. (Jessica laughs) Good? Yeah. Now, well, because I'm trying to do these stories that are more or less Untold. Oftentimes I can't rely on just the internet or books, because again, there's stuff out there that's never been documented. So a lot of the work I've done has been about people that are either still alive, or people who died recently enough that there are people still alive who knew them. So I get original interviews with those people, and sometimes original documents, you know, private documents letters, or, you know, Vital Records or so on that helped fill in the story, never been published in. If they're on the Internet, it's often because I put them there. Now, after, after I do the book, I put some of the research online share the wealth, and you know, for the next person who might want to write about that. Of course, I do use the internet, and I do use books as well, but I'm more excited about these, you know, these Quests for the things that aren't as easy to find, and sometimes you don't get some anywhere. I mean, right now, I'm working on a book where there are two main true story, two main character, two main figures. They're both still alive. The story happened in the 70s. One of them gave me a lovely two hour interview so far. And the other one I I just reached out today to this person's family, but I've been told, don't expect this person to participate for reasons that will become clear when this, when the topic is revealed, but so I may not get that, but I'm going to carry anyways and just write based on what's already been documented, maybe without family. But again, some of the stuff I've written is by about people that are long dead. So I'm never. There's not any opportunity to talk to those people. So it can be done without talking to the people involved. It's just sweeter for me if I can get their buy-in and get there on, you know, the previously Untold Story. 00:11:43 Molly RauhThinking about just interviewing in general, I know that sometimes that's a challenge to ask kids to do. So, what are some of your tips for reaching out to someone and kind of asking for their time and their story and their information?00:11:59 Marc Tyler NoblemanYeah, well, I wish I was a little kid asking because who said, can say no to a little kid, right? That would that would be an advantage, but I get it. Yeah, it is an important skill, even if you don't become a writer. It's just important to know how to ask questions of other people. being appropriate, but, you know, getting the story, you know, and how to handle people that are difficult or mysterious, or whatever. So that is a great skill. I mean, for kids that are doing that for school, I mean, I did will depend on the assignment. But let's say they don't have a specific number of questions to ask, maybe just start with five something that seems manageable and not overwhelming. And if you can ask them to, don't think of it like an assignment. But think of it like, you're just curious, what do you? What do you? What would you want to know about? Someone kids are not. They're very curious. But, I mean, I have two kids of my own, and sometimes they just don't, you know, the they don't articulate what they want to know, and just they just they give up before they even start. So if you tell them just, you know, think about what something you want to ask someone that you think that person is never talked about, or wouldn't tell you without you asking, or just try to make it a little bit more of a game and a mystery like can you be the one to crack the code? Can you get this person to tell you about his childhood when she never talked about before? I don't know, make it a little bit more of a challenge. I haven't done that specifically with kids, but, you know, working on interview techniques. But you know, you never, you just have to keep trying. If someone's I don't know if I would emphasize this with kids. But when people say no to me, I don't, I don't hear the word no when it comes to asking for an interview that's not talking about other types of consent, but I will keep trying to get the story. And I actually put a bit of a burden on their shoulders saying, you might be the only person who can share this information. So for the you know, for posterity, for scholarship, I hope that you'll you'll talk about it, and that doesn't always work, but I am not gonna let it go without trying. It's just too important. I've had people that have died that I know know interesting things about my topics, but they wouldn't tell me. So I, you know, I don't want I want to limit, mitigate that as much as possible. So basically, like we tell kids, you know, there's no such thing as a dumb question. Ask whatever is of interest to you. 00:14:10 Molly RauhSo a little perseverance is valuable there too. Let's see, there's so so many different directions I could go. So I'm also curious, you know, just about. Obviously comic books have been a passion that informed a couple books. But what are some of your interests outside of writing outside of, you know, that career path that inspire you as a writer, or just help you kind of feel well-rounded and give you that energy and inspiration to keep writing?00:14:52 Marc Tyler NoblemanWell, I mean, it's nothing original to say that I love reading, and I do. And I love running, and I can't say that it has a direct correlation to writing. But there are a lot of people that would compare writing to running because they're both typically solitary. And I also, you know, as a writer, I don't want to be the person of a person who's just at a desk in a room all day, even before covid. I wanted to get out and get some air. And so that that's a happy place for me. I. There's a trail that picks up right around the corner from our house. And it's might like it's like a second home for me to go there and listen to music and not, you know, a lot of people listen to podcasts when they run or commut or all that. But I'm so much with words all the time when I'm working, that when I run, I listen to music. I give myself a chance, because I don't have a commute. I don't drive anywhere everyday guaranteed. So that's my time to just listen to music and relax and get some, some fresh air. And I've actually got a couple book ideas while I've been running; nothing that's sold yet. But I don't know if the running is a help or a hindrance. But yeah, when you're out there, your head clears, and you can think of things and... And I have, as I mentioned, two kids. I love spending time with my family. They're both teenagers now. So it's not always my choice anymore. Spend time with them. I have to be penciled in or well, you know, typed in. And as I mentioned, I love music I love especially 80s music. I could do a whole talk on that, but I don't think anybody would show up. Maybe that's another conference. So those are my things running, music, family.00:16:36 Molly RauhAll right, I get that like running, I think, is I don't know, it's cathartic. It just helps you, you know, I, yeah, I think it's stimulating for ideas. Yeah. So no, no podcast, no words, music only.00:16:51 Marc Tyler NoblemanOkay, yeah, they're, we're a dying breed or so much so much pressure to listen to podcasts these days.00:16:58 Molly RauhI know. Well, I did the podcasting for a while, but even on my commute, I don't listen to podcasts anymore. I do listen to audio books. My commute is for audiobooks. So since you said reading which, you know, you said, not unique, which is true. Every time we talk to authors, they always have books that they love. So what are some of your favorite authors, or favorite books, especially when you were younger, that have kind of led you to have the passion you have for reading and writing?00:17:28 Marc Tyler NoblemanWell, some of these may not be so original either, but Where the Wild Things Are, which each, when I revisited it as an adult, reading it to my own kids, I was really blown away about how beautifully written is. It's not just this memorable visual journey, but the way he wrote it was so so wonderful. And it's only 10 sentences, which is a weird thing to realize as an adult, I love a novel called the mouse in the motorcycle. By Beverly Cleary, who just passed away. I think it was last year. And I loved a book that is not well-known. It's called David and the Phoenix. Have you heard of that? By any chance? It wasn't a big, you know, classic book, although since I've been to, I mean, over the years I've blogged about it and talked about it in various ways. And I know a lot of people come out of the woodwork and say, I totally remember that book. That was a big favorite of mine. But again, it never became a classic. So that was a novel written in 1957 by a man named Edward Ormondroyd, who's still alive at 96 and he's a friend, I guess you could say, I did reach out to him at one point, interview him for my blog. And I met him in person. So that was a really fulfilling moment, to meet someone that inspired me as it, not only as a fan to an author, but as peers. I mean, because I do that now too. And he was very gracious and very interesting, and that he had never met. You'd never done anything that authors today do. He'd never spoken at a conference. He'd never done a book signing. He never did a school visit, they just didn't he his that this book was published in 1957. It wasn't - those things were in all standard at. Certainly not school visits, I would imagine. So that was interesting, meet an author who has a totally different experience as a children's author than I have. So those are three of my favorites as a kid. Yeah, those are three of my favorites.00:19:21 Jessica RickertWhat about for your own books that you've written? Do you have some favorites, both fiction and nonfiction that you love more than other book, your other books?00:19:33 Marc Tyler NoblemanWell, everything I've done in the last ten or twelve years totally overrides everything I did before that not that they weren't books of Merit of some kind. I mean, I put my heart into those two, but what I've been doing recently are all things that topics that I hand pick. And before that, I was sometimes doing books based on other people's suggestions, or, you know, not not coming to it on my own. So, of all my books, and I mean my Batman book is my favorite in the sense that it became more than a book. And again, I don't want to teach just enough to get people to show up. It's it started off as a book, and it became a mission. And it became a very big mission that lasted many years, so that that's a category unto itself. And then, you know, the others I love in different ways too, they all like, with everything that we do, they have their, you know, they conjure different, you know, moments of your life, or in my case, I think about some of the struggles that each one involved, and what I had to try to overcome to get the book published, because nothing's come easy for me with writing, which is fine. If it's easy, it's it's boring. But it isn't like I've written a book and then the next day, someone says, I want that like it's taken a while for me, a lot of my work. And but again, because it's I'm, I think it's because I'm choosing topics that they feel are going to be a harder sell. And I tell them, well, that's what I'm here for. I'm not just going to write it and then go on a run and never come back. I'm going to help you sell it and promote it, and that's why I do conferences. That's why I go to schools. I want people to, you know, enjoy the story the way I did I wouldn't do all this work, and then let it float off, you know, on its own. So yeah, the Batman book would take first place. And then a lot of the recent ones would be in a tie for second.00:21:27 Molly RauhSo, thinking about that, you like comics? So we've asked about books, but what are some of your favorite Comics? Or even graphic novels? Because like you and I have mentioned there, you know, once upon a time, it wasn't cool to be into comics. But now, like there's not that stigma around that. So maybe share some of your favorites, some newer things that are being printed and published that kids might get their hands on, or that teachers might get hands on, because I certainly like some adult comics that I would never give to kids. And I've also had some comics that, like as soon as I'm done reading, I bring into the classroom to a particular kid. And I'm like, you have to read this. Here's the next one. What are some of your favorite? Well, a couple of graphic novels I've read recently that I loved were "Flamer" by Mike Curato, which is biographical and "New kid". Of course, I by Jerry Craft. I really liked. I don't read tons of graphic novels by you know, it's not I'm not. I don't specifically gravitate towards those. I just gravitate towards a good book, whether it's graphic novel, you know, pros or whatnot. Another one I read this summer that I thought was great was "Kent State." It's a new. It's 00:22:47 Molly Rauhthe newest book by a guy named Derf Backderf And it's, it's, it's his telling of the Kent State, the Ohio, you know, the, the Four Dead in Ohio story. And I knew almost nothing about that, even though I knew, ooh, that I know. I mean, I know of the song I know of the incident, but I couldn't have told you what it was about. And he just does a masterful job of weaving these four individuals stories into one tragic, overarching story. And then as far as traditional comics I mean, I grew up on I mean, being a huge fan of I'm a DC guy. As you can imagine, based on Batman. My favorites were Justice League because I like groups. I like to see how groups work together, like to see how groups split up to tackle different issues, both in superhero comics and in life. I also liked it a team-up comic called "The Brave and the Bold," which was Batman, plus somebody else every issue. And there was another one of DC Comics presents, which was Superman, plus someone else. And there are there are there are collected editions of those. I would recommend them for teachers with kids, because comics these days, the the there are still comics produced for elementary age kids. But a lot of the main characters are quite dark. Even Superman. I mean, a lot of the stories are quite sophisticated, quite dark. So not the same way when we were kids, where it was all kind of for everybody. So if you go back to the stuff that was done in the 70s and 80s, it's you know, it's a bit dated a little. It's a little dated. But I think for kids that like superheroes, they might really like it. You know, that sometimes it's a one-and-done story. It's you not to read 20 issues to get a full story. You can read one, which I think for reluctant readers is a little bit more accessible. Nowadays, you know, everything's an arc. You know, it's a it's 8 issue Arc, or a ten issue arc because they want to. They're creating these stories to be bound and sold as graphic novel so they can sell them online and easier with, you know, the newsstand business of buying this individual issue is, unfortunately, I don't think going to be around for much longer. Once people our age phase-out, they're not going to do it for the next generation. They're not buying comics generally. So, and then, of course, there's all the, you know, the ones that don't need my help. You know, there's there's the Raina, you know, Telgemeier books to Cece Bell, and they're doing great things, and kids know them already. So they don't need, you know, like them. But those are great too. 00:25:19 Jessica RickertI have a question not being a connoisseur of comic books, and only just watching the movies which I know is probably horrible for you two. Do you have a favorite superhero?00:25:32 Marc Tyler NoblemanSuperman. So it's again, it's there's this dichotomy throughout my whole childhood, you know, cool and uncool. So Superman uncool, Batman cool. DC uncool, Marvel cool. Han Solo cool, Luke Skywalker, uncool. You know, Fonzie, cool, Richie Cunningham uncool. I always like the uncle ones, except I did like Han Solo better than Luke. But for the most of the most of, those examples I was on the less cool side. So yeah.00:26:09 Molly RauhAll right, you're going to have to explain that one 'cause I have my reasons why I would pick Batman over Superman. So why Superman? Because, no I hardcore disagree with you on that one.00:26:20 Marc Tyler NoblemanSo do most kids. I I think it's, so I mean, a lot of it is just, you know, who you meet first. And he, I remember being introduced to Superman. It feels like first. But I also like, I mean, hit, you know, the Superman that I fell in love with is doesn't exist anymore. In a way. You know, he was good for good sake. There wasn't. There was no complexity to it. Of course, you know, our culture at the moment, and probably forever more is is just much more sensitive to all kinds of Injustice and differences, and, you know, sent being sensitive to as much as possible in every direction which those are certainly greatness there. Superman, you know, used to just you just you just had you just trusted the guy to do the right thing no matter what. And now it's just not as not as black and white. So I still love him, but I think it's just getting more complicated to be Superman than it used to be. And I love Batman too, obviously I spent a whole bunch of my life on him too. But I like Superman, just seems they both seem like loners. And I think I always was I always was drawn to that. Now they both have, well now they're both. It's not good. You know, things evolve. Now, they're - Superman's married with a son. And Batman has Catwoman. But you know, when I was growing up, they were loners and I that appealed to me to that they would do the right thing not to get tons of friends and to get paid or praise, but just because it was the right thing and that really resonated with me as a kid and helped inspire me to write Boys of Steel, my Superman book. That notion of just do the right thing, even if you don't get all this attention for it, or jobs and money, or your name on a big, you know, sign or plaque, or, you know, something like that. You're just doing it because, you know, in your heart, that's what you should do. And I like that about Superman. And Batman did it too. But it was just that was Superman's whole whole essence. 