Wow. This week has been a month, hasn’t it?! I’m exhausted, honestly, from all the sheer crazy that has become our lives. Which means, to me, that finding the stuff that makes us feel good and gives us a smile is all the MORE important than before. So here are some things that made me feel good this week.
The following post is so on-brand for Americans, and I will be buying a full set of these post cards – and if a calendar was a thing? I’d get that too! You can purchase from the second link if, like me, you think these are just *awesome*.
My husband wouldn’t do this, and a lot of guys I know wouldn’t. Kudos to these dads for having not only the spirit and cajones, but the sense of humor to support their girls. ❤
— NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) March 6, 2020
It’s easy for us to peg all of a group as “bad” when – quite typically – there are a few bad apples in every bunch. I have *always* had a large respect for police, and I firmly believe that while there are systemic problems within the system, and there will always be assholes drawn to positions of power, the majority of the police mean well and do well. This is such a lovely example of that.
A police supervisor found interesting body camera video from two police officers. It starts with them talking to a woman trying to get home on a cold night – and it ends with her daughter's first birthday party 💙 https://t.co/5lmEzTXhdrpic.twitter.com/QL8dT8Twub
But it’s not just about buying – if you have a neighbor who is elderly or ill? Ask if they need groceries. Keep an eye on each other. Keep your space when possible, but help each other out. Look on others with love, tolerance, and patience as much as you can right now, because a lot of people are scared. And even those who are burying their heads in the sand and not admitting how bad this is likely to get? They will end up even more scared, because the truth will likely hit them hard.
As Ellen says, and it’s more important now than ever – Be Kind To One Another. Whether we like it or not – we’re all in this together.
We all could use some of that magic right about now…
It never ceases to amaze me how judgemental we can be as a species. To ourselves, and to others. For example, I cannot *tell* you how many people disparage audiobooks as forms of reading. I hear it a lot at the store, people saying with an embarrassed laugh, “Oh, I just listened to it.” (emphasis mine). Or talking about how their “friend” told them audiobooks aren’t REAL books. I see it a lot on book pages I belong to as well – every six months or so, like clockwork, someone will ask or post a poll about whether or not listening to audiobooks is “real” reading.
If a blind person reads with braille, does that make what they’re reading any less legit? Does it make that book any less “real”? Or does it simply mean that the reader is utilizing a tool available to him or her in order to maximize enjoyment of a title?
Think about that for a sec. I’ll wait.
Jeopardy theme song commencing NOW.
That’s the beauty of the technology we have available today. There are options for literally ANYONE who loves to read. Eyesight starting to dim with age? Kindles and Nooks can adjust the font for you. Super busy with kids and sports and job and school? Audiobooks to share with your family. A lot of time commuting for work? Again – audiobooks in the car or on the mass transit system. Time to relax at home with a cuppa? ANY OPTION YOU CHOOSE.
People need to lay off and let go. We are all different, and we all have preferences in life – and chances are, those preferences are not going to make a life or death difference to much of anything. All that matters is that people are reading! I work at a bookstore – but I listen to audiobooks on my way to my train, and I travel with a Kindle so I’m not packing 30 books for a 3-day stay. I *als0* LOVE regular books – the feel in the hand, the turning of the pages…it all just depends on what I need and/or want at any particular moment in time.
So be more understanding of others, and be more kind to yourself. If you have a preferred way to read, ROCK ON WITH YOUR BAD SELF. Announce it proudly, because frankly, you’re doing better just by reading than a significant portion of the populace. How you *do* that reading really doesn’t matter, and anyone telling you it does needs to take a long, hard look in the mirror at why they are so insistent on bashing other’s choices. And then, go pick up a book.
Yesterday, I talked about the ripple effect that canceling a big event like SXSW or Emerald City Comicon can have on the livelihoods of people, starting at the beginning point of the shock, and rippling outwards to the Uber/Lyft drivers, the maids at hotels, the servers at restaurants, etc. (https://stillmorewords.com/2020/03/10/the-coronavirus-ripple-effect/). Today, I want to build on that and talk about the book industry and the effect Coronavirus is having on *it*.
