We are pleased to announce the 2017 Association for Mormon Letters awards finalists in Comics and Picture Book. The final awards will be announced and presented at the Mormon Scholars in the Humanities Conference, held at Brigham Young University on March 23. The finalists and winners are chosen by juries of authors, academics, and critics. The finalist announcements include blurbs about each of the books and author biographies, adapted from the author and publisher websites.
Comics
“Comics” can refer to comic books, graphic novels, or on-line comic series.
Lee Allred, Michael Allred, and Laura Allred. Batman ’66/Legion of Super Heroes #1. DC Comics.
In pursuit of the time-travelling criminal known as Universo, the super-powered kids from the 30th Century travel back to the 1960s to enlist the aid of the ‘greatest teen super-hero ever’ Robin, the Boy Wonder. But meanwhile, Batman’s hard-boiled nemesis Egghead has stolen one of their unattended time bubbles and taken off to the Legion’s time period. Looks like Batman has to head to far flung future with one group of heroes while Robin stays in the swinging sixties with another. Holy time paradox!
Dubbed “The Master Sergeant of Alternate History,” award-winning writer Lee Allred has written for DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Image Comics, Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, Baen Books, and numerous short fiction anthologies. After serving three rotations in Iraq for the United States Air Force, Lee has settled down on the beautiful, rainy Oregon Coast. Lee’s brother Michael Allred first tasted success in the comics field with his wildly popular Madman series. Other work includes Red Rocket 7, his history of Rock and Roll told in the context of a sci-fi adventure story, the Madman spin-off The Atomics, and iZombie, which has been adapted into CW television series. Laura Allred, who is married to Michael, works as the colorist for his comics. Laura won the 2012 “Best Coloring” Eisner Award, for iZombie and Madman All-New Giant-Size Super-Ginchy Special. Michael and Laura won an AML Special Award for Comics in 2005 for The Golden Plates, an illustration of 1st Nephi in the Book of Mormon. Michael won an AML Special Award in Graphical Narrative in 2011 for his lifetime of work.
Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham. Real Friends. First Second/Roaring Brook.
Shannon and Adrienne have been best friends ever since they were little. But one day, Adrienne starts hanging out with Jen, the most popular girl in class and the leader of a circle of friends called The Group. Everyone in The Group wants to be Jen’s #1, and some girls would do anything to stay on top . . . even if it means bullying others. Now every day is like a roller coaster for Shannon. Will she and Adrienne stay friends? Can she stand up for herself? And is she in The Group—or out? Author Shannon Hale and illustrator LeUyen Pham join forces in this graphic memoir about how hard it is to find your real friends—and why it’s worth the journey.
Shannon Hale is the New York Times best-selling author of fifteen children’s and young adult novels, including the popular Ever After High trilogy and multiple award winners The Goose Girl, Book of a Thousand Days, and Newbery Honor recipient Princess Academy. She also penned three books for adults, beginning with Austenland. She co-wrote the hit graphic novels Rapunzel’s Revenge and Calamity Jack and illustrated chapter book The Princess in Black with husband Dean Hale. They live with their four small children near Salt Lake City, Utah. Shannon has received AML Awards for Emma Burning and Princess Academy, and has been a finalist or honorable mention winner several times. LeUyen Pham wrote and illustrated Big Sister, Little Sister and The Bear Who Wasn’t There, and is the illustrator of numerous other picture books, including God’s Dream by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, The Princess in Black series and Aunt Mary’s Rose by Douglas Wood. LeUyen Pham lives in California.
Scott Hales. The Garden of Enid: Adventures of a Weird Mormon Girl, Vol. 2. Greg Kofford Books.
Fifteen-year-old Enid Gardner is a self-proclaimed “weird Mormon girl.” When she isn’t chatting with Joseph Smith or the Book of Abraham mummy, she’s searching for herself between the spaces of doubt and belief. Along the way, she must grapple with her Mormon faith as it adapts to the twenty-first century. She also must confront the painful mysteries at the heart of her strained relationship with her ailing mother. This edition of The Garden of Enid: Adventures of a Weird Mormon Girl recasts the AML Award winning webcomic as a two-part graphic novel. With revised and previously unpublished comics, it features the familiar story that captivated thousands online, yet offers new glimpses into Enid’s year-long odyssey.
Scott Hales is a writer and cartoonist from Cincinnati, Ohio. He is the creator of the webcomics The Garden of Enid: Adventures of a Weird Mormon Girl and Mormon Shorts. Scott has an MA and PhD in English from the University of Cincinnati and a BA in English from Brigham Young University. He has published on American literature, comics, and Mormon fiction and poetry in various journals, including The Edgar Allan Poe Review, International Journal of Comic Art, and Religion and the Arts. He has also published fiction and comics in Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought and Sunstone. Scott is currently is a historian/writer at the LDS Church Historical Department, and lives in Utah with his wife, Sarah, and five children.