00:28:21 Molly RauhAll right, that's a fair argument. That's maybe the best argument for Superman I've ever heard. So, yeah, I might, I might like him a little better than I did a minute ago.00:28:31 Marc Tyler NoblemanWhat's your Batman take?00:28:33 Molly RauhWell, for me, it's it's a very simple piece of superpowers and not having superpowers. I like Batman because theoretically, like he is a regular human being. Yes, he's empowered by, you know, money and access to this technology. But, you know, I kind of liked that he was an ordinary human being. Who just, you know, used innovations, and you know his own personal sort of drive to become a superhero.00:29:07 Marc Tyler NoblemanI want to see if I can find. I saved this tweet that for me, really summarized Superman in a new way. But probably I knew it all along innately. So I love this. Superman stories aren't a fantasy about how good it would be to have power. they're a fantasy about what it would be like if someone with power was good. So giving credit where credit's due. This is I don't even know who this is. But the it's a someone on Twitter named Ian McIntyre. So I just love that that he could do whatever he wants. I mean, talk people talk about Batman that you know, look what he's doing with no power. But there's a flip side. Look what Superman is not doing with power. 00:29:50 Molly RauhI like that take that's kind of cool, that almost like I might have to pull that into an essential question, because I teach history and like, you know, we just finished some industrial like Gilded Age, Progressive Era, kind of stuff. And a big piece of that was looking at corruption. And so thinking about, like people with power, you know, do they do they always abuse it? Or are there people who use it for good? And so thinking of, yeah, yeah, well, I can send that to you. 00:30:25 Jessica RickertI just never really, like, you guys have opened my eyes to there's deeper and more complex things than just like the movies that I go to like looking. I'm definitely going to look at superheroes differently now. At a deep audio cuts out.00:30:43 Marc Tyler NoblemanThey're not for everybody.00:30:45 Molly RauhYeah, they're not for everybody, but I, you know, anybody I think, who's into comics, realizes that the majority of your comics, whether it's super hero stories or anything else, they're really human stories. They're looking at the human condition and looking at human motivations. And so the social scientist in me always loves them, because they're really just kind of who are we at our core? And, you know, what are we capable of in good and bad ways?00:31:14 Marc Tyler NoblemanYeah. 00:31:18 Jessica RickertWell. Are there any other books that you want to highlight for teachers that might be listening, that you think would be good for them to share with their students? I know you have a lot of books, but a couple that, oh, you should try this one or try this one00:31:33 Marc Tyler NoblemanSure. So I wrote a book called "Fairy Spell," which is a true story about two girls in World War One era England who went into the woods one day with a camera. And this was, again, World War 1 era. So this was not camera like anything we've seen. And they came back with only one photo, which one of their fathers developed in the dark room in their house. And that photo revealed one of the two girls with what they said were for fairies. And this kicked off a mystery that lasted for the rest of their lives. So they were one of them was only nine, and one was 16 and they didn't reveal the full truth about what really happened that day in the woods until they were in their 80s. So what I love about this story level out of things about I love it. It's about two girls. I love that it's about two girls that have agency. They're driving the story I love. I can't reveal it because it would spoil the book. But when they end up telling more of what happened later in life, I love their reason for not telling it sooner. So at first I thought maybe there'd be some. Maybe I'd get some pushback that I'm writing a book about liars. I don't want to say what they said that was true and not true. They said things that - I'm going to say this so I don't spoil the whole thing. At the end, there's they have a different -they say something different than each other. Their story was the same for most of those years. But then at the end, they diverge. So there is some. There is some untruth in it. But there's also some truth. And I love how it's just a new way of looking at the truth. And what isn't what we, how we classify truth and what we, how we judge people that don't tell the truth. You know, it's not, they don't lie for the same reason with the same effect. So I love that. And it also it's become, you know, very relevant with respect to fake news. I didn't write it because of that, but it is a great book to use to help children start to discern, you know, the importance of, again, not believing everything you read on at face value and learning how to verify things on the especially on the internet, whether they're true or not, or whether they need more, you know, more investigation. So that's a great book for that. And apparently, that's what a lot of people use it for. And there are a lot of lessons these days about that which is so important, teaching our kids how to be internet savvy, and how to not question everything to the point that you are a conspiracy theorist. But just you have a healthy skepticism about things so that you use your brain. And when I say in the book, you know, some people decry the internet saying that it makes us think less. I think it has to, really, it's making us think more. You really need to, like, I just said, don't take the first- and I, you know, I tell my kids, we all tell kids. Now, you know, the last couple of years, when you Google something, Google has a little box at the very top. It's in a box the to make you think like that's the definitive be-all-end-all answer. So I tell my kids, well, view, are you even looking at the source of that? And just because Google says it's true doesn't mean it is. So that book is helpful, I think with that topic. And then I wrote another book that's called "Thirty Minutes Over Oregon," so closer to your side of the country. And that's a true story out of WWII about a Japanese pilot named Nobuo who did something that no one before him, or since luckily has done. He became the only person in history to bomb the United States mainland from a plane. And the reason that most people have never heard this is because those bombs did not kill anyone, didn't even hurt anyone. They hit the forest outside of a town called Brookings. So maybe a couple squirrels bit it, but no humans. And because of that, it's not a World War. Two story that we teach it wasn't a turning point, but that's why I love it. It's a smaller story with a great famous first that is not really famous. And then this emotional core about this pilot, how this act impacted him later in life. So it's a great story about how enemies can become friends. I don't want to say too much, but he does come back to America after the war. And it's about something that you don't see in picture books. Too much least. I haven't seen it in non-fiction picture books, and that is redemption. This the idea of redemption, most picture books, that folk that are biographical. They follow the same arc. They start in someone's childhood. The child has a dream. The child tries and fails multiple times. And eventually the book ends with this person becoming the famous person that we all know. Again, the you know, with Bader Ginsburg or Babe Ruth, who met those I don't need to name famous people, you all know them, but that's and that's fine. But I don't. I prefer different kinds of stories. So I prefer story that's not quite as predictable where maybe they mean the Batman story is about a guy that basically opposite success. And then the ending is that he failed. So it's kind of a bummer, but that's life sometimes, and people we need to tell kids that you did a great thing. We shouldn't. He should be honored for it. But in the end, he didn't really benefit from it. And it was a sad story. And that's okay. It's okay to have a sad story. So the 30 minutes of Oregon book is a great story about Redemption about how I mean. Now it's especially, I think, a topic in the news and in life is about second chances. I mean, people are, you know, I see a lot of people that are not given a second chance. They misspeak. They something comes up from their past from sometimes even as young as being a teenager. And that completely changes the entire trajectory of their adult life. And there are times where, you know, second chances are definitely less viable. But I think for a lot of these cases, they're not in. This is a story about that. In today's world, you know, this man's story would he would have not been given a second chance, and he would have been a villain for the rest of his life. So I love this idea of, you know, seeing them at a human level. In this case, he was doing something during war, and you don't excuse that. But it was a war, and everyone was doing things that they would prefer not to be doing. And he did spend a lot of years trying to atone for that and show his true nature, and so reconciliation, redemption, very powerful, very powerful ideas. That, again, you don't see that often in - at least, I don't see them in picture books. I hope they're out there. I just haven't seen them myself. So those two, I think, really help with a lot of different levels of lessons in classrooms character development. And of course, the news thing is more, you know, practical skill.00:38:23 Molly RauhI love that. I think I know what books I'm picking up next, and hopefully I can get through them before. Maybe I hit some units where I could use those in my classes, because, you know, again, I'm a history teacher. I can totally use those.00:38:40 Marc Tyler NoblemanThank you.00:38:41 Molly RauhSo we're at that point where we're some of your heroes00:38:49 Marc Tyler NoblemanHeroes in general. Or...00:38:51 Molly RauhWell, certainly educational heroes, if you have them. But if you want to go a different route and just focus on anybody who's inspired you, who is your hero in what you do, you can go broader if that suits you better. Sure, well, I can do a two-in-one. I can do a personal hero and an educator here, which is my mom, who was a teacher before I was born. So I ruin that. She gave up when I came along, but she is just she's had a really, really challenging life for different reasons. But you turned out to be the sweetest mom. I mean, except for your two moms of all time. And with no, with no guidance, she, you know, she didn't have a loving upbringing where she had something 00:39:40 Molly Rauhto learn from. I don't know where she gets it from. And and she was also someone that you know, helped shape my creative side When We Were Young, my sister and I, my mother would not give us coloring books, because she felt we should start with a blank page that we should create from nothing. And so after a while, I think we wore down a bit, and as long as we still Drew on blank pages as well, but she didn't want us to be given someone else's work and then fill it in. And she also nudged me to be that she saw that I could be a writer before I did, which is typical mom. You know, she knew that I what I was good at, or what I had an aptitude for, and probably what I like, even though I didn't realize it. And she nudged me that way. And then again, as this is going to be no surprise about a guy who liked Superman Richie Cunningham, DC Comics better than there are opposite, which is that I have a lot of teachers that not only were inspirational for me, I'm still in touch with. I mean, most people I know if they're in touch with anyone, it's just one teacher I'm in touch with. I mean, not regular touch, but I have emails and reach out on, and I would say, on a, you know, somewhat regular basis to say hi to a number of teachers. So and you know, sometimes it's very vague why they resonate with me, but they must they must have helped shape me. I can't always figure out why I'm so drawn to them still, but a couple in particular are you no, are you know were formidable, or not formidable, formative, or probably formidable too, formative for me. And I love that because they are so that such a thankless job for so many and I it just three. It's very gratifying to, you know, all these years later, to just have this relationship so that they know that they mattered to me and probably to others that don't don't don't all right, as you know, aren't as obsessive about these things as I am, reaching out keeping in touch. So that means a lot to me for teachers that I had that had an impact for them to know that they did even your in my old age.00:41:47 Jessica RickertI love that. Well, thank you so much for joining us. We're all definitely going to have to check out so many more books. I loved your cliffhangers. And if you have not registered for Marc Tyler, Nobleman's sessions yet, now you got to go find out about the Batman story too. So thank you for joining us. And we look forward to seeing you in February at CCIRA.00:42:13 Marc Tyler NoblemanI can't wait. Thank you so much for your time. And I look forward to seeing you both in person. 00:42:19 Molly RauhThanks for listening to CCIRA Literacy Conversations podcast. To find out more about CCIRA go to CCIRA.org. On CCIRA.org, you can join as a member, or find great resources like our professional development blog, which posts every Tuesday and has a variety of guest writers on an awesome selection of topics. CCIRA is a professional organization of educators and community members is dedicated to the promotion and advancement of literacy. We also have a Twitter account @ColoradoReading. You can find us on Instagram at CCIRA_ColoradReading. Or you can find us on Facebook, where we also have a members only group that we're trying to build. And our Facebook account is CCIRA Colorado Reading. We'd love to hear more from you. And again, if you're looking for new content, please send any questions or things you'd be interested in seeing from ccir a to ccir a video at gmailcom. Thanks for listening and have a great week.

