The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) has selected Comics Confidential: Thirteen Graphic Novelists Talk Story, Craft, and Life Outside the Box as an Orbis Pictus Recommended Book for 2017. Read the award citation as it appeared in the November 2017 issue of Language Arts (page 118):
In this collection of interviews, Leonard S. Marcus asks the questions that graphic novel enthusiasts want to know, such as: What makes graphic novelists tick? How do they think about comics? What were they like as kids? Accessible to readers at varying levels, each chapter features original artwork and offers a snapshot into the life of an accomplished graphic novelist in the children’s book publishing industry (e.g., Gene Luen Yang, Cátia Chien, Kazu Kibuishi, and Sara Varon).
Marcus pays careful attention to the distinct experiences of the novelists and ensures that each of the chapters is likewise unique and compelling, inviting readers to keep turning pages. With a thoughtful forward by David Small, this anthology would be a welcomed addition to any classroom or library. (DD)