Fandom

January 1, 2018

Gr 6 Up-Filled with pop culture galore, brightly colored layouts and chapter headings, and enough information to make readers' heads spin, this book is an appealing tome on all-things fandom. Up-to-date background information from recent events, such as the presidential election of 2017 and the success of the musical Hamilton, make this book easily accessible to teens. They will surely appreciate the rich conversations on how race, gender, and sexuality are portrayed in fandom. The use of bold colors and eye-catching photos make the book just as appealing visually as it is informative and an easy pick for reluctant readers, especially those who participate in gaming, cosplay, or even fan vids. Perhaps one of the greatest sections within the volume is the chapter entitled "People on the Internet are Being Mean (Maybe It's Even You)," which discusses the importance of staying safe when online and provides guidelines for online behavior. Lastly, the comprehensive back matter will suit the needs of curious readers looking to venture further into this subject area. VERDICT A must-have nonfiction purchase for libraries where pop culture reigns strong.-Stephanie Wilkes, Good Hope Middle School, West Monroe, LA

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2017
A historical overview of fandom.Exploring the reason for fandom's existence--community in shared passions and desire for more from the fandom's source materials--this book looks at common forms of creative expression in fandom. The five chapters are devoted to fan fiction, fan videos, cosplay, fan visuals (comics, memes, fan art, and so on), and games. The book's greatest strength is its exploration of the historical origins of the various fandom forms, demonstrating that while the internet has transformed fandom, fan fiction and the like have been around for hundreds of years--even chess was once thought to be dangerously addictive in the same way Dungeons & Dragons and computer games have been. The highlighted fandoms skew American- and Eurocentric, leading to odd omissions of the influence of anime and manga fandom, beyond the coining of the word "cosplay." Occasionally, arguable ideas are presented as fact (such as which video was the first to go viral), and readers might find themselves wishing for more information regarding the tenuous relation of fandom and copyright. Overall, the book is upbeat and optimistic, and it has a prominent social justice lens that highlights fan creators of color and the ways fandom allows for greater diversity in media so often dominated by straight white men.Best as a starting reference for kids researching fandom-related topics--or perhaps for adults baffled by said kids' hobby. (glossary, source notes, selected bibliography, resources, index) (Nonfiction. 10-16)

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February 1, 2018
Grades 7-10 Fandom is a community of people who share a passion. This short but detailed book describes the roots of the various types of fanworks and gives examples of each, using generous quotes from the fans themselves in a sample platter of fan voices and practices. It describes vidders (video makers, including fan-film makers); cosplayers; visual fan artists (crafters, makers, and body artists); gamers; and fanfiction writers. As fans say, fandom is a huge sandbox where anyone can play. Some fandoms still struggle with diversitywomen, people of color, and different sexual orientations, gender identities, religions, body shapes, abilities, and social classes are often underrepresentedbut, luckily, this is changing. The book is appealingly designed, with some color and black-and-white photos, but would have benefited from more illustrated examples of fanwork. Back matter includes guidelines for acceptable online behavior, further reading and viewing suggestions, and additional websites. This book fills a need for a positive, informative resource that covers the breadth of fandom in one book, even if it only skims the topic's surface.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2018
A thorough, clear introduction to the concepts of fandom and fanworks, aimed primarily at those new to the subculture. DiPiazza uses plenty of examples from--and quotes from members of--a variety of fandoms, and she doesn't shy away from discussing controversies such as the misogynistic harassment of Gamergate. Black-and-green graphics and relevant photos break up the text. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)