Graphic novels: the great satan

re: last post, Charlotte's Web was the #1!

I was at TLA in San Antonio, Texas these past few days. I love Texas librarians! Seriously, librarian conferences rock. You meet up with old author friends and hang out with new librarian friends. I spoke on a panel about graphic novels with Jennifer Holm (Babymouse) and Jarrett Krosoczka (Lunch Lady). Good folk. At one point I got emotional (I hate when I do that) trying to express how grateful I am to librarians. It was so lame, because I know I sounded like a complete suck up, but I feel passionate about it, and in case I didn't express myself well, I want to try again here.

Graphic novels for kids are important for many reasons. Here are a few:

1. They provide an important transition book from picture books to chapter books.
2. They provide a storytelling hook for visual learners of any age.
3. They are the most likely kinds of books embraced by "reluctant readers"
4. They teach kids to interpret sequential art, a brain-taxing activity that teaches visual literacy, valuable in our increasingly graphical world.
5. They allow younger kids to stretch their reading abilities. (e.g. the vocabulary in rapunzel and jack is above most 4-8 year-olds, but younger kids are still willing to read them and can understand because the text is supported by visual storytelling. People I know who are life-long comics readers tend to have amazing vocabularies, and an advanced vocabulary is important for literacy.)
6. They require a different kind of brain work than reading prose and much, much more brain exercise than watching a movie.
7. Kids who will only read a certain genre of prose novel are more likely to leave their genre comfort zone for a graphic novel than a prose novel. A kid only reads fantasy? Offer a non-fiction or realistic fiction graphic novel.
8. Readers with disabilities, English as a second language, and other obstacles have often thrived with graphic novels.
9. Advanced readers also thrive with graphic novels, gaining insight from analyzing text-and-picture storytelling and uses of the visual medium. It's a highly creative exercise.
10. P.S. They're also fun.

Many adults are still hesitant about graphic novels. I've heard from many school librarians that when classes come in to check out books, some teachers will tell their students they can check out anything besides graphic novels. They should only check out "real books." Obviously not all teachers feel this way. I know many teachers who are passionate supporters of the medium. But others do. I hear the same thing from booksellers with regards to parents. A parent might be willing to buy a prose novel for a child, but not a graphic novel.

Why are so many adults down on this medium? A few reasons:

1. The fear that once kids start reading graphic novels, they'll only read graphic novels. (Studies have shown this fear false, and teens who read GNs are more likely to read other kinds of books for pleasure than their non-GN reading friends. There are those who only read comics...but I know those people, and if they weren't reading comics, they wouldn't be reading anything at all.)
2. The cultural bias against books with pictures. The goal, for many parents, is to wean their children from picture books. Aren't GNs a step back? (There are still words in GNs. Kids are still reading! And visual literacy is an important part of our world too. This idea is peculiarly American.)
3. The belief that graphic novels are, in fact. GRAPHIC! (The medium of sequential art doesn't necessitate violence and sexuality. Some GNs are graphic in that way, many are not.)
4. Generations of belief that comic books are trashy and no good. (Some of the best writers alive today are writing GNs. Again, the medium doesn't determine content. As Jarrett pointed out at TLA, Stephen King and Beverly Cleary write in the same medium.)

If it weren't for libraries, I don't think there would be enough of a market for graphic novels for young readers to validate their publication. Comic book stores are starting to carry more books for the younger set, but like the other book stores, their selection tends to be limited and I hear from them that the sales are not great. This is, I believe, because it's the adults doing the buying, not the kids. I think this will change, as the prejudice against GNs has been changing, but slowly.

And yet I hear from dozens of librarians (especially elementary and middle school librarians) that "I can't keep rapunzel's revenge on the shelf." You are far more likely to find calamity jack in a library than in a book store, and I think that's because a library is where the kid is doing the selecting. A school library is the place where a child is most likely to be able to pick out her own book, unsupervised by a parent or (sometimes) a teacher. A library is where children choose. A library is where children can discover what they love to read without someone trying to push them onto "harder" material or more "grown-up" books. A library is magic.

