Graphic Novels

Alan Moore, perhaps best known for his WATCHMEN series, is arguably, one of the best storytellers of our time. His words read as great literature with sometimes dark, magical undertones. Here's a sample of his work:

Charles Burns, Daniel Clowes, and Chris Ware are all actively writing and drawing unique works from interesting points of view with nearly flawless artistic styles. Alison Bechdel turn the graphic format on its head with her personal family research interwoven into her graphic memoirs. The Hernandez Brothers draw on rock 'n' roll and the Latino American experience to pen their collaboration, the Love and Rockets series and individual graphic works. to Here are a couple of our favorite reads from them:

"I have listened to teachers, professors, and scholars say that reading comic books is one of the best ways to teach literacy to young children. Because in order to enjoy and appreciate and be wrapped up in a comic book, you have to be able to read the dialogue balloons. Otherwise you won't know what's happening. The youngster forces himself or herself to read what is lettered there in order to follow the story. So many teachers have told me that whent hey put comic books in the classroom, children get better marks more quickly in English and in literacy than in any other way. There is something about the physical look and feel of a comic book that young children love." - Stan Lee, co-creator of Spider-Man

Source: American Libraries Association. "Newsmaker: Stan Lee." American Libraries Magazine 45, no. 5 (May 2014): 16.