I anledning af at en af amerikansk tegneseries allerstørste bestsellere - Raina Telgemeiers Kvalme -- endelig er udkommet på dansk, dykker Radio Rackham ned i en af tidens mest ekspansive tegneseriefænomener -- Young Adult Comics, eller slet og ret YA Comics. I studiet er Sabine Lemire og Kathrine Pachniuk med til at hjælpe Radio Rackham og lytterne ind i fænomenet, som især i USA har forandret den kommercielle tegneseries landskab betydeligt. Young Adult-bøger er normalt defineret som udgivelser målrettet 13-18-årige læsere, men der knyttes også opbyggelige forventninger til bøgerne, der almindeligvis handler om unge personer i læsernes egen alder, så direkte spejling og genkendelighed etableres. Emner og temaer som venskab, den første kærlighed, relationer og sociale dynamikker, diversitet og søgen efter identitet forekommer hyppigt. Formen har som fænomen eksisteret længe, I USA anses Laura Ingalls Wilders bøger om Det lille hus på prærien fra 1930erne som pionermateriale. I mere end et årti har genren stærkt påvirket den amerikanske tegneserieindustri, hvor superheltehæfters oplag længe har været helt i bund, men hvor graphic novels målrettet unge har haft stor succes i boghandlere og på biblioteker. Den helt store stjerne er Raina Telgemeier, som indtil videre er tegner og forfatter bag Smile (2010), Drama (2012), Sisters (2014), Ghosts (2016) og Guts (2019), hvoraf sidstnævnte tidligere på året udkom på dansk, med titlen Kvalme. Så langt tilbage som i 2015 skrev Wall Street Journal at Telgemeiers bøger var optrykt i mere end 3,5 millioner eksemplarer, i dag er vi oppe på 18 millioner bøger i omløb! I Danmark er Sabine Lemire og Rasmus Bregnhøis prisbelønnede Mira-tegneserier et godt bud på en dansk YA-tegneserie, og Lemire fortæller detaljeret om overvejelser og ansvar for sine læsere, og om opbyggelighedens faldgruber. Bogblogger Kathrine Pachniuk -- følg hende på instagram -- har længe fulgt Telgemeier, og perspektiverer og giver bud på forskelle på amerikansk og dansk forlags- og ungdomskultur.

