One of the biggest crazes in middle-grade children’s literature is the graphic novel. These books are told in the artistic style of the comic book with sequential panels and speech bubbles rather than straight text, but they don’t necessarily tell light stories and rarely include super-heroes.
One story that children know well, but don’t always comprehend on a variety of levels, is the story of Helen Keller. In “Annie Sullivan and the Trials of Helen Keller,” the story is told through the eyes of Annie Sullivan and by utilizing the graphic novel format a young reader is able to get a better sense of what life might have been like for Helen before she had the ability to communicate. In this graphic novel, black panels from Helen’s perspective create a sense of confusion that slowly clears as she finally starts to comprehend sign language. Panels from earlier in the story suddenly make more sense and highlight how alone she must have felt.
In a completely different type of story, “El Deafo,” by Cece Bell, is a slightly autobiographical look at a young girl who loses her hearing due to a case of spinal meningitis. It takes readers on the arduous journey of learning to lip read and filter out excess noises. It also adeptly handles what it might be like for a child to deal with feeling different when, more than anything else in the world, she just wanted to be “normal” and fit in. It’s a powerful story about how to fit in regardless of the issues you face.
A perennial favorite in the world of graphic novels is “Smile,” by Raina Telgemeier. After a random accident when she was 12, Raina suffers from many rounds of dental surgery, implants, braces, and headgear to fix her teeth. The book focuses on her dental work as a way to also show how her experiences coupled with normal teen issues about appearance, crushes, and changing social expectations shaped her life. One important aspect of the story is understanding the value of good friends. Early on, some of Raina’s friends are unkind to her because of her teeth, but it eventually realizes that they aren’t good to her when she makes other friends who accept her. Young readers are often shocked when they reach the end and realize that the book is also an autobiography.
Graphic novels are available these days for a wide range of ages, covering topics from growing up to the fantasy, and even history. Check out your local library or book store for more titles. Happy reading!