You as a parent might be thinking "Oh no! Not comics!" Youth Services staff say YES! While we recommend comics to kids of all ages, today we're specifically focusing on kids who are beginning to read. Steph (AKA Preschool Liaison Librarian) and Cheryl (AKA kids comic expert) will break down why you need to start incorporating comics into your family reading time.
Why Comics?
Reading pictures is an important skill to develop. We call this visual literacy. This fancy term means using pictures to figure out text.
If you've been reading picture books with your child since birth, then you've already been working on this skill. Comics simply extend that learning.
When kids are beginning to learn to read they use pictures to figure out unfamiliar words.
Did you ever wonder what the difference between what a picture book and an early reader is (besides size)? The pictures in an early reader reinforce what the text is saying.
Comics are a step beyond that concept. Each panel will have kids making those text/image connections.
