Is the rise in kids reading rates thanks to comics?

[Comicsareback]

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!!

I strongly the suspect the rise is meaningless, and that they should wait to see if it's a continuing trend. I note the drop that coincides roughly with covid.

If comics were a factor, we would have seen statistics dating back decades. I don't think it's at all related. If I were forced to invent something off the top of my head, I'd say that reading declined of schooling lapses due to covid, but kids are now getting a better grip on reading skills.

I agree, very disturbing.

DS loves graphic novels and now manga. I spend a lot of money on books! He reads / has read Dogman, captain underpants, diary of a wimpy kid, bunny v monkey and lots of Manga like Demon Slayer, Solo Levelling, Jujutsu Kaison, One Piece, etc. I have to force him to read chapter books! Hes 11.

Interesting that a PP has said their child developed an interest in drawing from these books as DS is ALWAYS drawing graphic novels and creating stories. That’s definitely come from comics / graphic novels.

This is great- he’ll definitely be developing his writing skills along with the art!

I think the point is that sales have been booming in the last couple of years- kids comic books have seen unprecedented growth. Comics have always been around but the novel sized graphic novels for kids age 6/7 plus are a new thing led by Dog Man and the Phoenix books

I work in a Library and Graphic novels are the biggest "growth area"

Are you dedicating more resources to graphic novels if demand is so high? The collections in my libraries in a major city are absolutely dire! The shelves are like the worst placed and impossible to browse the covers. One library even has them dumped on an end of the trolley. I think it tells kids that libraries don’t really value these books

The only thing I will say is my 7 yo DS loves to read and has read (from memory) everything ever written by Dav Pilkey, Jamie Smart, Sheena Dempsey (who we met at Lincoln lit fest), Liz Pichon, Neil Cameron, John Patrick Green and Jeff Kinney. He also gets the Phoenix comic and The Week magazines delivered.

The downside is he doesn’t enjoy books without constant illustrations and finds them boring. I don’t know how to feel about this. For example, I have tried and failed to get him to read Jacqueline Wilson, Roald Dahl, Enid Blyton and Harry Potter but he won’t because they don’t have pictures.

I wouldn’t worry, 7 is quite young still to be quite such a prolific independent reader, still loads of time!

We absolutely are! I dont understand why a library wouldn't..We need people to use us to survive!

This is brilliant! I wish my library service take note, but looking at all their kids books purchased (100s each month and they put them on the website) there’s still a massive skew towards picture books and chapter books, when they’re overflowing with these already! I’ve submitted forms but they don’t appear / I don’t get a reply

As much as I hate the endless parade of Wimpy Kid, Dogman, Bunny Monkey books, I must concede that they do seem to get kids reading and seem particularly appealing to reluctant boys. My tomboy stepdaughter would not read anything except Wimpy Kid and then Dogman and we were just relieved she was enjoying reading something. Now she's finished her English GCSE I doubt she'll ever read a book again.

Meanwhile my 6 yo really likes what you'd consider more classic literature or "proper books" and I take immense joy in sharing books with her.

The difference is that SD can read, which is the most important thing, and DD loves to read, which is a nice to have. Despite my snobbishness, I am glad that kids who aren't born to love reading have books designed to engage them.

I think some credit (and I am preparing my hard hat for this!) must go to screens, maligned as they are. From really young ages now, kids are navigating screens by themselves and often have to read the cues to know what to do next, or type a phrase into a search bar to find what they want.

I read so many Tintin and Asterix comic books in the 90s, and my friend gave me his dad's collection of old Beanos and Dandys that I read over and over until they fell to pieces. I did buy a new Beano once but it was quite dull compared to the older ones so maybe that's why they weren't so popular.