Graphic Novels

Readers are drawn to GN’s, which are books in comic format, but a novel length.  They are more complex than comic books or picture books and are enjoyed by all different readers, not just struggling readers, although ELL students will be helped by the pictures going along with the words.  Graphic novels have their own way to be read.  Dialog balloons are read left to right or top to bottom as they move through the panes. 

I think using books such as graphic novels has been useful in getting some of my ELL students and kids who don't normally like to read into reading by using some of the graphic novels as springboards into other novels like them.