Have you ever wondered what it is about comics that seem to attract our kids like candy? Or why so many parents dislike them? I’m happy to offer my own thoughts on the issue. (And when I say comics, that includes comic books, graphic novels, comic strip collections, etc.)

Why Children Love Comics

They are fun to read! Our kids always seek them out at the library, then argue over who gets to read which one first. They even try to sneak them away from each other! While that can get annoying, I remind myself that they are fighting over reading material. And that I will allow.

• Compared to other lengthier books, comics tend to be fast-paced. Because there are pictures provided, the need for description decreases and the story can take off.
• Comics are more engaging to read. Children today are used to seeing multiple digital screens at once. Comics capture their attention in a similar manner.
• The text in comics is reduced, so it takes readers less time to finish reading them. Sometimes, they can even be read in one sitting.
• The stories tend to be adventurous, heroic, entertaining, and amusing.

• Why Parents Should, Too

I believe some parents are of the mindset that comics do not qualify as literature. While I agree they lack some of the beautiful hallmarks of other genres, there is overwhelming evidence that reading comics is beneficial to our children. According to Christopher Murray, professor of Comics Studies, “To read a comic is to engage in an act of play and problem solving. The relationship between word and image, the sequence of panels on a page, and the non-linear nature of the reading experience all engage the reader in unique and challenging ways.” ¹

• Comics can improve comprehension through visualization and contextual clues. In other words, the artwork makes it much easier for youth to follow what is occurring in the story, especially with regards to the sequencing.
• The ease with which struggling readers can get through a comic builds their confidence and sense of success.
• Reading comics can increase our children’s vocabulary. Although you might find many, not every word in a comic book is an onomatopoeia.
• Comics stick to the essential story elements: plot and characters. This simplification ensures that reluctant readers don’t get lost in—or bored by—details. They typically stick with the stories to the end. 

¹ Murray, C. (2021, July 21). What comics can teach us about ourselves. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/what-comics-can-teach-us-about-ourselves-102728.

Photo Credit: https://unsplash.com/photos/8SeJUmfahu0

In the last blog post, we looked at the benefits of reading one book repeatedly. Today, I want to discuss how reading multiple versions of the same story can also work to our child’s advantage. We recently tried this out by reading several different picture books called Stone Soup. For the most part, the plot and theme are similar in each rendition. But the setting, characters, and details vary. 

At first, the kids asked why we were going to read so many books with the same title. But by the last one, they seemed very curious about how it would differ from the others. There are great lessons for children to learn by examining different versions of the same story.

Storytelling

One great aspect of this activity is that we can expose our children to different ways of storytelling and discuss which is more engaging or effective. We can talk with them about narrators (whether they are reliable or not) and point of view (first person, third person, or omniscient). Thinking about an issue from varying perspectives can provide a child with greater consideration for and understanding of what others are experiencing. This is an immeasurably valuable skill.

Artwork

Naturally, the pictures in each book are quite different from one another. You might ask your children which illustrations they like best and why. Try to figure out what medium was used to create the art and what effect it had on the story. An approach like this introduces them to art appreciation and also makes it harder for them to take the artist’s work for granted.

Multicultural

I also love that different countries and cultures are represented in these books. If we are looking to teach our children compassion and tolerance, this is a fabulous method for doing so. It is fascinating to me that there are so many stories out there that cross time zones and traditions. I think they hold such potential both to unify us and to help us learn to love our uniqueness. We just have to be willing to dive in and explore.

Compare/Contrast

This reading project is also a wonderful way to introduce your little ones to the idea of comparing and contrasting. Asking lots of questions about what the similarities and differences are in each interpretation of the story will require them to recall certain elements and analyze what they’ve read. Teaching them to evaluate what they read long before they reach higher education will certainly put them in a more favorable position as they mature in age.

Details

Reading multiple renditions of stories can provide opportunities to test our recall in a fun way. In each variation of Stone Soup, different vegetables were put into the soup. Our family enjoyed trying to remember which book added which veggies. What a great brain teaser! In addition, this could be a great tool for preparing our children to notice details and produce answers to tests.

