Running Head: CAN GRAPHIC NOVELS SUPPORT LITERACY DEVELOPMENT?
Can Graphic Novel Collections in School Libraries
and Classrooms Support Literacy Development?
A Review of the Literature
Thomas Forrest
Clarion University of Pennsylvania
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CAN GRAPHIC NOVELS SUPPORT LITERACY DEVELOPMENT?
Abstract
Recent research involving youth literacy and how it relates to the reading habits of young
people suggests that there is a strong correlation between recreational reading and both
student achievement and the development of lifelong reading practices. At the same time,
some researchers maintain that the American education system’s focus on standardized
testing encourages pedagogical practices that make reading both difficult and unenjoyable
for many students. By offering variety and choice in reading options, reluctant and
struggling readers can find comfort in the practice of reading. To this end, graphic novels
and comic books offer a potential inroad to literacy for these young people, as they are
generally perceived to be less intimidating and time consuming than traditional texts.
Moreover, graphic novels can potentially connect with young readers in ways that
traditional texts cannot, as the current generation is one that is accustomed to processing
information through a variety of media simultaneously. Because of this, adding a robust
assortment of graphic novels to a school library’s collection can support young adult
literacy. Additionally, graphic novels can be used to support curriculum demands, as they
can be used to teach multiple literary devices. However, it is worth noting that there are
challenges, including teacher perception of the medium, which must be taken into account
when adding them to a collection or a classroom curriculum.
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CAN GRAPHIC NOVELS SUPPORT LITERACY DEVELOPMENT?
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Can Graphic Novel Collections in School Libraries
and Classrooms Support Literacy Development?
A Review of the Literature
The development of a literate population is one of the key goals of the American
education system. This is reflected in the Common Core State Standards’ (CCSS)
recommendations regarding both the complexity of texts that should be used at each grade
level and the analysis students should be able to demonstrate when interacting with these
texts (Hiebert & Grisham, 2012). At the same time, the demands of these standards pose a
significant challenge for many students, specifically those who traditionally present as
reluctant readers.
While direct instruction in literacy and reading is necessary for meeting these
standards, the development of frequent pleasure reading practices also presents a positive
impact on literacy and reading achievement (National Center for Educational Statistics,
2013). It is worth noting, however, that students’ tastes vary. Moreover, many young
people through the years have shown an interest in reading graphic novels. These texts,
though, have traditionally been viewed as inferior literature when compared with
traditional texts.
With the goal of establishing a connection between the inclusion of graphic novels in
school libraries and classrooms with improved literacy for all students, this paper will
examine both factors that may complicate young adult literacy development and strategies
for helping these reluctant readers. Following this, the paper will review literature relating
to how reading graphic novels can strengthen literacy development, thus making them a
strongly recommended addition to school library collection. Moreover, the potential
CAN GRAPHIC NOVELS SUPPORT LITERACY DEVELOPMENT?
4
curricular benefits of the use of graphic novels in the classroom will be examined. Potential
challenges and pitfalls relating to both the use of graphic novels and their addition to a
school library will also be discussed.
Developing Literacy for All
How Are Schools Hindering Literacy Development for Some?
As is the case with many competencies that are focal points in the American
education system, some children appear to be predisposed to be proficient readers while
others are not. In his book Readicide, which examines the practices of American schools
insofar as reading instruction, Gallagher (2009) contended that reader apathy and
reluctance is due, at least in part, to the school system, itself, and its focus on “teaching
reading through the lens of preparing students for state-mandated reading tests” (p. 7).
Gallagher goes on to ask, “Can we afford to graduate students who are so intensely geared
toward reading exams that they leave our schools never having had the opportunity to look
out of the other reading windows” (p. 29).
Gallagher’s criticism of the pedagogical practices of the American education system
focuses on the notion that reading instruction is focused on standardized testing as
opposed to real-world practice. This criticism is complemented by Heaney (2007), as she
noted that “the ultimate challenge is developing a population of literate people and finding
innovative ways to encourage lifelong reading for all individuals” (p. 72). While Gallagher
and Heaney seemed to agree that a goal of both the school library media center and the
education system as a whole should be to create a population that reads for pleasure, doing
so, especially for struggling readers, presents a challenge.
CAN GRAPHIC NOVELS SUPPORT LITERACY DEVELOPMENT?
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What Helps a Struggling Reader?
If standardized testing and other practices that are proliferated in schools are part
of the problem, prohibiting the creation of a population of readers, giving children choice
and variety can be a part of the solution. Gallagher (2009) maintained that the key for
developing literacy in all readers is giving them practice in real-world reading; this would
include reading multiple types of writing of various lengths for differing purposes,
including pleasure reading (p. 29).
This idea of pleasure reading having a positive effect on literacy is not unfounded.
