Using graphic novels with children and teens | a guide for teachers and librarians

Download |

What are graphic novels?

In this context, the word “graphic” does not mean “adult” or “explicit.” Graphic novels are books written and illustrated in the style of a comic book. The term graphic novel was first popularized by Will Eisner to distinguish his book A Contract with God (1978) from collections of newspaper comic strips. He described graphic novels as consisting of “sequential art”—a series of illustrations which, when viewed in order, tell a story.

Although today’s graphic novels are a recent phenomenon, this basic way of storytelling has been used in various forms for centuries—early cave drawings, hieroglyphics, and medieval tapestries like the famous Bayeux Tapestry can be thought of as stories told in pictures. The term graphic novel is now generally used to describe any book in a comic format that resembles a novel in length and narrative development. …

This guide is adapted from a previous Scholastic guide written by two highly regarded experts in the field of graphic novels for youth librarians and teachers: Philip Crawford, Library Director of Essex High School in Vermont, author of Graphic Novels 101: Selecting and Using Graphic Novels to Promote Literacy for Children and Young Adults; and Stephen Weiner, Director of the Maynard Public Library in Maynard, Massachusetts, author of many books and articles on graphic novels.

URL do post: https://jfborges.com/?p=7751