I work for an indie bookstore, and when one is talking about indies, one is generally talking about a very thin profit margin. One of the biggest things that indies depend on, besides word of mouth and consistent customers? Book events, where the authors come into the store, sign titles, and talk to/with those that attend. Unfortunately, many of those events – large, small, and everywhere in between – are getting cancelled. This is a difficulty for a few reasons:
Typically, the bookstore has STOCKED UP on whatever title the authors have written. They bring in a lot of the new title the book tour is for, and often some of the back list as well. Now, with no event? Such a large amount of titles are much more likely to struggle to be sold.
Events usually mean extra personnel working that day/evening – there is set-up involved, greeting/directing the author to where they need to be, helping with the signing line, etc. Those employees lose out on that extra pay.
When customers come for an author event, it is not uncommon for them to purchase not only titles from that author, but to wander around the bookstore before/after the event and purchase more books, gift items, etc. Events, depending on the size of them, can generate quite a bit more in revenue from additional purchases, and that now evaporates.
Author events typically involve the bookstores paying a fee to the author to have them come and talk. It’s very possible that some of that fee may not be returnable, depending on the contract involved. So that’s an additional loss.
There are probably more reasons even than this, but these are the ones that I’m more familiar with. Long story short – it really hurts the bottom lines of the indie bookstores, many of whom struggle to stay afloat anyway in the Age of Amazon.
For a more personal touch, lets talk about debut authors. Being a debut author is sort of a touchy spot between YAY MY BOOK IS BEING PUBLISHED and WHAT IF NO ONE BUYS IT. They often really depend on book festivals, such as the Tucson Festival of Books, to get the word out and meet with readers – particularly since new books are often propelled more by word of mouth than anything else. Not only that, but most debut authors are not treated to actual book tours, no matter how small. Book tours are expensive, and tend to be reserved more for authors that are a known quantity. So these debut authors really do count on getting that name recognition from these larger events – this not only gets them readers, but also gets more interest from bookstores who decide what they have room to stock…which gets them more readers, and so on. When they get cancelled? It puts their books – and potentially any future books – on VERY unstable ground.
The solution, other than not cancelling these events (which is, at the moment, VERY unrealistic)? Support your indie bookstores. Find a debut author that has a title coming out and PREORDER THEIR BOOK. Preorders are SUPER important for authors. I’ll let Kevin Hearne (one of my favorite authors) explain why:
If you don’t want to preorder? The first week of sales are ALSO super important. And if you don’t have the funds to buy the book, but you still want to read them? ASK YOUR LIBRARY TO CARRY THEM. Library sales figure into the math that publishers do when trying to decide whether to sign another contract with an author.
Once you’ve done any one (or more!) of those things? If you read the book, and like it? SPREAD THE WORD! If you use Goodreads, leave a review. If you don’t do reviews, leave a star count. Review on Amazon, or Barnes & Noble. If you use Facebook, share with your friends and family. If you use Twitter, send a tweet! Get the word out, and bit by bit, it travels…then other bookstores get requests, and more people see it and some will even buy it. Others will download it. And THAT’S how debut authors are able to turn their first book into another one, and hopefully another one after that, and so on.
Below, I’m adding a few links for your further perusal. The first, is an excellent way to find a book your interested in AND a local indie bookstore.
Several of the authors that were slated to appear at the now-cancelled Tucson Festival of Books were debut authors. I’m including a link that lists EVERY author scheduled to appear. The nice thing about this particular link is that every author has their OWN link for you to click on and check out.
Long story super short – indies and debut authors (even authors who *aren’t* debut, but only have a couple of books out) will be hurting from this. Please do what you can to help support them, whether it’s as small as asking your library to carry a title, or as big as BUYING ALL THE BOOKS (from an indie, natch).
And if you are a debut author, with a book coming out in the next several months, PLEASE feel free to leave the information in the comments of this post! Or attached to the tweet! Tag authors you know of, and retweet the hell of this. Use the hashtag #debutauthor to make it easily found for others. I’d love to be able to broadcast everyone’s information a little more widely, and help out as many as I can. Because indie bookseller = book lover, and I will never cease to argue the point that what the world needs now is ALWAYS more books.