I hope I never come across as speaking in absolutes. Most of the teachers and parents I know are passionate supporters of any good books that can transform a non-reader into an eager reader. And I don't blame those who are hesitant or fearful of GNs. That's their own understanding. Meanwhile, libraries have been stocking manga and GNs years before anyone else caught up. Without libraries, I don't think books like rapunzel's revenge and calamity jack would ever have seen print. And I never would have had the inexpressible joy of receiving the dozens of emails and notes from parents who tell me, "My son/daughter never read a book in his/her life until your graphic novel. And now, he/she reads all the time." That is worth anything. Thanks, librarians. In a time when we're seeing libraries disappearing, book budgets cut, and librarians taken out of schools, I hope you know that the kid lit authors know what you do, why you're essential, and appreciate you. I vote for libraries.

Comments

[Wren]

I have been one of those stubborn people who distrusts graphic novels. I thought they weren't worth my time. Then Artemis Fowl and Alex Rider each came out in graphic novel. Then Rapunzel's Revenge. I'm slowly realizing that I'm going to have to change my standpoint, and your note here is helping me decide.
Thanks.
God bless.

[Danyelle]

My kids love graphic novels. I have a hard time reading them because there's too much pulling at me for my attention, but I want my children to be able to embrace all different kinds of books.

[Angie]

So bummed ... admin would not "allow" me to attend TLA this year. And I'm even local. 8[

And a BYU grad. 8]

Can't say that GNs are my fave medium but I do recognize that to a lot of kids they are THE LINK to a literary experience. And for that I'll continue to promote them.

[Liesl]

Growing up, my vocabulary came from all sorts of comics: Calvin and Hobbes, Foxtrot, For Better or For Worse, the Far Side, etc. It got me interested in further reading, drawing and cartooning, and storytelling in general. I'd say it's a great gateway drug to reading, if that's what graphic novels can do.

...That probably doesn't help their case, does it?

[Jennifer Minson]

I get your points about how they are useful. I do. Anything to encourage reluctant readers. We (kids and adults) own many GNs. But I get frustrated at the library carrying so many because the librarians keep telling me how stretched they are to get books. We tried for nearly a year and half before we found a librarian who would order River Secrets for us. And they don't have lots of other items including classics that I'd like to see at the library. That's my frustration. I see the money spent on them at libraries as money that could be otherwise spent and I don't think we need so many Manga and GNs.

[Princess Loucida]

"A library is where children choose. A library is where children can discover what they love to read without someone trying to push them onto "harder" material or more "grown-up" books. A library is magic."

Love that quote :D

[Pussreboots]

I've been a Cybils judge in the graphic novels category for the last two years so my shelves are usually full of graphic novels (either ones I've bought or ones I'm borrowing from the library). Thankfully my library has a wide selection for all ages.

[Myrna Foster]

My sister-in-law teaches fourth grade, and she hasn't read her "Rapunzel's Revenge" because one of the kids always has it. We may have to lend her ours. :)

I'd rather have my seven-year-old reading Garfield comics for hours than not reading.

[RosaleeLuAnn]

I am so frustrated by how under-rated Graphic Novels/Comic Books are. I always loved reading novels as a child, and I know that I could have loved GNs as well... but I was NEVER EXPOSED TO THEM. I was given novels, I read novels, I loved novels, and aren't comic books about superheros, written for boys, with poor writing and worse art? Why would I want to read them?

I didn't even begin to see the light until I came to college. I'm majoring in illustration, and among the many avenues avaliable to us illustration majors is Comic Books. I've only read a few so far, but already I'm thinking, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE? A PIECE OF MY CHILDHOOD WAS MISSING, and I NEVER KNEW.

Why did nobody tell me? Why?

[Megan J.]

I'll admit that I had never read a graphic novel until yours came out. And I only read it because it was yours! But - I loved it. As I've said on here before, I read it to my class and they LOVED it. They wanted me to read Calamity Jack also, but I try to introduce a variety of books through read aloud time so they'll go pick up more of the same author or genre on their own! For my classroom library, I have a few graphic novels, and the kids are excited when I put more out. Our school librarian is awesome at finding all kinds of books that interest the kids!

[Shannon Morris]

Here, here to the fabulous librarians of the world. I have to say I 'library' in Murray, and my librarian, Danny, is awesome! And he can do the coolest tricks with library cards! As for graphic novels, yours was the first I read, now I'm hooked, as are my kids. For those who love GN's Neil Gaiman's 1602 (I think it's called) is AWESOME!

