Graphic Novels…

have a place in the English Classroom.  When focusing on key literacy skills it doesn’t matter what sort of text students engage with.  Few teachers refuse to teach short stories because they’re “not real books” and yet that stigma exists when it comes to graphic novels.

While graphic novels can help struggling readers, by offering visual cues to help decode the text, they are also excellent texts to engage the most avid of readers.

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American Vampire

By: Scott Snyder

Set in the twenties, American Vampire tells a story of a young woman looking to make a name for herself in Hollywood.  Victimized by a system that empowers male producers and directors, she is empowered to fight back after transforming into a new breed of vampire.

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Bone

By:  Jeff Smith

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Mouse Guard

By: David Peterson

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Paper Girls

By: Brian K Vaughan

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The Flintstones

By: Mark Russell

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Scott Pilgrim

By: Bryan Lee O’Malley

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American Born Chinese

By: Gene Luen Yang

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Anya’s Ghost

By: Vera Brosgol

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In Real Life

By: Cory Doctorow

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Add your own graphic novel suggestions, and tips for using graphic novels in the classroom, in the comments below.