Brittany Long Olsen. Comic Diaries.
Comic Diaries is a daily journal in cartoon format kept since October of 2008, featuring rosy cheeks and slice-of-life humor. Every comic is autobiographical and true. Well, 99% true. Currently, comics are drawn and inked by hand with tones added digitally.
Brittany Long Olsen has an undergraduate degree in English/Illustration and now works as a copy editor. Her 2015 book Dendō: One Year and One Half in Japan is her daily journal of a sister missionary in Tokyo, Japan—kept entirely in comic pages. Sister Long visually documented her adventures from the Provo Missionary Training Center to the busy streets of Japan as she overcomes the language, learns to love the people, and finds in her faith inner strength to face the everyday challenges of a full-time missionary. It won the 2015 AML Comics Award.
Jake Wyatt and Kathryn Wyatt. Necropolis.
Necropolis is fantasy webcomic about a girl, her sword, and her choices. It is written and drawn by Jake Wyatt with guidance and assistance from Kathryn Wyatt. The site updates on Wednesday evenings, usually with a new page of the comic. Upon completion, Necropolis will be released in print by Image Comics in English and Casterman in French.
Jake Wyatt makes comics for publishers like Marvel (including Ms. Marvel), DC, and Image, and helps make cartoons for clients like Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network. He is creative director at Moonbot Studios. He lives in Louisiana with his wife Kathryn, and their baby and their dog.
Picture Book
Ashley Sorenson and David W. Miles. Color Blocked. Familius.The color is blocked! Readers must rub, turn, and tap the pages to straighten out pipes, unplug corks, and keep the color flowing. But watch out the color might run faster than you can keep up! Along the way, readers will learn primary colors, how mixing colors can make secondary colors, and why you should never, ever, put too much trust in a narrator.
Ashley Sorenson lives in Utah. She has degrees in Business and Behavioral Science and like devoted teachers and parents worldwide, she aspires to create a positive learning environment for children through art and creativity. No matter how grand or subtle that impact may be. David Miles grew up in rural Pennsylvania. He attended Brigham Young University where he pursued a degree in Business Management. But through all the classes on cash flows and price elasticities, David was still in love with art. He worked several years as a graphic designer and published his first children’s book at age 19. David also took two years off school to serve a church mission to Thailand, which was probably the most formative experience of his life. David graduated in business from BYU in 2013 and joined Familius as a partner. He works as Creative Director and also oversees all digital initiatives for the company. He lives in California with his wife and son.
Shauna Gibby and Casey Nelson. Heroic Stories from The Book of Mormon. Deseret Book.
You’ve never seen the Book of Mormon like this before! Shine a light behind the pages and be dazzled as hidden images show up before your eyes. The interactive pages bring to life the stories of the Book of Mormon heroes that your children already love. The questions posed on each spread will lead to learning and discussion that parents will love, too. Children of all ages will be delighted to illuminate the pages to see what Lehi saw in vision, what Nephi used to build a ship, where Moroni hid the golden plates, and much more! All you need is the book, your family, and anything that shines a light -even your cell phone!
Shauna Gibby loves being a mother and grandmother. She has five children and fifteen grandchildren who come for Sunday dinner most every week. She has a degree in psychology and art from Weber State University. Shauna has worked for over twenty-five years as a designer in the publishing department of Deseret Book Company. She has authored several stories for the Friend magazine, numerous articles for LDS Living Magazine, and the ebook FHE from A to Z. Shauna and her husband, John, live in Layton, Utah. Casey Nelson holds a degree in illustration and has worked as a figure drawing teacher in BYU’s illustration department, performed in the ComedySportz improvisational comedy troupe, and been an artist for video games. She worked for The Walt Disney Company as a writer/director of video game cinematic and a concept artist. Casey lives in Sandy, Utah.
Stephen Bevan and Jeff Harvey. Quiet as a Church Mouse. Cedar Fort.
What does it mean to be quiet as a church mouse? This charming picture book shares the story of how one little boy learned to sit still while his imagination kept running free. With these fun and colorful illustrations, follow along as a boy and mouse discover how reverence shows our love and respect for our Savior.
Stephen Bevan grew up in Virginia, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Western Australia, but mostly Montgomery County Maryland. He misses long hikes on the Appalachian Trail and looks forward to going back again. These days he lives in Cache Valley and spends many nights camping with scouts. He raises chickens, goats, and children. He is an avid musician, storyteller (English and ASL), gardener, and occasionally a weekend warrior mechanic. Stephen has a BA degree in Socio-Cultural Anthropology, and teaches language and culture classes at the local college. Jeff Harvey studied illustration at BYU, and has done illustration work for BYU Independent Study, Imagine Learning, React! Games, Character Design Quarterly, Familius, Future House Publishing, and currently works at Cedar Fort, Inc.