Research suggests that recreational reading enhances student achievement on
standardized tests. A 2012 report released by the National Center for Education Statistics
showed the correlation between recreational reading and average standardized test scores
in 9, 13, and 17-year-olds (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2013). Figure 1
shows the results of this report for the 13-year-old population.
The benefits of recreational reading go even beyond the arena of school and help
young people develop a self-image as a reader. In his research involving literacy
engagement, Guthrie (2004) suggested that students who experience even modest success
in reading are able to parlay their accomplishments into an improved “sense of identity and
selfhood” (p. 6). Similarly, Chun (2009) believed that both variety in reading and student
engagement in stories were key to developing literacy (p. 152). This being the case, it is
not only important that young people have access to high-interest texts, but it is also vital
that they are encouraged to read them. Gallagher (2009) suggests that educators no longer
look at reading as something that is only limited to traditional novels (p. 84).
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CAN GRAPHIC NOVELS SUPPORT LITERACY DEVELOPMENT?
Never or hardly ever
A few times a year
Once or twice a month
Once or twice a week
Almost every day
235
240
245
250
255
260
265
270
275
280
Average Score
Figure 1. Average scores in National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
reading for 13-year-olds, by how often they read for fun on their own time: 2012. Adapted
from National Center for Education Statistics.
Graphic Novels as a Gateway to Improved Literacy
What are Comics and Graphic Novels?
Comic books and American education have had a tenuous relationship throughout
the years. Familiar to many is the image of a child hiding a comic book within a school text.
In his critical examination of the comic-book medium, McCloud (1993) acknowledges that
even he showed bias against comics when he was younger, having identified them as
“bright, colorful magazines filled with bad art, stupid stories, and guys in tights” (p. 2). As
he matured, however, McCloud realized that comics were not a genre, such as one that only
featured superheroes, but rather a medium (p. 6). This is supported by Hoover (2012), as
he also identified graphic novels and, in turn, comic books as a genre as opposed to a
medium (p. 176). Hoover believed that this distinction is crucial if educators are serious
CAN GRAPHIC NOVELS SUPPORT LITERACY DEVELOPMENT?
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about “unlocking [graphic novels’] full potential and opening up possibilities for integration
into educational efforts” (p. 176).
It is worth noting that what differentiates a graphic novel from a comic book is open
to some debate. Hoover (2012) notes that the two terms are generally used
interchangeably (p. 175). However, bias does exist even in the scholarly community, as
Nesmith, Cooper, and Schwarz (2011) identified graphic novels as the “longer and more
serious offspring of the comic book” (p. 1). While the language used by Nesmith et al.
seems to echo McCloud’s early prejudice against comics, it is true that graphic novels are
generally thought to be longer than comics and have a more novel-like binding. Goldsmith
(2010) noted that the term graphic novel can be confusing, as it covers a variety of genres
and also can be used to denote reprinted collections of comic book story arcs (p. 4). This
both supports the idea that graphic novels are a medium as a opposed to a genre and the
notion that the terms graphic novel and comic book are roughly synonymous.
How Might Graphic Novels Improve Literacy in Struggling Readers?
Snowball (2005) acknowledged that students who are identified as reluctant
readers will not readily read for pleasure (p. 43). As noted earlier, giving a student a
variety of options for pleasure reading is vital in creating a reading enthusiast. This being
the case, when working with a struggling reader, it is important that the options presented
break down some of the barriers that typically prohibit this reader from being more fluent.
Among these barriers is the issue of the time and patience that it takes to read a standard
novel. In a study of literacy practices displayed by students in a graphic novel reading club,
Sabeti (2013) noted that the amount time required to read a graphic novel was a factor for
student enjoyment, as one student said, “…with graphic novels you’ve got pictures there
CAN GRAPHIC NOVELS SUPPORT LITERACY DEVELOPMENT?
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and you can either build on that in your head or you can just keep it to that…spend as much
time as you like on that” (p. 840). This being the case, reluctant readers may find comfort
in the idea that they need not spend a sustained amount of time on a single page in order to
absorb its meaning.
Beyond the issue of time, it is also important to realize that the current generation of
students absorbs knowledge differently than those that preceded it. Gavigan (2014)
characterized the students as “multimedia learners” (Conceptual Framework section, para.
1). Therefore, graphic novels may provide a natural transition to improved literacy. This
was supported Dallacqua (2012), who, in her analysis of how they can be used to teach
literary devices, noted that graphic novels allow students to improve their skills relating to
visual literacy (p. 368). Likewise, in her contribution to Adolescent Literacy, Turning
Promise into Practice, Lesesne (2007) suggested that “current curriculum demands that
now include visual and/or media literacy…can be addressed with graphic novels and their
variants from other countries” (p. 67). Moreover, in addition to improved visual literacy,
the use of graphic novels can improve the way in which a student interacts with and
discusses a text (Lesesne, 2007).
