Sheroes and Heroes: Using Comics to Hook Non-Readers

My Students

Do you remember going to the library and finding the perfect book? What if you could help a student have that same magical experience? Some of my students have not yet discovered the joy of reading for pleasure. This new collection could be the spark that turns students into lifelong readers.

Our school is in a small urban community and our students come from a variety of cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Many of our kids do not live near a public library so they rely on their school library to meet their reading needs. In fact, our library is one of the most popular places in our building and we even have students return from high school to tell us they miss this space. That said, one of the most frustrating students for any librarian is the child that has the ability to read but chooses not to engage in any text. Non-readers by choice. It is this group of students that I hope to bring on board with this mini-collection of hero and heroine comics. Like all tweens, these students are energetic, passionate, and curious about whatever they are interested in at the moment. I just want to harness this passion and get them to focus on reading for pleasure.

My Project

One of the most popular sections of our school library is the graphic novel collection. This set of titles contains a variety of stories, formats and authors from which students can choose. That said, the most underrepresented and commonly requested items are superhero comics. Our students, especially those that are choosing not to read, would appreciate access to 55 new hero and shero comics. I can already envision the new book display that will greet students when they enter the library. Sheroes and Heroes: Meet your new favorite book! Students will be able to read the titles while visiting the library or they can check them out of the library for two weeks at a time. A University of Michigan study showed that students who are highly interested in a topic or title are more interested in reading the book. I hope to harness this interested in superheroes and spark a new interest in reading for entertainment.

Can you imagine not wanting to read?

I know I can't. The donations you make to this project will provide students with access to books that could change the course of their entire life. I want every one of my students to find something they love to read on our shelves. With your help I hope to transform my most challenging patrons into life-long readers. Go comics!