I saw a news headline saying the tide may be turning on the decline in children's reading. According to the National Literacy Trust, more children are reading books than last year and there are "green shoots" after a pretty worrying drop in reading.
Excellent news. Long may it continue, because a less literate society isn't good for anyone. But this got me thinking….
AIBU to think comics might be due some of the credit?
I've got 2 kids and they love comics as do their friends. The bookshop is a treat for them now and I'm happy to oblige (money is never wasted on a good book). They also read Harry Potter, MG Leonard and plenty of chapter books, but they’re definitely more enthusiastic about books since getting into comics / the Phoenix.
I just saw that Pablo and Splash ( Sheena Dempsey) is currently No1 in the children's fiction chart. My son loves that series. And Jamie Smart was No. 1 out of ALL books in the UK for a few weeks this year, which is pretty remarkable I think for kids books given there are fewer kids than adults right?
Comics weren't really a thing when I was growing up, but they were for my older relatives. My dad grew up in a northern town (left school early to work) and swears that is was thanks to comics he’s functionally literate. He and all his mates (boys and girls) would buy them second-hand and swap them. I never had that myself, but I've enjoyed reading my kids comics and have got into reading adult graphic novels recently as they’re a great escape.
The only negative is the selection in our local libraries is pretty shite, so it's costing me quite a lot of money! I do worry that kids whose families can't afford to buy them are missing out though.
Anyone else's children obsessed with comics/graphic novels? Or am I overestimating their impact on kids reading?
Jamie Smart is a bloody rockstar to my kids and their friends!!