Today’s Solutions: March 17, 2025

Comic books are no longer simply for superhero fans and Sunday morning chuckles. Young activists are getting involved in the fight against climate change and social injustice, and comic books are becoming a powerful tool in the battle. 

Comic books are accessible resources for teaching kids about difficult topics, and the use of imagery can help convey sentiments that words alone may not be able to. Art Spiegelman’s “Maus,” became the first Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel in 1992 for its accurate, yet the easily-digestible, depiction of his father’s experience during the Holocaust. 

The medium has been written off in the past as non-academic or overly simple, but an increase in thought-provoking and educational comic books has elevated the status of these publications in spaces of learning. Here are some suggestions by category for highly educational and accessible comic books across a range of social topics.

The graphic novel memoir “They Called Us Enemy,” was created by George Takei and illustrator Harmony Becker to share about his family’s experience in Japanese internment camps during World War II. “New Kid” by African American author and illustrator Jerry Craft won a Newbery Medal for its depiction of the feelings of isolation that children of color can feel in predominantly white schools. 

In “Hey Kiddo! How I Lost My Mother, Found My Father, and Dealt with Family Addiction,” author Jarrett Krosoczka normalizes his dysfunctional home life through words and images that specifically explain addiction and mental illness to children. 

Climate change can be a point of both high anxiety and activism for kids. The graphic anthology “Wild Ocean: Sharks, Whales, Rays, and Other Endangered Sea Creatures” dives deeper into the impact of climate change on endangered species and helps children gain an understanding of, and a feeling of autonomy over, their role in climate change mitigation. 

Lastly, “Escape from Syria,” was created by foreign correspondent Samya Kullab and illustrator Jackie Roche to better explain the Syrian refugee crisis and how it is impacting families and children. 

There are many many more examples of eloquent, high-quality comic books that explain topics such as violence, gender identity, and bigotry via a more easily understood medium. These powerful combinations of words and illustrations help children connect to characters that represent critical social issues and feel more empowered in the face of crisis.

Solutions News Source Print this article
More of Today's Solutions

Australian man survives 100 days with artificial heart in groundbreaking success

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM For the first time in history, a patient has been discharged from the hospital with a total artificial ...

Read More

How to strengthen your hips for better movement and less pain

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Have you ever stood up after sitting for too long and felt like your hips aged fifty years ...

Read More

Why do so many children detest vegetables? Scientists may have unravelled the...

Humans are social creatures, and our behaviors, particularly those linked to eating, are frequently influenced by what we watch in others. Social modeling is ...

Read More

5 essential work skills to enhance your resume in 2024

In a world where talents are valued above all else, how we approach job searching and resume writing is changing dramatically. As we approach ...

Read More