Luckily, getting little ones into reading isn't as daunting as it sounds. Comic books for kids are a great way to introduce your children to new stories they might fall in love with. Comics typically aren't as dense as chapter books, and they have fun and engaging images. This makes comic books a great segue into other reading (in addition to being fun in their own right).

Let's take a look at some of the best comic books for children (and delve into whether or not you should write one for them!).

What age group reads comic books?

Comic books can be read by children (and adults) of all ages. You likely have kicked back with a superhero comic or a fun and entertaining manga in your own adult life! This is proof that starting children out with comics can lead to a lifelong passion.

Most children begin reading when they are around 6 years old. Some start as early as 4 or 5. At this point, they can begin to read simple comic books that are made for children.

One benefit of comic books for younger audiences is the smaller amount of text. Lots of little ones like to 'speed read,' which causes them to skim the text and move forward too quickly.

Comic books give them the chance to look at the pictures and fully comprehend what's happening after reading the text. They'll be able to use context clues to figure out what's happening, even when they can't read 100% of the words!

The benefits of comics for children

Librarians and educators summed up the benefits of comics for children on a 2014 New York Comic-Con panel. These benefits of:

• Motivating reluctant readers
• Teaching children to make inferences
• Enhancing memory and making them consider sequencing
• Helping children understand succinct language
• Boosting reading comprehension.

Comic books also help children transition directly into fun and appropriate novels for 8-to-10-year-olds. Take for example Captain Underpants — remember that classic? It’s a great series for all children who like to laugh, and it incorporates comics written by the two main characters! The same applies for Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

In addition to reading, comic books also help little ones get interested in art! This gets them to think more creatively and express themselves in a variety of ways.

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What Is the best comic book to start with?

There are tons of comic books out there. It's difficult to know where to begin! Luckily, there are a few different ways that you can start your child on their graphic journey.

It's a good idea to let your child choose the comic book that they want to read — because picking something they’re interested in is key! Take them to the library or bookstore and let them choose a couple of adventures that they want to read.

Having them read something that engages them ensures that they won't become bored. Reading won't seem like a chore if they're invested in the comic book they're looking at!

Still, it's good to have some idea of what your child might read. Here are some of the best comic books for children:

• Nimona by Noelle Stevenson (fantasy adventure)
• The Witch Boy by Molly Ostertag (fantasy adventure)
• Amulet by Kazu Kibuishi (fantasy adventure)
• Drama by Raina Telgemeier (slice of life)
• Awkward by Svetlana Chmakova (slice of life)
• Anything by Disney (since they're based on the movies, your child may like to watch after they read!)
• Case Closed (detective manga, which is a Japanese comic)
• Yotsuba&! (slice of life manga)

You can also read comic book versions of classics like Oliver Twist and Pride and Prejudice when you feel they're appropriate. This is a great way to get children into literature.

If you're motivated, you can also write comic books for your own little one. 

How do you write comic books for kids?

You don't need to write full-length professional-quality comic books to get your child interested in reading them. All you need to do is be a little creative.

Come up with characters and a storyline that your child is going to be interested in. Many (smart) parents choose to include their little ones in the comic as the main character. Put pets, friends, siblings, and yourself and your spouse into the comic as secondary characters and tell a whimsical and fantastical story that features your child!

You also can make comics about original characters that you think your little one will relate to. This is a great way to get them to form connections with characters for the first time. If they connect with characters as children, this will hopefully continue when they're older and make them love reading even more!

If you don't have the talent level required to draw and create panels (trust us...we don’t), you can use online resources to write comics. Bitstrips, Comic Master, and Pixton are all easy-to-use tools that are made for bringing comics to life! Just take your idea and use drag-and-drop software to make it a reality.

Get started!

Getting children to fall in love with reading can be a challenge, but comic books are a fun and exciting way to make it interesting to them.

Now that you know some of the best comic books for kids, it's time to start by sharing these stories with your little one. Get in touch with us at @hellosawyer if you have questions — we're excited to point you to some amazing books that you can read along with your children.