Bam! Pow! Comic books and graphic novels draw children into the art of reading 

Ahead of Ireland’s first comic-book festival for children, we look at how graphic stories help to support literacy and brain development

Pic: iStock

‘My son will only read comics – I need to get him reading real books.’

Dr Becky Long, education outreach manager at Children’s Books Ireland, has often heard these words, particularly from parents of boys aged eight to 12. “When I ask what they mean by ‘real’ books, it turns out ‘real books’ mean words and more words. I say comics are real books.”