Authors Raina Telgemeier and Grace Lin answer the question Which book of yours was the most enjoyable to write?  and Alison Morris reviews Margo Maloo.

Authors Jarrett J. Krosoczka and Grace Lin answer the question What do you like better: writing or illustrating? and kid reviewer Violet reviews Guts  by Raina Telgemeier.

Do you know a child, size 3T, who loves Spider-Man? No pressure, just asking. Have you considered sponsoring an angel tree child, either through Department of Social Services or Salvation Army? No pressure, just a thought. Can you hold up this anime transparency in front of this library chair? No press… actually, let us explain. All of this, plus piracy chat, review tropes, and our fresh picks!

Hey Handsomites! Eric and Robbie are discussing Raina Telgemeier's new book this week! They talk about the astounding maturity of the book, how they wish they had it as kids, and Telgemeier's incredible storytelling. They also review SFSX #1 and Harleen #1! Floppies Fortnightly Everything #2 The White Trees #2 Strange Skies Over East Berlin […] The post 247 – Guts by Raina Telgemeier appeared first on Handsome Boys Comics Hour.

Hey Handsomites! Eric and Robbie are discussing Raina Telgemeier’s new book this week! They talk about the astounding maturity of the book, how they wish they had it as kids, and Telgemeier’s incredible storytelling. They also review SFSX #1 and Harleen #1! Floppies Fortnightly Everything #2 The White Trees #2 Strange Skies Over East Berlin […] The post 247 – Guts by Raina Telgemeier appeared first on Handsome Boys Comics Hour.

