Graphic Novels? Yay or Nay?

 I have always been puzzled by graphic novels and because of that I  had been resistant to reading them.   However, the book market is exploding with them, and even literary experts waffle when asked to define them or comment on their vales and place on the reading continuum.  From what I see, they are stories told primarily in pictures.  They differ from comic books in that they tell longer and more complex stories, and cosmetically and structurally they are more book like.

Of course sub-genre exist, but I would need to consult with a 16 year old to talk me though all of that.  If you're on the fence about the value of graphics for tween and teen readers, maybe this will help.  First, look at them as playful reading.  The pictures draw readers in piquing interest from page to page. The fast paced stories hold attention rather than bogging "busy" readers down with paragraphs laden with description of creepy old houses or flower gardens.  Because of the emphasis on art over narrative, graphics help develop visualization skills, enhancing  reading experiences.

Look at graphics as a bridge to more literary pieces.  In fact. many classics have been redesigned as graphics, using original dialogue in addition to pictures.  We are a visual culture after all, so why not honor that as we introduce fine literature to our young readers.  

My preferred graphic genre is the hybrid, like the one pictured here.  These books contain longer narrative passages with pictures to amplify the action.  I finally gave into graphics a few years back when I received an advance copy of the Invention Of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznik.  I flipped though it, decided it wasn't for me and passed it on to a customer.  He returned in about three hours and basically ordered me to read it.  His unbridled enthusiasm, coupled with his mandate moved me to read the book.  Turns out this book is an imaginative retelling of Oliver Twist with a few nods to Frankenstein.  Pages of narration would get the plot moving, and then suddenly, I would find four or five pages of pen and ink drawings.  I skipped past them, but in doing so, I lost the story.  I had to read the pictures in order to move to the next point in the story arc.  That wan't easy. The pictures told so many stories and included numerous tiny details needed in order to interpret the embedded symbols.  

Because of Hugo, graphic are no longer off the table for me.  The good ones - the skillfully developed ones - are like jigsaw puzzles.  Many people are turning to jigsaw puzzles during our Covid homing days.  How about reclaiming your coffee table and trying a graphic novel for a change of pace?

Thanks for stopping by.

Stay safe. Stay healthy. Stay happy.

By the way, Mabel has her final exam at puppy class on Tuesday.  We will pull and all nighter on Monday; still, I am sure she will fail.  That's OK.  I'll keep her around anyway.