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GETTING TO KNOWGRAPHIC NOVELS A GUIDE TO USING GRAPHIC NOVELS IN THE CLASSROOM

FEATURING THE OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD

GRAPHIC NOVEL OPPOSITE LAND!

There’s so much more at penguin.com.au/teachers

RECOMMENDED FORMiddle–upper primary (ages 8–11; years 3 to 5)

CONTENTS3. What is a graphic novel? 3. Whatisthediffferencebetweenagraphicnovelandacomicbook? 3. Whyaregraphicnovelsimportantforlearning? 5. Howtoreadagraphicnovel 6. Graphic novel terms 7. Classroomactivities–graphicnovels 9. AboutOpposite Land9. Abouttheauthor10. Visual literacy in Opposite Land 11. Themes14. Classroomactivities–Opposite Land 16. DrawyourowncomicwithCharlotteRoseHamlyn17. FurtherreadingfromPenguinRandomHouseAustralia KEY CURRICULUM AREAS• Learning areas: English • Generalcapabilities:Literacy,CriticalandCreativeThinking,VisualLanguage• Cross-curriculumpriorities:N/A

REASONS FOR STUDYING THIS BOOK• Learningaboutvisualliteracy• Learningaboutgraphicnovels• Learningaboutimaginativethinkingandcreativity

THEMES• Friendship• Individuality• Bullying• Diversity• Courage • Imaginativethinking

PREPARED BYPenguinRandomHouseAustralia

PUBLICATION DETAILSISBN: 9780143780816(paperback);9780143780809(ebook)

These notes may be reproduced free of charge for use and study within schools but they may not be reproduced (either in whole or in part) and offered for commercial sale.

Visit penguin.com.au/teachers tofindouthowourfantasticPenguinRandomHouseAustraliabookscanbeusedintheclass-room,signuptotheteachers’newsletterandfollowuson@penguinteachers.

Speechbubblessourcedfromfreepik.com Starburstoncoversheetsourcedfromclipartfest.comIllustrationsbyCharlotteRoseHamlyn

Copyright©PenguinRandomHouseAustralia2017


What is a graphic novel?

Agraphicnovelusestheinterplayoftextandillustrationsinacomic-stripformattotellastory.Insteadofrelyingonjusttexttoconstructanarrative,itusesgraphicalelementssuchaspanels,frames,speech/thoughtballoons,etc.inasequentialwaytocreateandevokeastoryinareader’smind.

What is the difference between a graphic novel and a comic book?

Agraphicnovelisalonger,morecomplexpieceoftextthatusuallycoversthestorylineinonebook,whereasacomicbookisalotshorterandtellsthestoryovermanyissuesand/orvolumes.

Why are graphic novels important for learning?

Agraphicnovel,muchlikeanybook,isanimportanttoolforcognitivelearningandisrichinvisualliteracy.Readersactivelyparticipateinitsconstructionbyinferringwhattheyseefromtheimageandlinkingittothecorrespondingtexttounderstandthenarrativedevelopingfrompaneltopanel,orpicturetopicture.

Theorderandorganisationofthepanels,imagesandtextonthepagedeterminetheflowandmovementofthestorybygivingthereadercuesastowhattheireyesshouldfollownext.Forinstance,thereaderwillfirstseethepanel,thenthetextlinkedtothemainimage,andfromtheregetasenseofthesceneastheycontinuetomoveontothefollowingpanels.Thesettingandenvironmentinagraphicnovelisestablishedthroughimages,likewisewithcharacterexpressions,whichareallconveyedvisuallyasopposedtoworddescriptionsintraditionalstraight-textnovels.

Inthisway,themore‘image-based’aestheticofthegraphicnovelcanmakeitalessintimidatingreadforbeginnerandESLreaders.Insteadofhavingawalloftext,thestoryisbrokenupintoimages,withorwithoutshortpiecesoftext,whichplayasignificantroleinshapingthenarrative.Itallowsreaderstounderstand‘wordsthroughpictures’.

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DID YOU KNOW?ThefirstgraphicnovelbelievedtohavebeenpublishedwasanadaptationofaGerman stage play called Lenardo and Blantinein1783.The‘graphicnovel’wasillustratedbyJosephFranzvonGoezandcontained160frames.


