Penny Blubaugh

It's the fifth year of LitWorks! Join Eisenhower Public Library and Ridgewood High School as we host Jack Gantos, Marie Lu, Kody Keplinger, Antony John, Dave Roman and Jennifer E Smith at the best Book Fest in Illinois! For more information go to http://eisenhowerlibrary.org/litworks.

Free for all teens. (And $5.00 for adults).

See you there on Saturday, April 5th from 9:00 to 4:00! Read More 

Every night it's the same dream. I'm sailing along the calm seas of the south pacific when suddenly, without warning, the temperature drops. Brrr. . . I'm disoriented by the sudden change and lose all sense of direction. Drawn to some inescapable desire -- CRASH -- and before I can turn around . . . it's too late.

From TeenBoat by Dave Roman and John Green (It's better when you see the pictures!)

Review from Comicsgirl (comicsgirl.com)

TeenBoat is about a teenage boy who turns into a boat named TeenBoat (in case, you know, the title didn’t immediately tip you off to that), Originally a series of (Ignatz Award-winning) minicomics, creators Dave Roman and John Green pull in amazing amount pop culture influences (Turbo Teen is an obvious reference point, as are teen dramas like Dawson’s Creek) into something that’s still fun and original. Trust me when I tell you that Teen Boat! is really one of the best things ever.

Why this book is here:

Because he's a teen who can turn into a boat! How cool is that? Read More 

Last night we attended a presentation at 57th Street Books (fantastic indie bookstore) in Hyde Park, Chicago. Nadja Speigelman and her mom, Francoise Moulay, talked about their new line of beginning readers from Toon Books.

These books are so great. Beautiful colors and illustration,s and texts that don't insult their intended audience. Toon Books were designed to make kids want to read, not force them to, and that's exactly what they do.

Art Speigelman and Chris Ware were there, too, and the discussions about visual literacy and the importance of comics was fascinating. Words and pictures can do so much more than either one alone -- if they're used the way they can and should be!

Some comics I've loved recently: Friends with Boys by Faith Erin Hicks; Smile by Raina Telgemeier; Astronaut Academy by Dave Roman; Gunnerkrigg Court by Tom Siddell; and Hopeless Savages by Jen Van Meter.

Comics rock, and so do Toon Books.  Read More