Comic books. Yay or nay?

amother

Fri, Nov 03 2023, 2:24 pm

watergirl wrote:

Not just literary, experts, reading specialists (masters degree) agree that reading is reading. Even listening to audiobooks has a huge benefit.

OP, you are a reading tutor, what is your qualifications and education?

For sure listening to someone reading has benefits but nobody would say that a kid will learn to read by listening to an audio tape.

The course I took does encourage comic books but I was hesitant because of the general consensus in school systems and public view and I guess my own opinion.

amother

Puce

Fri, Nov 03 2023, 2:24 pm

amother OP wrote:

Also to get some books that are in between. They have some pictures but lots more text.

This is a great suggestion. Illustrations make a big difference in some children's openness to trying a book. Size and color of illustrations can matter.

#BestBubby

Fri, Nov 03 2023, 2:46 pm

watergirl wrote:

Reading is reading! Who cares if it is a classic style book or a graphic novel? For my kids and many others, graphic novels where the gateway to reading other things. From non-readers, two emerging readers, to hesitant readers, my kids are now all complete bookworms.

Just get them reading words.

Reading Tutor here.

Comic books are not like real reading.

Comic books are more visual than real books.

Comic books are more like "watching" than reading.

While sometimes Comic books are a gateway to real books,

More often Comic books are a road block to ever progressing to real books.

Rather than comics, get kids good interesting books that are easy reads, even if below grade level

THAT is the gateway to making reading progress.

amother

Fri, Nov 03 2023, 3:03 pm

#BestBubby wrote:

That's what I've been doing.

Do you mind backing up your opinion with something? I myself am torn. I can see both sides.

seeker

Fri, Nov 03 2023, 4:37 pm

I have not seen comic books prevent kids from progressing to regular books. Maybe I've just never had a big enough collection that they could entertain the kids indefinitely.

amother

Fri, Nov 03 2023, 5:11 pm

seeker wrote:

I have not seen comic books prevent kids from progressing to regular books. Maybe I've just never had a big enough collection that they could entertain the kids indefinitely.

I have though. I have been taking comics books and graphic novels from the library for my kid for many years and rarely does he read anything else. Only recently I have found a chapter book that he is really enjoying and has even asked me to buy more of the series. Otherwise he will sometimes read a few pages of a book I am in the middle of reading to him.

amother

Sat, Nov 04 2023, 7:20 pm

seeker wrote:

Was he a reluctant reader in the first place?

Yes, but as a reading tutor all my kids are reluctant readers.

I have come to the conclusion that I will do a combination of both. For some kids it can help them read more but I would want to expose them to all types of literature.

Sunny Days

Sat, Nov 04 2023, 7:39 pm

I feel the comic books take away the kids reading regular novels. My kids “eat” books, but rarely do they read novels and it bothers me a lot. They easily read through a couple of comic books in a very short time and then are BORED.
My kids know my policy, I will NOT buy any comic books, but they still manage to get hold of them all from neighbors and the library.

Even the magazines, they’ll skip through most of the content and just read the graphic serial. I stopped buying them as they’re so expensive and end up such a waste of money. I wish we can turn the clock back on this genre…

Also, back in the day the imagination of kids in my generation were way more advanced than kids now. Or so it seems, with them being spoon fed all the graphics instead of reading something and creating a picture in our mind of what the story setting was like.
I see it when the kids bring home compositions compiled by their classmates. So flat, no imagination… it’s a huge shame.

Edited typos

amother

Goldenrod

Sun, Nov 05 2023, 7:05 am

I disagree with reading is reading. Comic books cram a paragraph worth of verbal expression into a short phrase+image. The language is more limited and less challenging.

A strong reader will read everything, and won't be limited to comic books.

But a struggling reader will find it hard to take the leap to regular reading. That being said, better read comic books than nothing.

amother

Sun, Nov 05 2023, 8:33 am

amother Goldenrod wrote:

Is this your experience or your opinion? 😊