Dreamers & Make-Believers 2022 Holiday Catalog

BALTIMORE'S NEWEST COMMUNITY BOOKSTORE, COMIC SHOP & COFFEEHOUSE

SHOP LOCAL

OPENING VERY SOON IN HIGHLANDTOWN!

DREAMERS & MAKE-BELIEVERS

HOLIDAY CATALOG 2022

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

a note to all the dreamers

03 2022 best sellers

04 seasonal favorites

05 recommendations for kids

07 young adult favorites

09 recommendations for adults

13 superpowered favorites

15 queer all year: LGBTQ+ faves

17 manga mania

19 "as seen on tv" pop culture picks

21 prose (pictureless) picks

24 tried & true favorites

25 tote bags, tarot & more!

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NOT YOUR TYPICAL COMIC SHOP "Which X-Men would win in a battle- and there is a correct answer."

When I first walked into a comic book store many moons ago as a young woman, I was quickly bombarded with this question. And whether or not I was confident in my answer (*cough* Storm *cough*), it didn't matter. What mattered was I was just told there was a barrier to entry, and I hated it. Despite the less-than-warm welcome, I quickly fell in love with comic books as a medium for storytelling, and that love has blossomed into this business!

Dreamers & Make-Believers is for just that- anyone who loves to dream or escape for a time into the land of make-believe. And if we're being honest, isn't that all of us? Whether you have been reading comic books for decades or have never had the pleasure, we want this space to be for you. Comic books & graphic novels truly are for everyone!

-Miranda, Head Dreamer & Owner

Like many folks, Dreamers & MakeBelievers owner Miranda Nordell turned to books during the pandemic.

But, with the library closed and no bookstores within easy reach, this proved more difficult than expected.

After a year of difficulty accessing new books, and discovering that even when not in the midst of a pandemic, things like middle-grade graphic novels were hard to come by in Baltimore, Miranda decided this just wouldn’t do! If you can’t find what you’re looking for, it might be time to build it yourself.

Dreamers & Make-Believers offers a diverse array of books, but specializes in graphic novels, with a particular focus on stories written and illustrated by women, members of the queer community, and BIPOC. The shelves are stocked with books and comics for the Dreamer of every age- from board & picture books to young adult and adult stories.

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Tracking sales data across the year, these are the titles and/or series that sold the most copies!

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2022 BEST SELLERS

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Top 10: 01 Heartstopper 02 Poe for Your Problems

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03 Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn 04 The Girl from the Sea 05 Saga

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06 Something is Killing the Children 07 The Art of Drag 08 The Cardboard Kingdom 09 Lore Olympus

BLUE TITLES = RECOMMENDED FOR AGES 12 & UP

10 InvestiGators

ORANGE TITLES = ALL AGES

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'TIS THE SEASON to read fabulous books!

FIND MORE AT DREAMERSBOOKS.COM

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FOR LITTLE DREAMERS PICTURE & BOARD BOOKS HATTIE HARMONY: WORRY DETECTIVE

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She’s always there to help her friends, and the first day of school can cause a lot of jitters—from speaking in front of the class to taking the bus.

Hattie always finds the perfect tools to calm her friends’ bodies and minds. But when her own fears start to bubble up, can Hattie learn to overcome them herself?

LITTLE WONDER

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A love letter from a mother to her child accompanies him on a journey of unbelievable fantasies. It's a day full of breathtaking adventures, exciting twists and turns, and unexpected friends. With an imagination stronger than the tide and a mama's love deeper than the ocean, Little Wonder can do anything he believes he can.

THE MOONLIGHT ZOO

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When Eva can't find her cat, Luna, she looks under her bed and finds the Moonlight Zoo, a magical place for lost pets and animals. Can Eva find Luna before the zoo disappears at dawn?

NOODLES, PLEASE! (BOARD BOOK)

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Here’s an alphabet book to set your taste buds aflame. Noodles are a universally loved food, from Ash Reshteh in Iran to Zaru Soba in Japan.

In this board book shaped to mimic bowls, readers will discover 26 different varieties as they eat their way through the alphabet.

