SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Pearl's & Ruby's
  • Politics in Practice
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About/Contact
  • Fusenews
  • Reviews
  • Librarian Previews
  • Best Books
    • Top 100
    • Best Books of 2022
    • Best Books of 2021
    • Best Books of 2020
    • Best Books of 2019
    • Best Books of 2018
    • Best Books of 2017
    • Best Books of 2016
    • Best Books of 2015
    • Best Books of 2014
    • Best Books of 2013
  • Fuse 8 n’ Kate
  • Videos
  • Press Release Fun

September 27, 2007 by Betsy Bird

Book Release Party: Hero at MoCCA (Part One)

September 27, 2007 by Betsy Bird   2 comments


Running a literary children’s blog requires a certain level of restraint. The person who reviews picture books and middle grade novels and YA titles is going to have a gap in their repertoire here and there. Unless, of course, they do it for a living (which, insofar as I know, is not yet an option). With that in mind, I’ve always tried to limit myself to only looking at books for kids who haven’t get been knocked upside the head by the pooberty stick. Then I got an invitation to the book release party for Perry Moore’s first young adult novel Hero. Here is what influenced by decision to attend:

A) Perry is one of my Hot Men of Children’s Literature (#32, if you want to get technical). So that’s one connection right there.

B) His book is about a gay teen superhero. And thought I didn’t know it before I read the book, I LOVE gay teen superheroes! They’re the bestest superheroes out there.

C) After reading the book, I found that I really enjoyed it. There’s nothing worse than having an author you adore churn out something so-so. Fortunately, Moore really has a handle on his world and though I will not be reviewing the book I will happily recommend it to anyone interested.

D) The party was being held in the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art.

Yes, Virginia, there really is a Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art. And it may well surprise you that there are very few museums of this type in America. There’s the one in San Francisco and … this one. I was told that another option for the party would have been the Superhero Supply Store in Brooklyn (which I have always meant to visit) but this was obviously the next best thing.

Now this Museum is a subtle little place. It’s only been around for about six years and finding it requires knowing about it. As I stumbled in and stowed my bags I saw that Mo Willems was a frequent contributor (a
Sheep in the City image seems to be for sale, if you’d care to buy). So too were familiar artists like Sara Varon, Raina Telegameier, and pretty much every other New York cartoonist you could think of. Televisions played old films, like one of Winsor McKay drawing Little Nemo characters (hellooooo, Video Sunday!). I was also very impressed to see that the current exhibit was featuring webcomics. Infinite Canvas: The Art of Webcomics belies the fear I’ve had that "real" cartoonists consider their webby brethern to be no good. There was even an Artist Showcase featuring the webcomic group ACT-I-VATE. A good book release party knows to use a space where minglers can step away from the crowd and enjoy the scenery from time to time.

If I’m not too confused I believe that Lawrence Klein, Chairman of the MoCCA board, was walking about the place, mingling. So too was Gina Gagliano of First Second books.  She volunteers at MoCCA as well.

Nice crowd too.  The sheer bulk of beautiful people was fascinating. I mean, we were technically in Soho. Beautiful people (or people who think that they are beautiful, which is far more fun) are abundant anyway. Yet you usually don’t find yourself fighting with them over the last remaining quesadilla or patiently explaining to them that the books sitting around the place are free. I could only assume that since Perry is kinda the executive producer of the Narnia movies that some of these people must have come from the entertainment world.

Getting to Perry? Not easy. Not impossible, but not easy. Initially I was shy (though saying to someone, "I made you a Hot Man of Children’s Literature" is perhaps the greatest conversation opener known to man) and my shyness was nearly my undoing. Within 20 minutes of my arrival the place was packed and Perry was impossible to reach. I had to draft poor Angus Killick (HMOCL #20) into introducing me. Though I must admit that this plan backfired a bit when Angus ended up inadvertently in the role of the guy who organizes the line for the book signing. So I dutifully got in line as Perry started signing with the pen that one of the entertainment types had "borrowed" from me.

