Getting Graphic: Why Graphic Novels Belong in Schools Today

Final draft summary of the article, "Bringing Graphic Novels into a School’s Curriculum”, by Katherine T. Bucher and M. Lee Manning

When it comes to books, today’s generation of middle school and high school students are looking for something different from what is normally read in schools. In their article, “Bringing Graphic Novels into a School’s Curriculum”, Katherine T. Bucher and M. Lee Manning (2004) argue that in today’s visual culture, young adults, who were raised around visual media, are developing an interest for graphic novels because of the genre’s emphasis on images rather than words (p. 67). They also argue that schools should embrace this new enthusiasm for the genre by introducing it into libraries and school curriculum.

To understand why graphic novels have become an important literary genre, it’s important to look at what is meant by the term “graphic novel”. Structurally, graphic novels, according to the authors, share the same format as comic books, but their storylines are longer and more complex, usually told in 64 to 179 pages (p. 67). Since the visual images are just as important as the words in the story, readers are not only asked to decipher the words, as they do with print novels, but to “identify events between the visual sequences” (qtd. in Bucher & Manning p. 67). In the end, this new popular genre of literature is not as simplistic as it may seem, since it asks the reader to cognitively work through two processes. Tabitha Simmons argues that

[g]raphic novel readers have learned to understand print, but can also decode facial and body expressions, the symbolic meanings of certain images and postures, metaphors and similes, and other social and literary nuances teenagers are mastering as they move from childhood to mat.urity [sic] (qtd. in Bucher & Manning p. 68).

Not only is there an underlying complexity when it comes to reading graphic novels, but today this genre has expanded to include more variety. All graphic novels stay the same in structure, but the content can be quite different, with many of them being by-products of other genres like biography, autobiography, fiction, nonfiction (p. 68). Many educators argue that graphic novels provide an excellent opportunity for students to understand how words and images can work together to create a different way of telling a story. Some teachers believe that using graphic novels can facilitate the teaching of literary elements. Others still will argue that graphic novels can help students develop stronger literacy skills that could encourage them to read stories with more writing in them.

Choosing good examples of graphic novels with good visuals and strong dialogue will give students a good representation of the best that this particular genre can offer. When examining potential graphic texts, teachers and librarians are advised to “examine the genre, target audience, quality, and artistic merit as well as the reputation and style of the author and illustrator….” (p. 69). Furthermore, teachers and librarians have many resources at their disposal, such as local bookstores or specialized bookshops, which can help them up stay up to date with the latest published graphic novels. It’s important that when selecting appropriate graphic novels for middle and high school students, teachers and librarians choose texts that are devoid of inappropriate content, language, sexual and cultural stereotypes (p. 71). There are also many ways that a teacher can introduce graphic novels into the school curriculum. Aside from using them in English class, teachers can also integrate them into other academic subjects like social science and science, as a way of helping students develop a visual understanding of the content material.

In the end, graphic novels belong in schools and across the curriculum, because they not only appeal to today’s generation of visual students, but they also offer them the opportunity to understand difficult and abstract concepts in more visual and concretized way.

In response, I would like to state that I agree entirely with the authors of this article. Having taught in schools for three years, I can say without reservation, that many students gravitate towards visual literacy, piling up comic books inside their desks, or hiding Japanese Manga inside their jackets before going out for recess. Although this wasn’t mentioned in the article, I also think that using graphic novels in schools would be especially beneficial in second language classrooms, where beginner students need visual cues to help them understand. On a more personal note, I am a big fan of graphic novels and have been impressed with the visual and literary quality of them. The interplay between words and images is quite interesting, and would be greatly appreciated by students. Educators need to reevaluate what “literacy” means in the 21st century and perhaps be more open to exploring multimodal literacies.


Work Cited

Bucher, Katherine T., & Manning, M. Lee. (2004). Bringing graphic novels into a school’s curriculum. Clearing House, 78 (2), 67- 72.




