Building Critical Literacy and Empathy with Graphic Novels

Beginning with the assertion that educators can effectively use comics and graphic novels to develop readers’ critical literacy and empathy, DeHart explores the use of graphic novels across grade levels in a wide range of topics and themes. Taking When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed as a recurring focal text, DeHart argues that critical conversations can be opened up through well-chosen graphic novels. The book features recommended titles, insights from graphic novel authors and creators, and lesson ideas. Topics include:

• Anti-Bias and Anti-Bullying
• Autobiographical and Biographical Stories
• Gender Representation
• Diverse Abilities
• Black Joy, Black Lives Matter, and Antiracist Pedagogy
• Stories of (Im)migration and Removal
• Indigenous Peoples/First Nations Stories
• Mental Health and Grief

Jason DeHart is an Assistant Professor of Reading Education at Appalachian State University and a long-time comics reader. DeHart’s research interests include multimodal literacy, including film and graphic novels, and literacy instruction with adolescents. His work has recently appeared in SIGNAL Journal, English Journal, and The Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy.