Confession: I’m very ignorant when it comes to graphic novels.

Long ago I read and loved Babymouse. I blogged about it in 2007 — you can read a portion of that review here. I didn’t read much beyond the first couple of books, but I enjoyed them.

Beyond that, I simply haven’t invested the time in figuring out what I would like. “Learn more about graphic novels” has been pretty far down on my To Do list.

Enter Comics Squad: Recess!

Edited by Jennifer Holm, Matthew Holm, and Jarrett Krosoczka, this collection of 8 stories introduces young readers (and curious grown-ups) to writers, series and silliness in a way that will pique their curiosity and have them searching for more at libraries and bookstores. In addition to the relatively well-known Babymouse and Lunch Lady characters, readers discover new artists they may never have heard of before.

It’s true that graphic novels are often recommended for reluctant readers, because there’s not a lot of text on the page to intimidate them, there’s a lot of dialogue, and the illustrations help them decode unfamiliar words. But graphic novels are for everyone who enjoys escaping into a different world . . . even a world with talking cupcakes.

This book is suitable for girls and boys about ages 7-12.