September 15. The 15th way that ECBC supports cognitive health for hospitalized kids is by making sure that we always have a supply of high-quality graphic novels to offer to patients–whether it be on the mobile book cart on the inpatient side of CHOC, via our Outpatient Infusion Center deliveries, through our book boxes for new cancer diagnoses, or at special events. Graphic novels tend to be criticized as inadequate literature for kids to read. However, high quality graphic novels have won prestigious ALA (American Library Association) awards for their terrific stories, deep themes, and wonderful illustrations. And, comprehending graphic novels where readers must construct meaning from individual graphic panels into a coherent whole is a cognitively complex activity that helps to develop good thinking. Also, good stories in graphic novel formats require the same comprehension strategies required for stories written in prose, such as predicting and inferring, so they are an opportunity to practice comprehension skills. Perhaps even more importantly, graphic texts can be a powerful bridge for reluctant readers to other text types, so they are a great starting point for reluctant/struggling readers that often end up turning kids into avid readers. Finally, they’re so popular — they are the best at getting the patients to put their screens down to read!

ECBC can’t keep graphic novels on any of our shelves, as they go immediately! To fund graphic novels for all of our programs, go to runsignup.com/BOOKIT2020. $10-$20 funds one graphic novel, $100 refills the couple graphic novel bins on our book cart for OPI deliveries, and $500 re-stocks the graphic novel shelf on our inpatient mobile book cart.  THANK YOU for supporting BOOK IT2020 and helping to honor cancer warriors during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month!