Imagine a novel and a comic book had a baby, that would be a graphic novel.

These novels are perfect for helping us improve vocabulary in a foreign language because they merge literary and visual elements — it is easier to understand both the drawings and words, especially unfamiliar ones. This equals less time looking up words in the dictionary and more time enjoying the narrative.

Text-graphic associations also boost our memory so that we recall new vocabulary much faster. You can even think of enjoying graphic novels as watching a movie with special subtitles you can pause and rewind anytime!

Moreover, these reading materials open the world of English as an international language. They introduce us to whole new worlds, especially those less seen in traditional classroom materials. For example, cross-cultural and immigrant experiences, which have grown more relevant as we travel and immigrate, are common themes in graphic novels. Thanks to them, we can see English in more varieties of authentic settings as it is used as a lingua franca around the world.

Graphic novels to jump-start your visual and multicultural journey:

 

Book title: American Born Chinese

Author/Publisher: Gene Yuen Luen/First Second Books

Suitable for: P5 and above

Discover how American-born Chinese Jin Wang, the Monkey King, and all-American Danny explore life when confused about who they really are.

 

Book title: Anya’s Ghost

Author/Publisher: Vera Brosgol/First Second Books

Suitable for: P4 and above

Follow Russian-American Anya as she finds out what happened to a mysterious ghost and learns what being a good friend actually means.

 

Book title: Ms. Marvel Volume 1: No Normal 

Author/Publisher: G. Willow Wilson  (Author), Adrian Alphona (Artist)/Marvel

Suitable for: P5 and above

Meet Kamala, a Paskitani American struggling to juggle her superhero, social, academic and family responsibilities as a muslim teenager.

 

Pick a graphic novel now and enjoy the thrilling chase of unbelievable sights and indescribable feelings waiting for you!