Question for elementary school teachers

[RandySF]

Would you consider conic books to be acceptable material for a 5th grader who otherwise does not enjoy reading?

[drray23]

1. i am not an elementary school teacher

but why would it be a problem ? Anything than can be done to get the kids hooked up on reading is a good thing.
You can actually find comics that are designed to educate as well, not just marvel. For example, there are a lot made to describe historic events that are good.

[DawgHouse]

2. I am not a teacher but I am a parent.

When my eldest son was in second grade, he was obsessed with spiderman and he would spend hours reading comic books. Teacher said it was fine as long as he was reading and enjoying it.

[cyberswede]

3. I'm not a teacher, either, but I think anything that gets a kid reading is a plus.

My kid, now 15, was a voracious reader as a young kid. He read all kinds of stuff, including comic books.

He loved the "Bone" series when he was in about 5th grade.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bone_(comics)

Here's a brief excerpt of the Wikipedia article on the reception of the series:

Bob's Comics Review described the work as "Tolkienesque" in its compulsive progression from a simple comic tale to a sprawling epic. Although critical of the earlier issues, the writer came to enjoy the range of writing "from slapstick (the cow race is a classic), to the scary yet hilarious rat creatures, to intimations of high fantasy." Smith's sense of timing was praised as well as the creator's use of the silent panel and "repeated scene with variations of movement or perspective."[44]

In 2004, TIME critic Andrew Arnold called Bone "the best all-ages graphic novel yet published."[45]

[JanMichael]

8. My wife agrees with "Bone"

great series- the boys love those. If he is really reluctant, I would go with those, James Patterson's, and then move into some of the really cool Max Axiom's like the one where he goes through the digestive system.

[Brickbat]

4. Acceptable for what? Reading? Absolutely.

Learning about narrative arcs, heroes, fatal flaws, pacing, archetypes, etc.? Certainly, with the right teaching. Learning about art? That too. History, science, even math? Can be done, with the right books.

[Freddie]

5. Mom was an elementary teacher

Kids should read. Anything. It's all good.
When I was 5 my older cousin gave me a box of Mad magazines and I got tired of looking at the pictures and begged Mom to teach me to read. At the time it was not fashionable for kids to learn to read before first grade. She made me wait a few months til I started first grade and then I figured it out pretty quick and have been a constant reader since. Thanks Cousin Dave!
She also thought (and I agree) that making kids keep reading logs or read a certain number of books makes them think of reading as a chore or something to do for school and therefore not fun.

[JanMichael]

6. Wife is a middle school librarian, she says

Yes- particularly graphic novels. Look for "Max Axiom," James Patterson, (Try "Maximum Ride&quot and any of the non-fictions. Also, boys that age LOVE the "I Survived" series.

Shoot me a PM if you want some other titles boys love-

[edhopper]

7. It has been my experience that

children who read comics become lifelong readers of books.

[Raissa]

9. I write and edit comics.

I'd say anything that gets someone interested in reading is great! Comic books are written to a variety of audiences and cover a wide range of topics. There are many targeted at young children, others for mature audiences, and of course everything in between. Find the right age and genre fit and let the 5th grader enjoy!

Talk to comic shop employees about the age range if you are unsure. Many of the standard comics from Marvel and DC target older audiences, but employees should have no trouble pointing you to what you need, whether it is a book currently being printed in a monthly format or a collected graphic novel.

[Brickbat]

10. Also, change the language in the way you talk about this kid.

This fifth grader enjoys reading certain kinds of books, as we all do.

[SheilaT]

11. Reading is reading.

Yeah, wouldn't it be great if the 5th grader were already reading Shakespeare and absolutely loving it. Or any of the other "classics".

The reality is even among avid readers there's a huge difference in what they like. My fabulous read is someone else's idea of total trash.

So absolutely encourage the comics, and if possible move on to graphic novels. Because I'm so old (67) I at first thought the graphic novels were just another form of comics, and boy, was I wrong. Yes, there are those pictures, but the complexity of many of them is right up there with any novel without pictures.

It would be wonderful if after a while this 5th grader will read lots and lots without too much encouragement. It's my opinion that a good way to head him or her in that direction is just to get the kid reading.

[bvf]

12. No question about it. Absolutely.

Literacy is never a bad thing, and good comics can also engender critical thinking skills.

[MurrayDelph]

13. I read comics in second grade in the early 60's

(and kept at it ). I was the only kid in my class who could spell "invulnerable."

When I taught elementary school in the late 70's, comics were definitely part of the classroom library.

As said before, anything that gets the kids to enjoy reading is a plus.

(The other side of the coin being that anything that takes away the joy of reading is a minus. I had an English teacher in 11th grade who specialized in the type of "literature" that he thought everyone should have read. When he singled me out and required Moby Dick, it almost drove the joy of reading out of me. Thank goodness for Asimov)