This article was adapted from a piece written by Derek De Vinney, English Education major and Curriculum Library employee, for the Spring 2009 EdLine Magazine.

The University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Libraries now include an increasing number of graphic novels and manga to meet the needs of teachers, according to Andrea Van Groll, head of the UWM Curriculum Library. The Curriculum Library serves education faculty, prospective and current teachers and others interested in classroom reading materials.

In the past 20 years the graphic novel has quickly become a revolutionary literary format, reshaping what educators see as legitimate and viable literary resources for their classrooms, says Van Groll. “Teachers, librarians and readers everywhere have been forced to redefine what they have traditionally considered ‘literature.’”

Graphic novels and manga (Japanese-style comic books/graphic novels) have found their place in middle schools and high schools due to their remarkable ability to connect with young readers, she says. For students who are growing up in an image-saturated world, this combination of text and illustration serves as a bridge to reading comprehension and invites the readers into a conversation in which they have access to more words.

Recently, graphic novels have also been used as a popular means to initiate reluctant readers into the world of literature and the practice of exploring it, notes Van Groll. Readers are not intimidated by a page full of text; rather, they are enticed by the pictures and encouraged to pick meaning out of the prose.

This literary form is at the peak of its popularity, with the making of Hollywood blockbuster adaptations of graphic novels such as Allen Moore’s “Watchmen” and “The Dark Knight,” based on the DC Comics character Batman. Public and school libraries can hardly keep graphic novels and manga on the shelves, according to what she and other librarians read in school and library publications, says Van Groll.

Revitalizing reading

Both recreational and academic reading among adolescents is effectively being revitalized. This trend runs much to the contrary of contemporary critics’ view that graphic novels are just about superheroes and do not provide anything with educational significance, she says.

These evolved “comic books” overcome this common misconception by offering material that embodies almost every genre imaginable. Here is a small selection of the graphic novels and manga titles currently available at the UWM Curriculum Library, according to Van Groll:

• “Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic,” by Alison Bechdel (memoir)
• “Maus,” by Art Spiegelman (historical)
• “Persepolis,” by Marjane Satrapi (autobiographical)
• “Che: A Graphic Biography,” by Spain Rodriguez (biographical)
• “9/11 Report : A Graphic Adaptation,” by Sid Jacobsen and Ernie Colón (graphic journalism)

Many classic (re)works that can be used to supplement the challenging literature in the classroom are also included in this list:

• “Shakespeare’s Macbeth,” by Adam Sexton
• “Midsummer Night’s Dream,” illustrated by Kate Brown
• “Beowulf,” adapted and illustrated by Gareth Hinds
• “Edgar Allan Poe,” edited by Tom Pomplun

Popular folklore has also been adapted:

• “Red Riding Hood: the graphic novel,” retold by Martin Powell; illustrated by Victor Rivas
• “Hansel and Gretel: the graphic novel,” retold by Donald Lemke; illustrated by Sean Dietrich
• “Rapunzel’s Revenge,” by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale; illustrated by Nathan Hale

There even are manga-style books that take on the role of the textbook, exploring subject areas in mathematics and science, says Van Groll:

• “Journey Into the Human Body, Vol. 1,” by Soo Oh; art by Seok Yoon
• “Math Game 1: Rescue ALice from the Evil Math King,” by Tori Jung; art by Haley Chung
• “Manga Guide to Statistics” (other titles include electricity, databases, calculus and physics)

“Educators everywhere will be seeing an increase not only in the sheer number of graphic novels published but also in the diversity of subject matter, genres and age accessibility,” Van Groll notes. “This innovative literary format can only continue to be legitimatized within the educational world and gain importance in students’ lives.”