Many readers experience periods of time where their reading life takes a dip. It can be hard to know how to manage a dreaded slump. Thankfully, in the midst of my most recent reading slump, I stumbled across an unexpected solution: rediscovering my love for graphic novels rescued my reading life.
More than twenty years ago, my brother called me up raving about a book I NEEDED to read. He then told me it was kind of like a long comic book about a group of lions escaping a zoo in Baghdad. Truthfully, my immediate response was very akin to Randy Jackson on American Idol, “it’s a no from me dawg.” Luckily his enthusiasm for The Pride of Baghdad by Brian K. Vaughan was infectious and I ended up reading my first graphic novel. While the art was amazing and the story was captivating, it was honestly too sad and violent for me. Even though that title was not my cup of tea, my bookish eyes were now open to a whole new reading format.
The term “graphic novels” actually refers to a bunch of different reading options. Graphic novels can be a complete collection of a comic book series arc, like Shuri, the Search for Black Panther by Nnedi Okorafor. They also include all types of fiction genres, like sci-fi and fantasy, mystery, romance, illustrated and adapted classics like Anne of Green Gables, and more. This term can confusingly refer to non-fiction as well, like graphic memoirs, guides, and even cookbooks. While this format is a popular reading choice for children and teens, graphic novels are for grown-ups too.
Through trial and error, I found that the graphic novels that work best for me are fun, unique, and touching without being total tearjerkers. A perfect example is Nimona by ND Stevenson (which I brought as one of the three books I love when I first appeared on WSIRN) and Garlic and the Vampire by Bree Paulsen, which was an excellent recommendation from team member Ginger. For a while there, graphic novels were a large part of my reading life. I really fell in love with the creativity found in the illustrations and writing. Then somewhere along the line, I started feeling like I had already read all of the ones out there that fit my taste. (Even though this was impossible and there are of course many I have not read!) So while I kept on reading in other formats, my interest in graphic novels dwindled and I hadn’t really picked any up over the last three years.
Fast forward to a few months ago and my epic reading slump. My often voracious reading had been reduced to a slow crawl. Other than a few book club reads here and there, I was consuming very little in any format. I found myself consumed by the turmoil in our world and I had trouble focusing. Plus, I felt like my time for entertainment was disappearing. While I won’t blame the shows that were taking up most of that time (looking at you Survivor and Summer House), I will say it’s not not their fault. My normal slump-busting tricks of picking up novellas or a fairy tale retelling were not working and I was almost resigned to reading less. Luckily, my local library did something that interrupted my slump.
We are often at our local county library and I kept bringing home library books that would just sit at my home unread until their due date. One afternoon I was waiting in the manga section while my kids chose their selections. I noticed the library had recently reorganized the stacks to house graphic novels near the manga. My old library page habits die hard so I started reading the shelves and came across two volumes of Misfit City by Kiwi Smith, illustrated by Kurt Lustgarten, with a blurb on the cover from actress Aubrey Plaza that caught my eye. I brought those books home with me. The small page count felt accessible so I told myself I would read the first volume that day in hopes of adding momentum to my reading life. I am so glad I did. The nostalgic and clever tale is full of fun adventures and cool illustrations.
It wasn’t the actual book that started breaking me out of my reading funk but rather the format. The low page count meant I could read it in one sitting. With colorful illustrations and engaging dialog, I could stay focused despite my shortened attention span. I felt like my normal reading self again and was delighted that I came across it by chance. What an exciting accomplishment! Instead of feeling like I was barely reading, I quickly became excited by the options available.
I went back to the library a week later and picked up a whole stack of graphic novels. This time I focused on sci-fi and fantasy, which led me to discover one of my favorite reads of the year so far, Space Story by Fiona Ostby. Next I went back and got some comic memoirs and graphic nonfiction guides. I think you may see where this is going. I was delighted to be diving into a format I previously loved! This soon led to resuming my normal habit of reading romance at bedtime and listening to audiobooks while tidying our house.
