Graphic Novels

Television Show Read Alikes

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By Leslie Grant, Graduate Assistant, McLure Education Library

For fans of popular television series, there’s never an episode long enough to satisfy, and the wait between seasons can feel like an eternity. To bide your time until then, you might be interested in reading some similar stories. Here’s our list of read alikes for a few of your tv favorites:

If you like The Bachelor, you might like…

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The Selection by Kiera Cass.

PZ7.C2685133 Sel 2012

“America Singer is chosen to compete in the Selection–a contest to see which girl can win the heart of Illea’s prince–but all she really wants is a chance for a future with her secret love, Aspen, who is a caste below her.”

 

If you like Once Upon a Time, you might like…

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The Fairy-Tale Detectives by Michael Buckley.

PZ7.B882323 Fai 2005

“Orphans Sabrina and Daphne Grimm are sent to live with an eccentric grandmother that they have always believed to be dead.”

 

 

If you like Hannibal, you might like…

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Chew by John Layman and Rob Guillory.

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“Tony Chu is a detective with a secret. A weird secret. Tony Chu is Cibopathic, which means he gets psychic impressions from whatever he eats.”

 

 

If you like The 100, you might like…

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The Maze Runner by James Dashner.

PZ7.D2587 Maz 2009

“Sixteen-year-old Thomas wakes up with no memory in the middle of a maze and realizes he must work with the community in which he finds himself if he is to escape.”

 

You can find all of these suggestions at McLure. Let us know in the comments if there are any other tv show/book comparisons you think we’re missing.

What is Manga?

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manga

By Leslie Grant, Graduate Assistant, McLure Education Library

If you’re ever perused the shelves of our graphic novel section, you might notice that some of the books appear to be printed backwards. The cover illustration appears on the back, rather than the front of the book. You may know this already, but these books are called manga. For those unfamiliar with the genre, we thought it would be good to provide a short explanation.

Manga originates from Japan. The word itself means comic or cartoon. Manga is a style that developed in the late 19th century, and the stories can be about a wide range of topics. It has risen in popularity in Europe and North America, especially after the influx of Japanese animation.

The reading direction in a traditional manga (image from Wikipedia)

Rather than a being misprint, manga only appears “backwards” if you’re used to reading from left to right. This is because manga is usually written from right to left. Some publishers choose to flip the images to accommodate western readers. However, this inversion can cause other problems by changing the illustrations and directions within the text.

The image to the left demonstrates the direction in which the story is read within traditional manga. You can also see a more detailed explanation with examples by following this link.

 

Now that you understand the basics, we have several series to get you started, including:

  • Vampire Knight
  • Oh My Goddess!
  • Hikaru No Go
  • Neon Genesis Evangelion
  • Gravitation
  • Someday’s Dreamers: Spellbound

You can find all of these and more by browsing the graphic novels downstairs at McLure or searching the catalog. Enjoy!