After 17 years of working in school libraries on three continents, in which the majority of the users are second language speakers, I know that the more difficult reading is, the less likely a student is to consider it a pleasure.
I also know that making reading enjoyable is one of the greatest gifts that we can bestow upon young people. But this can’t be done by force or by making reading into a chore or an obligation. With readers who are reluctant for any reason, the best approach is often to make it feel effortless, to slip the words in so subtly that they almost go unnoticed.
Graphic novels are perfect for this. They’re fun, they’re dynamic and they enrich a story and make it easier to understand by representing it visually. The artform has been somewhat underappreciated in its long past, but it has recently experienced a resurgence in popularity, with a whole swathe of exciting new examples of the genre.
Accessible graphic reboots are bringing new readers to Shakespeare’s plays, classics like Anne of Green Gables and and favourites like the Alex Rider series. It’s also interesting to note how frequently graphic novels tend to be deeply personal memoirs, as is the case with half of those suggested here.
Work Book Day: Graphic novels for school libraries
All of these recommendations are appropriate for students from about Year 5 and upwards, except for the last, which is more suitable for Year 9 or above (as it’s never too late to reel in a newly enthused reader).
After damaging her teeth in an accident, our protagonist finds herself on a difficult journey that involves painful and humiliating orthodontia as she navigates her teen years. Telgemeier has penned a whole series of graphic novels and has also adapted the classic Baby-Sitters’ Club (now a Netflix series). Her books are charming, sensitive, relatable and enjoyed by girls and boys alike.
Irreverent and funny, the Dog Man series takes the formula that Pilkey successfully honed in the Captain Underpants series and turns it into a tale of a half-man-half-dog who has a lot to teach the reader about persistence and the importance of being your authentic self.
Trying to fit in at a new school with a huge external hearing aid strapped to her chest, Cece discovers a new superpower: she can hear her teacher anywhere she goes in the building. The novel features an honest and perceptive protagonist, whimsical illustration and deep themes of friendship and family.
When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson, Omar Mohamed and Iman Geddy
Derived from the real-life experiences of the Somalian co-author, this moving story, set In a Kenyan refugee camp, involves two brothers fighting boredom, hunger and fear in a heartbreaking yet hopeful tale of family and home.
Sheets by Brenna Thummler
A haunted launderette, a girl with heavy responsibilities and a discontented ghost are beautifully rendered and given heart in this story about loneliness and an unlikely friendship.
Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks
They’re about to finish high school, and they plan to have their final adventure before they part ways forever, at the world’s finest pumpkin patch. A quirky, funny and sweetly romantic story for young adults about leaving with no regrets.
Kate Ling is an author and librarian at an international secondary school in Spain
