Walk into the graphic novel section of any library or bookstore and you’ll be hit with a riot of color, art forms, and fascinating tales. It makes sense that so many kids and teens are drawn to these shelves, which include the uber-popular manga genre that originated in Japan.
But do graphic novels really count as reading? We asked Erika Miller, manager for Seattle Public Library’s Youth and Family Services department, that question and others. Here’s Miller’s take on why graphic novels are a great reading choice.
Comic vs. graphic novel
Length is the primary difference. While both comics and graphic novels employ graphic art and words, comics are typically shorter single-issue serial stories (think “Superman No. 1, No. 2, No. 3”). Multiple comic issues are often published together to create a volume, but graphic novels are standalone full books with the entire arc of their characters and storylines — the setup, the action, reaction, character growth, conclusion — between two covers.
“It’s not that there’s no depth in comic books,” Miller stressed. “It’s just that because they’re longer, graphic novels may have more depth in one volume.” Both encourage kids to read, she added.
Do graphic novels really help kids build reading skills? The answer is an emphatic yes. Graphic novels engage multiple literacies. They build vocabulary — and not just simple words — while also developing visual literacy, the ability to understand the meaning of images. Readers have to interpret both words and art to understand characters and plot.
“That’s really cool about graphic novels — they offer literacies that you would not be able to get from a typical book,” Miller says.
Even fonts add to skill-building. With graphic novels, young readers must learn to parse out what different fonts mean.
“What does it mean when they’re using cursive as opposed to a scribble or typed out words? They could all have different meanings,” Miller says. “What does it mean when words are in a box, or when they’re in a circle, or in a voice bubble, or they’re scattered all over the page?
“These are all the things that kids and teens have to think about when they’re reading a graphic novel. Are those words matching what’s on the page with the illustrations? Are they telling the same story? Are they telling two different stories? What does it mean? Those are things that you cannot get from reading a traditional novel.”
Why are graphic novels appealing?
Graphic novels, Miller stresses, “are really fast-paced, exciting, with lots of different pictures, illustrations, often lots of different colors,” Miller says. “The artwork in different books can be vastly different. They often catch kids’ eyes.”
Not to mention, graphic novels can be a bridge for reluctant readers who may look at traditional books and novels and feel overwhelmed.
Miller says of graphic novels, comics and manga: “When pictures and the words come together, they’re less intimidating, not just for kids, but new readers, and also people who might be learning English.”
There are books that blend the traditional and graphic novel genres. “I am thinking of a book called ‘Wonderstruck,’” by Brian Selznick, Miller says. “It’s not a graphic novel, but half the book is written in words, and then the other half is written in illustrations and pencil drawings. It is one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever read. One main character’s story is told in words, and then the other main character’s story is told through the drawings, so they tell two different stories and eventually the stories do come together.”
Miller always asks about the last book a child really liked and what interests them. “If a child likes Minecraft, there are Minecraft books out there. If they really like sports, there are sports books out there. I base recommendations on what they want to read. I think to foster a love of reading, you go where they are, right?” She highly recommends reading graphic novels together with a child or teen.
Book recommendations from Erika Miller
“Cabin Head and Tree Head,” by Scott Campbell (Grades K-3)
“Mr. Muffins: Defender of the Stars,” by Ben Kahn, illustrated by Georgeo Brooks (Ages 7-12)
“The Witch Boy,” by Molly Knox Ostertag (Ages 9-13)
“March,” by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell (Ages 13 and older)
“Brownstone,” by Samuel Teer, illustrated by Mar Julia (Ages 13 and older)