With the outbreaks of Coronavirus happening around the globe, and getting bigger here in the United States, there have been A LOT of cancellations. Book fairs, Comicons, festivals…you name it, at least one of them has been cancelled. And here’s the thing – it’s for the best, in light of how contagious this virus is – and here, the U.S., how little actual information our government is giving/getting. But there’s a flip side to those cancellations as well.
When a city hosts a big gathering of any sort, there are hundreds of thousands of dollars up for grabs – maybe even millions, depending on the size of the gathering. For example, let’s use Emerald City Comicon in Washington. All the vendors that are signed up have to stay somewhere, eat food, get around, and will probably do at least a little bit of shopping. All the visitors that come to SEE the vendors are doing the same thing, and probably even MORE shopping. So when it gets cancelled, you have a ripple effect of people who start losing money.
First, the con itself – all the funds it’s put towards making this “the best year yet” are potentially gone. There may be some refunds available, but due to the timeline, they may not be in full. Some funds may not be refundable at all. Then you start looking at the people who were *working* the con, all of them losing income. On to the vendors, who are now faced not only with a *huge* source of income drying up, but for many, travel expenses that can’t be recouped. Hotel costs that have been paid, plane fares that cost even *more* to change (or re-book completely), etc. Many of these artists rely on the income from these large cons – they do two or three or four a year, and that’s a significant portion of their yearly pay. In addition to the artists, you have the food and drink vendors that *also* counted on the income from this con.
Once you get outside of the those *directly* impacted, then you have the outer ripples in this pond. The hotels that typically are fully booked, the restaurants around the con area where artists and customers alike will eat. The Uber, Lyft, and taxi drivers that would have been kept busy from dawn until dusk – and probably later. The grocery stores and corner markets for those who may have booked an Airbnb.
From there, the people who *work* in those hotels and restaurants. The front desk personnel, the maids, the cooks, the wait staff – all the people whose hours get cut instead of being boosted, who may be depending on those extra hours to help make ends meet.
It really is a ripple effect, and there are thousands of people in any city where these large events have been cancelled that will be the worse for it. So, may I suggest that – whenever possible – you take some of those funds you would have spent attending the function, and use them to support one of the artists or restaurants or shops? Even the newspapers suffer due to removal of advertising, so maybe purchase a subscription that can be gifted? The main point, however, is to be thoughtful about how many lives are being impacted when something like this is forcibly cancelled, and do what you can to try to help offset that. If you have a favorite artist that you visit at every con? Visit their website, or look for any pop-ups that might be taking place (online or otherwise) and support them there.
For Emerald City Comicon, I know there’s a hashtag that’s been going around on twitter – #ECCCOnline – where vendors and pop-ups and other information can be located. For SXSW, go to the website and find artists that you were interested in and support them by purchasing something from them. For book fairs/festivals, buy a book or two from an author that was scheduled to appear. Let these people know, as best you can, that you support them and that you have their back.
Coronavirus is a shitty thing, and right now the world is a mess. But these artists put their hearts and souls into what they make, hoping that it will bring someone pleasure. Now it’s *our* turn to show them it’s appreciated.
And lest you think I’m preaching, but ONLY preaching…
A friend was going to get one for me at ECCC, so I ordered one instead.
Heads up – discussions of sexual assault, as related to Woody Allen’s memoircontroversy.
So, you may have heard about Woody Allen’s memoir being published by Hachette, and then Hachette walking that back? If not, here’s a brief summary of what started it all, as given by @RonanFarrow:
Once he posted this, and word got out, there was a sort of general outcry. Quite a few Hachette employees in various publishing departments walked out and protested, MANY people spoke up about the whole thing, until this happened:
BREAKING: In a statement, Hachette Book Group has announced that it will not publish Woody Allen’s memoir 'A Propos of Nothing, originally scheduled for sale in April 2020, and will return all rights to the author. Our story is forthcoming.
Now, I’m 100% certain that there are people out there either confused about why this was such a big deal, or angry at Hachette for caving, or what-have-you. Here is my take on the issue.