The Bay Area is home to Raina Telgemeier, a best-selling author and illustrator behind the books "Smile," "Drama," "Sisters" and "Ghosts." KTVU's Gasia Mikaelian sat down with the author who tells the story of when she fell and knocked out her two front teeth. Telgemeier said she drew on those experiences and emotions for her first book, the graphic memoir titled "Smile." That book spent more than four years on the New York Times bestseller list. 

The Secret Stacks is kicking off 2019 with LOTS of comics recommendations! Luciano Vecchio’s gives away the digital files of his black superhero posters. Kristin’s making high-stakes librarian rounds among a herd of doctors. Both of them share stories of their ill-fated high school comics, then reminisce about being touched by the works of Rumiko Takahashi. Kristin’s got another conference announcement to make, and Thomas reports why it’s a GREAT time to be a Jessica Cruz fan! All this and more in our first episode of the year!

In this week's episode of Off Panel, The Beat's Heidi MacDonald joins the podcast to talk about New York Comic Con and recent happenings in the comic world. MacDonald discusses the NYCC experience, her favorite announcements from the con, the publisher boom, what's happening at DC, Bendis's fit, the Batman Damned controversy, the rare double Telgemeier, the Chuck Wendig news, the C.B. Cebulski era at Marvel, Ike Perlmutter's influence, industry doom and gloom, and more.

It's NYCC, and there's a whole ton of news just waiting to be chewed over, so it would be rude for Al and Paul not to do that, frankly. On the new House to Astonish, they remember Norm Breyfogle and Carlos Ezquerra, and talk about Die, Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt, Wonder Comics, Humanoids' new imprint H1, Avengers: No Road Home, Man Without Fear, Buffy, Three Jokers, The Girl In The Bay, Marvel's 80th anniversary series, Oni Press's webcomics portal, Champions, Savage Sword of Conan, Captain Marvel, Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man, Star Trek: Q Conflict, Flash: Year One, Pearl, Out Of The Blue, Guts, Share Your Smile and r(ender), and they've got reviews of These Savage Shores and Umbrella Academy: Hotel Oblivion. Why do birds suddenly appear, every time, the Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe is near? Just like me, they long to be, fed with crumbs.

