Nonprofit Organization Promotes Kids Comic Books

Cartoonists Advocate Using Graphic Novels in Classrooms

May 21, 2009

Kids Love Comics, a nonprofit organization started by award-winning cartoonists, advocates the use of comic books and graphic novels in schools and libraries.

More and more, educator and librarians are learning comic books can encourage child literacy and enhance classroom activities. From teaching visual literacy to expanding vocabulary to helping students learn English (and other foreign languages), the opportunities comic books offer literacy education are vast – and largely untapped.

To help educators learn more about the comics medium, cartoonists Jimmy Gownley (Amelia Rules!) and Harold Buchholz (Apathy Kat) co-founded Kids Love Comics, a nonprofit advocacy group for comic books. With the help of other comic book creators, Kids Love Comics offers educators lists of good kids comic books as well as school events to teach teachers and kids about comics.

Suite 101 caught up with Jimmy Gownley via a May 19, 2009 email interview and learned more about Kids Love Comics, the value of comics in classrooms, and how everyone can participate in this nonprofit organization. The following is an edited version of the interview.

Gownley: We're a group that works to promote literacy through comics and graphic novels. We help educate parents, teachers, and librarians about the positive impact comics have on children and literacy, as well as get kids excited about the medium.

Using Comic Books in Literacy Education

Suite 101: Some teachers are using comic books in classroom activities to teach students visual literacy. How else can graphic novels be used as educational materials?

Gownley: When a child reads a graphic novel, they are able to read a full grade level above their peers, because of the visual cues. They are also an incredibly helpful tool for reluctant readers - kids who won't read anything else will read a comic book. Thus, comics are often a springboard to a life-long love of reading.

Interestingly, I have also been hearing from a number of parents and teachers of kids with autism. For some reason, some autistic kids respond very well to comics. It's interesting, and incredibly gratifying.

Suite 101: Can you share any stories about how comic books help literacy education?

Gownley: A librarian once told me a story about a kid who came to the library, against his will, every week, and she could never find anything for him. One day she saw him in the corner, completely engrossed in a book and she ran over to see what had finally gotten his attention.

He was sitting there with a stack of graphic novels and it was like a light went on for her - kids will read if they like what's put in front of them. That's why schools and libraries are so eager for titles that are appropriate for and appeal to kids.

Kids Love Comics

Suite 101: What kind of criteria does Kids Love Comics use to determine the best comic books for kids?

Gownley: Age appropriateness, clear storytelling, educational value, quality art, quality production values.

Suite 101: What are some of the graphic novels (aside from your own kids’ comic Amelia Rules! of course) do Kids Love Comics advocate as exceptional comic books that can help develop literacy skills?

Gownley: Amulet, Knights of the Lunch Table, Ed's Terrestrials, Owly, Mail Order Ninja, WJHC, Babysitters Club, Stinky, Otto's Orange Day, Elephant and Piggy, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Buzzboy, Banana Tail, Hamster Sam.

Suite 101: How can someone get involved in Kids Love Comics – or recommend a kid’s graphic novel to your list?

Gownley: They can email us via our website. We are really looking at ways to grow and expand. There have been some misconceptions that we're a 'closed' organization, but that isn't the case at all - we simply are working to figure out the best way to grow and include everyone that believes in what we believe in. So please feel free to contact us!

Want to arrange a school or library visit from Kids Love Comics? Contact Karen Gownley at karen@ameliarules.com.

The copyright of the article Nonprofit Organization Promotes Kids Comic Books in Graphic Novels/Comics is owned by Michael Jung. Permission to republish Nonprofit Organization Promotes Kids Comic Books in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.