(CONTINUED IN PART TWO)

Filed under: Uncategorized

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments

About Betsy Bird

Betsy Bird is currently the Collection Development Manager of the Evanston Public Library system and a former Materials Specialist for New York Public Library. She has served on Newbery, written for Kirkus, and has done other lovely little things that she'd love to tell you about but that she's sure you'd find more interesting to hear of in person. Her opinions are her own and do not reflect those of EPL, SLJ, or any of the other acronyms you might be able to name. Follow her on BlueSky at: @fuse8.bsky.social

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

Name That LEGO Book Cover! (#63)

by Travis Jonker

Good Comics for Kids

Paw & Order: The Grilled Cheese Caper | Review

by Esther Keller

Heavy Medal

Nine More Titles: May Mock Newbery 2026 Suggestion Titles

by Emily Mroczek-Bayci

Politics in Practice

When Book Bans are a Form of Discrimination, What is the Path to Justice?

by John Chrastka

Teen Librarian Toolbox

Boost teen reading with digital comics – start with these 5 recs! (Sponsored)

by Karen Jensen, MLS

The Yarn

Pably Cartaya visits The Yarn

by Colby Sharp

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

SLJ Book Reviews Editors’ Favorite Quotes from 2021 Best Books

SLJ Book Reviews Editors’ Favorite Books Read in 2022

Best Nonfiction Elementary 2023 | SLJ Best Books

Best Graphic Novels 2022 | SLJ Best Books

Best Nonfiction Middle to High School 2023 | SLJ Best Books

About Betsy Bird

Betsy Bird is currently the Collection Development Manager of the Evanston Public Library system and a former Materials Specialist for New York Public Library. She has served on Newbery, written for Kirkus, and has done other lovely little things that she'd love to tell you about but that she's sure you'd find more interesting to hear of in person. Her opinions are her own and do not reflect those of EPL, SLJ, or any of the other acronyms you might be able to name. Follow her on BlueSky at: @fuse8.bsky.social

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. janeyolen says

    September 28, 2007 at 12:44 am

    There used to be a similar museum in Northampton, MA, bankrolled bythe Ninja Turtle guys who lived there. I still miss it a lot.

    Jane

  2. Carli says

    September 28, 2007 at 7:28 pm

    This book sound WONDERFUL! I’m glad you did mention it, or I may not have found it.

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

  • External Links

    • A Fuse #8 Production Reviews
  • Follow This Blog

    Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    Primary Sidebar

    • News & Features
    • Reviews+
    • Technology
    • School Libraries
    • Public Libraries
    • Blogs
    • Classroom
    • Diversity
    • People
    • Job Zone

    Reviews+

    • Book Lists
    • Best Books 2024
    • 2024 Stars So Far
    • Media
    • Reference
    • Series Made Simple
    • Tech
    • Review for SLJ
    • Review Submissions

    SLJ Blog Network

    • 100 Scope Notes
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Heavy Medal
    • Pearls & Rubys
    • Politics in Practice
    • Teen Librarian Toolbox
    • The Yarn

    Resources

    • Reasons to Love Libraries
    • 2025 Youth Media Awards
    • Defending the Canon:SLJ & NCTE Review 15 Banned Classics
    • Refreshing the Canon Booklist
    • School Librarian of the Year
    • Read Free Poster
    • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
    • Research
    • White Papers / Case Studies

    Events & PD

    • In-Person Events
    • Online Courses
    • Virtual Events
    • Webcasts
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Subscribe
    • Media Inquiries
    • Newsletter Sign Up
    • Content Submissions
    • Data Privacy
    • Terms of Use
    • Terms of Sale
    • FAQs
    • Diversity Policy
    • Careers at MSI


    COPYRIGHT © 2025


    COPYRIGHT © 2025