CFP: Graphic Novels as Complements to the Classics
A tentatively-titled collection of essays with a pedagogical slant designed to help middle/junior high school and high school teachers use graphic novels in their teaching. Loosely designed after the excellent Joan Kaywell series ?Adolescent Literature as a Complement to the Classics,? this book attempts to show educators how they can use exemplary examples of the graphic novel genre as supplemental and augmental to their curricula and attempts to further solidify the graphic novel?s strength as classroom-worthy literature. Other books have focused on giving lists of suggested graphic novels and general teaching ideas. This volume will focus on specific methods and texts.
Graphic novels are defined for this collection as ?book-length sequential art narratives featuring an
anthology-style of comic art, a collection of reprinted comic book issues comprising a single story line (or arc), or an original, stand-alone graphic narrative.? (Carter, 2004).
Classics are defined as those works that are highly likely to be taught in the middle/ junior high and high school LA/English classes. They may refer to canonical and non-canonical works as well as quintessential
adolescent/YA literature.
Further, the reciprocal nature of bridge-building will be a focus of the text. In other words, essays that treat
otherwise primary texts as the bridge to more complex graphic novels are welcome as well as those that use
graphic novels as lead-ins to traditional texts. Multitextual, interdisciplinary approaches considered as well.
Interested parties might reference Michelle Gorman?s Getting Graphic (2003) text for a list of graphic novels. A partial list of possible texts: Maus, Persepolis, Safe Area Gorazde, Palestine, Ghost World, The Golden Age, In The Shadow of No Towers, Minor Miracles, The Age of One Bad Rat, Blankets, Peach Girl.
Length: should be +/-20 pages. It is acceptable if the bulk of the text is followed by study guides, study
questions, activities, etc (ex. a quality essay of 12 pages, plus 6 pages of practical materials).
Outline: should be determined by the scope and design of the essay/associated lesson material. It is suggested that contributors look to the Joan Kaywell series mentioned above for structural examples. The article ?Pairing William Faulkner's A Light In August and Art Spiegelman's Maus? (Brown) is another essay that somewhat gets at the heart of what the collection is attempting.
Essays should be sent to general editor James "Bucky" Carter at 304 14th St NW, Apt 22D/Charlottesville, VA
22903. Queries can be directed to Mr. Carter at jbc9f@virginia.edu. E-mail submissions accepted but paper
copies appreciated. Deadline is June 15, 2005.
