Graphic novels have experienced a major increase in popularity in the past few years but still retain some stigma of being a “lower” form of literature than novels and picture books. Why is that?
Graphic novels are stories told with both words and illustrations with varying levels of sophistication. Ranging from wordless stories like “Owly” to perspectives on history and politics like “Persepolis,” graphic novels can cover almost any topic – yes, even superheroes – and range in length from 30 pages to well over 100.
Graphic novels also enhance instead of detracting from a child’s reading skills. Consider this: when reading a novel the reader needs to process the words on the page, but when reading a graphic novel the reader must process not only the words but the visual cues as well, from character facial expressions to indications of movement to sequence of events. When it comes to a student’s learning and comprehension, studies have shown that students who learn from books containing images have a deeper understanding of the topic at hand. This is one reason why I have been collecting graphic novels on historical topics at both the elementary and high school libraries.
Apart from their educational and literary benefits, graphic novels are also a lot of fun and entertaining to read. I can’t keep any graphic novels on the shelf at the elementary school, and often the moment a student returns one there is a student next in line to borrow it. If a book has a quality story and can make a child excited about reading, then I’m sold.
Below are links to further information about graphic novels and their place in libraries.
Some graphic novels in the PRHS library collection:
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