Skip to main content
Comhairle Cathrach Bhaile Átha Cliath / Dublin City Council

Main navigation

  • Residential
  • Business
  • Your Council
Menu
Menu
Advanced Search

Main navigation (mobile)

  • Residential
  • Business
  • Your Council
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Libraries
  3. blog
Language switcher
  • English
  • Gaeilge

The Benefits of Comic Books

Back to blog

Published on 17th August 2020

Share
  • Share via Twitter
  • Share via Facebook
  • Share via WhatsApp

Comic books aren't just about superheroes and villains. And they're certainly not just for boys. Comic books and graphic novels are spread across many different genres, including comedy, drama, sci‑fi and fantasy, and there is bound to be something to suit all tastes, ages and reading levels.

For a long time comic books got a pretty bad press. They were the forbidden distraction that schoolchildren slipped inside the pages of real books. One of the best and most obvious benefits of comic books is that they can be more fun and easier to read than regular books. This can be extremely appealing to young children who would otherwise have little interest in reading traditional forms of books. Many children who think they hate reading respond particularly well to comic books that are based on movies or television shows they enjoy, such as Spider-Man and Fantastic Four.

Comic books don't intimidate struggling readers with an overwhelming page of text. They usually offer short and easy-to-read sentences, alongside other visual and text cues (e.g. character sighs, door slams etc.) for context. They're also helpful for children with learning difficulties; children with autism can learn a lot about identifying emotions through the images in a comic book. Children with dyslexia, who may find it frustrating to finish a page in a traditional book, often feel a sense of accomplishment when they complete a page in a comic book.

Therefore, they give struggling readers confidence for context. They're also helpful for children with learning difficulties; children with autism can learn a lot about identifying emotions through the images in a comic book.

Inference refers to figuring out something based on evidence and reasoning. It's an important component of successful comprehension and a valuable life skill for all young children to develop. Comic books can increase inference in young children by encouraging them to “read between the lines” and infer meaning from the images. Children who read comics often need to infer what is not written by the narrator, which is a complex reading strategy.

Comic books that explore or touch on historical events, classic tales, wildlife, nature, positive relationships and more can provide a valuable supplement to other areas of learning. For example, if your child is learning about the ancient Egyptians, a comic book story set in ancient Egypt may use pictures to explain important period details, such as clothing, food, rituals, farming. By taking in a combination of words and illustrations, many children obtain the big picture easier than they would from using textbooks alone.

On your first visit, create a new account (inputting your Dublin City library card number) and complete registration for the Libby Comic Collection. When registering for Libby, do not put in your local branch please put in Dublin City.

To view this, you must update your

Tags:
Comics
Share
  • Share via Twitter
  • Share via Facebook
  • Share via WhatsApp
2 Comments

Add new comment

Maria Ferreira
10 months ago
Put together very well
  • Reply
Edgar Castillo Moreno
5 months ago
ok
  • Reply

Genre

action-adventure
crime-thriller
fantasy
historical fiction
horror
mystery
romance
science fiction
war
western

Recommended Tags

archives
author spotlight
author visits
biographies
book awards
book clubs
books & reading
business & employment
children
children's books
Citizens in Conflict (series)
Comics
creative writing
Culture Night (podcasts)
digitised works
Dublin Remembers 1916
DVDs
eResources
events
family history
gilbert lecture (podcasts)
graphic novels
history (podcasts)
image galleries
Irish fiction
learning
libraries & archive news
local studies
music
non-fiction
photographic collections
podcasts
publications
reviews
staff picks
talking books
teens
text version
travel
videos
websites
work matters
Close

Main navigation

  • Residential
  • Business
  • Your Council

Footer menu

  • About Us
    • Careers
    • Who Does What
    • News and Media
    • Policies and Documents
  • Using dublincity.ie
    • Website Accessibility
    • Privacy Statement
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Sitemap
  • Statutory Obligations
    • Freedom of Information
    • Data Protection
    • Access to Information on the Environment
    • Protected Disclosures
    • Lobbying
    • Official Languages Act
    • Ethics
    • Public Sector Duty
    • Bye Laws
    • Sell to government
  • Get in Touch / Feedback
    • Contact Us
    • Make a Service Request
    • Make a Payment
    • Make a Complaint
    • Public Consultations

Customer Services Centre

Address

Civic Offices
Wood Quay
Dublin 8
D08 RF3F
Ireland

Telephone Number
01 222 2222
Email Address
[email protected]

Comhairle Cathrach Bhaile Átha Cliath / Dublin City Council
Dublin City Council
Visit our other sites

© 2023 Dublin City Council