Graphicnovelscanbeconsideredanimportantbridgeforgreaterreadingdevelopmentandexplorationofideas,becauseconfidencegainedfromthismediumcouldpropelthereluctantreadertoseekoutmoretextuallychallengingbooks.Andbecausegraphicnovelscoverarangeofgenresfromfiction(e.g.superherostoriesandmanga)tonon-fiction,suchasautobiographies,memoirs,truestoriesandinformationbooks(e.g.Maus,Persepolis,Smile,March,Papercutz’Dinosaurseries),thebreadthoftopicsforstudyandimmersionstretchfarandbeyond.

Theageofvisualliteracy,inwhichsocietyisbecomingmoreandmoresteepedinvisualmediathroughtheuseoftechnologicaldeviceslikemobilephonesandtablets,showsusthatreadingbehaviourhasdevelopedtotakeintoaccountthepowerfulroleofimagesinmeaningandinterpretation.GinaGaglianoofFirstSecond,aPanMacmillanimprintfocusingsolelyongraphicnovelsforchildren,commentsthat‘Visualliteracyisanessentialpartoftoday’scurriculum.Kidsneedtolearntointeractwithimagesbecauseit’salargepartofhowwecommunicatetoday.’(http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/libraries/article/71237-graphic-novels-go-back-to-school.html)

Thepopularityoffusionor‘hybrid’textinserieslikeDiaryofaWimpyKidandTomGates,whichmixestextandillustrationstoformaunifiednarrative,offergraphicnovelsacommercialplatformfromwhichtogrow.

Online resources:

• Creating Multimodal Texts:https://creatingmultimodaltexts.com/comics/• Graphic Novels in the Classroom: http://courseweb.ischool.illinois.edu/~gray21/GraphicNovels/• The Truth About Graphic Novels: https://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/ALAN/v32n2/fletcherspear.pdf• Get Graphic (Graphical resources for teachers): http://www.getgraphic.org/teachers.php• How to Teach Graphic Novels: https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2015/nov/30/how-to-teach-graphic-novels• A Teacher Roundtable: https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/teaching-graphic-novels/

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DID YOU KNOW?Theworld’slargestcomicbookcollectionishousedintheLibraryofCongressin

Washington DC in the US.

DID YOU KNOW?Theterm‘graphic

novel’ gained popularity in the late1970s,andwasintroducedbyfanhistorianRichardKyle.


HOW TO READ A GRAPHIC NOVEL

5

Left to right

Up to down

Thought bubble

Frame

Gutter

Speech bubble

Special effects sounds

Close-up

Layout


panel theboxorsegmentthatcontainstheimageandtext

frame theborderthatsurroundsandcontainsthepanel

gutter thespacethatliesbetweenpanels

bleed whenanimagegoesbeyondthebordersofthepage

graphic weight theheavinessorintensityofalineorblockofshadingforvisualfocus.The bolderthegraphicweight,thegreaterthevisualfocus,makingthatelement more salient in the scene.

caption aboxorsectionoftextthatgivesdetailsonthebackgroundandsettingofthe scene.Itsitsseparatelytospeechandthoughtbubbles,oftenatthetoporbottom ofthepanel.

speech bubble thiscontainsthedialoguespokenbydifferentcharacterswithinascene.It’s usuallyenclosedinabubbleoranothershape;otherwise,canstandonits own,closetothespeaker.

thought bubble similartothespeechbubble,thiscontainstheinternaldialogueofa characterandisusuallyshapedlikeacloud,comingfromthecharacter’s head

special effects sounds wordsthatgiveasenseofsoundonthepage(e.g.BANG!THUMP!). Toheightentheirimpact,thewordsareeitherboldedorhavea specialgraphicaltreatmenttomakeitstandoutonthepage.

layout theconfigurationofalltheelementsonthepage;thewayinwhichtheframe, panels,speechbubbles,etc.arearrangedtotellthenarrative

close-up ananglethatzoomsintoanimage,likeacharacter’sface,toallowforcloserview. Thistechniqueissometimesemployedtoconveyafeelingofintimacybetweenthe readerandcharacter,suchaswhenacharacterrevealstheirthoughtsorrevelations.