Telgemeier, Raina. GHOSTS

Intro Hi and welcome to Books Between - a podcast for teachers, parents, librarians, and anyone who wants to connect middle grade kids between 8-12 to books they’ll love.  I’m your host, Corrina Allen - a teacher, a mom of two daughters, and totally into binge-watching the Netflix series The Crown. I’ve seen them all twice now. This is Episode #13 and today we are all about celebrating some of the best middle grade books published in 2016. Main Topic - The Top 20 Middle Grade Books of 2016 2016 has been a phenomenal year. For middle grade books. (Not so much for anything else, really!)  And for me, 2016 has been a standout year not only for the amount of books I’ve read, but for the quality of those books.  I’ve already exceeded my sixty book goal and I’m up to 75 at the time of this recording but not only that, I don’t think I’ve rated a book less than three stars all year. Maybe I’m doing a better job of picking things I’d like, but I just think there’s been some exceptional books published this year. So - just to give you some context of where this top 20 list comes from, here’s a bit of information. In the past year, I’ve read 60 middle grade books as of 12/19. Of those 60 - 31 were published in 2016 - so just about half of what I’ve read was new.  I will say that this year was light for me with nonfiction. I gotta work on that next year. So this list is all fiction and unlike other “Best of” lists out there, I did not separate out novels in verse or graphic novels. Everything’s all together. Alright here we go - these are my Top 20 middle grade novels of 2016. #20 - Hour of the Bees by Lindsay Eager I’m not typically a huge fan of the magical realism genre but this novel took me on such a sweet journey last spring. I loved the sparse dangerous beauty of the New Mexico desert and the poignant story of Carol and her family caring for the grandfather who’s losing himself in dementia. This was a debut novel, and I can’t wait to see what else this author has in store! #19 - Rookie of the Year by Phil Bildner This novel is the second in the Rip & Red series - the first was A Whole New Ballgame. If you are into the Kidlit community, if you consider yourself a member of the Nerdy Book Club, then you are going to love this book because the teacher, Mr. Acevedo- he’s one of us. If he existed, we’d be following him on Instagram and bumping into him on #TitleTalk chat the last Sunday of the month on Twitter. This book is fun, warm and diverse without being about diversity. It’s simply great, and I can’t wait for book #3. #18 - Sticks & Stones by Abby Cooper Such a memorable book with a main character that you just want to wrap up in your arms and hug. Elyse suffers from a rare disorder where the words others use to describe her are imprinted on her skin - including her own thoughts about herself. This is a book about friendship, and courage, and learning to be kind to yourself. #17 - Like Magic by Elaine Vickers This is one of several fantastic books that came out this year that featured friendship trios, but these three girls took awhile to come together. Jade, Grace, and Malia each end up at the same library, at different times, and find something they need in this mysterious secret treasure box that the librarian has tucked away in the Lost & Found drawer. I think what I loved so much about this book was how it spoke to the power of libraries and librarians to bring people together. And how libraries can be sanctuaries for children and a place to find yourself. #16 - Eleven and Holding by Mary Penney First - this book made me laugh. The main character, Macy, is a riot. It was heartfelt but not saccharine and it had lots of mysteries to solve. And is it weird to say that I had a mini crush on Switch - the skateboarding bad boy? Yeah, that’s probably weird. Let me rephrase that. My 12 year-old self would totally have fallen for that kid. #15 - Wish by Barbara O’Connor 12 year-old Charlie is sent to go live with her aunt and uncle in what she considers a “hillbilly” town in the Blue Ridge Mountains. And she’s unruly and angry and yet…. The folks around her show such patience while she tries to sort everything out. It’s lovely and I liked that more rural setting. There’s also a dog that, actually - now that I think about it, follows a similar journey to our main character. #14 - The Tapper Twins Run for President by Geoff Rodkey The third novel in this series is all about the hilarity that ensues when Claudia and Reese Tapper both run for class president. It’s funny and oddly truthful about politics and running for office. Plus - I loved the twist ending. #13 - Children of Exile by Margaret Peterson Haddix This first novel in a new series had me on the edge of my seat for days. Cliffhanger after cliffhanger that build to this jaw-dropping moment that had me furiously calling and texting my friends who had already read it. So - go read it so you can tell me what you think! #12 - Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier Unlike Smile and Sisters and Drama, Ghosts is not based on Raina’s real-life but instead features a young girl named Catrina and her little sister, Maya who is living with Cystic Fibrosis. It touches on some hard-hitting themes (childhood illness and death) but somehow stays light at the same time. Again I was reminded of how much I love Telgemeier’s style - those crisp lines, curves, and great color palette. Already this book has disappeared from my classroom so I guess I’ll buying another one! #11 - Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan Featuring alternating narratives from Joe and Ravi, this book really gets what it’s like to flounder in school and to be the target of a mean kid.  I love that it takes place over one week, I love the humor, and I love the recipes in the back. This is a great choice for kid’s book clubs - it’s not too, too long and there’s a lot to discuss. #10 - Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo I got this novel last April when Kate DiCamillo came to Syracuse as part of a “lecture” series where, of course, she did NOT lecture. Instead, she focused on the kids in the audience. And not only answered the children’s questions in a way that made them feel heard and understood and but deftly framed those questions so that that both kids and adults left inspired and knowing a lot more about her and her writing process. At this event, she talked about how her family moving without her father coming along was inspiration for this story about a girl whose dad has left town with a dental hygienist. And Raymie is trying to figure out a way to get him to come back. As part of her grand plan, she ends up taking baton twirling lessons with these other two girls who each bring their own joys and pains to the story. It is wonderful and quirky in that beautiful diCamillo way. #9 - The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary by Laura Shovan This is a book that I recommend over and and over again - for so many reasons.  I love the poems, I love the storyline about kids coming together to try to save their school from being ripped down, I love how the different narrative pieces all fit together, I love how you see the characters grow and change through their poetry. It’s so, so good! #8 - Finding Perfect by Elly Schwartz Another incredible novel by a debut author. And a book that so many middle grade readers will be able to relate to - whether that’s navigating friendship with two very different people, eating take out for days when your family is overworked and too busy, or living with anxiety or OCD like the main character does. #7 - Nine, Ten: A September 11 Story by Nora Raleigh Baskin Every once in awhile you read a book where the characters are so vivid and so real that months after you’re done reading the novel, you wonder about them. Will and Naheed and Aimee and Sergio would be in their twenties now. With all that’s going on in the world, I wonder what they would be thinking at this new turning point in our country’s history. #6 - The Seventh Wish by Kate Messner There’s so so much to love about this book and later on in the podcast I’m going to go into more detail about. But - I have to share with you the best summary of this book from the Author’s Note in the back. She calls it a “ magical-ice-fishing-Irish-dancing-heroin novel for kids.” Yes, it is! And it is glorious! #5 - When the Sea Turned to Silver by Grace Lin This is a book that you finish and you set down and immediately want to go read everything else that author has ever written. I’ll share more in the book talk segment later on in the podcast. #4 - The Inquisitor’s Tale by Adam Gidwitz Three unlikely saints, an awful character who turns out to be good, a good character who turns out to be bad, disgustingly delicious French cheese, and…. a farting dragon. Now - don’t you want to know how all those connect? From what I hear, the audio of this novel is incredible - and you get to hear “The Song of Hildebrand” and other new music by medieval scholar and musician Benjamin Bagby. BUT - then you’d miss out on the dozens of medieval style illuminations by Hatem Aly in the paper copy. I think you just have to do both to get the full experience. #3 - Booked by Kwame Alexander Yes, this story is about 12-year-old Nick and his first real love, and his relationship with his parents, and soccer, and middle school bullies. BUT. It’s also about a bold librarian who slowly kindles in Nick a passion for books - often without Nick even quite realizing it.   #2 - Ms. Bixby’s Last Day by John David Anderson Oh how I loved this book. How I wished it wouldn’t end. This novel is another 2016 release featuring a trio of friends. Topher, Brand, and Steve band together to bring the last day celebration their teacher, Ms. Bixby missed when she had to leave school early.  Along the way they battle bakery owners, a creepy guy who tries to steal their money, and sometimes….each other. For me, the mark of an exceptional book, is one that can make me sob and laugh out loud and this book had me doing both. And, my #1 middle grade book of 2016 is: #1 - The Wild Robot by Peter Brown This is the first middle grade novel by picture book author and illustrator Peter Brown - and boy did he hit it out of the park! I have so much I want to say, but I’m going to hold off a little bit and save it for our book talk segment. So - those are my top 20 middle grade reads of 2016!  Now, I can already sense the emails coming my way saying, “Corrina - seriously - a best of 2016 list and you didn’t mention Wolf Hollow or Counting Thyme or The Rat Prince?”  And you know what? You’re probably right. Had I had a chance to read all those, they likely would have made this list. In fact, I’m halfway through Kelly Barnhill’s The Girl Who Drank the Moon and oh - if the ending holds out - a powerhouse of a book. I want to read everything Kelly Barnhill has ever written,will ever write, including her grocery lists.  I know I missed some awesome ones. So a quick shoutout to some 2016 releases that are on my To Be Read list:   Top Want to Read Books from 2016   Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook by Leslie Connor The Key to Extraordinary by Natalie Lloyd The Rat Prince by Bridget Hodder Maxi’s Secret by Lynn Plourde Counting Thyme by Melanie Conklin Maybe a Fox by Kathi Appelt Paper Wishes by Lois Sepahban Gertie's Leap to Greatness by Kate Beasley The Best Man by Richard Peck Swing Sideways by Nanci Turner Steveson Ghost by Jason Reynold   Annnd…. Likely lots more that I am missing! So - I want to hear from YOU - what were your favorite 2016 reads and which ones should be bumped up on my to be read list? You can pop me an email at booksbetween@gmail.com or connect on Twitter with the handle @Books_Between.   Book Talk - Three Amazing Books from 2016 In this part of the show, I share with you three books centered around a theme and discuss three things to love about each book. This week is all about the cream of the crop of 2016. Many of the titles in my Top 20 list, I’ve already featured on the podcast in previous episodes, and some I’ve talked about more than once. But there are a few of my favorites from 2016 that either didn’t fit into a theme I was focusing on for that show or they were very recent reads. The three of my top 2016 picks that I want to talk about with you are  The Seventh Wish, When the Sea Turned to Silver, and my #1 pick of the year - The Wild Robot.   The Seventh Wish First up is Kate Messner’s The Seventh Wish.  I read this book over the summer but it feels right to be talking about it in the winter. The book starts with this gorgeous image of ice flowers blooming on a frozen lake and takes place over one winter in the life of Charlie Brennan. And it’s a difficult winter for her. Her bright athletic older sister, Abby, develops a heroin addiction at college, her mother has a challenging new job, and suddenly everyone else’s problems have pushed her concerns way over to the side. And one day - while out ice fishing with her neighbors - she catches a fish that grants wishes. And Charlie has to figure out just how far that magic will go.  So here are three things I loved about Kate Messner’s The Seventh Wish:   The “I’m thinking of a word” game - So, Charlie and her family play this game where one person will announce “I’m thinking of a word.” and the rest of the family tries to guess what that word is. And whoever comes closest is the winner. And it sounds simple - and it is - but the true brilliance of this game comes in trying to justifying why “flashlight” is closer to “sunflower” than “rebellious” is!  It’s a lot of laughs, it gets you thinking and is now one of our favorite games to play in the car. The Irish Dancing - A major part of Charlie’s life is competing in Irish Dance competitions called feiseanna (“feesh-ee-AH-nuh) - the singular of that is feis (“fesh”). This is a completely foreign world to me, but suddenly I’m into hard shoes vs. soft shoes, the hornpipe and treble jig, strange uses for glue, and the ranking systems in competition. I love books where you can immerse yourself in something new. The Familiar Wintery Feel - So while all the Irish dancing details were totally new to me, the cold, blustery atmosphere of the setting was not. I live in Central New York - just outside of Syracuse, often touted as the Snow Capital of the United States. We get on average, 128” of snow every year.  Charlie’s family goes snowshoeing and ice fishing, and they wonder if when the sun comes out it will warm up from minus 22 degrees to a balmy zero. I think the setting is Northern New York or maybe Vermont, but it felt like it was written about my home. Charlie bundling up in layers of sweaters, snow pants, her puffy jacket, and two scarves is oh-so-familiar to me.   The Seventh Wish is not only a phenomenal and fun book, but also an important book. I’m not sure how things are in your community, but mine is struggling with a daunting heroin problem. And a book that addresses that in a realistic but hopeful way that is completely perfect for a middle grade reader is a necessity right now. It’s simply a fantastic book.   When the Sea Turned to Silver The second book I want to tell you more about, and one that I just finished a few days ago, is Grace Lin’s When the Sea Turned to Silver.  And I need to admit to you - this is the very first Grace Lin book I have read. And argh - why have I waited so long?! It was beautiful and lightly intricate and inspiring.  And I am sure if you have read the companion novels 2011’s Newbery Honor book Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and 2014’s Starry River of the Sky - you will get even more out of it than I did. But don’t feel like you have to read those other two first - I obviously didn’t and still understood and loved this book. This novel is about a young girl’s quest to rescue her grandmother from a cruel and vindictive Emperor, who is keeping the grandmother (and others) captive. The girl’s name is Pinmei and her grandmother is a famous Storyteller so as we are following Pinmei and her friend Yishan on their voyage to get back the grandmother, interspersed throughout that narrative are these traditional folktales.  Here are three things I loved about Grace Lin’s When the Sea Turned to Silver:   The interconnectedness of the stories. It is this slow crescendo of the main narrative and the folktales that come crashing together at the end. And all along the way, you know they are starting to connect to each other and characters and settings from one story are popping up in others - and STILL I was utterly surprised by how everything came together at the end. The focus on Honor.  Sometimes it seems like there’s a shortage of self-sacrificing, honorable people today. (Or maybe our culture doesn’t revere them as much as it should.) But this novel is full of characters like the scarred servant or the King of the Bright City of Moonlight who learn, eventually, to do the right and honorable thing even when it means danger and maybe death for themselves. It’s rereadability (is that a word?) - I don’t know but this was a book that as soon as I turned that last page, I had to go back and reread some of the stories now that I knew more about the characters and how the tales all connected. It reminded me a bit of when I finished the YA novel Challenger Deep - now that I know the secret, I want to go back and catch everything I missed and experience the story again with new eyes.   If you have a child that loves folk tales with lots of adventure and twists along the way, then When the Sea Turned to Silver would be a great recommendation for them.   The Wild Robot And I saved my best, my favorite of 2016 for last. Peter Brown’s The Wild Robot. “Our story begins on the ocean, with wind and rain and thunder and waves.” Oh - that first line gets me. You know how some books just happen to come into your life at the right moment to connect with you? That’s how this book was for me and my daughters. The first I heard of it was on the All the Wonders podcast when Matthew Winner interviewed Peter Brown and there was something so intriguing about the scenario of a robot stranded on a hostile, remote island, becoming a mother, and trying to survive and thrive. I immediately drove over to my bookstore, got a copy, and started reading it out loud with my girls that very night. We finished, a few weeks later, on Mother’s Day - and maybe that’s why the story of Roz sacrificing so much for the island - and the island sacrificing for her - touched us so much on that particular day. It was our first family book cry. We had to get more tissues and my husband rushed into the room wondering why we were all sobbing! It’s an incredible book and difficult to narrow it down to just three things to love, but here are a few things that I thought were exceptional about The Wild Robot. The illustrations - First, there are tons of them - every couple pages in every sort of perspective and shape: tall trees along the sides with a bear dangling over the text, an action scene charging across the bottom, two page spreads of a single crucial moment with just a small paragraph to the side, small inserts of just one animal, or one leaf. Peter Brown’s skill in picture book composition is clear in the layout and balance of the drawings and the words. The robot, Roz, is made of simple shapes and lines that really make it feel like it could take place at any time. And of course, I love his style of splatters and shading. The existential questioning that happens with this book. There’s just something about robot stories that lends itself to deep thinking about ethics and morality, the nature of the soul, and what it means to exist. So, I grew up in a Star Trek household. My mom is a trekkie and once got me a signed picture of my crush, Wil Wheaton, from a convention. I loved Next Generation, and particularly the episodes featuring Data, the android - there’s something about pushing the boundaries of programing that is intriguing. Putting a machine in a challenging, new environment and seeing what happens. At one point in the story, Roz and her adopted gosling son wonder what will happen if they push the button to turn her off.  Will she remember him if she turns back on? Will she be the same? Roz is devoid of emotion and yet she brings out so much tenderness and emotion in the reader. How fun and easy it is to read out loud. The chapters are really short so it’s nice to have those natural stopping points when you might just have a few minutes at home or in school.  And the character’s are vibrant and fun with great personalities to give voices to. I did Roz with the voice of Siri, which was loads of fun to do. I channeled Julia Sweeney for the goose, Loudwing and the fast-talking chipmunk, ChitChat was hilarious. The writing just has this great rhythm and it’s a joy to read out loud.   Absolutely go get The Wild Robot - I promise you won’t regret it.   Closing Okay, that’s our show for the week - and the last one of 2016. Look for our next episode on Monday, January 2nd, where I’ll be discussing the most anticipated middle grade books coming out in 2017 and some fun reading challenge ideas to kick off your new year!   And, If you have a question about how to connect kids between 8-12 to books they’ll love or an idea about a topic we should cover, I really would love to hear from you. You can email me at booksbetween@gmail.com or message me on Twitter/Instagram at the handle @Books_Between. Thank you so much for joining me this week. You can get a full transcript of this show and all of our previous episodes at AlltheWonders.com. And when you are there, look for the other Best of 2016 lists to get more reading ideas. And, if you are liking the show, I’d love it if you took a second to leave  a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks and see you in two weeks!  Bye!

