would strongly recommend this for any reader, teacher, librarian, teacher educator, or parent with an...

books:


	• The 101 Best Graphic Novels Stephen Weiner Nantier Beall Minoustchine Publishing, 2006 - 96 pages average customer review:based on 7 reviews view larger image
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Give this book a try

This book was written as an introductory guide to the the world of graphic novels because graphic novels and comics have become such an intregal part of mainstream culture in recent years. While noting the best books, I worked hard to balance the variety of types of graphic novels published for different audiences. If you do read this book, you'll probably discover some real gems as well as plenty of good graphic novels. You'll also get ideas on what to read next.

would strongly recommend this for any reader, teacher, librarian, teacher educator, or parent with an interest in comics

As an educator trying to get a handle on graphic novels and comics in literacy education, this was an excellent starting point (along with Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art). The selections, descriptions, and rating were helpful and accurate. It's been an excellent guide.

The entries are listed alphabetical by author, and I only wish that there were alternate indexes (by ratings or subject). However, it did force me to expand my initial interests...not a stress for a brief book.

I would strongly recommend this for any reader, teacher, librarian, teacher educator, or parent with an interest in comics or graphic novels--it can introduce you to a variety of titles or expand your existing readings.

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Great resource for teachers

I received the book and it is just what I wanted....a great resource. I teach Language Arts in Junior High and I wanted a list of graphic novels to guide me in my purchases as to suitability and content. It has certainly provided direction.

We really need to figure out what a "graphic novel" is

I hate the term "graphic novel," and I hate the word "comics" even more. The former is clumsy and inelegant. The latter has too many unhappy connotations to be useful or descriptive. I really wish somebody would come up with a better label.

But until that happens, it seems to me we can do a better job of analyzing what we mean when we use the terms. Otherwise, we risk conflating graphic novels, comics, and comic books. I think this is the trap that Stephen Weiner falls into in his 101 Best Graphic Novels. How in the world can the superhero comic book stuff churned out by DC and Marvel Comics fall into the same category as the artistic gems published by the likes of Fantagraphics?! This isn't to say that there's no room for comic books (although--full disclosure--they're not my cup of tea). It's just to suggest that equating a story about Batman with the stuff that a Harvey Pekar, Jason Lutes, R. Crumb, or Eileen Forney (who didn't make it into Weiner's book, by the way!) produces seems a category mistake, to say the least.

Weiner's survey is helpful, though. It introduced me to a couple of interesting titles that I didn't know, and I appreciated even his discussion of the comic book stuff. But again: what we need is a good, thoughtful analysis of this new art genre that so many of us admire, but so few of us as yet understand.

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reviews: page 1, 2

This concise guide to the best of what is out there and available now is updated considerably with half of the listings all new and a significant representation of the best in manga. There is so much being published in this exploding field, let this guide show you what is worth concentrating on and having in your library. Weiner ("The Rise of the Graphic Novel") is the director of a library in Massachusetts and renowned pioneering expert in the field of graphic novels for two decades.