Fairy tales are a safe bet for having many versions. Do you have a favorite children’s story? See how many interpretations you can find! Here are a couple titles you might like to examine and enjoy with your children:

The Magic Porridge Pot

The Elves and the Shoemaker

Each week I take about ten minutes to place book holds on our library’s website. I try to get a wide variety of topics and reading levels to keep each of our five kids happy in their reading. I typically find something for myself, as well. Recently I requested a book that intrigued me. It was called Five in a Row: Inspired learning through great books. I didn’t know exactly what it was about, but it involved reading and children, so I figured I’d better check it out. I’m incredibly glad I did! 

Five in a Row is a curriculum for teachers and homeschoolers, created by Jane Claire Lambert. It suggests that children could glean much more from a picture book by reading it at least once each day, five days in a row. Wait! Before you tune out because that sounds too repetitive and boring, please think about your own reading habits. Do you have a favorite book you return to again and again? Maybe an old classic, the Bible, or a romance novel? Do you find some new detail each time you read it? Does it seem to hit you differently every time you pick it up? Our kids could be experiencing this joy of discovery, too, if we gave them the chance. “By selecting excellent children’s literature and reading it together each day, children have the opportunity to ‘catch a new theme, savor the beauty, the subtle humor or a special meaning that eluded them at first’” (8).

When we read a story just once, we really only scratch the surface of the plot. But there are hidden treasures to be found! At each reading, you and your child should take a deeper look at another aspect of the story. Be sure to take a turn focusing on the artwork and literary techniques (such as symbolism, onomatopoeia, rhyming words, personification, etc.). Provided in the Five in a Row curriculum are suggestions of picture books to read with your child, followed by accompanying lesson plans and activity ideas to teach your child math, science, and social studies as you read together. Isn’t it wonderful to have resources like this to help us in our pursuit to teach our children?

It is clear that delving deeper into the elements of a story can increase our understanding and enjoyment of the book. But there is another advantage to repetition in reading. “Each day as you read, your child will hear the sentence structure, syntax, mood and style of a story written by a great children’s author. This repetitive reading of a story for five days can make a huge difference in your child’s ability to read and write (at the proper time)“ (26). So keep this tool handy in your pocket!

Remember those days in high school and college when you had to study before a test? You knew that reading through the material one time was not enough to help you pass. You took the time to review, to let the information sink in. For the most part, the more time you devoted to studying, the better your score became. I don’t think any of us are handing out tests to our little kids to check their comprehension. However, repetition is a simple way to assist them in their acquisition of knowledge. And don’t you just love seeing something click in your child’s head for the first time?

“Sometimes . . . an adult has the privilege of seeing this discovery take place. The children’s faces come suddenly alive; their eyes shine. They may be anticipating an amusing conclusion or a heroic triumph. There is a sudden chuckle or breath is exhaled like a sigh. The book has moved them, perhaps even to laughter or tears; in any case there is a deep inner satisfaction and they will turn to books again with anticipation” (8).

I encourage you to put Five in a Row into practice by getting a copy at the library and following the curriculum. Or, if you prefer, try it on your own and relish the daily treasure hunt with your child. You can find out more by visiting their website, fiveinarow.com.

Lambert, Jane Claire. Five in a Row. Inspired Learning through Great Books. Five in a Row Publishing, 2020.

Nine years ago we had a friend from Japan come stay with us for about a month. During our longer drives to show her around our area, we sang songs with our kids (ages 6, 4, and 2 at the time) to keep them occupied and entertained in the car. We often sang nursery rhymes for 30 minutes straight. At one point I apologized to my Japanese friend for all the singing and explained what we were trying to do. She exclaimed, “I am so impressed! I don’t even think I know this many songs!” 

