Gretchen Carlson
A confession: Graphic novels irritated me. For several years I was alarmed with the rapid growth and popularity of these books among middle grade and teens. Why? I assumed they did not develop reading skills.
I was wrong.
Reading was not my grandson’s passion. He moaned through early elementary chapter books because reading was work. Reading was hard for him and felt boring. Until… I checked out a graphic novel, Dog Man, from the library.
The illustrations and fewer words on a page made reading less of a chore, and my grandson and I laughed as he read through the funny plot. He was captivated and continued to read Dog Man and other graphic novels through the school year. When his teacher reported that his reading skills had improved, he shrugged and said, “You can thank Dog Man for that.”
Graphic novels build reading skills several ways.
First, they build vocabulary. Studies show that graphic novels often contain higher vocabulary compared to print books at the same level. Why? Authors use more complex words because the graphics aide in vocabulary comprehension.
Graphic novels incorporate character development, plot twists and turns just as traditional novels. The reader must follow cause and effect and pick up clues for character motives. As the brain analyzes and puts together words and graphics, all this decoding improves reading comprehension. I saw this with my grandson. Check out popular Scholastic graphic novels.
Although I now believe that graphic novels can help reluctant younger readers develop reading skills, I have another nagging question. Do graphic novels stymie the discipline (or desire) to read text-only books? Does a steady diet of graphic novels shorten a student’s attention span for reading?
There is ongoing research and debate on how graphic novels affect the development of sustained reading concentration. Literary expert Timothy Shanahan states, “Reading graphic novels may do no harm, but it’s a kind of lost opportunity.” He suggests ways to help reluctant readers move beyond graphic novels in his blog on Reading Rockets.
Personally, I will always be drawn to traditional books and novels, however, I’m thankful for graphic novels that can capture the interest of reluctant readers. I’m also curious if and how graphic novels might impact other elements of reading.
What’s your opinion? Graphic novels: Thumbs up or down?
Happy Reading!
Gretchen Carlson
Website: https://gretchen-carlson.com/
Contact: gretchencarlsonwriter@gmail.com
Carol Eaton
Julia N. White
Sharon Rene
This has been an ongoing debate for at least a decade. I’m a retired Reading intervention teacher, and I was reluctant to include graphic novels in my curriculum–until I saw that my reluctant readers loved them! I taught middle school/high school students, some in special ed units. Graphic novels got them reading, and I build a program around them that helped students progress to traditional books over time. Some students were never able to progress, and those graphic novels helped them achieve reading success at their skill level. When students feel like accomplished readers, they start to love reading for the pure joy of it. In my opinion, graphic novels have a place in the curriculum for that reason alone.
Thank you for sharing your insights and experience as an educator! It’s true in many areas that our enjoyment increases as we begin to feel more “accomplished.” It sounds like you went the second mile as a teacher to motivate and help students with reading. Thanks for making a difference in students’ lives!
I struggled with this same dilemma, too! As a mom of three boys, we have managed to find a nice balance between graphic novels and chapter books. My boys love the visuals of graphic novels and will re-read the same book over and over. We have discovered a few new series: InvestiGators (yep, alligator detectives!), Agent Moose, and Real Pigeons.
I think you’ve found the right word: BALANCE! Good for you for finding the perfect mix of graphic novels and chapter books for your boys. I’ve seen the InvestiGators and it looks like another fun series. The bottom line, is kudos for keeping your boys reading!
Love this! My brother is a bit of a reluctant reader but he destroys graphic novels.