TELL THE TRUTH, PANGOLIN

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In this delightful, thoroughly entertaining picture book about the importance--and difficulty--of telling the truth, the queen's trusty servant, a pangolin, breaks the royal swing and doesn't know what to tell her!

YES! NO!: A FIRST CONVERSATION ABOUT CONSENT (BOARD BOOK)

06 Developed by experts in the fields of early childhood development and activism, this topicdriven book offers clear, concrete language & imagery to introduce the concept of consent. This book serves to normalize & celebrate the experience of asking for and being asked for permission to do something involving one's body.

It centers on respect for bodily autonomy, and reviews the many ways that one can say or indicate "No."

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FOR LITTLE DREAMERS EARLY READER (AGES 5+) & MIDDLE GRADE (AGES 8+) FRIZZY

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Marlene loves three things: books, her cool Tía Ruby and her best friend Camila. But according to her mother, the only thing she needs to focus on is school and "growing up." That means straightening her hair every week so it's "presentable". But Marlene doesn't understand why her curls are not considered pretty. With a few hiccups, a dash of embarrassment, and the much-needed help of Camila & Tia Ruby―she starts a journey to learn to appreciate & proudly wear her curly hair. (recommended for ages 9+)

PUPPY KNIGHT

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There's no knight braver than Sparky Muttson!

(Except maybe his enthusiastic and very cute apprentice, Pugsly.) They're ready for their first adventure together, and luckily, a kind old farmer is conveniently ready to show them the way to a cathedral full of treasure. While this quest might not turn out exactly how they expected, Sparky and Pugsly have the chops to make it through―no bones about it! (ages 7+)

SIR LADYBUG

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Sir Ladybug never shies away from a quest, even when he’d rather be playing a video game or baking a cake. So when a caterpillar needs rescuing from a “monster” (a hungry chickadee), Sir Ladybug and his trusty friends—his herald, a rolypoly named Pell, and his squire, a snail named Sterling—hatch the perfect (delicious) plan. (recommended for ages 6+)

SWIM TEAM

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Bree can’t wait for her first day at her new middle school—until she’s stuck with the only elective that fits her schedule, the dreaded Swim 101. The thought of swimming makes Bree more than a little queasy, but lucky for her, Etta, an elderly occupant of her apartment building & former swim team captain, is willing to help. With Etta’s training and a lot of hard work, Bree suddenly finds her swim-crazed community counting on her to turn the school’s failing team around. Can Bree defy the odds and guide her team to a state championship, or have the Manatees swum their last lap—for good? (recommended for ages 8+)

WINGBEARER

05 Zuli is extraordinary—she just doesn’t realize it yet. Raised by mystical bird spirits in the branches of the Great Tree, she’s never ventured beyond this safe haven.

She’s never had to. Until now. When a sinister force threatens the lifegiving magic of the tree, Zuli, along with her guardian owl, Frowly, must get to the root of it. So begins an adventure bigger than anything Zuli could’ve ever imagined—one that will bring her face-to-face with an ancient dragon, the so-called WitchQueen, and most surprisingly of all: her true identity. (ages 8+)

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YOUNG ADULT FAVORITES

FOREST HILLS BOOTLEG SOCIETY

HOLLOW

Dave Baker & Nicole Goux

Sleepy Hollow and queer romance meet in this coming-of-age tale from the co-creator of Lumberjanes! Isabel "Izzy" Crane and her family just moved to the infamous Sleepy Hollow, but she doesn't believe the ghost stories. Then the legend turns to terror when the Horseman himself shows up! Can Izzy uncover the mystery of the Headless Horseman before it's too late?

Set in 2005, this gorgeously illustrated, funny, and honest graphic novel follows four teens who stumble into an illicit anime DVDburning business that shakes up their conservative small town…and their friendship.

Shannon Watters & Berenice Nelle

SQUIRE

SUPPER CLUB

Nadia Shammas & Sara Alfageeh

Jackie Morrow

Aiza has always dreamt of becoming a Knight.

It’s the highest honor in the once-great BaytSajji Empire, and as a member of the Ornu people, Knighthood is her only path to citizenship. When Bayt-Sajji finds itself on the brink of war, Aiza can finally enlist in the Squire program, but in this timely story, Aiza will have to choose: loyalty to her heart & heritage or to the Empire.

