In “Children’s Picturebooks,” authors Martin Salisbury and Morag Styles advocate gaining not only traditional literacy, meaning the ability to interpret words, but also visual literacy, the ability to interpret images.
I have been literate in the former sense since I was 6. As for the latter, I still struggle. Hit me with subtitles, for example, and I read the movie instead of watching it. Likewise when faced with a graphic novel, I read the dialog, wonder why I don’t understand what’s going on, then remember — oh, yeah! — to go back and look at the pictures.
From reading online reviews, I know there are still parents who disparage picturebooks that have few words, or who assume those books are only for the youngest children. Extrapolating, I suspect these same adults believe graphic novels are mere comic books, a lower art form than stories told exclusively in words.
I offer my own failings in visual literacy as evidence to the contrary.
A graphic novel is experienced, not just read, and the full experience requires developing important powers of observation, concentration and aesthetic appreciation. Like reading, these skills have the capacity to enrich one’s life immeasurably.
With that in mind, here are some worthy graphic tales.
“Claudia and Mean Janine” is one of four Babysitters Club books re-interpreted in graphic novel format by Raina Telegemeier.
Honestly, I was never a fan of Ann M. Martin’s wildly popular series. I thought the books took too long to get started then moved at a ponderous pace.
The new format solves this problem. The five members of the club, for example, are introduced in telling illustrations even before Page 1.
That done, we’re ready for the story, which opens with a literal thunderclap then depicts the relationship between creative Claudia and her more analytical sister, Janine, changes in the family as a result of their grandmother’s illness, and changes in the Babysitters Club as new girls join.
There’s a lot going on, but the format enables Telgemeier literally to show not tell, so scenes, especially action scenes, zip along. Also, the visual clues make it easier to keep track of the many characters. Telgemeier’s line drawings highlight emotion and give depth to personalities. An action scene involving a rope swing in a barn is dizzying for the reader as well as the character. 
For slightly older readers, say fifth grade and up, Telgemeier’s new “Drama,” illustrated in appealing full color, tells the story of a middle school musical production, although most of the eponymous drama stems from the upcoming eighth grade dance.
Likeable main character Callie is devoted to theater, in particular set design. When “Moon Over Mississippi” is chosen as the school musical, she figures out a way to stage not only falling leaves but a cannon blast. Meanwhile, Callie is also sorting out her feelings about a boy on the stage crew, his older brother, and a handsome pair of identical twins who have gender-orientation issues that will be familiar to any fan of “Glee.”
The frames depicting the school dance, many of them set in the girls’ restroom, are excruciating, hilarious and familiar.
For many people, graphic novel is synonymous with scifi/fantasy. In that vein is “Explorer, the Mystery Boxes,” seven stories edited by Kazu Kibuishi. Each features a mysterious box but more importantly, it offers an eye-opening introduction to a new way of thinking by limning an alternative reality with a few bold strokes on a few pages.
All the stories are good, but my favorite is the weirdest, “The Butter Thief” by Rad Sechrist, in which a little girl is transformed into a demon, then has to decide whether to throw in her lot with the butter thief himself.
State College’s own Martha Freeman is the author of two funny mysteries set in autumn, “Who Stole Halloween?” and “Who Stole Grandma’s Pumpkin Pie?”

“Claudia and Mean Janine,” by Ann M. Martin and Raina Telgemeier. Fast-paced and funny, this graphic novel reissue of a Babysitters Club title is better than the original. It also deals realistically with problems of family and friendship.

“Drama” by Raina Telgemeier. This full-color graphic novel for fifth grade and up depicts the drama underlying the upcoming school musical as well as the eighth-grade dance. Main character Callie is no diva, she’s a set designer.

“Explorer, the Mystery Boxes,” edited by Kazu Kibuishi. All of these seven graphic stories about boxes are thought provoking, and many of them are funny. This is a great demonstration of the range of graphic storytelling.