Never too Late to Read Classics discussion

When I was a teacher I always hated hearing how my coworkers prevented their students from reading Graphic Novels.

"Why don't you let your students read Graphic Novels?" I asked.

"Pat, they aren't BOOKS!"

My face twisted in confusion, "Does _____ like reading?"

"No!"

"But he's reading a Graphic Novel?"

"...Yes..."

"Then what's the big deal?"

Some parents and teachers think because a book has pictures and bubbles for dialogue Graphic Novels aren't real books. I believe if a child is reading something and it is sparking interest, imagination, and engagement then it should be encouraged.

What are your thoughts on this?

It depends on the type of graphic novel, but if it gets them reading, I am all for it.
It does need to be age appropriate.

My son absolutely loved Calvin and Hobbes and devoured all the books in elementary / middle school - they gave him a love of reading. He would then want me to read the larger chapter books (olden days audio books). Now at 26 he reads deep intense books (and dreadful certification books :-). i believe without the graphic novels, he would not have had the love for reading that he has today.

My daughter has a issue with seeing one word and then her brain changes it into another word. The small sentence structure in the graphic novels was much easier for her not to get discouraged. She still loves reading today as an adult.

I'm all for it being in school!

Patrick wrote: "When I was a teacher I always hated hearing how my coworkers prevented their students from reading Graphic Novels.

"Why don't you let your students read Graphic Novels?" I asked.

"Pat, they are..."

I was assigned The Complete Maus in college, and it was used to great success. At my school, graphic novels were largely viewed with the same lens as other literature In fact, I wrote a Senior Honors Thesis and a Master's Thesis using graphic novels, and it was well-received.

I think they're a great way to capture students' attention, and the visual medium can provide a perspective that enhances the written word. I'm a History professor now, and I've assigned March: Book One by John Lewis. In addition, I have colleagues who have framed entire courses around graphic novels.

So yes, I think they're just fine for classroom use.

I definitely feel that traditional novels or even novellas push the imagination and overall mind more, because the pictures of characters and settings are not painted out for the reader. However, I do believe that graphic novels can be a great way for younger readers to jump into reading solo or great for those readers who just have some sort of challenge with reading. They can also be an awesome format to introduce people to the classics or see classics in a new light, as more and more classic novels are being adapted to the graphic novel format. Earlier this year George Takei released a graphic novel about his time in a Japanese interment camp during WWII (They Called Us Enemy, which also shows how graphic novels can explore sensitive topics without delving into a huge volume. I know the format has other positive purposes as well.

Patrick, I think it’s sad how some teachers at your school wouldn’t allow their students to read graphic novels. When I was substitute teaching, it pained me to hear of some teachers not allowing their students to read ebooks during silent reading time. Whatever the book format, at least the student is reading.

I wanted to add, too, that when using graphic novels, teachers can integrate elements of art/visual analysis into their lessons. That's an additional layer that can really help students think critically. I wouldn't replace traditional books with graphic novels, but as an additional form of literature? Yeah, they work well.

Graphic novels are definitely books and have value but I really think kids need to be taught to appreciate the written word more than ever these days. Not just the words typed on their cell phones.

That is so true, Book Nerd.

I agree!
I think reading and spelling go hand and hand. The kids now cannot even spell their County or City they live in, half don't even know their addresses when they come in to fill out a Voter Registration! They even admit they cannot spell.

It is very sad.

Lesle, I experience much of the same. Middle school and high school kids come into the library often who have no clue how to spell their city name nor know their address. Don’t even ask most of them for the zip code. Most of these kids laugh about their lack of knowledge. Maybe if these types of kids were taught that they need to know their full address to tell Amazon where to send a package?

The surprising amount of students today (at least where I live) that cannot write or even read cursive is scary. A few times when I subbed in schools I listed jobs and reasons why they may need to use cursive. They were shocked. Of course, I also had to explain to a few high school English lit classes why grammar and spelling matter beyond high school.

I hate to say this but teaching to pass the State Test and the use of electronics has taken away a lot of what we take for granted.

Cursive has gone by the way side here too. How do you sign a legal signature with out a cursive signature. Print your name here...and sign here...???

On here we just take it as a typo. Nothing to really stop us. Once in a while a red squiggly line appears that you may have an oops in spelling but not always!

Should schoolkids be reading Latin? Schools have to move with the times. As long as there is some text with the graphics.

Haha. Yes, Bernard, teaching only with emojis would be terrible.

It would be great to still learn Latin as my Latin is basically limited to Felicitas est parvus canis calidas.

Graphic novels are alright, but not in lieu of reading proper books that spark your imagination. My son is a voracious reader with a gift like Danny in The Chosen, he can glance at a page of text and it has been read - not just read, but understood.

You know how films or comics are never the way you imagined from the text? Why that's your brain at work! I love the way Malachi saw the Hobbits in LOTR, he imagined them as fat, so fat they would be rolling around, and we all know that's not the way they came out in the film.

We should not strip people of that. That's how filmmakers and cartoonists are made.

Does anyone have any further or new thoughts on why or why not graphic novels / comics should be read in schools? How can books of this format help or hinder students' education and understanding of fictional literary works or even history and other nonfiction topics? What do you think?