I started writing and drawing comics in the third grade. Little did I know that my repetitive asking of my mother to spell words and to read my comic strips was strengthening my writing skills. I became such a strong writer that I majored in English in college and earned a master’s degree in journalism.
As an author/illustrator who teaches comics and writing to children almost every day, I deeply believe in the power of engaging children in the productive activity of writing and drawing comics. In addition to using their imaginations, they practice writing skills, logic, empathy, design, communication, revision, and visual thinking—all skills that transfer to myriad academic and professional fields.
If you’re a K-12 teacher or children’s or teen librarian, I want to empower you to use comics teaching to not only excite children in the creation of comics but also use comics instruction to creatively strengthen their writing, visual communication empathy and other skills.
This spring, I am starting an annual series to introduce local teachers and librarians to an educator who can share how they specifically use of comics in the classroom—whether as literature studies, communication opportunities, or to enable students to show knowledge mastery or engagement.
On June 9, I am partnering with the Wayland Free Public Library to present "A Conversation with Comics Advocate Carol L. Tilley. Carol," a professor of library science at the University of Illinois, is a longtime promoter or comics in libraries and does exciting archival research involving comics reading through history. You can read more on Carol at https://caroltilley.net
I will interview Carol at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 9, and the public is welcome to ask Carol questions about good ways teachers can use comics in classrooms and libraries. To support Carol’s trip to Massachusetts, I am hosting an art sale of original pages of my middle-grade graphic novel Timid, which you may also find helpful in your teaching of comics in the classroom and beyond.
Between now and June 1, 2024, original pages from my graphic novel cost $30, which includes postage and handling. If you’d like to purchase a page from Timid, which will be released on April 2, e-mail me at jonathantoddbooks@gmail.com. When you email me, tell me the page number or the kind of page you'd like, and I'll send you my Venmo handle.
Thank you for your support!
—Jonathan Todd
Author/Illustrator of Timid: https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781338305722