Graphic Novels

     I attended a Reading Conference two or three years ago in Perry, Georgia. My fellow teacher friend (read: teaching soulmate) and I eagerly signed up to hear Donalyn Miller, Jeff Anderson, Harvey Daniels, and a host of other amazing speakers. At one point, and anyone who has attended one of these types of event can relate, our schedule left us with a gaping hole in which no one we wanted to hear speak was available. Not wanting to waste the opportunity, we signed up to attend a session on graphic novels. Ew. Graphic novels? Who teaches with comic books? Well, neither of us - that was certain and true, but we couldn't very well waste the time and money invested in this conference so away we went. The speaker (and this is horrifying to admit - but I cannot even remember his name - I am so sorry - I told you we weren't thrilled with the topic, right?) was AMAZING. He was energetic, he was funny, and he knew his stuff. He taught us how to read a graphic novel. Imagine that, teacher friends, explicit instruction. And it worked! He showed us how to draw in our most reluctant readers. He taught us how to hook our most off task and unfocused students. My friend and I left in awe of graphic novels and all they had to offer! We even had the perfect candidates picked out in our classroom. And then....  school/life/planning/teaching/families happened and we promptly forgot about graphic novels. Now I know you can relate to that as well.
     Fast forward to this current school year. I pride myself on inspiring my readers. I can usually choose a book for any student and eventually they will have the one they love. My current group is with me for a third and final year. I have had them since third grade and off to middle school they go next year. I am truly going to miss them. What I was NOT going to miss, however, was how out of love they had fallen with Reading! What happened? I had instilled such reading passion in them!! Hormones happened I think, but I digress....        As I sat a few weeks ago, literally staring at my computer screen despairingly  and trying to plan the Literature groups for my boys, I was struck with the thought: graphic novels. What the heck. I'd give it a shot. Off to Barnes and Noble I went. I was desperate, after all.

     Welcome to the Amulet series by Kazu Kibuishi. I bought two copies of Book 1 (at $13 each, I felt I should gamble small) and presented them to the group of two boys I wanted to read them. I, of course, read it the night before. Now - I cannot say I loved it. The story was good and had a great ending, but I was distracted by all of the beautiful artwork on the pages. And the layout left me wanting to clean off the pages and neatly line up all the pictures and put the words in some kind of order...I was not, however, my target audience.
     I will speed it up here and say: They LOVED them. No, love doesn't do it justice. They cannot get enough of them. I can't get them to put them down long enough to do anything else. S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Yes! These are my most, maybe the most ever, reluctant readers!! And you should here the discussions! I was speechless and screaming with joy all at the same time. Here are some shots of the crew devouring them.

**Saw this chair strategy on Pinterest. Even my gigantic 5th graders love to read this way.** 

     Inspired my success, we branched out. We read Sticky Burr and of course Mo Willems for my younger (and even some of the older) ones. 

     So friends, you have got to check these out! I promise to find that wonderful, inspirational man from the conference and send him a heartfelt thanks. Sometimes, you just need the spark to re-energize your readers. Thankfully this one worked, and I have the waiting list for these books (of which I have now purchased all) to prove it! Admittedly, I started with the boys. My girls were reading (and crying over the ending of) Stone Fox. Now, however they ALL want them. And seriously... the discussions. S.U.C.C.E.S.S!!!!! As my one most reluctant reader said: "Mrs. Beck - these books just grab you." WOW.
     *Disclaimer from me: Be careful about your choices of graphic novel. I find mine in the children's literature section. There are tons and tons and tons based on Marvel comics, Japanese style writing, superheroes, The Last of the Mohicans, even the Twilight series is done in graphic novel form in the adult graphic novel section. In a word: Inappropriate. The art, the themes, the violence, the topics.... be careful. That surprised me greatly. I feel sure they can handle them in middle school and beyond, but not yet.
Happy Reading!
Mrs. Beck