Enter the visual storybook

We’ve curated the ultimate reading list if you’re keen to get your little one started on comics and graphic books but don’t know where to begin

Going old school
Vinod Advani, global advisor on luxury, travel and wine
Recommends: Winnie The Pooh and Phantom comics

I grew up reading Winnie The Pooh and Phantom comics in childhood, and quickly graduated to Asterix and MAD magazines in my teenage and youth years. But I imagine all this would be gobbledygook for today’s kids because growing up as a child in the 1960s, all we had was our imagination — no TV, just radio and books. It is a stark contrast from today’s children who are born with mobile phones in their hands. With few choices, these books and comics fired our imagination, gave us mental images of friends doing adventurous things. Young adults should try to get their hands on dated editions of The Illustrated Weekly of India that are cerebrally stimulating with great illustrations.

An unbiased world
Vaibhav Vishal, writer
Recommends: Tintin, Asterix and Amar Chitra Katha (ACK)

I am old-school but I’d still recommend these for young readers. I owe a lot of knowledge of history and mythology to ACK and while I feel that ACK can get problematic with respect to their representation of women, Muslims and Dravidians, it’s only us adults who would notice that. To kids, they still represent a world distant from them; colourful and packed with stories. Tintin and Asterix are simple reads, representing simpler times. The humour of Asterix is genius at another level — of the PG Wodehouse calibre. It is easy for kids to identify with the characters and set out on brilliant imaginary trips. Tintin was an underdog who was unafraid to take on the world. He’s not a superhero and so he’s relatable to children. Kids are constantly bullied by other kids and by adults alike and so, reading comics like these gives them a sense of confidence.

Start ’em young
Dr Shehbaz Singh, food scientist
Recommends: Dog Man comics

We introduced these comic books to our son when he was five-and-a-half years old after randomly spotting them at a local store. He’s been hooked to it since. The storyline and illustrations are captivating. It’s about a policeman and his dog, where both get injured in the line of duty and on a suggestion of a nurse, they join the head of the dog to the policeman’s and it becomes Dog Man! It’s a funny comic book with quirky characters and funnier villains. Dog Man seems to be a new super hero for six-eight-year-olds. I love reading it too.

For reluctant readers
Dr Sunita Kolke, dentist
Recommends: The Wimpy Kid series

This series helped my resistant teen to begin reading. We picked it up at an airport because he liked the cover and the language. It is not graphic like most comics, but he connected with the main character as it’s the story of a young boy and all his insecurities and dreams. One of the books in this series focuses on adolescent issues from a young boy’s viewpoint; that really resonated.

The Guide’s top 5

I See the Promised Land by — A life of Martin Luther King Junior by Arthur Flowers and Manu Chitrakar: This version of the resilient life of the visionary comes alive thanks to two types of storytelling where lyrical prose of African-American writer Arthur Flowers blends with the Patua scroll mastery of illustrator Manu Chitrakar.

Sita’s Ramayana by Samhita Arni, art by Moyna Chitrakar: This visually vibrant telling of the epic is refreshing and looks at the narrative from Sita’s viewpoint. It offers insight into the challenges she faced while men fought wars.

Tooth and Nail, Fur and Scale: Fantastic Creatures From the Myths and Legends of Indiis by Anupam Arunachalam: Of myth and mythology, one can enjoy many cultures, their legends and their fantastical and quirky imagination through extremely engaging short stories. The illustrations by the author are visual treats of the imagined creatures.

Gravepyres School for the Recently Deceased by Anita Roy: The book’s protagonist, Joseph Srinivas, is confused by the lessons being taught in his school. This phase leads him to find a way to go back to earth while riding a vulture and setting out for the mysterious mountains to find the Seed of Hope. The book subtly highlights issues like climate change, poisoned rivers and greenhouse gases.

Mermaids In The Moonlight by Sharanya Manivannan: The book is about a conversation between a mother (Amma) and her daughter (Nilavoli) during a night boat ride at the Kallady lagoon in Mattakalappu, Sri Lanka, listening to the mysterious sounds that rise from the deep. As Nilavoli listens in wonder, Amma dives into folklore and fishes out spellbinding tales of mermaids from across 
the world.

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