Campaigns such as We Need More Diverse Books (WNDB) and Reading Without Walls have highlighted the imperative for children to see characters who look or live differently from them in the books they read. As Johnson, Koss and Martinez (2017) highlight, when children read about characters who face real-life challenges, or who are discriminated against, these books have the potential to affect real change. Their report gives the example of Austin, a fifth grader who, after reading Wonder, made the conscious change to smile at someone with a physical disability when he saw them in a shopping centre. For children, smiles can move mountains. Graphic novels add to this movement by allowing children to see themselves in the books they read, and equally as importantly, to see the stories of others unlike their own. This article critically examines and advocates for the use of graphic novels with diverse representations and the value the collection brings to upper primary schools.
It is a fight worth fighting.
Graphic novels that include diversity invite understanding and embed the awareness that our physical differences are only skin deep. In 2020, New Kid by Jerry Craft was the first graphic novel to receive the coveted Newbery Medal for its outstanding contribution to children’s literature. The story follows Jordan, a twelve-year-old boy of colour who begins middle-school at a distinctly non-diverse private school; this coming-of-age story offers readers a window into the complexities of daily life for children of colour to mitigate systemic microracism. The illustrations show the visible contrast of skin tone differences, height differences and judgemental body language, which add a visceral and unmissable impact. New Kid is one of those stories with the power to affect change.
Diversity, however, does not have to be the main plot of the story — and this is the beauty of graphic narratives. Unlike traditional text-only novels, the graphics tell a story of their own, making it possible to include diverse physical features without even mentioning them. The juxtaposition of images and words can relay an entanglement of self-perception and emotions without explicitly stating any of it, creating a powerful combination for the reader.
In Diversity Isn’t The Story, a discussion video released on Comic-Con International (2021), a panel of graphic novel authors agreed that the richest stories are the ones where the identities of the characters are not separated from their stories. Palestinian-American author, Nadia Shammas expressed her concern that throughout the “diversity conversation”, the person is being compartmentalised from their story because of their diversity. In her fantasy graphic novel, Squire, a young girl fights to become a knight amidst war in the fictitious world of Bayt-Sajji. While Nadia admits it is not the story of Palestine, she explains she cannot separate herself from her background and therefore it inspires her world-building and motivations for the protagonist, Aiza. For this reason, the stunning graphics and raw emotions seen in Squire may serve as a way for young readers to visualise and empathise with the social injustices of war in the Middle East.
Practical ways to use graphic novels across the upper primary curriculum
Teacher librarians should present ways for teachers for literary learning and include titles that balance the diversity of the real world. Below are suggestions for embedding diversity into the upper primary context:
When teaching Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS), graphic novels immerse students in historical events while building empathy towards the humans who lived through them. For example, in Year 5 HASS, I Survived Hurricane Katrina, 2005 (Tarshis, 2022) could be used to ignite interest in the impact and management of severe weather events. The illustrations portray the terror of the New Orleanian boy, Barry, as he is caught in the violent winds and flooding of the hurricane. Graphic novel are ideal for breaking down complex concepts into smaller parts and encouraging group discussion.
For Years 5 and 6 Health & Physical Education (HPE), “identifying characters in texts who are not constrained by traditional gender stereotypes and how this influences their choices and actions” (ACARA, n.d.). Turtle In Paradise (Holm, 2021) is a graphic novel adaptation of the Newbery Honour-winning title. As it examines the hardships of poverty during The Great Depression, it highlights the gender expectations of the 1930s. With a feisty young protagonist, Turtle, and chapter titles like ‘Man of the House’ and ‘Ladies Who Lunch’, it will undoubtedly open the conversation about how gender stereotypes have changed over time.
Years 5 and 6 HPE, students must “propose strategies to demonstrate respect, empathy and inclusion” (ACARA, n.d.). Teachers could task upper primary students with the same mission as this very article: to build the case for the use of graphic novels as a strategy to value diversity in their communities. Below is a list of suggested titles to let them explore for such a project:
Craft, J. (2019). New kid (J. Craft, Illus.). Quill Tree Books.
Miller, K., & Canino, J. Besties find their groove (K. Luu, Illus.). Walker Books.
Ogle, R. (2023). Four eyes: based on a true story (D. Valeza, Illus.). Scholastic.
Ortega, C. (2023). Frizzy (R. Bousamra, Illus.). St Martin’s Press.
Shammas, N. & Alfageeh, S. (2022). Squire (S. Alfageeh, Illus.). HarperCollins.
Tarshis, L. (2022). I survived Hurricane Katrina, 2005 (A. Epps, Illus.). Scholastic.
Taylor, T. (2022). Neverlanders (J. Sommariva, Illus.). Penguin Random House.
Wagner Lloyd, M. (2021). Allergic (M. Nutter, Illus.). Scholastic.
Valuing diversity needs to be deeply and genuinely embedded into school life and that is the responsibility of everyone. Teachers and teacher librarians can utilise the power of the graphic novel as a way to familiarise, understand and value diversity, ensuring that all children see characters with stories similar to theirs, as well as those unlike their own. The unique combination of complex storytelling intertwined with carefully crafted graphics allows exposure to diversity even when a single word is not uttered. Therefore, graphic novels with diverse voices are a compelling, valuable and impactful resource in the primary school library.
Image: Covers of Craft, J. (2019). New kid (J. Craft, Illus.). Quill Tree Books; Miller, K., & Canino, J. Besties find their groove (K. Luu, Illus.). Walker Books; Ortega, C. (2023). Frizzy (R. Bousamra, Illus.). St Martin’s Press.