What I thought was just a clever strategy to keep the kids from crying and whining actually turned out to be fantastic preparation for learning to read. Singing together can help our children hop on the fast-track to reading proficiency in three ways. First, the lyrics introduce them to the diverse sounds of our language. The Reading Teacher put it this way:

“Songs, chants, and word-sound games are ideally suited toward developing young children’s sensitivity to the sound structure of language. Word play, nursery or Dr. Seuss rhymes, and general exposure to storybooks contribute to phonemic awareness.”¹

Second, the rhythm of music helps demonstrate fluency (reading a text quickly, accurately, and with expression). Songs follow a certain cadence, which can steer readers away from unnatural pauses and stuttering. Third, the rhyming words reveal patterns and assist children in word prediction. In short, it is enough to spend time singing and reading with our dear little ones. For our older children learning to read independently, we can apply all this knowledge to their benefit! Below are two activities to try with our early readers.

Music & Reading Activity #1

1. Write down the lyrics to your child’s favorite song on index cards (one word per card). 
2. Sing them aloud slowly together while pointing to the corresponding words. 
3. See if your child can point to the words and sing the song on their own. (If not, keep practicing until they can.) 
4. Mix up the lyrics, then have your child either point to the right words or arrange them correctly while singing the song.
5. Continue this activity until your child can do it swiftly and without any help.

Music & Reading Activity #2

Another simple way to utilize music while helping your child learn to read is to look at picture books that are set to song. If you aren’t familiar with any of these, here is a sampling of ones we have enjoyed in our house or in our car. Many more titles can be found online or through your library. Be sure to look up the songs on YouTube if you don’t know the melody!

Reading and singing combine two separate art forms (literature and music) and two different senses (sight and sound). The result of this is a more lasting, impactful learning experience. If your child needs a bit of extra help learning to read, adding a melody may just be the key to unlocking their literacy potential. What is your child’s favorite sing-along book?

¹ Supporting Phonemic Awareness Development in the Classroom by Yopp & Yopp (The Reading Teacher; Vol. 54, No. 2)

Image Credit – Robert Collins

Just yesterday we were talking with our kids about heaven. My seven-year-old asked if there would be a library there. When I told her I thought there would be multiple massive libraries, she said, “Mom, bury me with a wagon!” 

Everyone laughed. She said it with such fire in her eyes! She would definitely need a big one to carry all the books she’d want to read. I instantly knew I would be writing down that quote, adding to our collection of her funny and sometimes poignant sayings. 

Kids have wonderful things come out of their mouths for a few reasons. First, they see the world with fresh eyes. Second, they say whatever they are thinking. And third, their knowledge and language are limited, resulting in oversimplified and/or confused expressions. Sometimes, they utter something so profound we are stunned into silence. Whatever the case, the phrases they say are worth the time it takes to document them.

Children LOVE to hear about things they used to say and do. As it turns out, so do adults! My parents recently moved to independent living, so my family has been cleaning out our childhood home. My sister came across quite a gem and emailed a copy to each of us. It is a list of quotes from when we were little. My siblings and I got such a kick out of them. One night I even shared them with my kids. They laughed and laughed. And we were reading together. 

• April 1980 – Sasha asked Dad if he could buy another animal. Dad said he was broke, then she asked, “You broke it?”
• February 1981 – Nitza said, “Sometimes you’re mean, Mom, but most of the time you’re nice. I still love you when you’re mean.”
• February 1981 – Sasha asked, “How did Mrs. Wilcox die, Mom?” She had a stroke. “Did she have paint all over her?”
• August 1981 – Nitza, crying when Dad opened the windows at night, said, “I get so cold I feel like I’m in Alaska!” (We were living in southern California at the time.)

If you have a record of your child’s funny quotes, pull them out and read them with your family. Give your child a copy so she can read them whenever she likes. You might consider laminating it to keep it sturdy. If you’re feeling especially crafty, you could incorporate some photos and make it into a book to give your child on her next birthday. 

If you don’t have a record of sayings, talk with your spouse, your parents, and anyone who was around when your child was little. Ask if they remember any of her expressions. Start now to keep an account. This will become a precious document to both you and your child. Should she ever lose interest in reading, you will always have this list to fall back on. Not only will it show her that you cared enough to record her thoughts, it will be a tool to bring you closer together and remind you of special moments in years past.

What is one of your child’s favorite sayings? Please share it in the comments!