CET Writes

  Originally published April 5, 2023 Library Developments Blog |  Library Development and Networking Division Texas State Library and Archives Commission ***** As a freshly-minted librarian, I was hired to serve at THE high school bearing my district’s name alongside an amazingly zany, veteran librarian who knew the current collection inside and out as she’d been the one to revitalize it with bond money just prior to my arrival. To say that I was intimidated about what I could possibly have to contribute is more than an understatement. So when the moment of truth arrived and I was handed a “small” purchase order to get my feet wet, I. Was. Stymied! Her  fingerprints were all throughout that collection, and what  she  didn’t read our assistant  did . How would I ever fit into this team?! What could I possibly contribute?! To be honest… after teaching a core, tested subject for fifteen years, I was just beginning to read young adult literature regularly...

Although we did NOT pull up in a pink convertible, Russell and I DID arrive in sunny San Diego mid-morning on Wednesday, Preview Night. After leaving the airport, we quickly dropped off our bags at the hotel and took the ferry over to Coronado Island for lunch and a cycling adventure. Since my fellow panelist—Jana Tropper—and I had coordinated Barbie lewks for a grand first time in-person meeting, Russell and I entertained the locals looking like real life Barbie and Ken on our day of leisure before launching into the heart of the fandom. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to connect with Jana until the following day. The next two days were a whirlwind of learning from and networking with my fellow comics educators and information professionals at the lovely San Diego Central Library. Thursday was full of library panels that ran the gamut from discussing libraries and the challenges they currently face to comics pedagogy; whereas, Friday was a parade of publisher panels showcasing a pl...

This 2018 Maverick List honoree and @CTXTeenComicCon guest speaker brings lush artwork and magical realism to the #WeNeedDiverseComics movement. #LibrariesRRock #RRockReviewsHS ​ #MaverickList #yartxla #CTXComicCon   |   @nidhiart ,  @01FirstSecond

In this brilliant sequel to Openly Straight, Ben finds his way, his voice, and his love as Konigsberg continues the tale with this beautifully raw and complex addition to the burgeoning body of LGBTQ YA literature. #LibrariesRRock #RRockReviewHS ​  |   @billkonigsberg ,  @AALBooks

Jones’ team of creators artfully navigates a very heavy topic in a multifaceted approach that refuses to oversimplify or reduce down to a FEW talking points. Bravo! #LibrariesRRock #RRockReviewsHS ​ #MaverickList #yartxla   |   @LEEandLOW ,  @PoetTonyMedina

In this 2019 #MaverickList honoree,  @strangelykatie creates a gentle world in which miniature dragons have more in common with house cats than beasts of destruction. Check it out to see what kind of Tea Dragon you will be!  @OniPress   |   #CETReviews #RRockReviewsMS #RRockReviewsHS

With messaging, more subtle than the original,  @MollyOstertag 's sequel to Witch Boy enriches the series premise and strengthens the characterization of the denizens--making it clear that this tale is more than a one-off.  #CETReviews #RockReviewsMS #RockReviewsHS   |   @GraphixBooks

In this 2020 #MaverickList nominee, fans of middlegrade, slice-of-life realistic fiction with female strong protagonists will find a new love in this modernization of an old classic.  #CETReviews   #RockReviewsHS   #RockReviewsMS   |   @ndgoarts ,  @littlebrown

Rarely have I read a book so real and laughed so hard! As  @JerryCraft sugar coats nothing without seeming attacking, this title is skillfully and beautifully balanced. #weneeddiversecomics #CETReviews #RRockReviewsHS #RRockReviewsMS #MaverickList   |   @HarperCollinsCh ,  @LibrariesRRock

This 2020 #MaverickList nominee, hurls the reader two years into the future, a world where the rules have changed & crush is forbidden, so hold on tight as the ride is anything but smooth.   #CETReviews   #RockReviewsHS   |   @babsdraws ,  @brendenfletcher ,  @cameronMstewart ,  @ImageComics

In volume 2,  @gracecellis and  @shaebeagle continue this fantastic paranormal romance that delightfully navigates some surprisingly heavy topics with dexterity and levity!  #CETReviews   #RockReviewsHS   |   @ImageComics ,  @LibrariesRRock  

On February 9, 2023, at the fourth Joint Conference of Librarians of Color (JCLC), I had the exhilarating experience of guiding a discussion that focused on the need to connect with nerd culture and create a welcoming environment for the BIPOC fandom. The soul of this session had been several years in the making and built on countless heart-to-heart moments. So, I couldn’t imagine a better venue for seeing it actualized than my first JCLC. Furthermore, for this session, I had the honor of being in conversation with fellow nerds and comics librarians Jean Darnell and Deimosa Webber-Bey . To my eternal amazement, our talk was met with a standing room only reception, and afterward we were repeatedly regaled with tales of being turned away at the door. In hopes of capturing a small portion of that day's magic, this post grew out of that discussion. *** For the past 30 years, BIPOC nerds have existed in the cringe-worthy shadow of Urkel. What if, instead, they’d had portrayals such as ...

Mystified at having left my ordinary world, October 2021 found me transported to the realm of Jack "The King" Kirby, both his place of origin and the kingdom that he built — modern comicdom — for New York Comic Con, where ReedPop was partnering with the New York Public Library , New York City School Librarians Association , and Reading with Pictures to offer its inaugural full day of professional content specifically crafted for librarians and educators. My blerd heart was pounding, my educator heart was swelling, and my librarian heart was soaring with the opportunities before me to strengthen the connection between these ecosystems. Determined to traverse this multiverse of literacy, I ported through the Javits Center attending session after session in pursuit of a version of our world where comics and graphic novels are always lauded as “real reading” and their impact on empowerment and learning is profoundly recognized. As the start of a new year is often a time of refle...

As a freshly-minted librarian, I was hired to serve at THE high school bearing my district’s name alongside an amazingly zany, veteran librarian who knew the current collection inside and out as she’d been the one to revitalize it with bond money just prior to my arrival. To say that I was intimidated about what I could possibly have to contribute is more than an understatement. So when the moment of truth arrived and I was handed a “small” purchase order to get my feet wet, I. Was. Stymied! Her fingerprints were all throughout that collection, and what she didn’t read our assistant did . How would I ever fit into this team?! What could I possibly contribute?! To be honest, I was just beginning to read YA lit regularly. Luckily, near the end of grad school, I’d discovered comics and graphic novels. My then-language-arts-teacher heart fell in love with graphic storytelling, the ways that it attracts readers, and its potential to support literacy efforts. Unluckily, I didn’t know much ab...