Are your kids reluctant readers? Or visual learners who enjoy books with lots of illustrations? Are they transitioning from early chapter books to longer novels?
Graphic novels are a great way to get kids excited about new reading levels! That’s why your Library offers a monthly book club for ages 8-12 dedicated specifically to graphic novels.
Our next meeting is Monday, June 26 at 6 p.m. in the Library’s Jones Meeting Room. Kids will learn about graphic novels, participate in drawing exercises, and can share recommendations with their fellow graphic novel enthusiasts!
Why Graphic Novels?
Children’s Librarian Jennifer Johnson focuses this book club on graphic novels because she sees them as a valuable tool for nurturing kids’ love of reading and helping them progress to new reading levels.
“Graphic novels are a natural bridge for readers transitioning from beginning readers and early chapter books into longer novels,” she explains. “They’re also less intimidating because they’re image-heavy. This is great for kids who prefer visual learning and highly illustrated texts.”
Graphic novels can also help build kids’ vocabulary and reading comprehension. Although they contain less text, much of the dialogue in graphic novels is highly sophisticated. “And,” Jennifer says, “children find the format so engaging that they’re more likely to challenge themselves with words they might struggle to read in a traditional novel.”
A Child-Directed Format
Graphic Novel Book Club is a different format than our other school age reading programs; it’s meant to be more open-ended and child-directed. Instead of hearing about or reading specific titles, the kids in Middle Grade Graphic Novel Book Club choose together what direction they want the club to go.
Jennifer says, “We talk about the kids’ favorites, make recommendations, and explore the graphic novel as a genre. From meeting to meeting we’ll look at the art, illustrations, comic styles, and other elements that are unique to the graphic novel format. And if the kids are interested, we may even create our own graphic novel from start to finish!”
Call (423) 434-4458 with questions about Middle Grade Graphic Novel Book Club on Monday, June 26.
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