A perk of working on the Curiosity Cruiser is getting to preview books to potentially add to our giveaway shelves. When I came across a synopsis of The Okay Witch by Emma Steinkellner, I knew her work would be perfect for our program. One of the reasons the Curiosity Cruiser team looks for graphic novels is that many reluctant readers gravitate to them. In fact, out of all of our giveaways, graphic novels get chosen the most often. Don’t be fooled though- just because there are pictures on every page, doesn’t mean that these books are “easier” to read than a typical chapter book. You may not know this, but people have and grow graphic literacy by looking at graphics; from graphs, charts, and yes, pictures in books. Illustrations in graphic novels help carry the story and build an understanding of socializing, actions & movement between panels, and power your imagination to fill in the blanks with the story. Graphic novels are quite literally “show don’t tell” and are as important as typical novels in helping children grow as readers. Some children find them more engaging than a book without pictures and this is something that should be supported, not discouraged. Any kind of reading is good for kids! In the below video interview, Emma Steinkellner and I discuss the inspiration behind The Okay Witch duology, her reading experiences growing up, and how her books have made an impact with the Curiosity Cruiser.
If you’re interested in some of the books we discussed, including The Okay Witch, take a look yourself by checking them out from HCPL!
Go to https://curiositycruiser.com/cruiser-blog/books-of-the-curiosity-cruiser/ for the original book review on The Okay Witch.
Check out http://www.hcpl.net/blog for more Harris County Public Library related blogs!
For more cruiser information you can visit:
https://www.hcpl.net/about/community/curiosity-cruiser
Social Media:
Facebook: @CuriosityCruiser
Instagram: @curiositycruiser
Twitter: @CuriosityCruis1