Booking Through Thursday: Graphic

May 2 (last Saturday) was Free Comic Book Day. So this week's BTT topic is in celebration of graphic novels and comic books:

• Do you read graphic novels/comics? Why do/don’t you enjoy them?
• How would you describe the difference between “graphic novel” and “comic”? Is there a difference at all?
• Say you have a friend who’s never encountered graphic novels. Recommend some titles you consider landmark/”canonical”.

I don't believe I've ever read a graphic novel. Not one that I can remember, anyway. So I can't recommend any. And I guess I really shouldn't have a firm opinion about them until I've tried one. But I love illustrated books, so I'm thinking I'll probably like graphic novels when I do try them.

Are they the same as comic books? Well, to me, yes they do seem very similar. I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing, though. I've always loved comic books; as a child, some of my earliest reading matter was comic books – much to my mother's chagrin. And I still have a large collection of classic Little Lulu and Bugs Bunny comics. I really identified with Lulu when I was a tyke. She was funny and feisty and resourceful, and was always getting punished for "no reason at all." And her curls were never out of place.

Hmmmm. I seem to have strayed from the subject a bit. So I should shut up and start reading all the other BTT posts – maybe I can find some good recommendations for a graphic novel to start with.

Booking Through Thursday: Heroine

This week's BTT topic:
Who is your favorite female lead character? And why? (And yes, of course, you can name more than one . . . I always have trouble narrowing down these things to one name, why should I force you to?)

Looks like I'm a bit late, as usual. And this is a really tough question. I guess my absolute favorite female heroine would have to be Alice from the Lewis Carroll books – she was a very early literary love, and I still re-read those books frequently. I also enjoy Barbara Pym's women; but in her case, it's the type of heroine I'm responding to, rather than any single character. And Miss Marple will always be a favorite, too – I love the way she's always not what she seems.

I'm beginning to appreciate Elizabeth Bennet more now, after seeing the mini-series on PBS - in fact, that show has inspired me to re-read the novel. I like her sense of humor and the way she stands by her family even though they don't always seem to deserve such loyalty. Have to say, when I first read Pride and Prejudice in high school, I thought Lizzie and Darcy both were boring beyond belief. Interesting what a difference a few decades can make! And recently I've discovered a new favorite in Nancy Clark's The Hills At Home – its main character Lily Hill seems a bit like a modern Lizzie who's grown old and never got to marry her Mr. Darcy.

But I suppose my earliest favorite "literary" chick was Lulu Moppet. She's funny, resourceful, courageous, honest, and loyal, has lots of exciting adventures, and her hair is never out of place. Hate to admit that my love of reading was sparked in large part by a comic book character, but it is the truth. And the fact that I have a large Little Lulu collection squirreled away must mean that she still has a place in my heart.