Reader, I can happily report the slump is over and I am finding so much bookish joy again. My attention span is still not quite like it used to be, but whose is, really? I am also getting back into reading more print novels instead of primarily ebooks and audiobooks like I mentioned in Links I love a few weeks ago. I’m taking small steps. Thanks to graphic novels (and a clever rearrangement at the library), my reading life has been rescued.
Has your reading needed to be rescued over the years? What has saved your bookish pursuits? Please share in the comments section.
P.S. Discover graphic novels with these 8 favorite reads, 5 tricks to help you read when reading feels hard, and Add joy to your reading life with these favorite bookish accessories.
About the author
Brigid Misselhorn is our MMD Book Club Community Administrator. Her go-to genres are mystery, romance, and sci-fi. You can find Brigid on Instagram @brigid_emily.
15 comments
I read old favorites even from childhood and the Classics in general (children’s and adult’s) are always good for me to boost me up out of a reading slump.
Classics are always a great choice!
My two most successful slump-busters are to re-read a favorite or to continue a favorite series. Both are easier for my brain to latch on to since it’s a book or a group of characters I already know and love.
Jackie, I gotta try that picking up a series tip. My brain loves to not have to learn new characters every so often.
The Lion of Baghdad was the first graphic novel I ever read too! I loved the conflicting desires for safety vs freedom.
What a coincidence, Laura! Do you have some other graphic novel recommendations? Always looking for new ones.
I got out of my most recent reading slump with Middle Grades Fiction. The stakes in the stories (and page counts) are low, and the reading is easy. I particularly enjoyed The Swifts series by Beth Lincoln.
Middle grade choices can be so fun Great idea, Annette!
As an elementary school librarian , I’ve seen the power of graphic novels in a reader’s literary diet!
Adult books I have enjoyed: Cancer Vixen by Marchetto, Persepolis by the late Marjane Satrapi.
Recently I just read and absolutely loved Watership Down adapted by Sturm and Sutphin. It has given me excitement to tackle the very long source material!
I’ve also purchased (because they are so fun!) short form literary-focused comics by Grant Snider (I Will Judge you by your Bookshelf and Poetry Comics) and Book Love by Debbie Tung. She also has a wonderful one focusing on mental health: Everything is OK. And several more!
I read and loved many for children—a few that have really stuck with me: El Deafo by Bell, Roller Girl by Jamieson, and Hey Kiddo: How I Lost My Mother, Found My Gather and Dealt with Family Addiction by Krosoczka.
What a great list, Leslie! I will have to add some of these to my TBR. Thank you!
Sorry (but not sorry!) to say that I’ve never had a bad reading slump, unless you count reading 5 not-for-me or so-so books in a row. But although I’m not particularly into graphic novels, I’ve read French Milk by Lucy Knisley, and found it fun and inventive (and I like France), but my favorite of all is “Can’t We Talk about Something More Pleasant?” by Roz Chast. If you have parents that are getting older and needing help, Man Alive, this is the book for you!! She’s a cartoonist, with real parent problems, and oh my goodness, it’s all true and I felt so much better after reading it!! I collect them and give them out to people who need them.
Suzy, I just saw a few books by Roz Chast at a bookstore and was wondering about them. Good to know you have enjoyed!
Snapdragon by Kat Leigh! Inloved this graphic novel so much. Whimsical and fierce.
And Cannon by Lee Lai – shortlisted for the Carol Shields Prize!
I have Snapdragon on our bookshelf but still need to read! Thank you, Julia.
I’m not a graphic novel reader, but I just finished Anxietyland, a graphic memoir, and enjoyed it. Despite the seriousness of the issue, the book was actually fun to read. Here’s what I said when I was done.
Anxietyland, written and illustrated by Gemma Correll
Graphic novels aren’t my thing, but I really liked this graphic memoir. The author, whose work has been featured in many well-known publications, has battled anxiety since childhood. In this book she alternates between all the years of anxiety she experienced leading up to the present (colored just like the cover) and the weeks she spent in an outpatient hospitalization program to treat her mental illness (same illustration style, but swap the red for blue), treating the whole thing as if it’s an amusement park. Her transparency is helpful for those who don’t have personal experience with anxiety but want to better understand it and her sense of humor makes a heavy topic easy to read about.