-The images give an overview of the story, which encourages the child to read the whole thing. By looking at the images they can get a sense immediately of what is happening, particularly good for kids who are really turned off by books.

-They are fast paced. For high-energy, boisterous kids slowing down can sometimes be a problem. But graphic novels move quickly, the plots are exciting and there is often a good dose of action along the way. This makes them exciting to read, again circumnavigating the 'I hate reading' problem.

-The images reinforce not replace the language. At first it may seem that this is just a glorified picture book but with a really good graphic novel a full understanding is only really reached when the words and illustrations work together. A kid may begin by skimming, but they'll soon be turning back to re-read to gain a better understanding of what is happening.

-The language is high quality. A really good graphic novel has to pair great illustrations with clear dialogue, the language and the images work together to create the story. With so little space for words they are chosen with a great deal of care for maximum impact and can seriously add to your child's vocabulary. They also deal with complex themes that will challenge them beyond their reading level.

-They can be read over and over ... and over. Graphic novels are often a quick read, but I can't tell you how many times I've seen my students returning to the same book. They seem to read in different ways each time and I'm amazed by how much they pick up in such a short space of time. Like anyone returning to an old favorite, they read more slowly and absorb both the language, plot and characters in much more depth. Letting them read something that is familiar and fun (alongside work that is supportive and challenging) will reaffirm that they are a good reader and that books are fun.