Time Codes: 00:27 - Introduction 03:22 - Context for listeners 06:02 - The controversy surrounding Ghosts 30:26 - The Backstagers #1 40:12 - Show White 59:04 - Wrap up 59:28 - Contact us This episode of the Young Readers show begins with a special feature: Andy and Gwen return to a comic that they reviewed for the August YR show, Raina Telgemeier's Ghosts. They present a revised review of that comic, based upon a number of issues that have been raised in the last month by scholars and librarians regarding cultural appropriation and Telgemeier's status as an outsider writing about the California missions and about the Dia de los Muertos celebrations that are a common feature of Mexican and Mexican American cultural life. Although the two PhDs typically try to avoid spoilers in their reviews, in this case, they mention specific events in the comic, so if you would like to wait until you have read Ghosts to listen to this segment, know that it occurs between the time codes 6:02 and 30:26. As part of revisiting their discussion of Ghosts, Gwen and Andy bring up a number of resources that readers may wish to consult regarding issues of cultural appropriation, including Dr. Debbie Reese's blog, American Indians in Children's Literature; Dr. Laura Jiménez's blog, Booktoss; and the Reading While White blog that is the creation of a number of librarians who are “allies for racial diversity and inclusion in books for children and teens.” During the regular review portion of the podcast, Andy and Gwen discuss The Backstagers #1, written by James Tynion IV, drawn by Rian Sygh, with color by Walter Baiamonte, and lettering by Jim Campbell. This exciting, fast-paced comic, published by BOOM! Studios, has a lot in common with another BOOM! Studio's hit series, Lumberjanes, so whether one is a veteran of theater productions or just likes ensemble comics that feature an eclectic cast of characters, then The Backstagers will fill the bill. For his part, Andy applauds Tynion and Sygh's depiction of the people who do all of the hard work behind the scenes of a theater production, often without acclaim, and Gwen gives the series praise for its inclusion of a number of gay characters who are part of the stage crew. The Backstagers also includes supernatural elements that would appeal to young readers who have an interest in science fiction characters and settings. Next, the two PhDs discuss Matt Phelan's graphic novel, Snow White (Candlewick Press), an adaptation that is steeped in elements of film noir, and even silent film, while managing to comment on contemporary debates about the ethics of the pursuit of wealth. Set during the Great Depression, the evil queen becomes the Queen of Ziegfield Follies, and all of the energy and emotion of the era is expressed in Phelan's exceptional watercolor panels that are intricately shaded and carefully colored. Andy discusses Phelan's impressive career as an award-winning creator of such texts as The Storm in the Barn, which won the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction, and he praises Phelan's decision to allow the often sinister and gritty aspects that characterized eighteenth- and nineteenth-century folktale and fairytale variants to emerge in this version of Snow White. Although readers would not need to be familiar with the origin text, both Andy and Gwen agree that much of the power of the narrative comes from the way that Phelan translates familiar tropes such as the talking mirror into a Depression-era setting.