The absolute #1 thing Hachette did wrong here was their lack of transparency. Hiding something is just as dishonest as actually lying about it. If your husband believes that *you* believe he isn’t drinking, but you find beer cans hidden around the house? THAT IS DISHONEST. He doesn’t have to come right out and say, “No, I haven’t been drinking” for it to be wrong. It’s the same principle here – Hachette specifically bought this title from a man they *knew* had allegations against him and they did not contact the accuser to do any fact-checking. Worse – they HID it from another author who has not only spoken out about those very allegations, but has MADE THEM MILLIONS with a book about sexual assault and how powerful men cover it up. Ronan has spoken out about his sister’s accusations against Woody Allen, and has been very clear where he stands. Hachette had a moral obligation to at least let him know they bought the rights, and give Ronan an option to find another publisher. Instead, they bought Allen’s title, kept it quiet, and hoped it would all come out in the wash. It may be *legally* fine, but morally – it absolutely was dishonest.
For me, that’s where the problem is. I truly don’t give a damn if Allen finds another publisher for his title. There probably are people that want to read it, though I’m certainly not one of them. I don’t believe in censorship of any sort, and he always has the option to continue shopping it around, or even to self-publish. I believe that if any other publisher decided to acquire Allen’s book, while Ronan had his at Hachette? This would be a non-starter in the major controversy department. There would be the usual articles and conversations about he said/she said, hopefully some more enlightened discussion in the light of #MeToo and Harvey Weinstein’s convictions…but not anything to the extent this has become.
See, the thing is – women are finding their voices. For so long, we’ve been told we can’t talk, we shouldn’t speak, no one will listen or believe us. We’re finally discovering our power, and demanding that those who handle our stories do it with some measure of respect. We are *also* finding that we DO have allies, people who will stand with us and amplify our voices in a way that we cannot. Ronan is an ally, and he has spoken up for so many women. Simultaneously, his book has been a HUGE seller for this publisher. He absolutely earned the right to be told what was going on. Yes, this is Allen’s memoir – but it comes with a hell of a lot of baggage, some in the form of alleged sexual assault. That deserves a measure of honor and respect in how it’s handled, and that is exactly the OPPOSITE of what Hachette did.
I am a military sexual assault survivor – the group that gets talked about the LEAST when it comes to #MeToo. Seeing so many people, men AND women, speak up about their assaults was both horrifying and freeing in a visceral way. With Weinstein, Lauer, and more facing accountability for their actions (though still a FAR too small percentage), it gives me hope. Hope that my daughter will never have to deal with this, but if she does, hope that she will find the justice I never did. That’s the key – accountability at all levels. By refusing to be open about their acquisition, knowing that Ronan was writing about this very subject and that his knowledge of their purchase might affect his choice to stay with them, they chose to hide it. They were dishonest. To Ronan, to their employees, and to the customers – like me – who would care about this terrible lack of morals. With the latest outcry, Hachette was held accountable – and I can’t find it in my heart to be upset about that.
Note: If you’ve been sexually assaulted and are looking for resources or just need to talk, please visit https://www.rainn.org/
It’s that time of the week again! Going into the weekend like that kid at the table who is determined to eat but suddenly finds himself waking up with spaghetti on the side of his face. No? Just me?
To get us started, I feel like we should “shake off” all the bits and bobs that have irritated us so. Be like this little girl, and her new friend, and find joy in some music.
Before getting off the bus, this little girl told the bus driver that “Shake It Off” was her favorite song. He stopped everything he was doing, parked the bus, turned up the song, and jammed with her…💪🌎🎶❤️ pic.twitter.com/VgUXdKURS0
Kindness seems, these days, to be in short supply. Particularly if you spend much time on the interwebs, there’s a lot of negativity and downright MEAN going on. Thankfully, as Mr. Rogers says, we can “look for the helpers” – and it can inspire us to not only feel better, but to be a helper ourselves.
BABY SIGHTING! And a very *special* baby, too – one that will do her part, big or small, to help continue her species until we humans can get our nonsense sorted out.
