Author and Illustrator Gene Luen Yang on Using Graphic Novels with Reluctant Readers

Teachers have found using graphic novels like those of Author and Illustrator Gene Luen Yang in certain settings like for students learning a second language or for reluctant readers can be an effective teaching tool. The visuals serve as a bridge from the words to the readers’ minds. And for schools hesitant to introduce graphic novels into their curriculum, seeing their success with reluctant readers should be enough to change their minds.

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Gene Luen Yang

Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Nonfiction, Graphic Novels

Gene Luen Yang

Gene Luen Yang writes, and sometimes draws, comic books and graphic novels. American Born Chinese — a memoir about growing up as an Asian American — became the first graphic novel to win the American Library Association’s Printz Award and a National Book Award finalist. His two-volume graphic novel Boxers & Saints won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and was a National Book Award finalist. His other works include Dragon Hoops, the Secret Coders series (with Mike Holmes), The Shadow Hero (with Sonny Liew), New Super-Man from DC Comics (with various artists), and the Avatar: The Last Airbender series from Dark Horse Comics (with Gurihiru) and Superman Smashes the Klan (with Gurihiru).

In 2016, Yang was named the 5th National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature and selected as a MacArthur Fellow.