[Becky at One Literature Nut]

Hi Shannon! I'm an English teacher in Lehi, and I will admit to being hesitant to reading graphic novels, but I've read and enjoyed both of yours. I still struggle a bit with fantasy (as I do in real life), but I'm now branching out to try all sorts of graphic novels and quite enjoy them. In fact, I took a stack into my AP Literature classes, and I could hardly get my students' attention after that. :) Reading comes in so many different forms, that we definitely need to champion all sorts of reading interests that people have...especially in young readers. Thanks for this great post!

[Anne]

Amen to that Shannon!

[Je Reve]

Cheers to the Tri-Hale Clan!

[DouglasCootey]

I couldn't get behind you on your comments about the animation industry—I felt they painted the industry with too broad a brush—but I feel you're spot on in this column. I am constantly puzzled by people who put up a gate towards literacy. I grew up on comics and Hardy Boy books. I learned vocabulary, culture, and politics from them. Those books lead me to mythology, science fiction & cryptozoology. Still people didn't approve, but I kept reading. The "classics" both modern & past seemed drab to me, but by college I was reading books on self-help, psychology, history, politics, and culture. I still read comics, graphic novels, and manga.

Today I write my own books and I read more than many of those people who disapproved of my reading materials. I thank my mum who bought me my first comic books and hunted down Hardy Boy books for me. If she had forced me to read "drab" classics I might never have learned to love reading.

[Janssen]

I am one of those librarians who is purchasing Graphic Novels. I must say, I don't know enough about them to branch out much past Bone, Babymouse, Lunch Lady, and yours, but they are so popular and I have kids reading who just NEVER would check out a book otherwise (it breaks my heart that some people would rather a child just refuse to check out a book than stock some books that they WILL check out). LOVE those graphic novels.

[Hillary]

I have one of those reluctant readers who loves Rapunzels Revenge and Calamity Jack. I wasn't opposed so much as just unaware of the genre until those two came out. Have you published a recommended GN list anywhere? Would love to get some good recommendations!

[Meg]

I just want to second the request fo the previous commenter for a list of your favorite graphic novels! I love graphic novels, but have a lot harder time finding recommendations for them than for other middle grade and YA books.

[Christen]

I was also originally a graphic novel skeptic, but I have seen how important these books are for children who have trouble reading and children who process things visually.

Also, Rapunzel's Revenge was freaking awesome. :D

[David J. West]

I practically learned to read on comics, so no matter how many novels I read now-I still enjoy graphic novels, lots of great stories there.

[Ellar]

I'm a bookseller and spend about half my time working specifically in the children's section. I haven't noticed too much parental resistance to graphic novels, but I definitely agree that there seems to be a general kind of stigma on the genre. I've only read a handful of graphic novels myself, and while I enjoyed those, I don't feel very knowledgeable about the medium. So I really appreciate your points, particularly as one who is often asked, by parents, for recommendations (especially in regards to reluctant readers).

[Genevieve Larson Ford]

I'm a children's bookseller in a large store and there definitely is parental resistance. Not always, but I hear plenty of "Not that. Let's get you a REAL book." However, it may be also the slightly higher price that discourages some sales. It's cheaper to buy a regular novel. There are so many great graphic novels coming out. Check out Smile and the Babysitter's Club and MIssile Mouse.

[Christy]

Hear hear! I am so with you Shannon. If a love for reading is cultivated by any book, by all means, encourage that interest. I have not been a fan of graphic novels, previously thinking only of Spiderman or the like. However, I love the idea of graphic novels as transitory literature. I am going to purchase your g.novels for my own seven year old son. Kuddos!

Christy

[Lisa Hansen]

Graphic novels have been the perfect medium to get my son excited about reading. So Hallelujah! Amen! and Praise the Lawwwd! for your graphic novels. ;)

[Melissa]

Understanding Comics The Invisible Art by Scott McCloud is a great book to recommend to anyone wanting to learn more about graphic novels. What they, why they are beneficial, etc.

[Uly]

Aha, I knew I'd find this post! You might like this comic:

http://www.unshelved.com/2010-5-7/

[Tasha]

You've raised some excellent points. As a teacher and avid graphic novel and comic book reader I think the most important thing is that a kid is reading something - and something that they enjoy. I also think it's important for kids to make their own choice of book so they can find out what books they like.

[Hollie Giannaula]

I am a librarian in a K-8 Catholic school. I am trying to help parents understand that graphic novels and books like Wimpy Kid, Junie B. Jones, and Captain Underpants are not just OK for kids, but can actually help them be better readers. May I use your comments to bolster my position?