Resources
In addition to the wonderful books described in this unit, please check out these resources!
The Meta of Manga: A Graphic Novel About Writing Graphic Novels: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vShbAvRaOjVRUY6OIud9pUizo-HxHeyM4m-l82isxT1N3REyx3lqs_pViFg5YXBG0hQ46_D1lqfuN40/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=60000
DIY Comics: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1J9U4nu13Oa2w5qe2qkrXwa3eCK5UODd1lib1XqDYPXI/edit?usp=sharing
Read Share Your Smile: Raina's Guide to Telling Your Own Story by Raina Telgemeier.
Try Bitmoji app and StoryBoardThat.com to create characters in different poses.
For cool titles check out https://www.textstudio.com/ and https://fontmeme.com/text-styles/ .
For characters students can color, cut, and pose see: www.pheemcfaddell.com/ .
This guide is inexpensive, so maybe all students can get one: Create Your Own Graphic Novel by David Wayne Chiu.
Annotated Bibliography
Bearman, Joshuah. “An Interview with Marjane Satrapi.” Believer Magazine, July 21, 2018. https://www.thebeliever.net/an-interview-with-marjane-satrapi/.
This interview with the author of my favorite graphic novel reveals her to be fierce and unflinching with a confidence of voice that inspires!
BES Press Office. “Research Reveals Which Animals Perceive Time the Fastest.” Inside Ecology, April 21, 2023. https://insideecology.com/2023/01/03/research-reveals-which-animals-perceive-time-the-fastest/#:~:text=Species%20such%20as%20blow%20flies,thorns%20starfish%20at%200.7hz.
This web article reported on a large research study about animals and temporal perception. The faster your lifestyle, the faster your perception.
Caldwell, Helen, and Blaine H. Moore. “The Art of Writing: Drawing as Preparation for Narrative Writing in the Primary Grades.” Studies in Art Education 32, no. 4 (December 22, 1991): 207. https://doi.org/10.2307/1320873.
This study found that, for younger students, drawing can be preparation for writing.
Campos, Aneesa. “Pink N Blue (Page 9) .” by AneesaCampos on DeviantArt, March 10, 2019. https://www.deviantart.com/aneesacampos/art/Pink-n-Blue-Page-9-789058075.
This webcomic is an example of shapes and colors as simple characters.
Catlett, Chelsea. “Why Comics Belong in Schools…and More Ideas from Graphic Novelist Gene Luen Yang.” Web log. TED-Ed Blog (blog), July 21, 2016. https://blog.ed.ted.com/2016/07/21/why-comics-belong-in-schools-and-more-ideas-from-graphic-novelist-gene-luen-yang/.
This interview exposes Yang’s feelings about being able to use graphic novels in school.
Exner, Eike. “Introduction.” Introduction. In Comics and the Origins of Manga: A Revisionist History, 1–11. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2022.
This book's introduction chronicles the creation of manga and speaks to many misunderstandings.
Frost, AJ. “Interview: Understanding the Future by Looking to the Past with the Creators of Incognegro: Renaissance.” The Beat, February 6, 2018. https://www.comicsbeat.com/interview-understanding-the-future-by-looking-to-the-past-with-the-creators-of-incognegro-renaissance/#:~:text=Mat%20Johnson:%20I%20wanted%20to,issue%20of%20lynching%20in%20America.
This interview with graphic novelist Mat Johnson revealed his thinking behind several of his works and his opinion on
Hagan, Susan. “The Mind’s Eye How Do We Transform an Ever-Changing Jumble of Visual Stimuli into the Rich and Coherent Three-Dimensional Perception We Know as Sight? Rochester Vision Scientists Are Helping Reshape Our Understanding of How the Brain ‘Sees.’” Rochester Review , 2012. https://www.rochester.edu/pr/Review/V74N4/0402_brainscience.html#:~:text=%E2%80%9CMore%20than%2050%20percent%20of,brain%20as%20a%20whole%20works.%E2%80%9D.
This article examined how the brain processes visual information thor research and interviews.
Inge, M. Thomas. “Introduction.” In Will Eisner: Conversations, edited by M. Thomas Inge, ix–xiv. University Press of Mississippi, 2011. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt2tv871.3.
This introduction of the collection of interviews with the godfather of graphic novels Will Eisner explains his rough and tumble approach to graphic novels being an exacting and worthy artform.
Johnson, Mat, and Warren Pleece (illustrator). Incognegro: A Graphic Mystery. Milwaukie, OR: Berger Books, an imprint of Dark Horse Comics, 2018.
This graphic novel reads as historical fiction as it tells of a Black journalist passing for white to investigate lynching in the 1930’s.
