An A in Procrastination

Since I am well on my way to earning an A in one of my best subjects, let me take a moment to point you to an article on the expanded use of comics in reading. While I cringe at the notion of graphic novels and comic books on equal footing, I do applaud the use of varied genres for ALL readers, not just the reluctant ones. Here is an excerpt.

Maryland's top education official is recommending that Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse start sharing the limelight with classic fiction in classrooms throughout the state.

Superintendent Nancy S. Grasmick, an Archie fan in her youth, tried out comics in third-grade classrooms in eight elementary schools across the state last year. The experiment was so well-received that she will announce today that she wants to expand the use of graphic novels and comic strips to middle schools.

"We never said this program would supplant ... our regular basic reading program," Grasmick said, "but it could provide a huge motivation for some of our students."

On a related note, Free Comic Book Day was a big hit in my house. William came home with 4 comic books, including Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Little Archie. We've read them all. What fun!