GRAPHIC NOVEL TERMS

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CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES – GRAPHIC NOVELS1. Findonecopyeachofapicturebook,novelandgraphicnovel.Flickthroughandstudythe pages.Howiseachmediumdifferentorsimilartotheother?Writeyouranswersdownon thechartbelow.

TEXT(e.g. How does the text appear? Does it change for different parts of the story?)

LAYOUT (e.g. How are the elements on the page arranged? Is it all text or are there some images? How many pages are there?)

ILLUSTRATIONS(e.g. Do the pages have any illustrations or not?)

GRAPHICALELEMENTS (e.g. Are there any graphical elements for text breaks or chapter icons?)

PICTUREBOOK

NOVEL

GRAPHICNOVEL


2. Unlikethetraditionalnovel,graphicnovelsrelyon‘visual’soundeffects,likeBANG! STOMP!,whichillustratethewordsothatitcanbegraphicallyrecognised.Forexample, BANG!canbedrawninbig,boldlettersthatstandoutprominentlyonthepanel.Lookat thewordsbelowandseehowyoucanillustratethesesoundeffectstosuitthenoisesthey create.

SOUND WORD AS GRAPHIC‘Shhhhh!’shehissedtothe man as the movie played.

KERBLAMMO!Thefactoryexploredintosmithereens.

Bounce! Bounce! Bounce! wenttheball.


ABOUT OPPOSITE LAND

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Welcome to Opposite Land – where socks wear feet, broccoli is meat, behind is ahead, and people poop from their head!

Aftertheworstdayever,Stevediscoversastrangebookwrittenupsidedownandbacktofront.Thatnight,whenitswordsbecomemysteriouslyclearandStevebeginstoreadthem,she’stransportedtothetopsy-turvyworldinthebook–OppositeLand.Inthisextraordinarilypeculiarplace,roadsfloatinmid-air,peopleliveingiantsnailshellsandmonstersaremadeofpasta!

ButallthatwillchangeonceEmperorNevergetshiswayanddestroysOppositeLandforgood.WhenaflyingcabbagecalledSanjivrevealsthatSteveistheonlyonewhocandefeattheemperor,it’suptoStevetofaceherfearsandsavetheworld.

CanStevehelprestoreOppositeLandtoitsformergloryandfindherwaybackhome?

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Charlotte Rose HamlynisaSydney-basedstorytellerandanaward-winningscreenwriterforcartoonslikeBeat Bugs,Blinky Bill,Tashi and Guess How Much I Love You?.She’salsoatelevisionpresenterforChannel7’sartandcraftshowGet Arty,voicescartooncharacters,including Marcia the Mouse in Blinky Bill: The Movie,andisaretiredprofessionalfairy.Earlierinhercareer,Charlottemadeshortfilmsaboutspiderswithhuman-phobiasandworkedforAcademyAward-winningdirectorGeorgeMilleronHappy Feet 2.ShegrewupinAdelaide,Australia,butnowlivesinSydney,whereshespendshertimewritinganddrawinginacolourfulhousefullofart,plantsandlotsofpencils.Shelikessequins,andpineappleonpizza.


VISUAL LITERACY IN OPPOSITE LANDIn Opposite Land,theauthorusesthegraphic-novelmediumtoillustrateSteve’sadventuretoacompletelyupside-downworld.Eachpagecontainsasequenceofpanels,whichareframedorunframed,toshowhowthenarrativedevelopsandunfolds.Theuniquenessofthisworldischaracterisedbythebizarrecharactersandenvironment,whicharemadeupofvariousdesigns,patterns,linesandsymbols.Thesepatternsandlinesalsocreateasenseofmovement,byguidingthereader’sattentiontothemoodandactiononthepage.Itgivesthemareading pathfromwhichtheycannavigatethroughtheothervisualelementsofthescenetowardsthemainfocus.Forinstance,inChapter1,theboldlinesandstripybackgroundpointtowardsSteveasshegetstrappedinherschoolchair–indicatingnotonlythemovementofthechairasitsnapsherin,butvisuallyconveyingtheunwantedattentionshereceivesfromherclassmatessittingnexttoher.