And last – but not least – this AMAZING video shot over the course of a year, of all the animals using a log bridge. Not only is it fascinating to see the diversity, but it’s also just sort of relaxing to watch.
Ok, folks – that’s it for this week. I hope you have a weekend that is relaxing and healing. And for all of you just starting your week? I hope it’s a good one. And please remember: as Ellen says, Be Kind. It costs you nothing, and it may make all the difference in the world to a struggling soul.
So, my daughter has been a competitive gymnast for many years now. She started out in rec (THAT’S HOW THEY GET YOU), and then suddenly she was moving up to a higher class, and then there was an invitation to try out for pre-team, and then she moved up to team and competitions became a thing…It’s been a ride, that’s for sure. But, after 8 years of gymnastics, and more hours in the gym than I can even TRY to count, she’s decided to hang up her leos and move on. She made optionals, which was a goal for her. She’s traveled, she’s got more damn medals than she knows what to do with…but her love and passion just aren’t there anymore. So, after this season is over, she’ll be finding other things to do.
Being the loving mother that I am (natch), and knowing how much she has struggled with this decision (over MONTHS, and much of it not sleeping well), I wanted to put together a book of memories for her. Shutterfly has always been our choice in the past, and they do a great job, so that’s where I headed. I like that I can personalize it (you don’t have to), which is what I wanted for something like this. (No, they’re not paying me. They don’t know I exist, except for when *I* pay *them*.)
AND THEN REALITY SET IN.
It took me – literally – AN ENTIRE DAY to go through all the pictures from the last 8 years. AND DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MANY HANDSTAND PICTURES I HAVE – from literally every single place she’s ever been? Then I had to organize them. I’m doing the book by year, so that made sense – so I had to divide the pics into folders by year. Add a few more folders for special spreads like camps, travel competitions, special people, etc. Then simply start putting pics into the book. Right?
Wrong.
I cannot count how many hours I have been working on this book so far. Seriously. And I’m only up to 2017 thus far. Between design, words, the right pictures, the backgrounds, any embellishments…it’s not a short-term project. And State is in less than 2 weeks, which is when I was hoping to have it mostly put together. Plus, I work, husband travels, I babysit, AND IT’S A SEKRIT PROJEKT so I can’t work on it when she’s around. I literally had to force myself to sit down and work on it today because, gah. It’s a lot.
Don’t get me wrong – I cannot wait to be able to give this to her. I respect and honor the size of commitment she made to her gymnastics – 20+ hours in the gym a week is A LOT. Getting up and getting literally scored by strangers is A LOT. Doing back handsprings and such on something *4 INCHES WIDE* and not falling off is…well…insane, but also A LOT. I’m proud of her, and this is one way to honor all of that. But maybe I could have done, say, a smaller book for each year? Instead, as is my wont, I have gone full-on BALLS TO THE WALL CREATIVE, and I may finish the thing in 2021. (Kidding. It *will* be done on time if it kills me. Which it may. Never say never.)
Surely I cannot be the only one out there that does this sort of thing? Gets an idea and just absolutely RUNS with it before realizing the scope of the idea, and the time involved? Enthusiasm is something I have in spades. Sense of time? Notsomuch. I’d be curious to hear from all of you – what stories do you have about projects that went awry in one way or another? I could use the reassurance 😉
So, for those who follow this blog and weren’t aware, I work at possibly one of the BIGGEST germ factories it’s possible to be in. Nope – not talking about a school (though BLESS TEACHERS EVERYWHERE!). I’m talking…about the airport. *International* airport, even. One that sees a LOT of traffic coming through on a daily basis (though admittedly – nothing like an airport the size of, say…JFK). And with all of those people – the ones traveling, the ones greeting/saying goodbye, the kids, the folks working there…THAT’S A LOT OF GERMS. And, frankly, ones in which I have absolutely zero control. Which, normally – not a big deal. I’m *far* from being a germophobe, for sure. HOWEVER. With the coronavirus outbreaks, I’ve started paying more attention to the habits of the folks around me, and OMG it’s terrifying.
