Every year, the Los Angeles Times holds its Los Angeles Times Festival of Books celebration, a weekend devoted to great books and the people who make them possible. When I lived in San Diego, I used to attend as often as possible, given that the festival has one major drawback (for me, anyway): It always falls on or around my birthday. This year, I've already made separate travel plans for the weekend of April 24th and 25th, but I wish I could be attending (GNR president and publisher Carol Fitzgerald will be there, though). The reason I'm disappointed to miss it this year is that the Times has just added a new category to its Book Prizes, one devoted to graphic novels. Five nominees have been announced: Luba by Gilbert Hernandez; GoGo Monster by Taiyo Matsumoto; Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli; Scott Pilgrim vs. the Universe by Bryan Lee O'Malley; and Footnotes in Gaza by Joe Sacco. Good luck to all the nominees! The awards will be given out Friday, April 23, at 8 p.m. at a ceremony at the Los Angeles Times building.