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Rough draft: Getting Graphic: Why Graphic Novels Belong in Schools Today

Summary of the article, "Bringing Graphic Novels into a School’s Curriculum”, by Katherine T. Bucher and M. Lee Manning

When it comes to books, today’s generation of middle school and high school students are looking for something different from what is normally read in schools. In their article, “Bringing Graphic Novels into a School’s Curriculum”, Katherine T. Bucher and M. Lee Manning (2004) argue that in today’s visual culture, young adults, who were raised around visual media, are developing an interest for graphic novels because of the genre’s emphasis on images rather than words (p. 67). They also argue that schools should embrace this new enthusiasm for the genre by from introducing it into libraries and school curriculum.
To understand why graphic novels have become an important literary genre, it’s important to look at what is meant by the term “graphic novel”.
Structurally, graphic novels, according to the authors, share the same format as comic books, but their storylines are longer and more complex, usually told in 64 to 179 pages (p. 67). Since the visual images are just as important as the words in the story, readers are not only asked to decipher the words, as they do with print novels, but to “identify events between the visual sequences” (qtd. in Bucher & Manning p. 67). In the end, this new popular genre of literature is not as simplistic as it may seem, since it asks the reader to cognitively work through two processes. Tabitha Simmons argues that
[g]raphic novel readers have learned to understand print, but can also decode facial and body expressions, the symbolic meanings of certain images and postures, metaphors and similes, and other social and literary nuances teenagers are mastering as they move from childhood to mat.urity [sic]. (qtd. in Bucher & Manning p. 68).

Not only is there an underlying complexity when it comes to reading graphic novels, but today this genre has expanded to include more variety. All graphic novels stay the same in structure, but the content can be quite different, with many of them being by-products of other genres like biography, autobiography, fiction, nonfiction (p. 68). Many educators argue that graphic novels provide an excellent opportunity for students to understand how words and images can work together to create a different way of telling a story. Some teachers believe that using graphic novels can facilitate the teaching of literary elements. Others still will argue that graphic novels can help students develop stronger literacy skills that could encourage them to read stories with more writing in them.
Choosing good examples of graphic novels with good visuals and strong dialogue will give students a good representation of the best that this particular genre can offer. When examining potential graphic texts, teachers and librarians are advised to “examine the genre, target audience, quality, and artistic merit as well as the reputation and style of the author and illustrator….” (p. 69). Furthermore, teachers and librarians have many resources at their disposal, such as local bookstores or specialized bookshops, which can help them up stay up to date with the latest published graphic novels. It’s important that when selecting appropriate graphic novels for middle and high school students, teachers and librarians choose texts that are devoid of inappropriate content, language, sexual and cultural stereotypes (71). There are also many ways that a teacher can introduce graphic novels into the school curriculum. Aside from using them in English class, teachers can also integrate them into other academic subjects like social science and science, as a way of helping students develop a visual understanding of the content material.
In the end, graphic novels belong in schools and across the curriculum, because they not only appeal to today’s generation of visual students, but they also offer them the opportunity to understand difficult and abstract concepts in more visual and concretized way.

In response, I would like to state that I agree entirely with the authors of this article. Having taught in schools for three years, I can say without reservation, that many students gravitate towards visual literacy, piling up comic books inside their desks, or hiding Japanese Manga inside their jackets before going out for recess. Although this wasn’t mentioned in the article, I also think that using graphic novels in schools would be especially beneficial in second language classrooms, where beginner students need visual cues to help them understand. On a more personal note, I am a big fan of graphic novels and have been impressed with the visual and literary quality of them. The interplay between words and images is quite interesting, and would be greatly appreciated by students. Educators need to reevaluate what “literacy” means in the 21st century and perhaps be more open to exploring multimodal literacies.


Work Cited

Bucher, Katherine T., & Manning, M. Lee. (2004). Bringing graphic novels into a school’s curriculum. Clearing House, 78 (2), 67- 72.