For example, I had one very nice lady in the store recently who *was so proud* of herself that, when she coughed – she coughed into her hand. Ummm…no? Because then, how many books or items did you turn around AND TOUCH WITH THAT HAND? And even worse, that implies that she normally…doesn’t? Just spews germs with the best of ’em? I was a little perturbed by all of that.
AND THE BATHROOMS. It’s an airport. Very busy, very public bathrooms. I cannot tell you how many people I see that DO NOT WASH THEIR HANDS. And if they do? It’s like, a 5 second rub around – at best. Then they take all those germs that had no chance of dying, and rub them around their hands a little more with the paper towels, then grab that door handle on the way out. *insert vomit emoji here*
Listen, I’m not an alarmist. I’m well aware that the coronavirus will not instantaneously kill us all the moment we get it. However, I *am* aware that there are people out there who dare NOT get it – the elderly, the young, the immunocompromised…and it’s up to all of us to do our part. Herd immunity really is a thing, folks, and even if you don’t care whether YOU get the virus – those people and their families DO care. Also, frankly, I just don’t want to get the damn thing. SO…here’s a quick primer:
When you cough or sneeze – NOT INTO YOUR HAND(S). Your upper arm or the crook of your elbow is the best space.
Wipe down spaces you share regularly – for example, there is a counter that customers touch all the day long, and I share computers with co-workers. Every so often, I’ll pull out a bleach wipe and go to town – on the keyboard, the mouse, the scanner, the counter, the phone…and, if my cell phone is handy? On that too – because THE GERMS ON PHONES WOULD TERRIFY YOU IF YOU THOUGHT ABOUT IT.
Hand sanitizer is a great option *if* you can’t wash your hands. But to be truly effective, you need a pretty decent amount – often the size of a quarter. You need to rub it in UNTIL IT’S DRY – no waving your hands in the air, peeps. That’s cheating. Make sure to get all over your hands, and between your fingers.
Try not to touch your face. Now, how many of you had the nearly UNCONTROLLABLE urge to itch/rub at your face when you read that? Welp. Don’t.
And of course – WASH YOUR HANDS. Wash them thoroughly, as in – tops, bottoms, between fingers, don’t miss your thumbs (I guess that’s a thing?), and under nails. We’ve all heard the 20 second rule, and about singing Happy Birthday. In the interest of MORE OPTIONS, I give you this – because not ALL heroes wear capes:
You're supposed to wash your hands for 20 sec, which is the time it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice. But I'm tired of singing Happy Birthday and you probably are too, so I've done the very important public service of compiling other songs with roughly 20 sec choruses to sing:
Basically, peeps. Just use some common sense. Why take a chance if you don’t have to, and why not help those who CAN LITERALLY DIE if they get this by doing your part? Because yes – if I see you in the bathroom not doing the right thing? I *will* be judging you.
In doing yesterday’s blog post about graphic novels (https://stillmorewords.com/2020/03/02/they-are-too-books-or-10-reasons-why-graphic-novels-are-good/), one of those I mentioned was this title – Snapdragon, by Kat Leyh. Which probably would never have caught my eye, except that I’m lucky enough to work with a gal at our store than LOVES her graphic novels, and she recommends great ones to order. And when she *reads* good ones, she is quick to write a shelf talker for them, and to let us know why they’re worth our time. This was one such book. The cover was intriguing, the synopsis had me curious…but, as is often the case, the shelf talker is what convinced me. I picked it up during one of my regularly scheduled shifts in the kids room, and ended up taking it home that night to finish. And I’m so glad I did. I mean, how do you go wrong with the opening of, “Our town has a witch. She fed her eye to the devil. She eats roadkill and casts spells with the bones…”? Answer? YOU DON’T.
Snapdragon is the main character of the story – yes, as in the flower. We’re first introduced to her as she’s heading to the witch’s house to find her missing dog, refusing to believe in all that witch nonsense, but nervous anyway. Her nerves make her “brash”, but she gets her dog…and when she finds a dead mama possum with live babies in her pouch, she heads back to the witch’s house for help – and strikes a bargain that will come to affect everyone around her…even the witch.
