The word fandom didn’t enter my vocabulary until I was an adult. I experienced fandom when I started The Wheel of Time series in high school and frequented fan sites and forums. (What up, Wotmania?) When I made custom Stargate: SG-1 icons for LiveJournal, I was participating in fandom. I just didn’t know the term. But with my upcoming non-fiction middle grade book A Kid’s Guide to Fandom, I want to help parents and kids learn all about what it means to get in touch with their geeky sides and create, share, and learn within fandom. Today I’m so excited to share the first look at the cover for A Kid’s Guide to Fandom by Dave Perillo.
You may recognize Dave Perillo‘s name and work from his many nerdy projects for Disney, DC Comics, Lucasfilm, Peanuts, and many more. Maybe you’ve seen his work through Mondo, Gallery Nucleus, or Disney’s WonderGround. His bright cover design and beautiful illustrations for A Kid’s Guide to Fandom really emphasize the fun parts of getting involved with the stories and activities you love. Take a look:
Running Press Kids
The book touches on activities included but not limited to cosplay, podcasting, gaming, and making fanart. Dave included nods representative of those activities on the cover, and they spark instant enthusiasm in me. His art is welcoming and so wonderfully highlights what A Kid’s Guide to Fandom is about. And that’s being a geeky primer to help kids learn about communities and how to get involved. Interviews with folks whose fandom connects to their professional lives offer some additional insight.
A Kid’s Guide to Fandom will be out May 4, 2021. Get all the pre-order links you need here.
Featured Image: Running Press Kids
Amy Ratcliffe is the Managing Editor for Nerdist and the author of The Jedi Mind, available now. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
