Jennifer Holm joins CBLDF board

Bestselling author Jennifer Holm of the Babymouse series has joined the CBLDF board, according to a press release;

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is pleased to announce the addition of bestselling author and three-time Newbery honoree Jennifer L. Holm to its Board of Directors.  Best known in the comics world as the co-author with her brother Matthew Holm of the popular young readers graphic novel series Babymouse and Squish, she joins the CBLDF board with the intention of helping the organization advance its work protecting the freedom to read comics, especially in the youth and education spaces.

When asked why she is joining the board, Holm says, “The freedom to be able to read what you want is as vital as breathing. CBLDF has always been on the front lines of keeping comics where they belong—in the hands of readers.  I’m proud to be a part of an organization that defends the First Amendment every day.”

Most immediately, Holm will be taking an active leadership role in advancing the organization’s kids’ right to read activities, including speaking on behalf of CBLDF at youth-focused events and developing new tools about using comics and addressing challenges for parents and educators.  “Comics are such a wonderful medium for introducing younger readers to a lifetime of reading, but they’re frequently misunderstood,” Holm explains. “The CBLDF’s history of service to the medium makes us an essential group for helping parents and educators better understand the medium, and I’m proud to take a leadership role in achieving that goal.”

CBLDF President Larry Marder says, “Jenni’s been blazing trails in the burgeoning segment of the young reader comic book marketplace. She is keenly aware of how important these readers are to the future of our art form and our businesses. Her dedication to the ideal that it is parents who must be the gatekeepers of what their children read makes her a terrific addition to the Fund’s board. I look forward to working with Jenni in the years to come to make us an even more vital protector of the freedom to read comics!”