Best friends Nora, Lili & Iris are entering senior year. When their schedules make it hard to see each other, they form a secret club where they can hang out without sacrificing their future aspirations. Enter a delicious solution: Supper Club! When life starts to crumble like a cookie under their feet, they rely on comfort food to hold it together. Can Supper Club endure life's challenging recipes without burning to a crisp?

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YOUNG ADULT FAVORITES

THIEVES

TWELFTH GRADE NIGHT

Lucie Bryon

Molly Booth & Stephanie Strohm

Ella and Madeleine don’t know it yet, but they’re about to embark on the strangest romantic adventure of their lives, and it’s not just their hearts that are getting stolen in this laugh-out-loud, capering graphic novel.

Star-crossed love abounds in this hilarious and romantic story of self-discovery, mistaken identities, and the magic that happens when we open our hearts to something new. The course of true love never did run smooth . . . and neither does high school in this new graphic novel series for fans of Heartstopper and The Prince and the Dressmaker.

WASH DAY DIARIES

THE WELL

Jamila Rowser & Robyn Smith

Jake Wyatt & Choo

The book takes its title from the wash day experience shared by Black women everywhere of setting aside all plans and responsibilities for a full day of washing, conditioning, and nourishing their hair. Each short story uses hair routines as a window into these four characters' lives and how they care for each other.

Lizzy's life is simple: taking care of her grandfather, flirting with the woman who rows the ferry, and staying away from the fog (and the monsters hiding within it). But her life comes apart when she steals coins from a sacred well. The well requires repayment, but not in coins- it needs wishes, and its minions will drown Lizzy if she doesn’t grant them.

Lizzy finds herself on a quest to grant three wishes in order to break free.

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FANTASY, FOLKLORE & SCIENCE-FICTION: OH MY! grand tales for grown-ups MAMO Orla O’Reilly, the youngest in a long line of hedge witches, is compelled to return home after the death of her grandmother, Mamo.

THE MANY DEATHS OF LAILA STARR Humanity is on the verge of discovering immortality, which means the avatar of Death is out of a job… or is she?

WHAT'S THE FURTHEST PLACE FROM HERE? When 16 year-old Sid goes missing, it's up to her gang to discover what happened. But what they find is beyond anything they could imagine.

Smashing together sci-fi & fantasy with comedy, horror, and mystery for an emotional coming-of-age story unlike anything you've read before.

BOLERO A mysterious stranger.

Something called an “antidoor” & a “mother-key.” Only 53 chances. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind meets Locke and Key.

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THRILLERS & CHILLERS! Horror, Suspense & Mystery

JOE HILL'S RAIN On a seemingly normal day in Boulder, Colorado, the world is suddenly torn apart when dark clouds roll in and release a downpour of bright crystals that shred the skin of anyone not safely under cover.

GRAVENEYE What if a haunted house was not the horror, but the people who dwell within it...

THE NICE HOUSE ON THE LAKE HELL PHONE

THE NIGHT EATERS A night of terror, gore, and supernatural mayhem

When Sissy picks up a lost flipphone and follows the instructions from the stranger on the other line, she and Lola are flung into an investigation of a grisly crime.

Nobody was going to turn down Walter’s invitation to the house in the woods, overlooking an enormous lake. It’s opulent, it’s private —but Walter has always been a little off and they're about to find out why.

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NONFICTION in our opinion, there is no better way to experience a memoir or other factual story than a graphic novel! Instead of your mind filling in the images, you see & experience the story exactly how the creator envisioned.

MEMOIR WORKING OIL SANDS IN CANADA

MEMOIR NAVIGATING TEEN YEARS IN EGYPT

MEMOIR COMING-OF-AGE SEARCH FOR COMMUNITY THROUGH PUNK

MEMOIR EXPERIENCE WITH THE MAFIA

BIOGRAPHY FAMOUS QUEER ARTIST

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NONFICTION from music to sports to politics and more, graphic novels are a powerful storytelling medium and these memoirs & biographies prove it!