This book just…touched my heart in SO many different ways. Snap is impulsive, but caring – she’s got heart, and she’s not afraid to stand up for what she believes in. Her best friend in this small town has his own struggle – but Snap just knows they’re friends, and that’s what matters. Mix in some *old* and buried family history, a scary ex-boyfriend, some animal skeletons – and you’ve got a wonderful story about owning your own story, your own power…and about the power of family. It really is a delight, and I found that I wasn’t ready to leave Snap’s world as the story was ending. I’m hoping there will be another, but even if there isn’t, I’m better for having read this. I can’t wait to share it with customers – and with all of you.
So, I’ve been meaning to discuss graphic novels, and the shaming that often accompanies them, and this thread by the amazing Jim Di Bartolo brought it to mind…
Always fascinating to me to be interacting with other parents of young children (say, ages 5-14) who DON’T KNOW WHAT A GRAPHIC NOVEL IS!?!?! 😳 I never make them feel bad, but rather explain “it’s basically an 80-300page comic book.” I’m REALLY PROUD of how far the format…(1)
As a bookseller, graphic novels are particularly problematic for those of us helping customers buying for kids. I cannot begin to tell you HOW MANY TIMES I have heard a parent/grandparent say, *absolutely* dismissively, “That’s not a REAL book.”. When I hear that, you can imagine this 👇
Me. Every time.
Here’s the deal. Graphic novels are *absolutely* books. REAL books, even. With words and EVERYTHING OMG. Not only that, but sometimes, they are even the best option to purchase. Here are 10 reasons why:
Early/struggling readers! Graphic novels can be AMAZING for this category of folks. As others read the books to them, they see the images that go with – images that are more striking than simple line drawings, and more likely to catch their attention. They begin to learn the story better, and therefore the words – helping their reading progress. And with fewer words, it’s often less overwhelming for those who are just learning, or who are struggling. Overwhelm a reader, and you’ve lost them – which is *exactly* what we’re trying NOT to do. In fact, according to this article, they’re even good for readers with dyslexia! http://dyslexia.yale.edu/resources/tools-technology/suggested-reading/graphic-novels/
More Interesting! Serious talk, here – have you ever really LOOKED at some of those early readers, particularly books used to help struggling students? I mean, really paid attention to the storyline? OR WERE THEY SO BORING YOU DOZED OFF?? So many books designed for early/struggling readers have tepid plots and boring characters, primarily because of word comprehension. But why in the *world* would a struggling/early reader think that “Reading Is Fun” if that’s what they’re stuck with?? Not only that, but it can be embarrassing for some students who *know* they’re struggling, and their reading material just reinforces that fact. Graphic novels help level that playing field by making sure that EVERYONE can read the same books. With fewer words, and images to assist, early/struggling readers can feel like they are a part of the class, and that encourages them to continue.
Making complex topics easier to understand and more fun to read about! Some of my favorite graphic novels are nonfiction. In fact, one of the top sellers from the children’s section at our store is a series of graphic novels I found and thought were so awesome, we HAD to carry them. They are called Science Comics, and they address topics such as Cats, Sharks, Wild Weather, Robots & Drones, Skyscrapers, and more. Most everyone on staff has a favorite, and I’ve had *adults* buy them for themselves – while kids get SUPER excited about them. For those who may still be unclear – getting kids excited about science topics is an EXCELLENT thing, and will often carry forward to more advanced topics when they find some they click with.
Classics! Yep, classics are available in graphic novel form. One of my favorite books *ever* is Anne of Green Gables, and the graphic novel version of that book is just so lovely. And face it – it can be hard to get “kids these days” into the classics, because the writing then was just so very different than what they see now. Graphic novels can be an excellent introduction, and they make an amazing gift when coming from a grandparent – the sharing of a common interest is always the best gift, regardless of how that gift is packaged.
Variety! In the last several years, graphic novels for middle grades – and even early readers! – have EXPLODED in popularity, so it’s usually pretty good odds you’ll find *something* to like. From contemporary, to history, to science, to fantasy…they’re not the comic books of yore, that’s for sure.