Perhaps most importantly, since graphic novels are a medium as opposed to a genre,
they offer inroads to literacy regardless of a student’s tastes. In a study that was conducted
by Nesmith et al. (2011) that examined the use of graphic novels in elementary science and
mathematics classes, teachers acknowledged that graphic novels could “meet the needs of a
wide range of readers” and that “the writing style is student-like and [that] readers could
easily relate” (p. 6). Furthermore, Lesesne (2007) noted that graphic novels offer many of
the same benefits of traditional books, as they feature both “both series experiences with
CAN GRAPHIC NOVELS SUPPORT LITERACY DEVELOPMENT?
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flat characters and predictable plots as well as novel experiences with round characters
and textured plots” (p. 64). Therefore, even if a student is hesitant to read a traditional text,
a graphic novel can offer a similar, enriching experience that has the potential to be more
palatable to a reluctant reader.
Graphic Novels as a Significant Portion of a School Library Collection
As mentioned earlier, graphic novels have been subject to bias for years. Gavigan
(2014) notes that this bias still exists in some school libraries, where librarians are
reluctant to add them to their collections (Introduction section, para. 1). However, Bucher
and Manning (2004) contend that since “young adults should be encouraged to read what
interests them, graphic novels belong in every school library” (p. 67). Bucher and Manning
also maintain that those libraries that have included graphic novels in their collections find
that students frequently check out these texts (p. 68). This is supported by the work of
Gavigan (2014), whose study of six public middle school libraries in North and South
Carolina during the 2011-2012 school year found that the Relative Use Factor (RUF) of
circulation of the graphic novel collections in each of these libraries was more than 1.0
(Findings and Analysis section, para. 5).1 In fact, the RUF of these collections ranged from
1.13 to 5.3 in these schools, thus suggesting that the breadth of the collections did not meet
the demands of the respective student populations (Findings and Analysis section, para. 5).
1
Gavigan (2014) explains that RUF is obtained by dividing the percent of circulations of a
particular segment of the collection by the percent of holdings that this particular segment
represents; an RUF of anything greater than one suggests that the collection’s holdings are
not meeting the demands of the population (Findings and Analysis section, para. 5).
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In addition to the RUF findings, Gavigan (2014) noted that librarians who
participated in the study also reported that graphic novels seemed to be exceptionally
popular with ESL students and those with special needs (Characteristics of the Patrons
Using Graphic Novels section, para. 2). The statistics in this case affirm the demand for a
graphic novel collection in school libraries. Moreover, the anecdotal evidence also
supports the idea that graphic novels can offer scaffolding to readers who struggle with
traditional texts.
Another consideration for school librarians is the fact that a robust graphic novel
collection will improve the variety of genre offerings in the library. Included in these
genres are “superhero tales; realistic stories; science fiction and fantasy novels; future,
contemporary, and historical adventure stories, and manga (Japanese) tales as well as
humorous works, political satires, and adaptations of classics” (Bucher & Manning, 2004, p.
68). In addition to the variety that graphic novels can bring, Downey (2009) also suggested
that libraries should include graphic novels in their collections as a way to offer examples
of “modern art and graphic design” (p. 182).
Considerations and Challenges Involved in Adding Graphic Novels to a Collection
Perhaps one of the reasons for which some school librarians are hesitant to add
graphic novels to their collections is the question of legitimacy. In their study of the use of
graphic novels to teach elementary science and mathematics, Nesmith et al. (2011) noted
that teachers were at first reluctant to use them, asking if graphic novels qualified as “real
literature” (p. 6). Similar sentiments can also be found in the work of Griffith (2010), who
acknowledged that many teachers and librarians do not consider graphic novels to be such
(p. 182). However, the question of legitimacy as real literature can at least in part be laid
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to rest by the work of Spiegelman (1986), whose two-part graphic novel Maus recounted
both his father’s survival in the Holocaust and the author’s own subsequently strained
relationship with this father. In 1992, Maus “was awarded the Pulitzer Prize” (Chun, 2009,
p. 146).
Even if this settles the question of legitimacy, many school librarians may have
difficulty in setting criteria for selecting quality and age-appropriate graphic novels
(Griffith, 2010). This is likely because many librarians lack a familiarity with the medium
that would enable them to confidently gauge the quality and suitability of graphic novels
for their collections. This issue is even further complicated by the fact that the popularity
of the medium has led to a flood of graphic novels made for children; this being the case,
librarians must be stringent when selecting these titles and see to it that they are
appropriate for a given audience, well-written, and meaningful (Nesmith et al., 2011). In an
elementary school library, the screening of prospective additions is even more pressing, as
many graphic novels deal with mature themes and feature content that is not suitable for
younger readers (Bucher & Manning, 2004). Griffith suggested that librarians and
educators evaluate graphic novels on multiple criteria, including the presence of complex
characters, meaningful themes, relevant conflicts, and a clear plot structure (p. 184).
