The book trade eNewsletter Shelf Awareness published a dedicated issue on graphic novels today, offering an overview of the format. We’re delighted to see librarians featured, and partcularly our own Robin Brenner, who writes the weekly EarlyWord “Go Graphic!” column (see her latest here), as well as her friend and colleague, Eva Volin, supervising children’s librarian at the Alameda (CA) Free Library.

Robin reveals that, in the Brookline (MA) Public Library, circ of graphic novels has now surpassed DVD’s. Just goes to show what effect a knowledgeable selector can have. A story on indie bookstores reveals that they, too, often need an evangelist to get them to try the format.

Rounding out the issue is an overview of popular novelists adopting the format (Jodi Picoult does Wonder Woman) and interviews with Dark Horse editor Sierra Hahn as well as wife and husband comics creators, Kathryn and Stuart Immonen Patsy Walker: Hellcat.

Please join us at 4 p.m., EDT, tomorrow, to talk about galleys of forthcoming books (if you haven’t joined a GalleyChat before, click here for details).

Many of you have unpacked your ALA boxes, so there will be lots to talk about.

Here’s some titles that may come up:

Stiltsville: A Novel Susanna Daniel Retail Price: $24.99 Hardcover: 320 pages Publisher: Harper – (2010-08-01) ISBN / EAN: 0061963070 / 9780061963070

This title has come up at every one of our previous GalleyChats. I read it during the recent NYC heat wave and it was the perfect antidote. There’s plenty of heat because it’s set in South Florida, but there is also plenty of swimming, boating and a community of summer homes built on stilts. No high drama or madness here, thank heaven; just an engrossing story of an “ordinary” woman as she meets the man she will marry, forms lasting friendships, and raises a family. It’s refreshing to read about good, caring people who struggle with many of the same issues we all do, but who bring an extra ounce of wisdom to it.
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I’d Know You Anywhere: A Novel Laura Lippman Retail Price: $25.99 Hardcover: 384 pages Publisher: William Morrow – (2010-09-01) ISBN / EAN: 0061706558 / 9780061706554

Of course, Laura Lippman already has a following, but this standalone is poised to bring her to a whole new audience.

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Running the Books: The Adventures of an Accidental Prison Librarian Avi Steinberg Retail Price: $24.95 Hardcover: 416 pages Publisher: Nan A. Talese – (2010-10-19) ISBN / EAN: 0385529090 / 9780385529099

This book had me at the opening line, “Pimps make the best librarians.” The author knows;  he had to draw on prison inmates to help run his library.

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The Watchman’s Rattle: Thinking Our Way Out of Extinction Rebecca Costa Retail Price: $26.95 Hardcover: 368 pages Publisher: Vanguard Press – (2010-10-05) ISBN / EAN: 1593156057 / 9781593156053

I met author Rebecca Costa during her signing at ALA. She’s a real force and I wouldn’t be surprised to see her on the talk shows this fall.  The book’s scary subtitle addresses her central question; “Why can’t we think our way out of our problems any more?”

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Russian Winter: A Novel Daphne Kalotay Retail Price: $25.99 Hardcover: 480 pages Publisher: Harper – (2010-09-01) ISBN / EAN: 0061962163 / 9780061962165

This debut sounds like a good, old-fashioned saga about a 76-year old former Russian ballerina who reviews her past as she puts together an auction catalog of her jewels.

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The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration Isabel Wilkerson Retail Price: $30.00 Hardcover: 640 pages Publisher: Random House – (2010-09-07) ISBN / EAN: 0679444327 / 9780679444329

Isabel was the last speaker on the First Author panel at ALA and she had us hanging on her every word as she spoke passionately about the migration of African Americans to the North, told through the stories of ordinary people who made the trek.

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The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating Elisabeth Tova Bailey Retail Price: $18.95 Hardcover: 208 pages Publisher: Algonquin Books – (2010-08-24) ISBN / EAN: 1565126068 / 9781565126060

The true story of a woman recovering from an illness. Her friend gives her a very strange gift; a snail in a terrarium

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Exley Brock Clarke Retail Price: $24.95 Hardcover: 320 pages Publisher: Algonquin Books – (2010-10-05) ISBN / EAN: 1565126084 / 9781565126084

By the author of An Arsonist’s Guide to Writer’s Home in New England; it was a librarians’ Shout & Share pick at BEA and was featured at Algonquin’s booth at ALA.

We enjoyed the last one so much, that we’re doing it again, tomorrow at 4 p.m., Eastern.

