Ashley Hawkins is a school librarian with expertise in collection development and student-centered librarianship. A school librarian for PS/IS 137 Rachel Jean Mitchell in Brooklyn and adjunct professor for Queens College GSLIS, she has written for multiple publications. She is a reviewer for Booklist and a Knowledge Quest blogger, as well as writing for her blog, Manga Librarian. Hawkins has presented at conferences, including ALA, and has been a guest on fandom and librarian podcasts. Her work's primary goal is to ensure that every student has access to books they love, particularly manga, light novels, and manhwa, and to help librarians who need support in developing those collections to make decisions that maximize access.

Emily Ratica has been in education for over seventeen years, both as a teacher and a school librarian. She is currently back in the classroom, teaching high school English in the high desert in southern California. A converted comic book lover, she's a self taught enthusiast in all things graphic. She is particularly passionate about increasing literacy of all kinds and preparing students for their futures as information consumers. Emily spends her time with her husband and four children (all of whom are avid manga readers), binge watching RuPaul's Drag Race, crocheting amigurumi, playing board games, reading comics, and debating the merits and drawbacks of various superhero powers. You can find her hanging out at comic and gaming conventions, grading papers at home, or spending too much money at her local yarn store.

Sara Smith is the District Librarian in California's Central Valley. Previously, she was a high school teacher librarian and a high school English teacher. She also professionally reviews manga and graphic novels for Booklist and School Library Journal. She has written articles for California English, Diamond Bookshelf, and Booklist. She has also appeared as a podcast guest on School Librarians United and The Literacy Advocate. Sara has enjoyed touring the country as a speaker at conferences such as the American Library Association's Annual Conference, American Association of School Librarians Annual Conference, and the School Library Journal Summit. When not surrounded by books, Sara enjoys the company of her partner, her two cats, and her succulent garden.

Julie Stivers is the Upper School Librarian at Carolina Friends School in Durham, NC. Her work has been published in Knowledge Quest, School Library Journal, and YALS and she is the Author/Editor of Include (ALA, 2022). As an ALA Emerging Leader, she helped develop AASL's Defending Intellectual Freedom: LGBTQ+ Materials in School Libraries. She's the 2022 North Carolina School Library Media Coordinator of the Year and the 2023 School Librarian of the Year from School Library Journal. Her research and practical interests center inclusive library spaces, culturally sustaining pedagogy, and exploring the power of manga and anime with her students.

Sybil "Mouna" Touré is a resident of Falls Church, VA. She graduated from Old Dominion University with a Master's Degree in Library & Information Science in May 2023. With a passion for manga/anime since childhood, she went to Virginia State University for an undergraduate degree in art with a focus on comics. Sybil creates original manga-influenced characters and self-published comics, in addition to being published in the Dirty Diamonds comics anthology and DC Conspiracy's Magic Bullet. In 2020, she started BlackLight Sugar Press as her outlet for organizing collaborative fanzines, anthologies, and multimedia projects influenced by shoujo manga, otome games, and music.

"As any school librarian will tell you, Manga is the most popular collection in the library. Some deride it, others see it as a gateway to other reading. Yet most school library staff have not read enough to form an appropriately levelled collection, let alone know how to set up a Manga club or integrate the format into the English curriculum. This is where this book, albeit American, fills a vital space in the literature ... All the worries about appropriate levels, starter titles, location, circulation and collection development are covered in this book, giving confidence to the reluctant non-Manga reading school librarian that they can create a meaningful, well levelled collection for their enthusiastic readers."
-- Journal of the Australian Library and Information Association

"While there's a lot of information, everything is organized in a way that even educators who know nothing about manga can easily pick up and incorporate tips from the book ... Manga is a great starting idea to teach kids that it's okay to be who you are and love who you are. Manga Goes to School provides valuable lessons on how to do so. Extremely recommended for anyone who's in education, loves manga, and loves lifelong learning."
-- Drop-In to Manga

"Manga undeniably has a place in the school library, but the numerous demographics, genres, and series can be overwhelming. The authors do an excellent job of providing helpful background on manga and anime before diving into tips, tools, and resource lists for collection development and maintenance at all school library types. The authors focus on the power of manga to engage students, particularly marginalized groups, and provide resources for readers' advisory and inclusive purchasing practices. The book includes numerous detailed, pedagogically sound lesson plans for K-12 students across subject areas ... Throughout the text, concepts and recommendations are tied to AASL standards, which can be an advocacy tool for school library professionals whose manga collections may need additional buy-in."
-- Choice

Publisher: ALA Editions

Pub date: 2024-12-04

Length: 216 pages