By Amanda Brill

Every time the Summer Reading Program rolls around, I’m asked the same question: Do graphic novels count towards reading hours? I’m happy to state, for the record, that they do!

Graphic novels are my favorite form of reading material because they combine beautiful artwork and compelling storytelling in a single book. From “Heartstopper” to “Fruits Basket,” I devour graphic novels every chance I can. If you want to get started on your graphic novel journey, here are a few recommendations to get you started.

For manga readers, you can’t go wrong with a classic like “Dragonball Z” or “Full Metal Alchemist;” however, for those who are Netflix users, you might recognize “One Piece,” a manga that was just adapted into an eight-episode show. One Piece follows Luffy, a member of the Straw Hat Pirates, searching for the mythical treasure known as the One Piece in order to become the king of the pirates. Started in 1997 by Eiichiro Oda, One Piece was brought to American audiences in 2004 and has been wildly popular ever since. Known for its world-building, characterization and humor, the manga has received awards and broken records all over the world. Try it next time you’re at a Rowan Public Library location.

One of my favorite graphic novels lately has been “Himawari House” by Harmony Becker. Readers are introduced to Nao, a Japanese-American who returns to Tokyo to reconnect with her roots at a share house with others students including Tina from Singapore and Hyejung from South Korea. The girls live, eat, mend heartbreaks and struggle to learn Japanese together and become fast friends in the process. Becker blends English, Japanese, Singlish and Korean in a way that even the characters are unsure what language they are speaking at any moment. The story is a bittersweet journey to find out what it means to be Japanese and American, even when you don’t feel like a fish out of water in both cultures.

If graphic novels are your idea of a good read, take a look through the catalog at www.RowanPublicLibrary.org, visit your nearest RPL branch, or call 980-432-8670. There is also a survey that readers of all ages are encouraged to participate in. This survey will let us know your thoughts on the state of the graphic novel collection at RPL. This is for the Graphic Novel Project to genrefy this collection over the four locations. “Genrefying” is putting books and other materials in reader-interest categories instead of using the Dewey Decimal System or the current system here at RPL where all graphic novels are cataloged by author’s last name. Visit bit.ly/RPLGraphicNovels for more information and to take the survey. All answers are anonymous and benefit not only current readers, but future readers as well.

Amanda Brill is young adult librarian at Rowan Public Library.