Here’s your opportunity to let your fellow librarians know what galleys to move to the top (or bottom) of their To Be Read piles. Log on to Twitter at 4 p.m.; hashtag is #ewgc (for more explicit directions, click here).

Some of you may have more to add about the titles that came up last time (see Galley Chat!). Here’s a few others you may have received lately:

Wanna Get Lucky? Deborah Coonts Retail Price: $24.99 Hardcover: 352 pages Publisher: Forge Books – (2010-05-11) ISBN / EAN: 0765325438 / 9780765325433

One of the authors who will be featured at the AAP’s Librarian Lunch coming up at BEA.

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The Dead Lie Down: A Novel Sophie Hannah Retail Price: $15.00 Paperback: 480 pages Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) – (2010-06-01) ISBN / EAN: 0143117491 / 9780143117490

Author is appearing at the ALTAFF Tea at ALA next month.

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Broken: A Novel (Grant County) Karin Slaughter Retail Price: $26.00 Hardcover: 416 pages Publisher: Delacorte Press – (2010-06-22) ISBN / EAN: 0385341970 / 9780385341974

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The Liar’s Lullaby (Jo Beckett) Meg Gardiner Retail Price: $25.95 Hardcover: 368 pages Publisher: Dutton Adult – (2010-06-24) ISBN / EAN: 0525951725 / 9780525951728

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32 Candles: A Novel Ernessa T. Carter Retail Price: $24.99 Hardcover: 352 pages Publisher: Amistad – (2010-07-01) ISBN / EAN: 0061957844 / 9780061957840

One of the Harper Buzz titles (check it out here). It sounded great even before we got to see this terrific cover.

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Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void Mary Roach Retail Price: $25.95 Hardcover: 288 pages Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company – (2010-08-02) ISBN / EAN: 0393068471 / 9780393068474

She was a riot grossing us out at the AAP Breakfast at PLA (everything floats at zero gravity, including dead skin — like being in a snow globe). Let’s see how she handles Jon Stewart, who is the MC of BEA’s Author Breakfast on Thurs, May 27th.

Thanks to all of you who joined in on Galley Chat on Friday. Twenty-five contributed to the discussion and we’re guessing many others were lurking. Thanks, also, to the library marketing folks from Penguin and Random House, who jumped in and offered galleys to those who wanted them.

This was our first attempt, so we didn’t know what would happen. It turned out to be very lively; like doing RA with a bunch of colleagues (in 140 characters, which, although limiting, isn’t as difficult as I expected).

So, we’re going to try it again. While Fridays at 4 EDT seems like a good time, at least for those who showed up at this one, it conflicts with Follow The Reader‘s weekly librarian/bookseller chat (we had complaints from several, who were bouncing back and forth between the two). So, for our next Galley Chat, we are going to try Wednesday, May 12, at 4 p.m. EDT. Info on how to join here.

Below are the titles that elicited the most comments during Friday’s chat, in reverse order by pub month.

AUGUST TITLES

Stiltsville: A Novel Susanna Daniel Retail Price: $24.99 Hardcover: 320 pages Publisher: Harper – (2010-08-01) ISBN / EAN: 0061963070 / 9780061963070

Virginia Stanley, HarperCollins library marketing, made an impression when she talked about this first novel at PLA (she also presented it at MidWinter, listen here). Robin Beerbower of Salem, OR sent a comment in advance, saying it’s a “terrific first novel about a long marriage” and was particularly taken with the setting, a community of homes on pilings in Biscayne Bay, FL.

JULY TITLES

Still Missing Chevy Stevens Retail Price: $24.99 Hardcover: 352 pages Publisher: St. Martin’s Press – (2010-07-06) ISBN / EAN: 0312595670 / 9780312595678

Still Missing, St. Martin’s big thriller debut, was the most-discussed of the Galley Chat titles. One library had just added it and is already getting holds, so is planning to buy more.

JUNE TITLES

The One That I Want: A Novel Allison Winn Scotch Retail Price: $24.00 Hardcover: 288 pages Publisher: Shaye Areheart Books – (2010-06-01) ISBN / EAN: 0307464504 / 9780307464507

Rebecca Vnuk particularly loves The One That I Want and is planning to write about this for her women’s fiction blog.

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake: A Novel Aimee Bender Retail Price: $25.95 Hardcover: 304 pages Publisher: Doubleday – (2010-06-01) ISBN / EAN: 0385501129 / 9780385501125

RH’s Marcie Purcell presented Lemon Cake movingly at PLA; about a young girl who discovers she can taste her mother’s despair in the cake she baked for her daughter’s birthday. Many said it’s on their list to read next.

