Look!

1. Look!

2. It’s a bird!

3. It’s a Plane!

4. No, It’s a…

5. GRAPHIC NOVEL!!!

6. Get Graphic! Utilizing Graphic Novels in the Classroom and Library Media Center Ted Schelvan LIS 406 Baughman/Diggs April 10, 2006

7. What is a Graphic Novel? • Book length • Complete story told through a combination of text and sequential art. • Like comic books, encompass many genres (romance, action, horror, drama, sci-fi, comedy, etc.). • Clermont Public Library • http://www.clermont.lib.oh.us/gn_und.html

8. What is Manga • Manga (mahn-gah) is the Japanese word for comic. • Most manga books are read in the traditional Japanese style from right to left. • Translated manga books were introduced into the United States in the early 1990s.

9. When did Graphic Novels begin? • It [Graphic Novel] has been around since 1964, when American comics critic and magazine publisher Richard Kyle coined it. • “Kyle came up with ‘graphic story,’ and from that the ‘graphic novel,’ to galvanize American creators and readers to aspire to similar ambition and sophistication [European Comics].” • A Contract with God by Will Eisner (1978)

10. Why use Graphic Novels/Manga? • Encourages both reluctant and gifted readers to come into the library. • Attract more boys to checkout books. • ESL students are helped by the combination of pictures and text. • Manga from Japan and Korea encourages interest in other cultures. • Increase in circulation statistics.

11. Benefits of Graphic Novels, I • Assist Poor Readers • Comics and graphic novels are excellent tools for use with children and young adults with poor reading skills. • Connect with Visual Learners • As educators become increasingly aware of the importance of different learning styles, it is clear that comic books can be a powerful tool for reaching visual learners. • Develop Strong Language Arts Skills • Several studies have shown that students who read comic books regularly have better vocabularies and are more likely to read above grade-level.

12. Benefits of Graphic Novels, II • Encourage Unmotivated and "Dormant" Readers • Teachers often use non-book materials to encourage reading. Comic books are an ideal medium to spark interest, equate reading with enjoyment, and develop the reading habit. • Convey Educational Messages • Government agencies, the military, museums, and other nonprofit organizations have long used educational comics to reach general audiences. • Stimulate Readers to Explore Other Literature • Many comic book fans become avid book readers. Comics can stimulate interest in all types of fiction (fantasy, sci-fi, historical, etc.) as well as mythology, legends, and nonfiction.

13. Visual Literacy • Today's young adults feel comfortable with non-text visual media, from video games to graphical icons used with standard computer programs. •  Comic books employ a highly cinematic approach to storytelling. • Comic books utilize combinations of text and pictures (sequential art) to convey messages in a manner unique to comics. • Understanding comics requires a special type of visual literacy, which in turn offers a translatable skill in today's highly graphical environment. • Reading comics with a critical eye helps develop an appreciation for art and different artistic styles.

14. Issues and misconceptions with Graphic Novels • Where to place them in the library? • Put all together? Some libraries choose to give a distinct call number such as GN. • Another option is to catalog graphic novels under the 741.5 Dewey Decimal number alongside comic books. • (Maus vs. Superman) • Quality literature? • Are comics just funnybooks? • They take no time to read • Comics leave nothing to the imagination • The drawings are weird • Which to read first: words or pictures?

15. Superhero Authors of the Graphic Novel • Art Spiegelman • Will Eisner • Jaime and Gilbert Hernandez

16. Teaching with Graphic Novels • Incorporate graphic biographies, classics, and history books alongside text editions and audio editions for differentiated learning. • “Maus” can be used to supplement teaching about the holocaust. • Can explain difficult concepts/terms in a way that many students understand.

17. Teaching Resources • Information Goddess • http://www.informationgoddess.ca/Comics&GraphicNovels/teachers&tls.htm • Laguardia Community College http://www.lagcc.cuny.edu/maus/default.htm

18. Things to consider when promoting Graphic Novels • Graphic novels and comic books are still controversial. • Many of the suggested web sites may be blocked by your districts’ internet filter! • Become familiar with your districts collection development policy and challenged book policy. • Become an educated consumer and feel confident about your selections!

19. How Graphic Novels can be selected • Ask your students for suggestions. • Visit libraries, bookstores, and comic shops. • Visit publisher and review sites on the internet. (DC, Marvel, Pantheon) • Read reviews in professional journals.

20. Selecting age appropriate manga • Look for the age rating system icons on the back of the book. Remember that these are only guidelines. • Preview the book. What is culturally acceptable in Asia may not be in the U.S. • Be aware that the age rating may increase as the series progresses. Ex. “Rave Master” • Sample of a rating icon • from a TokyoPop book.

21. Resources to explore • Comics Scholarship Annotated Bibliographies www.ComicsResearch.org • Grand Comic Book Database http://www.comics.org/ • Comic Book Database http://www.cbdb.com/ • Recommended Graphic Novels for Public Libraries http://my.voyager.net/~sraiteri/graphicnovels.htm • No Flying No Tights http://www.noflyingnotights.com/ • ALA: Comic Books and Graphic Novels http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlpubs/crlnews/backissues2005/february05/comicbooks.htm • Comic Books For Young Adults: A Guide for Librarians http://ublib.buffalo.edu/lml/comics/pages/