The author also employs visualisationbyestablishingaconnectionbetweenthetextandimagetomakethemeaningorsentimentstronger.Weseethisinthepastamonsters,whereeachcharacter’scostumeandfeaturesaremadeupoftheirnamesake,likeMacaroniMedusa,whohasmacaroni-shapedeyeballsandnose,andamacaroni-patterneddress.Furthertothis,symbols are usedasawaytoidentifyhowacharacterisfeeling(e.g.Stevesurroundedbyloveheartswhensheeatsice-cream,herfavouritefood)andwhatthey’redoing(musicalnoteswheneverthepastamonsters play their instruments).

Theuseofframes,alongwiththevarietyofshapes,linesandpatterns,playabigroleincommunicatingemotioninamoreabstractway.Atthestartofthestory,whenStevegetsangryatMumandmarchesintoherbedroom(Chapter1),thesequenceisshatteredintosevenshardsofaction,startingwithStevegrabbingthebookandendingwithherslammingthedoortoherbedroom.ThejaggedframingoftheseminipanelsresonatewithSteve’sfrustrationsandvisuallypre-emptthesmashedwindowonthenextpanel.

Anotherwaytoportraytheactionandenergyofthesceneisthroughtheuseofsound effects,wheretextisgivenagraphicaltreatment.Soundeffectsarevisualisedandaredrawnaccordingtothenatureandbehaviouroftheword.Anexampleisthedrawn-out‘Roooar’comingfromTheNeverinChapter14.Itemergesfromthetopofthe


panelandfollowstheshapeofTheNever,hauntingSteveassherunsinfear.Thesizeandappearanceofthesoundeffectcombinedwiththeimagecreatesamoodandatmospherecharacteristicofthescene.Furthertothis,breakout wordswithinthedialogueisboldedtohelpamplifythetoneofspeech,aswellasaddsmoreemphasis.Theauthoralsousesrhyming versetoshowcasethewhimsicalityandplayfulnessofOppositeLand(‘Pigs can fly, and flies just fall; in fact, a fly can’t fly at all’),whilealsohelpingyoungerreadersunderstandcommonsoundsandcommonletters.

Oneofthemostpowerfultechniquestheauthorusesinherstoryisthefacial expressionsofhercharacterstoconveydifferentemotionsindevelopingarelationshipwiththereader.WeseeSteveangry,sad,happy,scaredandexcited,anditisthroughtheseexpressionsthatyoungerreadersareabletogetanimmediatesenseof,andempathisewith,howourheroisfeeling.Byfosteringthisimportantconnectionbetweenreaderandcharacter,thereaderisabletoimmersethemselvesdeeperintothestory,allowingthemtorelatetotheprotagonist’sstrengthsandvulnerabilities.

THEMESFriendshipStevestartsoffherjourneyinOppositeLandalonebutmeetsmanyinterestingcharactersalongthewaywhobecomehergoodfriends.WhenthetimecomestofightEmperorNever,Steveandherfriendsbandtogethertooverthrowhim.InonescenewhereSteveisclosetobeingdefeatedbyEmperorNever’spowers,Sanjivyellsoutthat‘She’snotalone’and,withtherestofthecrew,goesbehindStevetohelppropherupsothatshecouldaimhermagicalbeamagainsttheemperor,symbolisingtheirneedtohelpandsupporttheirfriend.Fromthebeginning,SanjivalsorecognisedSteve’spotentialasthepowerfulprincessdestinedtosavethem,whenSteveherselfcouldn’tseethisinherself.Sanjiv’sfaithinherabilities–tobebrave,cleverandmagical–iswhatallowedSteve’sself-confidencetogrow.

IndividualityAttheendofthestory,oneofthemainlessonsStevelearnsistheimportanceofstandingupforwhatyoubelievein.SteverealisesthatshedidwrongbyMiaobyrejectingherfriendshipinfavourofthebullies’demands,evidencedbyherepiphanyinTheNeverwhensheannounces‘Ialready


didthewrongthingbyanewfriendtoday.NowI’mgoingtodowhat’sright.’WhenStevereturnstotherealworld,shereuniteswithMiaoastheygototap-dancingclasstogether–anactivitythebulliesclaimarefor‘babies’.BybefriendingMiaoandcontinuingtopursuetap-dancing,whichtheotherstudentsconsiderunpopular,Stevestaystruetowhosheisandwhatsheloves,regardlessofanyone’sthoughtsabouther.