The Passage Justin Cronin Retail Price: $27.00 Hardcover: 784 pages Publisher: Ballantine Books – (2010-06-08) ISBN / EAN: 0345504968 / 9780345504968

Those who have read it say it’s tough to talk about The Passage without introducing spoilers, but they were clearly dying to talk about specific sections. We may need a to feature this in a discussion that is only open to those that have read it.

Crashers Dana Haynes Retail Price: $24.99 Hardcover: 352 pages Publisher: Minotaur Books – (2010-06-22) ISBN / EAN: 0312599889 / 9780312599881

Audio; UNABR; 978-1-4272-1215-3; $39.99

Lots of  excitement about Crashers; a sabotaged jet crashes and investigators have a race against the clock to prevent another. Said one person, “Page-burning suspense. Keep the Dramamine handy.”

MAY TITLES

Ship Breaker Paolo Bacigalupi Retail Price: $17.99 Hardcover: 336 pages Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers – (2010-05-01) ISBN / EAN: 0316056219 / 9780316056212

Ship Breaker is a YA title (one person says it’s perfect for those who love Hunger Games), but with potential cross over to adult. The author’s first book, The Wind-up Girl was on many end-of-the-year best lists and is nominated for a Hugo Award.

The Lonely Polygamist: A Novel Brady Udall Retail Price: $26.95 Hardcover: 602 pages Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company – (2010-05-03) ISBN / EAN: 0393062627 / 9780393062625

The Lonely Polygamist is long, but readers say it’s engrossing and the writing is beautiful. Daniel Golden, the owner of Boswell and Books in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is a big fan and has been blogging about it and about “hating, then loving big, fat books.”

The Last Stand: Custer, Sitting Bull, and the Battle of the Little Bighorn Nathaniel Philbrick Retail Price: $30.00 Hardcover: 496 pages Publisher: Viking Adult – (2010-05-04) ISBN / EAN: 0670021725 / 9780670021727

Audio; Penguin Audio; UNABR; 9780142427699; $39.95

The only nonfiction title that came up. Nobody in the group had read it yet, but is definitely high up on TBR lists. At PLA Book Buzz, Nancy Pearl gave it kudos, saying it shows Custer as you never imagined him.

The Frozen Rabbi Steve Stern Retail Price: $24.95 Hardcover: 384 pages Publisher: Algonquin Books – (2010-05-11) ISBN / EAN: 156512619X / 9781565126190

Many said they thought it sounded wonderful. If you want a copy, go here,. For just a taste, you can to Tablet Magazine, where it is being serialized.

APRIL TITLES

Girl in Translation Jean Kwok Retail Price: $25.95 Hardcover: 304 pages Publisher: Riverhead Hardcover – (2010-04-29) ISBN / EAN: 1594487561 / 9781594487569

Audio; Penguin Audio; 9780142427996; $39.95

A “non-cliched”  Chinese immigrant coming-of-age tale, with potential YA crossover.

We’re hearing from librarians about the galleys they want to talk about during our first Galley Chat this Friday at 4 p.m., EDT  (info on how to join here).

Of course, there’s Justin Cronin’s The Passage (if you think you don’t have the galley, check again; Random House has been papering the earth with it).

The Passage Justin Cronin Retail Price: $27.00 Hardcover: 784 pages Publisher: Ballantine Books – (2010-06-08) ISBN / EAN: 0345504968 / 9780345504968

There’s also growing interest in St. Martin’s big debut thriller, Still Missing.

Still Missing Chevy Stevens Retail Price: $24.99 Hardcover: 352 pages Publisher: St. Martin’s Press – (2010-07-06) ISBN / EAN: 0312595670 / 9780312595678

Also on people’s lips is Workman library marketer Mike Rockliff’s favorite, The Frozen Rabbi (which is tied for “Most Memorable Title of the Season” with Norton’s The Lonely Polygamist).

The Frozen Rabbi Steve Stern Retail Price: $24.95 Hardcover: 384 pages Publisher: Algonquin Books – (2010-05-11) ISBN / EAN: 156512619X / 9781565126190

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The Lonely Polygamist Brady Udall Retail Price: $26.95 Hardcover: 602 pages Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company – (2010-05-03) ISBN / EAN: 0393062627 / 9780393062625

Others are excited about Stiltville, which HarperCollins’ Virginia Stanley presented succinctly at PLA; “An ordinary tale made extraordinary by the writing. It’s my story, it’s your story.”