The Graphic Classroom

graphicclassroom.blogspot.com

Chris Wilson, founder and editor of the blog “The Graphic Classroom” is a man on a mission. “I want to be the comic literature site for teachers, librarians, administrators, and even parents–that place where they come to research and locate high-quality comics for their classroom, library, school, or children,” he wrote by email. “The Best Comics for Your Classroom” section lists selected graphic titles recommended by grade level, from elementary to high school. Full reviews, written by Wilson and a volunteer staff of educators, one a librarian, include a list of topics addressed in the work, separate appraisals of the story and the art, and suggestions for use with students. A practical section offers nine tips for handling comics, from physical storage, “bagging and boarding,” to a caution to “not restrict titles based on reading levels.”

Wilson, a former journalist now writing his graduate thesis on comics in education, says there’s plenty of research to support the positive impact of graphic literature on kids. In his own student teaching, he says, “Two parents say how my use of comics has changed their sons perspective on reading. Both are now very interested in reading.”