Comic books can be a format that feels less daunting for children who might otherwise struggle with picking up a book or not enjoy reading at all. They are a great way of encouraging children who are less enthusiastic readers, to grow a love of reading.
Why are comic books a good format for children who are reluctant readers?
Comics are often filled with exciting plots, beautiful pictures which they can spend time examining and unpacking, as well as lots of fun and dynamic language.
Comics are easy to flick through, turning the pages back and forth to gain an understanding of the story without having to spend ages unpacking sentences or narrative structures. This makes them more accessible to reluctant readers than other books.
It can be daunting for children and adults alike to be faced with page after page of unbroken text. Images can help children read and understand ideas that they might otherwise find tricky. The pace of reading a comic book rather than the slower pace of wading through lengthy text can also boost a child's confidence and encourage them to engage with a story rather than become over faced by a wall of impenetrable text.
We also think that reading comic books is a lot of fun!
To highlight the power of comics we've put together a list of suggested comics and tips to make the most of your child's passion. See if any of these comics or activities help your child grow a love of reading and stories.
Top tips for reading comic books
We’ve put together some of our top tips to get your child interested in comics:
- Explore different types of comic books – There are so many comics out there that you can find titles to interest every child. Our comics book list has lots of different suggestions for children of different ages and covers lots of topics.
- Discover magazines – There are lots of fun magazines that exist and are easy to get a hold of, like The Beano and The Phoenix which can be a great introduction to the comic book style. Both magazines mentioned here are published weekly. Once your child has got to grips with the style of comics, they can explore the genre further. Other great titles include The Week Junior - a fun news magazine aimed at children aged 8 to 14 or National Geographic Kids which will excite any animal-lover or child who is passionate about the planet.
- Visit the library – Many libraries now have comics sections for you and your child to explore. You can ask your librarian for their favourites. Many bookshops also have great comic book sections too.
- Make your own comic strip – Making your own comic is a great way to boost writing and storytelling skills. We’ve created our own tool to help your child embrace their comic genius.
Judd Winick, the comic book artist and author of the Hilo series, shares his top tip for engaging children with comics:
“Find one book that your child will fall in love with. You'll be very surprised how a child who doesn't like reading will cling to a comic or a graphic novel. They finish reading it, and they'll read it over again and over again. It’s what's great about a lot of comics and graphic novels is that many of them are serialized. So if they like the first one, there's usually one that follows after that.”
