by Committee Volunteer Melissa McDonald

Dave Roman is one of the most popular children’s book presenters we’ve had crash land at the Gaithersburg Book Festival. His graphic novels are exciting to read, and he has a great way with kids. He “draws” them out (pun intended) and helps them get their creative juices flowing with his interactive presentations and workshops.

Dave’s books—especially the Astronaut Academy series—are very popular at my elementary school library and rarely stay on the bookshelf in my ever growing graphic novel section. They are out in the hands of my students.

On Saturday, May 19, you will find Dave (and a special guest) leading the Comics Character Team Up workshop for elementary and middle school-aged kids from 11:00-11:45 am in the Children’s Workshop Tent and moderating the Science Comics series discussion from 12:15-1:05 pm in the Willa Cather Pavilion.

McDonald: Have you been attending the GBF since the beginning in 2010?

I’ve attended all but the first Gaithersburg Book Festival. I was trapped on another planet that year, but was eventually saved by the intergalactic hero, Jud Ashman, and his team of literacy robots!

McDonald: What keeps bringing you back to crash land in Gaithersburg each May?

Gaithersburg puts on one of the best book festivals I’ve ever been to. The attendees are such an enthusiastic community of people who care deeply about literacy and supporting the arts. The kids who come out to the comics-making workshop are like mad scientists with their boundless creativity. So kids have come back year after year and just keep getting more creative. I look forward to seeing their own books featured at the festival in the near future!

McDonald: Which book(s) will you be talking about at your featured presentation?

I‘ll be moderating a presentation with Joe Flood and Falynn Koch, talking about the amazing Science Comics series from First Second.

Joe is the brave author responsible for tackling “Sharks: Nature’s Perfect Hunter” and Falynn is the mad scientist who is spreading knowledge with “Plagues: The Microscopic Battlefield.”

I was lucky to work with them as an editor, which means I got to read these books long before anyone else. Woo! I think the three of us are going to have a lot of fun drawing on stage and maybe I can convince them to draw a Plagues vs. Sharks crossover comic!