Publishers

A serious issue in obtaining library books for young students is the quality of the binding and the paper quality. Graphic novels/comics get a tremendous amount of wear. They do not sit on the shelves. They fly out the door just like the heros in the books. With American comics it is not a problem if you know where to get library bound books. Jeff Smith's Bone by Scholastic is one of the few paperbacks that is built with good quality paper. Most quality manga's are all ordinary quality paperback. Although in 2008 Perma-Bound has come out with a few elementary mangas. Paperbacks don't survive well. After about ten checkouts they are going downhill. I put more money on the American graphic/novels because they can be bought in library binding. When I have the money I invest in a few good manga's for the older students.

Spotlight is popular fiction in quality library editions. They are reinforced side-sewn editions. Spotlight is an imprint of ABDO Publishing. They have a few picture books, Dora the explorer, and a few Henry and and Mudge, but they really excel in their graphic novels/comic selections. They have Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Fantastic Four, The Hulk and Sentinel, Spiderman Team Up, Spiderman, Spidergirl, X-men, Archie, Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. I have these books and they hold up amazingly well.

Using various publishers Bound To Stay Bound Books have an increasing selection of graphic novels. They have Capstone's graphic history library such as the Boston tea Party and Rosa Parks. World Almanac Library's California Gold Rush and the First Moon Landing are part of this collection. The infamous Captain Underpants, Babymouse, and Scholastic's Bone series are in BTSB. They have Creating the X-men, Kristy's Great Idea (Babysitters), the Story of Spiderman, Wolves in the Wall, and many more high quality graphic novels. These are all hard bound with a good looking sturdy cover. For the very young students they have the Stone arch series books Tiger Moth and Robot Rampage .