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While many of you many be wondering “What’s a common core?” if you’re in the publishing business it’s been the buzzword of the year. Simply put, it concerns basic standards in learning for all schools in the US, and a curriculum based on materials that fit those standards and topics. A list that could very well contain graphic novels, since the Common Core guidelines also call for “non-traditional media.”

In coordination with this weekend’s American LIbrary Association show in Chicago, Diamond has just announced their own list of 101 books that fit into Common Core guidelines which will help educators and librarians select graphic novel materials to fit into their Common Core Standards curricula.

march.jpg“Diamond is a firm believer in graphic novels as legitimate teaching tools,” said Kuo-Yu Liang, DBD’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing in a statement. “With the Diamond Graphic Novel Common Core List, we hope to help educators and librarians get ahead of the curve of this new initiative, while enjoying some great stories and art.”

The list is arranged by grade level and includes Library Classifications, Subject Headings and Core Standards. It was created by Diamond Book Distributors and library/education consultant Ellen Myrick, President of Myrick Marketing & Media.

“One of the keys to the Common Core State Standards is the attention given to a variety of text types. These can be great levelers in the classroom, especially effective for differentiated teaching,” said Myrick in a statement. “Graphic novels are perfect for visual learners and 101 Graphic Novels for the Common Core Classroom provides teachers with tools to identify and utilize these compelling resources. Graphic novel experts and teachers suggested and selected the titles for inclusion, highlighting those titles that can be used as informational texts, those based on the literary canon, and award-winning, critically-acclaimed works.”

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Diamond is presenting its list at the ALA this weekend and it definitely offers a solid basis for educators and librarians who are looking to integrate graphic novels into their curricula. The list includes such books as Eric Shanower’s Age of Bronze, the Crogan books from Chris Schweitzer, several books by Bryan Talbot, a bunch of the Graphic Classics anthologies from Eureka, and so on. It is, as befits something called the Common Core, a solid list.

Common Core has become one of the hottest topics in education and publishing. It will be fascinating to see how graphic novels roll out in the new environment.

1 COMMENT

  1. I may have missed it, but I did not see “Maus” on there, which surprised me, though I saw “300”! Lol.

    The high school where I work has “Maus” in 9th grade, “American-Born Chinese” in remedial 10th, and “Persepolis” as summer reading for an 11th/12th grade Film/Lit course.

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