Year after year, graphic novels and highly-illustrated novels have the highest number of checkouts in Mountain View School Division’s libraries. This is consistent with school libraries across the country. Titles by Rania Telgemeier, Jeff Kinney, Dav Pilkey, and Anne M. Martin dominate lists of highest library circulation in MVSD libraries. Graphic novels are a book format that uses illustrated panels and text to convey a story. While some people may worry that kids are not reading ‘real books,’ reading graphic novels actually requires attention to both the text and the illustrations. Neither component tells the full story and the reader must mesh the two to fully understand the story. Additional graphic conventions like variations in font, panel shapes, and perspective can further convey meaning. Combining all of these factors to fully comprehend the story is a more complex cognitive task than it often gets credit for.
Graphic novels are more than the ‘Archie’ or superhero comics some of us read in our youth, though both continue to be popular. Fiction and nonfiction graphic novels tell a vast range of stories, with options for all age groups. Graphic novels are finding their way into many popular genres: biography, history, historical fiction, literary adaptations, sports stories, science fiction…the list goes on and on. As this format also includes titles written expressly for older audiences, parents should be mindful that some titles may not be age-appropriate for their children.
We’ve seen a recent growth in the publication of graphic novel adaptations of many classroom staples like ‘Anne of Green Gables,’ ‘1984,’ ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ ‘The Lightening Thief,’ ‘Bunnicula,’ ‘Silverwing,’ and the works of Shakespeare. While these do not necessarily take the place of the original texts, these adaptations can be used to support readers who can benefit from visual supports.
A popular subset of graphic novels is Manga. These originate from Japan and most are read right to left in the traditional Japanese manner, even when translated to English. The challenge this might present does not seem to deter Manga fans.
Graphic novels are a portion of the publishing sector that grows every year. Graphic novels have also been recognized by major literary awards, including ‘Maus’ by Art Spiegelman - Pulitzer Prize; ‘New Kid’ by Jerry Craft - Newbery Medal; and ‘Ducks’ by Kate Beaton - Canada Reads winner.
In our school libraries, graphic novels are often the books that excite and engage our students. They are chief among the books the students ask for and eagerly await their chance to read. Developing literacy skills is one of every school’s major goals. A big part of growing readers is providing students with books they want to read. According to the Scholastic Canada Kids and Family Reading Report, when children make their own reading choices, those books are more likely to be their favourite books and the kids are more likely to finish reading them. While graphic novels are not the format of choice for all children, for those that do want to read them, we should not discourage them or make them feel like their book of choice is less valid. If your child is interested in reading graphic novels, many bookstores and libraries have created dedicated sections for this format to make selection easier. Your local librarian or bookseller will happily help you select age-appropriate titles your kids will love.