Janet HibunNCTE

Orlando, FLNovember 21, 2010

Janet Hilbun

• When evaluating graphic novels, keep in mind the unique qualities of graphic novels as well as their literary quality.

• The evaluator must take into consideration:• Cover• Panel Structure or Format• Images or Illustrations• Content and Words• Text and Art Together• Age Appropriateness

Janet Hilbun

◦ Interesting◦ Correctly depicts content

Janet Hilbun

How are the panels arranged on the page? Are they easy to follow? Can the reader easily follow the sequence?

How are they shaped and does the shape affect the story?

Do the gutters (spaces in between the illustrations) aid in comprehension or distract the reader?

Janet Hilbun

Janet Hilbun

• How do the panels break up the artwork? Do these breaks slow the reader down, speed the story up, or complicate the story?

• Is the text clearly readable with an appropriate font or font size?

• Does the white space help readers move through the story or are the pages too busy?

• Do the panels provide the necessary information for readers to follow jumps?

Janet Hilbun

Janet Hilbun

• Does the style of art fir the type of story or information or does it seem disjointed and out of place? Is the art “cartoony”—cartoony art often makes it easier for readers to identify emotions.

• Does the use of color help the reader understand the tone and mood of the story? Is there a contrast between darks and lights to create balance and establish tone?

Janet Hilbun

Janet Hilbun

Janet Hilbun

Has both the positive space (objects in the illustration) and the negative space (space between the objects) been used to create a visually pleasing appearance?

Do the illustrations provide enough of the context of the story and action events to keep the reader moving through the story?

Janet Hilbun

Janet Hilbun

Do the word balloons contain too much text? Too little? Does the dialog flow naturally when read aloud?

Do the characters have different voices? Are the characters multi-dimensional?

What is the ratio of text to art? Does the text overpower the art or crowd it out?

Janet Hilbun

Janet Hilbun

Janet Hilbun

Literary Quality:◦ Plot◦ Narrative style◦ Theme◦ Characterization◦ Conflict and conflict resolution

Janet Hilbun

Elements of nonfiction◦ Organization◦ Interest◦ Visual aids◦ Details◦ Relevance◦ Accuracy

Janet Hilbun

Good graphic novels find a balance between dialog and illustration to present a story.◦ Do the style of the text and the style of the art complement each other? If not, does it work?

◦ Do the tone of the art and the text match?◦ How does the art relate to the story?◦ Is there a mismatch between the art and the text or are they equally compelling?

Janet Hilbun

Janet Hilbun

• Is the theme and subject matter appropriate for the age group? Consider the age of the protagonist and how the theme fits with your students’ development.

• Is the conflict interesting to your readers?

• Examine both illustrations and text for appropriateness.

• Will the language offend readers or parents in your community?

Janet Hilbun

Binding—will it hold up to repeated readings? Can it be rebound? Do you have a choice of bindings?

Who is the audience you are purchasing the graphic novel for or why are you purchasing them?—Is it to support curriculum? Is it for your ELL or visual learners? Is it because your students are asking for graphic novels? Is it because you love graphic novels and want to share?

Janet Hilbun

Lists of “bests”—ALA YALSA, Texas Maverick, etc

Catalogs of “mainstream” publishers—Macmillan, Hyperion, Penguin, etc

Blogs—good one is Terri Lesesne’s Goddess of YA Literature

Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Follett’s Titlewave, Bowker’s Books in Print—all have multiple reviews

Go to your public or school library

Janet Hilbun

Ask your readers—especially your teens

Conference exhibits

Janet Hilbun

All illustrations from: http://free-online-novels.com/graphic.html

Janet Hilbun