Kawakami, Osamu, Yoshiki Kaneoke, Koichi Maruyama, Ryusuke Kakigi, Tomohisa Okada, Norihiro Sadato, and Yoshiharu Yonekura. “Visual Detection of Motion Speed in Humans: Spatiotemporal Analysis by Fmri and Meg.” Human Brain Mapping 16, no. 2 (March 26, 2002): 104–18. https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.10033.
This study tried a new way to find out how fast humans detect motion- it’s fast!
Keller, Esther. “Interview with Maris Wicks.” School Library Journal, November 2, 2015. https://www.slj.com/story/interview-with-maris-wicks.
This interview reveals that the graphic novelist is a classically trained artist who also trained to be an EMT and studied books about the body to create the book.
Locklear, Aleah. “Artist / Future Animator.” Tumblr, February 12, 2023. https://afrothunderxx96.tumblr.com/post/709031596720898048/enjoy-this-crazy-mini-comic-i-made-while-you-wait?is_related_post=1.
This webcomic is an example of shapes as faces for student made characters.
Maguire, J.F., Howe, P.D.L. Failure to detect meaning in RSVP at 27 ms per picture. Atten Percept Psychophys 78, 1405–1413 (2016). https://doi-org.proxy.library.upenn.edu/10.3758/s13414-016-1096-5
This study contradicted a previous study in looking at how long it takes people to recognize an image. It actually takes 53ms to recognize an image, not 13ms. That’s still fast! But now the evidence is better!
“Manga Market Size, Share & Growth: Industry Report, 2030.” Manga Market Size, Share & Growth | Industry Report, 2030. Accessed July 12, 2025. https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/manga-market-report.
This industry growth report showed the past and projected growth of manga sales.
McCloud, Scott. Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art. New York: Harper Perennial, 2010.
This graphic novel defines and explains what comics are, how they used and created, and what the meaning behind its different evolutions.
Mukamal, Reena. “How Humans See in Color.” American Academy of Ophthalmology, September 29, 2017. https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/how-humans-see-in-color.
This web article explains how the human eye sees color and has cool diagrams.
“Raina Telgemeier: Guts - Let’s Just Talk about It.” Reading Rockets. Accessed July 12, 2025. https://www.readingrockets.org/videos/meet-authors/raina-telgemeier-guts-lets-just-talk-about-it.
This interview reveals the author’s motivation for writing such a personal story.
Rodríguez-Astacio, René M., and David E. Low. “Using Superhero Graphic Novels to Foreground Transitions in Our Teaching with Upper Elementary and Middle-grade Readers.” The Reading Teacher 76, no. 5 (February 8, 2023): 640–45. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.2189.
This article explores some complex themes in particular comics, giving evidence for allowing comics to play a bigger role in reading class for students.
Rogin, Ali, Claire Mufson, and Michael Boulter. “What’s behind the Growing Popularity of Japanese Comics and Animations in U.S.” PBS, May 18, 2024. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/whats-behind-the-growing-popularity-of-japanese-comics-and-animations-in-u-s.
This news report explores the reasons Japanese comics and animations are so important and interviews several folks about their feelings towards it. Great visual for understanding.
Satrapi, Maarijane. The Complete Persepolis. New York: Pantheon Books, 2007.
This autobiographical graphic novel is about growing up around the Iranian
Telgemeier, Raina, and Scott McCloud. The Cartoonists Club: A Graphic Novel. S.l.: Scholastic Inc, 2025.
This graphic novel is a guide to creating a GN by way of a narrative to kids do the same.
Telgemeier, Raina. Guts: A Graphic Novel. S.l.: Scholastic Inc, 2019.
This autobiographical graphic novel is about a pre-teen girl battling troubles with her stomach, friends, and coping.
Wicks, Maris. Human Body Theater: A Nonfiction Revue. New York: First Second, 2015.
This nonfiction graphic novel is the most fun you will have reading a health textbook!
Williams, Lisa, Carina Werkander Harstäde, Natalie Anderson, Ashwini Deshmukh, Alison Gayton, Merryn Gott, Ping Guo, Jane Nicol, Tatiana Tavares, and Susan Waterworth. “Nursing Students’ Reactions to a Graphic Novel: A Multi-National Descriptive Qualitative Study.” Nurse Education Today 139 (August 2024): 106229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2024.106229.
This study found that even nursing students can benefit from using graphic novels to study.
Yronwode, Cat, and Will Eisner. “Will Eisner Interview.” In Will Eisner: Conversations, edited by M. Thomas Inge, 47–78. University Press of Mississippi, 2011. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt2tv871.10.
This interview with Will Eisner captures his thoughts about the origins of graphic novels and how they are different from comics.
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