Now, it may come as no surprise, but writing for the FPI blog is not my full time job. (Yes, I know you all thought it was a lifestyle of excess but sadly it just isn’t the case.)
No, my actual full(ish) time job is working in a primary school up in Yorkshire, doing a Teaching Assistant/ ICT thing. It’s a wonderful job, full of loads of interesting and different stuff – lots of educating young minds. Great stuff.
Anyway, the school library has been in need of a refit and restock for many years. And finally, around mid 2010, the headteacher decided it was time.
At which point I started wondering if I couldn’t get involved in some way, after all, for years and years I’d been throwing comics and graphic novels to my own daughter and talking about comics for children for many years here on the FPI blog.
So this was a chance to actually put some of those fine words and thoughts into action, a chance to get children reading comics – which, as I’ve been saying for many years, are a great way to get children reading.
And reading anything is wonderful – the greatest gift we can give to all of our children is to give them a love of reading that will stay with them for life.
Which led me to thinking ……. what would I put on a wish list for a primary school library – with children aged 5-11 with a variety of reading ages?
So now I’m going to ask you the same thing – what would you suggest? Answers in the comments please. And be as inventive as you want…..
January 21st, 2011 at 12:52 am
There are a ton of great graphic novels for kids out there. Might I suggest the following…
Secret Science Alliance
Amulet
Bone
Smile
Repunzel’s Revenge
and my own series Knights of the Lunch Table.
Good Luck!
January 21st, 2011 at 1:03 am
I have a 6, an 8 and a 10 year old. Sardine in Outer Space goes down very well, as does Rogue Trooper first few books, DFC Library and Asterix more than Tintin. Scott Pilgrim and Dungeon are much appreciated though not entirely appropriate for primary library’s I guess. Also, Jack Kirby books. I think our lot take to most if they have a reasonable introduction to it.
January 21st, 2011 at 1:04 pm
Asterix without a doubt.
January 21st, 2011 at 1:18 pm
My kids, 6 and nigh-on 11, both love Owly. I’d also suggest Bone, in the Scholastic editions, Beanworld, and Mezolith, Raymond Brigg’s Fungus the Bogeyman, and Ug: Boy Genius of the Stone Age. I’m also very taken with Satoshi Kitamura’s Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing, Me and My Cat, and The Comic Adventure of Boots.
For the older kids how about something like Glenn Dakin’s Temptation, Garen Ewing’s Rainbow Orchid, Jeff Nicholson’s Colonia, or some of P. Craig Russell’s fairy tale adaptations?
January 21st, 2011 at 3:11 pm
The Glister books by Andi Watson.
January 21st, 2011 at 3:59 pm
Deffo Asterix, Horrible Histories and Horrible Science Annuals, Peanuts, Marvel Adventure TPBs, Grampa and Julie Shark Hunters by Jef Czekaj (Top Shelf), Jet Cat by Jay Stephens.
January 21st, 2011 at 4:12 pm
Ooh!
Peach Fuzz by Lindsay Cibos & Jared Hodges, the Amulet series by Kazu Kibuishi, perhaps Yotsuba&! by Kiyohiko Azuma, stuff by Rumiko Takahashi might be pushing it a bit for very young kids, but her stuff’s great, exceptionally easy to read, and often features awesome female characters… I was crazy into Inu Yasha when I was in my early teens, I’m sure pre-teens would like it too!
January 21st, 2011 at 4:48 pm
Oh! And SMILE by Raina Telgemeier!
January 21st, 2011 at 5:25 pm
If you want a good All-Ages superhero comic then I recommend the Spider-Girl series by Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz. The first series is collected in digest format though Marvel has slow down the release of these early Spider-Girl stories.
But the second and third series, entitled Amazing Spider-Girl and Spectacular Spider-Girl respectively, are all collected in trade paperback collections. I highly recommend these books as they are fun to read and I am sure that young children will enjoy them.
January 21st, 2011 at 9:22 pm
I’d say the obvious choice of starter superhero stuff for the older kids would be a bunch of those Marvel Essential phonebooks, esp. the Lee/Kirby and Lee/Ditko ones. If thet frays the budget, go for those little colour digests Panini publish. The ones with the Kirby/Sinnott FFs look gorgeous at that size, with really popping reproduction.
Other than that, some of the first comics I remember getting out of the mobile library when I was a wee ‘un would be the old standbys Asterix, Tintin, and Lucky Luke. I made sure we got VERN & LETTUCE in at work after MORRIS THE MANKIEST MONSTER was such a hit. Those DFC albums are great.
January 24th, 2011 at 5:55 pm
More on what we’re getting in a little while – but some great choices there folks.
It made me finally get around to getting a copy of Smile – with all intention of putting it in the library. Then Molly got hold of it and I had to order a second copy on the school account for the library. Why hasn’t Scholastic released this in the UK? Ridiculous.
January 29th, 2011 at 3:12 am
Okay, now the second Library Chronicles post is out (http://forbiddenplanet.co.uk/b.....l-library/), I can respond to a few of these.
Frank – Bone a must – although has to be the scholastic versions – the complete edition is just too big for little hands and the scholastic editions are hard to get hold of. So far Vols 1 & 2. Likewise Smile – why Scholastic hasn’t put this out in the UK I do not kknow. Like I said above – Molly adores it, so much so I’ve had to buy two copies – one for her, one for school. The other four are on the next wish list – after all, if it’s a success I want to be able to get new stock!
Warwick – sardine on the next wish list. I tried First Second, but no joy (no sleight on them – I understand it is too expensive too send freebies abroad – and that’s why I was so amazed by the Top Shelf donations). Rogue Trooper a little too risky – I wouldn’t have any problems with it, but for this to work I need to be ultra conservative at first. Likewise Scott Pilgrim. Asterix, Tintin and DFC obviously a must.
Jez – Owly was a bonus to get free from Top Shelf, but I would have bought some if not. Beanworld is on order – more to see what they make of it than anything else. Fungus ordered, I picked up UG in a charity shop here. Wolf, Me & My Cat and Boots are new to me – I shall be investigating.
David – all four Glisters there for sure.
Gary – Marvel Adventures – some on order. Peanuts when I can find them cheap – the Fanta editions are lovely but no good for young hands. Grampa and Julie Shark Hunters by Jef Czekaj – I shall be looking at.
Kate – none of these I’d thought of – but I knew my manga knowledge was poor – thanks for the tips. And yes, Rumiko’s stuff is pushing it – like I said to Warwick – I have to be ultra-conservative at first to make this work.
Daniel – Thought of Spider-Girl, but rejected it at this point. Only have limited budget and wanted to get a good mix of genres. Decided superhero genre should be represented by iconic characters only – Spider-Man, Avengers, Iron Man etc….
Mark – yes – gone for a mix of Essentials and new colour digests. Be interesting to see which the pupils prefer.
Thanks all. Some I’d thought of, but a fair few to add to the list to look at and maybe add to the next wish list.