Are Graphic Novels “Real” Books?
Graphic novels are books that combine words and images to tell a sequential story. They span all genres, including fiction and nonfiction, and can tell stories that are just as complex as a book written in prose, or all text. In short, yes, graphic novels are “real” books! However, there is a strong stigma that graphic novels have reading levels too low for accomplished readers and contain images too strong for children to view. Here are four reasons why graphic novels are just as high quality as regular books:
1. Fewer Words Does Not Equal Less Vocabulary
When you have limited space to tell a story, every word counts! If a child does not recognize a word or forgot its meaning, they can use the images as context to help them comprehend what is happening, thus building a bridge for stronger vocabulary. The images are there to guide readers, not read for them. It is up to the parent to decide if the images are too much for their child, but the graphics should fall in line with the reading level of the novel.
2. They Can Help Keep You Focused
Graphic novels can typically be read faster than your average chapter book. This not only gives readers more satisfaction as they are making rapid progress through the pages, but the visual aspects help stimulate your brain to maintain engagement. Who wouldn’t feel accomplished by finishing a whole chapter book in an hour? This can be a great confidence booster for children who struggle with reading or find it demotivating.
3. They Tell Complex Stories
Despite being a quick read, graphic novels still tell you a full story with dynamic characters, complex plots, and clear structure. They do all the same things as a typical chapter book, except they have images to support the words. When your child is reading a speech bubble, they can also glance at the speaker’s face to uncover deeper meaning without being explicitly told about their emotions. This leads them to having strong visual literacy skills in addition to building their reading skills.
4. They are Exploding in Popularity
Did you know the top four highest circulating children’s books in 2023 were graphic novels? New series like Dog Man by Dave Pilkey have been flying off our shelves for years! Older series such as Baby-Sitters Club by Ann M Martin and Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne are also becoming reimagined into graphic novels and sparking interest in the next generation of readers. This format is officially a staple on bookshelves and continues to gain popularity, so there will always be something new to add to the To Be Read pile.
Tween Graphic Novel Book Club
Graphic novels are real books that can be valuable to all ages and all reading levels. Your Library even offers a Tween Graphic Novel Book Club! Every month we read two graphic novels, and we spend an hour snacking and chatting about what we read. Check out our events calendar to save your spot at the next Tween Graphic Novel Book Club meeting. Whether it’s a graphic novel or a prose novel, we hope to see you reading at the Library soon!