Previous by Date | Next by Date | Date Index
Previous by Thread | Next by Thread
| Thread Index
| LM_NET
Archive
| |
Thank you all for being patient this week as I have tried to compile all the responses I have received about my questions with graphic novels. I am still not all that certain about them but I have am reading a series now, titled Mai, the psychic girl. I am reading the second book in the series now. I have to admit I need to pay closer attention to the pictures but this series has me intrigued. I also have a couple of the other recommended titles that I will read. Thank you all for your help with graphic novels. On Friday I did check my school library and there aren't any graphic novels in the library. I will recommend the purchase of graphic novels. Nancy Goodrich, Teacher Taylor MS Warrenton,VA Butterflymoon20022002@yahoo.com or ngoodrich@fcps1.org Yes! Look at Jim Ottaviani's "Two fisted science" series. It's (I think) high school level. --Anne ________ At the last AASL conference, I attended a session about Graphic Novels and Reading. Preliminary research was presented by a librarian who was collaborating with special ed teachers. They used GNs to entice the spec. ed students to read. They were given free choice and then were asked later in the year to respond to questions about reading and GNs. The sampling was too small, and there were other issues that made the actual statistics not relevant. But several students said that when they read, they could not see pictures of what was going in their heads. The illustrations in GNs let them see the action going on. One student just didn't like them at all. I apologize if my memory wasn't the greatest concerning this presentation. At my own school, I now have 300 GNs, about half manga and the rest superheroes and real graphic novels. I also circulate our manga magazines, Shonen Jump and Shojo Beat. It has really boosted my circ stats! My student aides who are true readers and I were talking about GNs the other day. They didn't like them. They wanted real books. They found the pictures distracting. BUT, I also have my hard core GN readers who wouldn't read anything else. Lee D. Gordon Librarian Sierra Vista High School 8100 W. Robindale Rd. Las Vegas, NV 89113 _____ This topic came up before, I'm not sure whether it was this listserv or another. This was my response then: I have a small collection of graphic novels, mostly ordered 2 yrs. ago. I have mixed feelings about them so forgive me if I sound ambiguous. I had a small group of students who were interested in them at the time that I ordered them - I quickly found out that a graphic novel isn't just a graphic novel. There are those who are interested in anime and so they gravitate toward the Japanese series. Others like the more "American" series - both groups seem to turn their noses up at the other group. I think that the graphic novels are a legitimate genre and will sometimes attract a student who otherwise might not be interested in reading. There are some excellent readers who also love this genre for very sophisticated reasons. While some students, especially boys, will be attracted to these books because they are "comic books," most titles are more sophisticated than that and do require attention to story line and more reading than you'd think. On the down side, these books are expensive and most are soft cover. They are very difficult to review for content, and content that would be acceptable as print in a high school setting somehow becomes more disturbing because of the pictures.For instance, I have one that I never did put on the shelves that has a picture of a murdered naked woman. While it isn't a terribly graphic or detailed picture, there is something more shocking about it because it is a picture, and I can see that if a child took that book home I may have a problem I don't need if a parent objects to it. I always read professional reviews of any book I purchase but somehow these reviews didn't help me as much in making choices of graphic novels. I would add that I read Classics Illustrated voraciously as a child. They were comic book versions of classics, such as A Tale of Two Cities. They were probably a disaster as a literary form, but I loved them and because I read them I went on to read the complete novels when I was older. Of course, I was always a reader - GNs now may lead to more reading in general once students branch out, or more acceptance of books as a form of recreation. I still have my GN display in the back, but I know for a fact that not one student has checked one out this year. I don't think last year either...poor readers, mostly boys, are attracted to them initially but once they pick them up and figure out that they aren't as simple as they seem, they put them back down. Just some of my thoughts on this topic - Lyn Grund, Librarian Middlesex High School Middlesex, NJ lcgrund@gmail.com _________ We've started buying GNs and can't keep them on the shelf. Who's reading them? Many, many of our Upper School student who otherwise wouldn't be reading for pleasure at all - there are too many other constraints on their time and pressures to get good grades/get into the "right" college. We do vet for excessive violence, but otherwise my feeling is if it gets/keeps them reading, they're valuable. I even have several girls recommending series to me for future purchase! Laura Pearle Head Librarian Kaskel Library Hackley School _______ Just a couple of thoughts on your posting. Your question about kids with ADD - my daughter has ADD in a huge way and absolutely inhales GNs. She can read them much faster than I can. In fact, I think that they appeal to her because there is so much going on on a page. She has a hard time focusing on one thing at a time so a very busy page is good for her. Another thing to consider in regards to GNs is that the literacy required for reading them is slightly different that it is for a novel. There is a much higher level of visual literacy needed. My own theory is that kids develop visual literacy to a higher level and more quickly than we did because of their access to computers. So, just because there are fewer words on a page, doesn't mean that they are not being challenged in terms of literacy. Diane Gallagher-Hayashi Teacher-Librarian Stelly's School School District 63 (Saanich) Canada ________ My teenage son didn't want to read books during middle school. He did enjoy graphic novels. It made my husband crazy, but I kept stressing that our son was in fact reading. He had a group of friends in school who all read Manga. They were also strong readers. (Interestingly, one of the students just won a young filmmakers award for a short.) In high school my son set aside graphic novels for traditional books. (Thank you Darren Shan for Cirque du Freak.) He has been reading non-stop since. He read the Iliad for pleasure and plans to get the new translation of the Aeneid. Bene e Pace (Blessings and Peace), Paula Laurita ________ I think that graphic novels appeal to a special type of reader. I have some (what I would call quality) graphic novels but the kids check out the few Japanese Manga series much more. I don't encourage them but I have them for those who want them. Brenda Suttor Media Specialist Muskegon High School Muskegon, Michigan bsuttor@mpsk12.net ________ the end, Nancy G --------------------------------- Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Please note: All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law. You can prevent most e-mail filters from deleting LM_NET postings by adding LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU to your e-mail address book. To change your LM_NET status, e-mail to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL 3) SET LM_NET MAIL 4) SET LM_NET DIGEST * Allow for confirmation. * LM_NET Help & Information: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ * LM_NET Archive: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/ * EL-Announce with LM_NET Select: http://elann.biglist.com/sub/ * LM_NET Supporters: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ven.html --------------------------------------------------------------------