As a follow-up to its newly minted Free Speech Award, the Children’s Book Council is now shining a light on defenders of a category that has seen a rise in book bans across children’s, middle grade, and young adult titles. The inaugural CBC Graphic Novel Advocate Award has named four winners whose tireless efforts help to maintain this format in schools, libraries, and bookstores across the country.

This year’s recipients are Robin Brenner, head of reference and programming, Woburn Public Library in Woburn, Mass.; Meg Lemke, graphic novels/comics reviews editor, Publishers Weekly, and editor in chief of MUTHA magazine; Whitney Leopard, executive editor, Random House Graphic/Ink Pop; and Eva Volin, supervising children’s librarian, Alameda Free Library in Alameda, Calif.

A Cause and a Call

Since its formation 10 years ago, the CBC’s Graphic Novel Committee has actively promoted advocacy for this category. The 18-member group, currently led by CBC program coordinator Sommer Wissner, has orchestrated regular Keep Bans Off Our Books panels at ComicCon. “It felt like the right time for an award for those doing the hard work over a long time, especially as the format has increased exponentially in sales and acceptance, thanks to the work of so many,” said Carl Lennertz, CBC executive director. “It’s a cause for celebration and a call to keep up the good fight, especially in the face of book bans.”

Nominations were made by members of the children’s book industry at large and then ranked by the committee based on nominees’ passion, outspoken support, length of commitment, and advocacy for LGBTQIA+ and diverse voices. While the original intention was to name one winner, the CBC saw the need for greater recognition, and it plans to make this an annual announcement.

Brenner, who until last October was a teen librarian at the Public Library of Brookline, Mass., is the author of Understanding Manga and Anime, and the outgoing president of the Graphic Novel & Comics Round Table. She told PW, “I originally became a teen librarian precisely because helping a teen find the right story in the right format at the right time can be absolutely life-changing. Stories help us define who we are, who we’re not, and who we want to be, no matter what stage of life we’re in.”

A longtime chair of the Brooklyn Book Festival planning committee for comics and graphic novels, Lemke has also curated programming for the PEN World Voices Festival. The mother of two comics-reading kids continues to advocate for the next generation’s freedom to read. “I want my children and our larger community to have access to a breadth of perspectives, and diversity of all kinds in their reading material and in who they see as the writers and artists championed by publishers,” she said.

Leopard’s entire career has been concentrated in graphic novels for kids and teens. A frequent speaker at literary conferences, she also mentors budding artists at schools like the Savannah College of Art and Design. “I work with students and aspiring creators to help make the publishing process more transparent, so we can get even more voices and talent in the graphic novel space,” she said. “Graphic novels did not exist in this capacity when I was a kid, and now that we have more incredible books hitting the shelves every week, I don’t want that to slow down.”

Volin is inspired by her library patrons and believes that graphic novels make her job easier because of the extensive options. “There are graphic novels for reluctant readers, precocious readers, LGBTQ+ readers, BIPOC readers, nonfiction readers, visual learners, readers who are neurodiverse, and readers who only read books about sports,” she told PW. “So, it’s not so much that I’m advocating for graphic novels that have been challenged; I’m advocating for the children of my community who need to find the information contained within the covers.”

The CBC will present these awards during a webinar in March and will donate $250 worth of graphic novels to an organization of the honorees’ choosing. The announcement of this year’s winners will be promoted via an e-blast to more than 24,000 teachers, librarians and booksellers.

To learn more about the awards, visit the CBC website. Nominations for the 2026 recipients will be due this fall.