Good for ALL ages! Contrary to the opinion you’ve probably gained thus far, I’m actually NOT a huge graphic novel reader [Insert shocked face here]. I’m just now starting to enjoy them, and I’m still sort of picky about the ones I read (See #4 above). However, I have found some that I really do like, and I’m in my mid-40’s. Most of my co-workers enjoy them to some degree as well, and the kids LOVE them – and there is one out there for everyone (Head back to #4 again).
Great for the commitment-phobic! Seriously. Unlike a full-on, 300+ page novel, the commitment level is low with graphic novels. They’re reasonably quick reads, and you’re not out multiple hours if you decide it just wasn’t your thing. That’s one of the reasons I’ve started trying them more – because there’s really no loss if I’m not feeling it. It also means that I’m more willing to try ones I might not otherwise, because there’s not as big of an investment. For example, I read one recently that I ended up liking far more than I anticipated: Snapdragon, by Kat Leyh. It just…drew me in, and never quite let go. But for the titles that DON’T have that effect? Minimal time wasted.
Re-readable! People, please do not tell kids that you don’t want to buy them a graphic novel because they’ll “read it too fast”. I cannot COUNT how many times I’ve heard *that* one. Every single child that I know that reads graphic novels reads them over and over and OVER again. Find them a graphic novel they really like, and they will wear it out reading it. And honestly – WHO CARES IF THEY READ IT TOO FAST, BECAUSE THEY’RE READING! But yeah, kids *love* to re-read their graphic novels.
Fiction helps make better people! Yep. I talked about it in this blog post: https://stillmorewords.com/2020/02/26/book-shaming-is-only-shameful-for-the-shamer/ – and it holds true for graphic novels as well. In fact, it would stand to reason that it might even be MORE true, because in this case, you get the benefit of actually *seeing* faces and reactions – the hurt or the happiness, the anger or the joy, the love or the embarrassment…As humans, we are conditioned to read people’s faces to know what’s happening and where we stand. Kids are no different, and seeing those emotions played out in a story where someone gets picked on, or loses a family member, or even *is* the bully? They learn from that – lessons reinforced from the page.
READING IS READING! Let me write that again, in case you missed it the first time: Reading. Is. Reading. It doesn’t matter what form that reading takes, if someone is working to process words and put them together in story form from what they see on a page? IT IS READING. The goal is to get people *excited* about reading, and to encourage them to read more. Graphic novels do that – for all the reasons listed above, and probably more I’ve not elaborated on. As a loving parent or grandparent, isn’t that ultimately your goal? To help foster a love of reading? The adults I know who are most hard-core about reading graphic novels ALSO love to read nonfiction and literature and whatever else pops up. Graphic novels don’t take *away* from the pleasure of reading – they ADD to it, and help FOSTER it.
So the next time someone mentions a graphic novel, or you’re in your local (indie) bookstore, and you ask for help for that favorite grandchild – don’t roll your eyes, or book shame, or walk away. Take a minute and really reflect on what your goal is with buying books for your loved one. Is it to just foist a gift on them and be done? Then by all means, head for whatever choice YOU prefer. But if your goal is to find something THEY would really like, and to maybe even share some good discussion with them about it, then take a listen to what the bookseller has to say. We don’t recommend things just for the hell of it (at least, the good ones don’t) – we listen to what you say about preferences, reading levels, etc. and then give recommendations we think will truly be great ones. And if there’s a graphic novel or two in that list, give one a shot. You’ll be the “cool” one, they’ll be thrilled to talk to you about it, and you will have succeeded not only in helping foster your bond, but that of the love of reading.
RESOURCES:
I mentioned several books above, so I wanted to give more information here for anyone interested in checking them out!
Science Comics: There are quite a few out, with roughly 3 planned for each year. I’m SUPER excited about the one on Crows coming this month, and the on Sharks is also a favorite. https://us.macmillan.com/series/sciencecomics/
These are just a *few* of the selections available
Anne of Green Gables: They really did a *fabulous* job with this. The colors, the art…it’s all wonderful.
Snapdragon: This showed up, and I was curious, so I picked it up during a shift. Aaaannndd…I ended up taking it home so I could finish it. There’s a lot to like with this one.
Still More Words 