November 28, 2008
by Joy
6 Comments
I was an enthusiastic reader as a child, but I still managed to miss out on a lot of excellent children’s books when I was in their actual target age group. Fortunately, I’ve never been of the opinion that books … Continue reading
November 26, 2008
by Joy
1 Comment
Earlier this month I attended one day of the California Library Association annual conference. The panels that I attended were sort of hit-or-miss, which will come as no surprise to anyone who has ever attended a professional conference. My favorite … Continue reading
November 21, 2008
by Joy
2 Comments
Like many precocious readers, I began reading adult fiction long before I was actually in its target audience. This is partly because I grew up surrounded by my mother’s book collection, and it was only natural for me to pick … Continue reading
November 19, 2008
by Joy
Comments Off on Naruto Nation redux
As others in the comics & anime blogosphere have already reported, Viz will be repeating last year’s Naruto Nation in the first half of 2009. On the manga front, eleven volumes of manga will be released between February and April … Continue reading
November 18, 2008
by Joy
Comments Off on One more Lion Hunters book!
Via Sherwood Smith, here’s an interview with YA fantasy writer Elizabeth E. Wein. She has a lot of interesting comments on her creative process and the inspiration for her books. Best of all, there’s an excerpt from the next book … Continue reading
November 18, 2008
by Joy
Comments Off on New directions
At my previous job, one of my projects was teaching a public computer class on blogging. (It was part of a new series of computer classes on Web 2.0 being offered at that public library.) During that class, I told … Continue reading
November 18, 2008
by Joy
Comments Off on Usui, Yoshito: Crayon Shinchan, vol. 6
Crayon Shinchan is a gag manga about a cheeky five-year-old boy whose obsession with bodily functions, pretty girls, and his mother’s clothing tends to make life very interesting for his family, friends, and classmates. Though I haven’t read the earlier … Continue reading
October 30, 2008
by Joy
Comments Off on Nakaji, Yuki: Venus in Love, vol. 5
In volume 5 of Venus in Love, romance is finally blossoming between Suzuna and Eichi, and their relationship grows stronger as various holidays provide opportunities for each to demonstrate their affection to the other. But complications loom on the horizon … Continue reading
October 21, 2008
by Joy
Comments Off on Kusakawa, Nari: Two Flowers for the Dragon, vol. 3
In Two Flowers for the Dragon, Shakuya, the teenage princess of the Dragon Clan, finds herself in the uncomfortable situation of having not one but two fiancés. The cause of her predicament? The unexpected return of Lucien, her first fiancé, … Continue reading
October 16, 2008
by Joy
2 Comments
Don’t mind me–I’m just clearing out my library-related RSS feeds: Library Journal has published its 2008 Placements & Salary Survey. On a not unrelated note, my alma mater (University of Michigan School of Information) has just released its 2007 MSI … Continue reading
October 15, 2008
by Joy
Comments Off on CLAMP: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle, vol. 16-18
CLAMP kicks the plot of Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle into high gear in volumes 16-18 of this ongoing series. Readers of the first fifteen volumes would have been somewhat justified in wondering if the story’s determined group of travelers–Sakura, Syaoran, Kurogane, … Continue reading
October 3, 2008
by Joy
Comments Off on Manga worth re-reading
John Jakala at Sporadic Sequential has recently shared his list of re-readable manga. David Welsh at Precocious Curmudgeon has also chimed in with a post on why he re-reads. Since I’m always re-reading books I love, I thought this would … Continue reading
October 1, 2008
by Joy
2 Comments
The big news in the comics world last week–sorry, I’m a little behind on my RSS feeds–was the demise of Minx, DC’s imprint aimed at teen girls. Many wonderful comics bloggers have written thoughtfully on this situation, so here are … Continue reading
September 30, 2008
by Joy
Comments Off on L. M. Montgomery, depression, and stigma
Anyone who works in a library or bookstore could probably tell you that L. M. Montgomery’s stories and novels for young people continue to be beloved today. At my library, the Anne of Green Gables books are still fairly popular, … Continue reading
September 24, 2008
by Joy
Comments Off on Link roundup 2008-09-24
I know, I know – all work and no blogging makes Joy a dull girl. To make up for my long radio silence, I present you with some recent interesting links on libraries, Asian-American media, and anime. Semi-regular posting will … Continue reading
August 27, 2008
by Joy
Comments Off on Urushibara, Yuki: Mushishi, vol. 4
Ginko is a mushishi, an expert in the primordial life forms known as mushi. He does not have any unusual powers of his own, aside from a tendency to attract mushi and to see them while some others cannot. As … Continue reading
August 15, 2008
by Joy
1 Comment
I am one of those readers who is reluctant to start reading unfinished book series, just because I hate having to wait to read the whole thing. But I end up reading my share of series in progress anyway, usually … Continue reading
August 14, 2008
by Joy
1 Comment
Two of my favorite manga blogs are discussing the idea of literary merit in sequential art. Over at Sporadic Sequential, John Jakala asks which superhero comics and manga have literary merit. Many people contribute their opinions in the comments. David … Continue reading
August 13, 2008
by Joy
Comments Off on CLAMP: xxxHOLiC, vol. 11-12
Volumes 11 and 12 of xxxHOLiC continue the story of Kimihiro Watanuki, a high school student whose inconvenient tendency to attract spirits led him to make a rash bargain with Yûko, the space-time witch, back in volume 1. Now fully … Continue reading
August 8, 2008
by Joy
Comments Off on Female characters in manga and anime
A while back, over at Sporadic Sequential, John Jakala posted a list of his 25 favorite manga characters. I’m a big fan of lists, but in the tradition of “5 things makes a post,” I’m going to do a shorter … Continue reading