Although graphic novels are traditionally thought of as the domain of larger-than-life fantasies, for decades comics have also served as educational tools. One of the pioneers of American comic books, Will Eisner, worked for years creating instructional comics. Starting in 1941, the Classics Illustrated series introduced young readers to…

Manga has been growing rapidly in popularity with young readers in recent years. But to the novice, the form comes with a dizzying array of styles, and even a language all its own. This article provides a short glossary of terms that every otaku should know.

Drawing on the age-old adage "write what you know," teachers all over the country have embraced the memoir as an integral part of the language-arts curriculum. Before constructing their own personal narratives, students are immersed in the genre, listening to and reading a wide variety of samples front children's literature. As they read,…

When the National Endowment for the Arts released its "Reading at Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in America" this past summer, marshaling statistics gathered over a 10-year period, the report confirmed what many educators, librarians, and booksellers have long suspected: that our energies are increasingly focused elsewhere, and that the shift…

Subject specific databases, or vortals (vertical portals), are databases that provide highly detailed research information on a particular topic. They are the smallest, most focused search tools on the Internet and, in recent years, they've been on the rise. Currently, more of the so-called "mainstream" search engines, subject directories, and…