Find even more nonfiction titles at dreamersbooks.com

MEMOIR WUHANESE FAMILY IMMIGRATES TO TEXAS

MEMOIR DISSOCIATIVE IDENTITY DISORDER

BIOGRAPHY ONE OF THE FIRST GAY & OUT CONGRESSMEN

MEMOIR PROTESTING AT THE 1968 OLYMPICS

MEMOIR COMING-OF-AGE TRANS TEEN

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IT'S A BIRD! DC IT'S A PLANE! COMICS IT'S SUPERPOWERED FAVORITES! HISTORICAL FICTION(ISH) Top Left: The Human Target Volume 1 Christopher Chance has 12 days to solve his own murder in this detective noir style story from Tom King Middle: Batman '89 Continuing the adventures from Tim Burton's Batman Bottom Left: Dark Knights of Steel Volume 1 Swords! Sorcery! Superheroes!

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BADASS LADIES ALERT!

Top: Catwoman: Lonely City A masterpiece!

Bottom Right: Harley Quinn: The Animated Series Vol. 1: The Eat. Bang! Kill Tour Picking up directly from the cliffhanger ending of the show Bottom Left: Wonder Woman Black & Gold An anthology embellished in the color of her famous lasso

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IT'S A BIRD! MARVEL IT'S A PLANE! COMICS IT'S SUPERPOWERED FAVORITES! GREAT PICKS FOR LITTLE HEROES! Top Left: Miles Morales: Stranger Tides (8+) Top Right: Spider-Ham: Hollywood May-ham (ages 7+) Bottom Left: Team Spidey Does it All! (My First Comic Reader) (ages 4+) Bottom Right: Shuri & T'Challa: Into the Heartlands (ages 8+)

PENGUIN CLASSICS MARVEL COLLECTOR'S HARDCOVERS Specially curated comic book anthologies of the origin stories, seminal tales, and characters of the Marvel Universe. The Deluxe Hardcover edition features gold foil stamping, gold top stain edges, special endpapers with artwork spotlighting series villains, and full-color art throughout!

QUEER ALL LGBTQIA+ YEAR: PICKS PICTURE BOOKS

YOUNG ADULT

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QUEER ALL LGBTQIA+ YEAR: PICKS

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PICKS FOR GROWNUPS!

Y N! SA ES CTIO LLE

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COLORING BOOK, JOURNAL & TAROT

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MANGA MANIA!

MONOTONE BLUE

DINOSAUR SANCTUARY

NAGABE

Itaru Kinoshita

Hachi the cat finds most things monotonous, but at the top of his list is high school and all that comes with it. But when Aoi the lizard- a quiet, highachieving transfer student- arrives, Hachi catches a glimpse of a brighter, more colorful life. If Hachi can help Aoi open up, unlocking new feelings in the process, maybe his life won't be so bland, after all.

In 1946, someone discovered an island where dinosaurs had survived into the present. Through breeding and genetic manipulation, humans managed to increase their population and supercharge their popularity! Until, well... the unfortunate accident. This story follows a rookie zookeeper who is newly hired at Enoshima Dinoland, a struggling dinosaur sanctuary, and the fascinating creatures who need specialized love and care!

BLACK PARADOX

RUN ON YOUR NEW LEGS

Junji Ito

Wataru Midori

Four people intent on dying meet through the website Black Paradox: Maruso, a nurse who despairs about the future; Taburo, a man who is tortured by his doppelganger; Pii-tan, an engineer with his own robot clone; and Baracchi, a girl who agonizes about the birthmark on her face. They wander together in search of the perfect death, fatefully opening a door that leads them to a rather bizarre destiny...

After the loss of his left leg, Kikuzato's dream of becoming the ace striker on the high school soccer team comes to an end permanently. But endings are always followed by beginnings and so, armed with a prosthetic leg, Kikuzato finds a new dream. He's going to become a track star and win the gold at the Tokyo Paralympics!

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MANGA MANIA!

THE GIRL FROM THE OTHER SIDE

KAIJU NO. 8

NAGABE

In a land far away, there were two kingdoms: the Outside, where twisted beasts roamed that could curse with a touch, and the Inside, where humans lived in safety and peace. The girl and the beast should never have met, but when they do, a quiet fairy tale begins. This is the story of two people--one human, one inhuman-who linger in the hazy twilight that separates night from day.