BullyingStevebecomesthetargetoftheplaygroundbulliesatthefirstdayofhernewschool,whentheyfindouthernameis‘aboy’sname’.Later,Stevefeelsguiltyforbeingpeer-pressuredintoallowingherselftobecalled‘Stephanie’,andwalkingawayfromMiao.Thetensionfollowsherathome,whereStevebecomesfrustratedathermumfornotgettingherway.Inthestory,thebullyingSteveexperiencesatschoolfillsherwithself-doubtandmakesherquestionwhethershecantrulybeherself.

Diversity Opposite Land containsamotleycrewofcharacters,likeSanjiv,aflyingcabbage;Papercut,apiratewhosearmy,theOrigarmy,aremadeofpaper;PrinceSparkling,aprincewhowearssparklydresses;andFairyCodmother,anupside-downmermaidwhocelebratesbeingugly.Thediversityin Opposite Landisexpressednotjustintheodd,randommiscellanyoftheworld,butthroughitscharacterswhoarecompletelydifferenttoeachotherinshape,sizeandstyle.Insomeways,theheterogeneityofOpposite Landreflectsthecomplexdiversityofmodernsociety,whichisahugemeltingpotofdifferentcultures.Thecoming-togetherofeveryoneinagrouphugafterEmperorNever’sdefeat,withtheperspectivelookingoutfromthemiddleofthecircle,createsasenseofunityandcomradeshipintheirsharedvictorydespitethecharacters’obviousphysicaldifferences.

CourageBeforeherjourneytoOppositeLand,Stevewasfearfulofhernewschoolanddoubtedhercapabilities–whileSanjivinsistedthatshewastheprincess,Steveconstantlydeniedthisandstruggledtoseehowshewouldbebraveenoughtoliveuptosuchexpectations.Butwitheachmission,Stevebegantouncovertheherowithin,findinghervoicetosingforthestarstodirecttheship,andteachingtheupside-downmermaidstobeabletowalk.ShejumpsoutinfrontofSanjivtoprotecthimfromthepastamonstersandintheendconfrontsherfears:‘Idon’t


runfrommyfears,Istandbeforethemandsay–I’mstayingrighthereuntilyougoaway.’Aboveallthings,Steve’stimeinOppositeLandhasemboldenedhertofacewhatitisthatscaresher,alessonthattranslatesbacktotherealworldwhenshemakesupwithMiaoattap-dancingclassandstaystruetoherself.

Imaginative thinking Opposite Landisaplacewhereeverythingistheoppositetorealityandleavesplentytotheimagination.Cabbagescanfly,mountainsaremadeofice-cream(whichpeoplepoopoutoftheirheads)anditrainsfromtheground.Thestoryflipsandhasfunwiththenotionofopposites,whereitseemsalmostanythingispossibleandtherearenoconcreterules:starfishliveintheskyandgivelight,everyonelivesinhousesmadeofsnailshells(withthesnailsstillattached!).Thepluralityofoppositesaccommodatesalltypesofinterpretations,andinthiswaycanbeseenasaplatformforchildrentoexercisetheirimaginationtoitsfullest.


CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES – OPPOSITE LAND1. Match the characters to their Opposite Land oppositesbelow: Steve and Emperor Never Mum and Papercut the Pirate Ms Codmother to Fairy Codmother Ms Mac to Macaroni Medusa Mr Spark to Prince Sparkling


2. InChapter2,opentothescenewhereStevereadsthewordsinthebookandherroom beginstomeltandfallapart.Theauthorusesalotoflinesandshapestocreatemovement onthepageasSteveisspunandflippedupsidedownintoOppositeLand.Howmany differentlinesandshapescanyouidentify?Makealistandsharewithyourclassmates.

3. In Opposite Land,StevemeetstheoppositeofhermotherinPapercutthePirate,andlater, herownopposite,EmperorNever.ImagineyouhadanoppositeversionofyouinOpposite Land.Howwouldheorshelook?Drawyour‘OppositeLand’self-portraitintheframebelow andtaketurnsintroducingyourcharactertotherestofyourclass.Whatmakesyour character‘opposite’toyou?

15

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