Comics!! Archie to Marry Veronica!?!

Attention All Readers: Comics are good for you!! There is plot, character development, conflict, and denoument for god's sake. I am 33 and 3/4 years and I am still transfixed by Archie and his story line. It was only a month or so ago that Ms. Polizzi knocked me on my behind and announced the impending nuptials of Archie and Veronica. What!?! Not sweet, intelligent, steadfast Betty? Why would he make such a choice? What is he thinking? Best man? Better not be Reggie! Not Jughead, either. Jughead would be down at Pop's eating a burger, wedding rings long forgotten. How about Moose? Moose--now he would be a fine choice.

Interested in Archie? Here he is: http://www.archiecomics.com/index.html

But, seriously, those parents wondering whether or not to encourage the love of graphic novels, comics, and the like, please give them serious consideration. In his sixth edition of The Read-Aloud handbook, Jim Trelease cites the various prominent figures (political and literary) who have indulged in comics: Cynthia Rylant, Stephen Krashen, John Updike, Ray Bradbury, and Desmond Tutu! And . . . this here librarian, at age 9, concluded every single grocery store trip begging, "Mom!!! A Betty and Veronica Double Digest!!! Please, please, please, can I get it?" To this day, nothing makes me happier than a Betty and Veronica Double Digest. And, I know lots of girls, lots of intelligent women, who feel the same.

Wordless Picture Books

The daughters Meister have recently discovered wordless picture books, and they can't get enough of them! Cate just received Suzy Lee's The Wave from Ms. Polizzi for her birthday and we have worked our way through it backward, forward, and upside down. Every time we reach the page on which the young girl frolics in the water, Reese quietly adds, "I like to do that, too." I think they love it so because it encapsulates their most-beloved beach activity--chasing the tide as it rolls in and out--sprinting away from and toward it as quickly as possible. Taunting the waves, laughing to herself, and delighting in the wonders of the beach, the girl's experience is universal. We love this book!

Here are some other wordless picture books that the Meisters love:

The Frog Series by Mercer Mayer (Favorite is Frog Goes to Dinner)
All of Arthur Geisert's books!!
Pancakes for Breakfast by Tomie de Paola
David Wiesner books (Flotsam, Sector 7, Tuesday)
The Red Book
The Silver Pony by Lynn Ward
Deep in the Forest by Brinton Turkle

All-Time Favorite Picture Book Authors and Illustrators

1. Chris Van Allsburg
2. Mercer Mayer
3. Mo Willems
4. James Marshall
5. Arthur Geisert
6. Peter Brown
7. Mini Grey
8. Don and Audrey Wood
9. Tedd Arnold
10. David Wiesner

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