Category: Collection Development
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Addition of a Search Function
I just wanted to let you all know that a search function has been added to the site. You also will see “micro-reviews” added to the site over the next few weeks, and I will also be working to add posts which link out to my Booklist reviews. I know it has been a bit…
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Manga is Not “Backward”, and the Format is Not a Reason to Restrict Access to a Book
After seeing a selection from a Brevard County School Board meeting in which the manga Sasaki and Miyano was removed from schools in that district, it seems imperative that I provide some assistance to understanding the format in which manga is presented. Because while I am entirely aware that the real reason this wholesome BL…
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I Collaborated on a Book About Manga in Schools!
If you’ve been wondering why this blog has slowed down, well, it’s because for the past year I have been working on a book in collaboration with some truly fantastic librarians: Emily Ratica, Sara Smith, Julie Stivers, and Sybil “Mouna” Touré. This project has been my main focus outside of my daily work as a…
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Manga Review: A Sign of Affection 01

Title: A Sign of Affection Volume: 1 Mangaka: suu Morishita Translator: Christine Dashiell US Publisher: Kodansha Age Relevance: High School & Up (Based on later volumes and age of protagonists) How Essential Is It?: Essential Curricular Connections?: SEL, Language Learning, Cultural Connections Reader’s Advisory Tags: Deaf Identity, Language Learning, Romance Anime: Crunchyroll Content Warnings: Drinking, Ableism (as experienced by Yuki) Publisher…
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Hi.
It’s been a minute, I know. I went away for a bit. Well… not really away. I’ve been writing reviews and features for Booklist, which I hope have been helpful. I’ve been working on a book, with Julie Stivers, Sara Smith, Emily Ratica, and Sybil “Mouna” Toure. I also have been shifting my life around…
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Manhwa Review: Villians Are Destined to Die
Title: Villians Are Destined to Die Creators: SUOL (artist), Gwon Gyeoeul (writer), David Odell (translator) US Publisher: IZE Press / Tapas (Ongoing chapters) Status: Ongoing Age Relevance: High School and Up How Essential Is It?: Nice to Have Curricular Connections?: Independent Reading Reader’s Advisory Tags: Isekai, Romance, Reverse Harem, Otome Game, Villainess Content Warnings: Child abuse, bullying, slavery, violence against women…
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Light Novel Collection Development
Light novels or ライトノベル (raito noberu) are a type of young adult novel from Japan that primarily target middle and high school students. In contrast to manga, which are graphic novels, light novels are prose novels that have key scenes illustrated in a manga style. In the past few years, thanks to the efforts of…
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Back to School Title List Updates!
I’ve spent some time updating my most utilized lists to include more titles. Here are all of them: Children’s (Elementary) Titles Manga & Light Novels for Middle School (6-8) High School Manga Recommendations Light Novel Recommendations LGBTQ+ Manga For Secondary Manga Available in Hardcover Manga for Adult Readers Manhwa In Print Or Coming to Print…
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Manhwa Collection Development: Korean Webtoons On the Rise
Manhwa is quite simply the Korean word for comics, but it is a format that is steadily on the rise. It’s quite easy for outsiders to simply consider manhwa to be “colorized manga” but to do so really misses that there are marked differences in the two formats. It also disrespects the cultural differences between…
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Manhwa Review: The Beginning After the End
Title: The Beginning After the End Creator: Story by TurtleMe, Art by Fuyuki23 (Manhwa Artists on digital platforms commonly use pseudonyms such as this) US Publisher: Yen Press/Ize Press, Distributed digitally via app on Tapas Status: Ongoing Age Relevance: Middle School and Up How Essential Is It?: Must Have (This is going to be a HOT title) Curricular Connections?: Independent…