Use of Graphic Novels in Schools to Support Curriculum
While many school libraries are now including graphic novel collections, it is also
worth noting that these texts can also be used to support a school’s language arts
curriculum. For example, Sabeti (2013) noted that graphic novels could lead to a deep,
student-led discussion and analysis of a text (p. 846). Sabeti also noted that “any English
teacher would relish [this type of discussion] taking place in [his or her] classroom”
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(p. 846). Discussions of this sort are vital in a classroom, as students are often times more
engaged by discourse that is led by their peers.
In addition to analysis and discussion, graphic novels have also been used by some
educators as a way to teach various literary elements and devices. Bucher and Manning
(2004) noted that some educators are using graphic novels to teach dialogue (p. 68). This
is a ready connection, as the medium traditionally heavily relies on dialogue in the form of
speech bubbles to drive a narrative forward. Beyond dialogue, graphic novels can also be
used to teach complex devices such as symbolism. Chun (2009) noted that Maus is an
excellent example of a graphic novel that can be used to teach this device, as Spiegelman
depicted his father and other Jews as mice (p. 146). By using Maus, an educator can both
clearly and explicitly teach symbolism, a literary device rooted in images. Similarly, in a
study involving fifth grade students, Dallacqua (2012) successfully taught other literary
devices including mood, flashback, foreshadowing, and jargon (pp. 372-373). Dallacqua
was even able to parlay these successes with graphic novels into teaching the often
difficult-to-grasp concept of allusion while reading Bone (Smith, 2004) with her students
(p. 372). These concepts have the potential to be challenging for many readers; however,
graphic novels can ameliorate the difficulty in understanding them for some students.
Beyond teaching traditional concepts in a new way, graphic novels can also provide
a meaningful, albeit attainable, challenge for some students insofar as processing
information. Hoover (2012) believed that “because graphic novels rely on the synthesis of
textual and visual information to create meaning, their potential value is difficult to ignore”
(p. 177). Likewise, in The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Graphic Novels, Goldsmith (2010)
contended that graphic novels require readers to simultaneously process both textual and
CAN GRAPHIC NOVELS SUPPORT LITERACY DEVELOPMENT?
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image-based information in order to derive meaning (p. 3). Therefore, even though
reluctant readers can potentially be drawn to them, graphic novels can still offer a
challenge even for high-achieving students.
Potential Challenges for Curricular Use
In spite of the benefits that may accompany the inclusion of graphic novels in a
school’s curriculum, certain issues may make their integration problematic. While many of
these issues are similar to those that would be present in selecting graphic novels for a
library collection, the issue of teacher and student familiarity with the medium is rather
unique. Dallacqua (2012) maintained that teachers would likely be more successful in
using the graphic novel medium if they have a background in the format (p. 367).
Dallacqua also reported that students in a study involving the use of literary devices in
graphic novels acknowledged the fact that graphic novels can be complicated and
challenging for those who are not accustomed to reading them (p. 376). This being the case,
it would be useful for both students and teachers to acquaint themselves to the format
prior to utilizing it for curricular purposes. This could potentially be done through an
independent reading exploration or a similar activity.
Conclusion
Although student engagement in reading shows a strong relationship with increased
literacy and performance in class, developing engagement among reluctant readers can
prove to be difficult. Largely anecdotal research and theory suggests that graphic novels
could potentially reach these struggling readers, as graphic novels provide multiple modes
of communication (visual and textual), thereby providing accessibility to readers who show
CAN GRAPHIC NOVELS SUPPORT LITERACY DEVELOPMENT?
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an aversion to reading large blocks of text. Moreover, graphic novels offer appeal in that
they can take less time to read and offer a variety of genres.
While this may be true, acquainting reluctant readers with graphic novels can still
be difficult. The easiest inroad to this would likely be a robust collection of graphic novels
in a school library. This would call for a librarian who is willing to invest both budget to
the acquisition of a graphic novel collection and time in acquainting himself or herself with
the genre.
Beyond the library, graphic novels have also proven to be beneficial when used in a
school classroom, as they can teach various literary devices. While using these texts in
class, though, it would best be done sparingly, as a way of introducing concepts or
complementing other key literature. This is because negative opinions regarding the
medium still exist, even among educators and, potentially, a parent population.
Establishing a true cause and effect relationship between struggling readers and
improved literacy through graphic novels would be difficult because of the domino
causality of this relationship (struggling reader engages with comics; previously struggling
reader begins to enjoy reading, thus leading to improved performance in class). This being
the case, further studies would be necessary to establish this relationship. Potentially, this
could be accomplished with a group of low-performing students who would be open to the
possibility of reading graphic novels for pleasure.
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