Panels of Possibility: How Graphic Novels Open Doors for Young Readers
last updated 09 October 2025
By Literary Agent Georgia Tournay-Godfrey
For those who’ve long read graphic novels, you’ll know the form has always been dismissed by some as just comics. Unfortunately, that particular flavour of literary snobbery still echoes in households and classrooms across the globe, especially when it comes to what younger generations are reading.
We can no longer ignore the fact that graphic novels give us examples of some of the most powerful, culturally rich and artistically sophisticated storytelling. And even when they’re not even the simplest, silliest, or crudest ones – they still matter. The fact that kids are devouring them is something to celebrate.
At the 2025 Bookseller’s Children’s Conference, there was a lot of discussion around “meeting children where they are” to help tackle the decline in childhood reading. Could graphic novels be the answer? I think so. I’ve seen first-hand how transformative it can be when children are given stories in the formats that work for them.
Not just as a children’s illustration agent, but as the mum to a neurodivergent child. Ramona, my 10-year-old daughter, simply isn’t interested in traditional chapter books. The structure and density don’t match the way she processes stories. But once she discovered graphic novels (the kookier, the better!) everything changed for her. She is experiencing the joy of stories in a way I’d always dreamed for her.
The rhythm of the panels matches her energy, and being able to pause on the illustrated emotion of a character has allowed her to process what’s happening without getting caught up in the extrinsic pressure of fluently reading blocks of text. But the very best part is how they’ve fostered a huge sense of autonomy and independence, which is crucial for a girl like Ramona a girl who feels entirely out of her depth in so many ways in a neurotypical world. These bite-sized, visual narratives have opened the door to a whole new world. She no longer needs persuading to read at bedtime. Graphic novels regulate her anxious mind and help her escape the humdrum of her school week.
With autism diagnoses on the rise, the question isn’t whether graphic novels can engage neurodivergent children – huge numbers of parents in the SEN community will vouch for that. The real challenge for us, as an industry, is whether we’re publishing enough of them to truly meet this need and whether they’re reaching both neurodivergent and neurotypical families alike.
Of course, we need more solid research to back this up. We can’t go out making sweeping claims about autism without science behind us (or can we Mr President?). But the lived experience of families tells us something important this format is opening doors and it deserves far more attention and investment than it currently gets.
One project I’m especially excited about is the Comics Cultural Impact research led by the brilliant Karrie Fransman. Her work is uncovering the cultural significance and reach of comics and graphic novels, offering much-needed evidence for what so many of us in this space already know: these books don’t just encourage reading, they reshape how young people connect with the world around them.
At Bright, I am fortunate to represent some incredible graphic novel storytellers, and I’m finding more and more illustrators wanting to express themselves through this format as sequential storytelling grows. It is a true craft. It’s not simply about filling panels; it’s about building immersive, cinematic worlds. I’m really glad that more publishers are getting on board and supporting this space, but I also hope we can quickly get to a point where the artistry, dedication, and time it takes to commit to these projects are substantially reflected in the terms and fees offered for graphic novelists.
So, here’s to the next wave of children’s graphic novels: stories that are strange, tender, funny, and beautiful. The non-fiction, the interactive, the explorations of tricky themes. And here’s to the illustrators who are showing us that stories this way can change how a generation reads, imagines and sees themselves and the world around them.
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