With the highest kaiju rates in the world, Japan is no stranger to attack by deadly monsters. Enter the Japan Defense Force, an organization tasked with the neutralization of kaiju. Kafka Hibino, a kaijucorpse cleanup man, has always dreamed of joining the force. But when he gets another shot at achieving his childhood dream, he undergoes an unexpected transformation. How can he fight kaiju now that he’s become one himself?!

WITCH HAT ATELIER

SPY X FAMILY

Kamome Shirahama

Tatsuya Endo

In a world where everyone takes magic for granted, Coco has a simple dream: to be a witch. But everybody knows magicians are born, not made, and Coco was not born with a gift for magic. Resigned to her unmagical life, Coco is about to give up on her dream...until the day she meets Qifrey, a mysterious, traveling magician. Coco soon discovers that her magical dream may not be as far away as it may seem...

Master spy Twilight is unparalleled when it comes to going undercover on dangerous missions. But when he receives the ultimate assignment—to have a family— he may finally be in over his head! Not one to depend on others, Twilight has his work cut out for him on his mission to infiltrate an elite private school. What he doesn’t know: the wife he’s chosen is an assassin & the child he’s adopted is a telepath!

Naoya Matsumoto

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ed p lip "I s ah m on ns!" a be

Coloring Books

y ok o s oo Sp orite v Fa

Media TieIns & Pop Culture Favorites!

For f ans of Netf lix's Hea rtst oppe r

"AS SEEN ON TV"

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and Cocktails!

POP CULTURE COOKING

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PROSE

(PICTURE LESS)

NOVELS

while our specialty will always be graphic novels, we can't help put point out some of our pictureless favorites!

CONTEMPORARY RETELLING

YOUNG ADULT ROMANCE

ADULT ROMANCE

HORROR/FANTASY

HORROR/COMEDY

MEMOIR

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PROSE

(PICTURE LESS)

NOVELS

our small-but-mighty prose selection is curated with a special focus on stories by & for BIPOC, women, and the Queer Community

HISTORICAL FICTION

YOUNG ADULT FANTASY

YOUNG ADULT CONTEMPORARY

CONTEMPORARY FICTION

HISTORICAL FICTION/FANTASY

HORROR SHORT STORY COLLECTION

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PROSE

(PICTURE LESS)

NOVELS

Below is a selection of our favorite prose stories for middle grade readers (ages 8-12)!

From historical fiction to fantasy there's fantastic choices for all!

HISTORICAL FICTION

FANTASY ADVENTURE

FANTASY

CONTEMPORARY FICTION

SPOOKY FANTASY

FANTASY

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Not sure where to start? These titles & series are tried & true favorites! Find great picks for little readers in pink & picks for adults in red.

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TRIED & TRUE

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Snap

TAROT CARDS, TOTE BAGS &

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OH SO MUCH MORE!

BATA

LEIA CESS G PRIN TE BA D" TO "REA

RAN G MUG !

Looking for fabulous gifts in addition to books? We've got you covered!

TAROT & ORACLE DECKS! STAR WARS BOBA FETT MONOPOLY Players move around the board collecting characters, equipment, and Imperial Forces, and relive favorite Boba Fett moments from Episodes V and VI of the Star Wars movies, as well as action-packed scenes from The Mandalorian TV series.

Top Left: The Dungeons & Dragons Tarot Top Right: The Literary Witches Oracle Bottom: Star Spinner Tarot

FIND T-SHIRTS, SOCKS, PUZZLES & MORE HERE!

FUNKO POPS, ONESIES & OH SO MUCH MORE! Find more styles of onesies, tote bags, tarot cards. and all of our sidelines at dreamersbooks.com!

OZEN D A S OVER TYLE S E I IN ONES ABLE L I A AV 8 S 6-1 SIZE THS! MON

OVER 10 0 TOYS & MODELS TO CHO OSE FROM!

SO MANY DICE SETS!

DONT SEE WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR? TRY A GIFT CARD! N SCA E HER

*WE ALSO HAPPILY TAKE SPECIAL ORDERS!*

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