Graphic Novels – The Next Big Thing? – MSc Publishing – Industry Accredited Postgraduate Degree

The Bookseller Children’s Conference 2023 shone light on the growing market for graphic novels. Jaclyn Swope’s insights into the International Children’s Book Market by Nielsen BookScan 2023 revealed that graphic novels are seeing an increase in sales across the world. They have also been experiencing an upsurge among fiction locally.

Illustration by Aimée de Jongh for Faber’s Lord of the Flies graphic novel adaptation

You might be wondering what a graphic novel is in the first place? Well, even graphic novel expert Kathryn Strong Hansen explains that while a graphic novel is generally ‘a sequence of images, often (but not always) accompanied by text that tells a story or provides information,’ their definition remains quite vague. So, even your faint idea of a graphic novel is likely correct. For her, this vagueness actually helps graphic novels achieve versatility and appeal since ‘[the] boundlessness of the category of graphic novel hints at its almost limitless possibilities.’ This form of versatility was also stressed at the conference, where World Book Day Illustrator Vivian Truong emphasised that graphic novels are continually produced for distinct ages and interests. This means there is likely already a graphic novel out there for you!

Another aspect of graphic novels that appeals to a growing range of readers is their accessibility. Truong pointed out her experience of reading conventional fiction that is written in thick slabs on pages as laborious in the face of her ADHD. Doubtlessly, this is a barrier for reading that many neurodivergent individuals will face. The mental stimulation provided by graphic novels, however, acted as ‘a bridge’ – Truong disclosed – between her being a reluctant reader and an active reader. This could be the reason for graphic novels becoming so popular; they cater to an audience that the conventional fiction market may be deterring. Also, you certainly do not need to be neurodivergent to read one – these are simply books that are easier to digest for anyone who wants to read content a little quicker, and provides more satisfaction to the eye!

Believe it or not, they are also just as enriching as your conventional book!

^{_{Cover illustration for Hamlet graphic novel adaptation by Alessandro Valdrighi and Edu Rubio}}

If you are not used to this format of reading, you might be reluctant to pick one up. However, the benefits might persuade you. Truong observes that graphic novels encourage creativity. She also emphasises that being open to this form of reading can open our minds to exploring more book models that could help overcome other reading barriers. Maureen Mooney, a proponent of graphic novels as educational resources, reiterates a point Truong and Hansen make – that graphic novels teach us all the same fundamental reading principles as other books do, such as research and writing skills. Mooney even adds that this format enhances the development of critical thinking. Gretchen Schwarz, an education and graphic novel expert, advocates for the use of graphic novels in schools. She highlights that the synthesis of images and text are necessary to maintaining children’s reading interests in the modern day as, for ‘students who no longer deal with pure word texts in their daily lives, multiple literacies are a necessity.’ Hansen points out the particular benefit for foreign language acquisition by explaining that graphic novels ‘can aid low-level and nonnative English-speaking readers through the twinning of words with images.’ And these are only a fraction of the benefits that can be found; it seems a shame to deny yourself such enrichment.

Why don’t you pop over to your local bookseller and give yourself a taste of this growing craze? If you are a teacher, maybe introduce a few to your classroom. And, publishers, you will certainly benefit from introducing graphic novels to your lists.

_{^{Anna Mill’s illustration for graphic novel Square Eyes}}

Bibliography

Hansen, K S. In Defense of Graphic Novels. The English Journal. 102 (2) November, pp. 57-63. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/23365398

Mooney, M. 2002. Graphic Novels: How They Can Work in Libraries. The Book Report, 21 (3), p. 18.

Nielsen BookData. 2023. Making sense of 2022. [online] Available at: https://nielsenbook.co.uk/making-sense-of-2022/

Schwarz, G. 2006. Expanding Literacies through Graphic Novels. The English Journal. 95 (6), July, pp. 58-64. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/30046629

Swope, J. 2023. The Bookseller Children’s Conference. The international children’s book market in 2023. [conference]. Online.

Truong, V. 2023. The Bookseller Children’s Conference. Read your way: Children’s choice at the heart of World Book Day. [conference]. Online.