Lisa Von Drasek discusses books by Raina Telgemeier in this episode of Read This Book! from the University of Minnesota Libraries, hosted by Tim Johnson. Telgemeier is the author and illustrator of the graphic novels "Smile," "Drama," and "Sisters" — all New York Times best-sellers. She will launch her latest graphic novel, "Ghosts," at the University of Minnesota's Cowles Auditorium on Sept. 19, 6:30 p.m. The post Raina Telgemeier book launch appeared first on continuum | University of Minnesota Libraries.

Lisa Von Drasek discusses books by Raina Telgemeier in this episode of Read This Book! from the University of Minnesota Libraries, hosted by Tim Johnson. Telgemeier is the author and illustrator of the graphic novels "Smile," "Drama," and "Sisters" — all New York Times best-sellers. She will launch her latest graphic novel, "Ghosts," at the University of Minnesota's Cowles Auditorium on Sept. 19, 6:30 p.m.

Time Codes: 00:26 - Introduction 03:33 - Announcement: the Young Readers series' one-year anniversary! 06:51 - Might Jack 22:26 - Ghosts 45:17 - Wrap up 45:37 - Contact us Although some kids may not be so excited to be heading back to school, Gwen and Andy (the Two People with PhDs) give young readers cause to rejoice this month with the upcoming release of two new graphic novels: Mighty Jack (First Second) by Ben Hatke and Ghosts (Graphix/Scholastic) by Raina Telgemeier. Andy starts things off with Mighty Jack, the story of a kid named Jack who's not having a very fun summer. To make ends meet, Jack's single mom finds a second job, but that means Jack will have sole responsibility of keeping an eye on his autistic sister Maddy. Maddy never speaks, until one day at a flea market she shocks Jack by telling him that he must buy a box of seeds from a sketchy-looking man. Later, as Jack and Maddy plant a garden with their new seeds, weird, magical, and dangerous things begin to happen. Next, Gwen introduces the highly-anticipated new book by Raina Telgemeier, Ghosts. It's the story of Catrina and her family as they move from Los Angeles to the Northern California coast, hoping the climate will agree with Cat's sister Maya, who suffers from cystic fibrosis. Cat is shocked to discover that everyone in their new town seems obsessed with ghosts, even Maya. Cat just wishes they could just go back to L.A., but her parents -- and perhaps the ghosts -- have other plans. Gwen and Andy point out elements common in both books: parental issues, sibling rivalries and bonding, freedom, danger, and fear of the unknown. Both books are multilayered, superbly told, and they should appeal equally to readers young and old (something of a rarity these days). Although their art styles are quite different, these two books demonstrate that Hatke and Telgemeier are both masterful storytellers. These creators are producing what are perhaps their best works. It's an exciting time for comics readers of all ages, and these are two books to pick up with confidence.

It had been eight or so years since I last interviewed Raina Telgemeier. After a few years spent adapting the beloved young adult series The Babysitter’s Club into a handful of graphic novels for Scholastic, the cartoonist was getting ready to branch out on her own. Telgemeier was understandably nervous ahead of the book’s debut, unsure whether or not she would even be able to find a publisher. As of this week, Smile has spent an astonishing 173 weeks on The New York Times’ Graphic Novel Best Seller List, since joined by three more Telgemeier titles, to monopolize four of the list’s top ten spots at last count. The word “phenomenon” doesn’t quite cut it. No other single YA cartoonist comes close — an really, one would be hard-pressed to find any one cartoonist who has experience so much success in such a brief period. Naturally, Telgemeier can be a bit tough to pin down, but after months of trying to meet up, we finally managed to carve out some time to sit down over some Greek food in our mutual neighborhood of Astoria, Queens to discuss her meteoric rise on of comics’ most beloved artists.

Aug. 30, 2014. Author and cartoonist Raina Telgemeier appears at the 2014 Library of Congress National Book Festival in Washington, D.C. Speaker Biography: Raina Telgemeier is an author, illustrator and cartoonist. Her graphic novels "Smile" and "Drama" are both No. 1 New York Times best-sellers. "Smile," Telgemeier's autobiographical account of her childhood dental drama, is a Boston Globe-Horn Award Honor title and an Eisner award winner for Best Publication for Teens. "Drama" won the 2013 Stonewall Book Award Honor from the American Library Association. Telgemeier has also adapted and illustrated four graphic novel versions of Ann M. Martin's "Baby-Sitters Club" series. Her second autobiographical graphic novel "Sisters," a companion to "Smile," gives readers an inside view of Telgemeier's life growing up and focuses on her relationship with her younger sister. For transcript, captions, and more information, visit http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=6496

Raina Telgemeier, author of Smile, Drama, and the upcoming Sisters, stops by to talk about her process writing comics, contributing to the upcoming Comics Squad: Recess anthology, and school memories of rainy day monitoring.

Here is what is discussed… Changing discounts, Small Press publishers vs. Local Artists, Comics Quickfire, and Paul Pope. Also, someone coughs a lot.

Del Rey is releasing Volume 1 of X-Men: Misfits on July 28. A cross between X-men and Fruits Basket is what they're calling it. Wolverine is not going to be in it. I guess Del Rey doesn't want to crowd its other Wolverine title. The scary thing is the writers they have tapped for the project. First, there's Dave Roman, editor of Nickelodeon Magazine. Helping him is Raina Telgemeier, the artist behind The Babysitter's Club series. My question is, what do these people know about the characters in the X-men? It just seems like Marvel would have wanted some highly qualified writers to take over the reins of one their most important franchises. Also, with the recruitment of these writers, it seems like maybe they are focusing on a demographic that is too young to be reading shojo manga. When I think Babysitter's club, I'm definitely thinking elementary school. Hopefully, the series will be good. I really liked the reboot of Wolverine: Prodigal Son. But I don't have very good expectations. Click this link for an interview with Roman and Telgemeier: http://www.shojobeat.com/features/48/010.php