The Library is pleased to announce the addition of a new section to our Recreational Reading area: graphic novels.

For those readers unfamiliar with the format, a graphic novel is a book which uses the conventions of the comic book medium to tell an extended story. Fans may argue about the precise definition of the term, but at its core, a graphic novel combines a sequence of drawn or painted pictures (typically showing several "panels" of artwork per page), accompanied by dialogue and captions.

Most people associate modern comic books with superheroes, such as Batman or Spider-Man. Superheroes are represented abundantly in the graphic novel arena, but readers can find all types of non-superhero stories, representing every category of popular genre fiction, non-genre fiction, and nonfiction. Graphic novels also come in all shapes and sizes and all types of artistic and storytelling styles. The illustrations may be in color, in monochromatic tint, or in black & white. With such a broad assortment to chose from, graphic novels have become an extremely popular medium for readers of all ages and tastes. Proof of this can be found in the widespread number of top-grossing movies based on graphic novels in recent years, including Ghost World, A History of Violence and V for Vendetta, to name a few.

The Library's graphic novel collection is intended to provide a representative sample of today's best titles, presenting a diversity of genres, including romance, drama, crime, horror, science fiction, fantasy, and historical fiction, as well as non-genre fiction, autobiography, and nonfiction. Examples include Persepolis, the true account of a girl growing up in revolutionary Iran; Kings in Disguise, a critically acclaimed story of a young boy traveling cross-country during the depths of America's Great Depression; the sword-wielding violence of Conan: The Frost Giant's Daughter; 30 Days of Night, a chilling tale of vampires attacking an isolated town north of the Arctic Circle; and X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills, a tragic story of prejudice set in a world of superheroes.

We encourage you to explore this new graphic novel section and to recommend titles you'd like to see added to the collection. The graphic novels are shelved in the Recreational Reading area, across from the reference desk on the Library's first floor. Titles are arranged by author's last name.

Michael Lavin wrote this Monthly Book Spotlight.