HARLINGEN — Shampoo made from vegetables? Really?
Natalie Martinez, a fourth grader at Travis Elementary School, discovered this curious little piece of history while reading a graphic novel called “Cosmetics.”
The graphic novel was filled with colorful cartoon-like illustrations and told the story of an African-American woman named Madam C.J. Walker. She was an activist and philanthropist who developed specialized products for African-American hair.
“I like reading graphic novels because they have a lot of pictures,” Natalie, 10, said as she sat in the school’s Information Literacy Center.
Although graphic novels are becoming an important tool for encouraging reluctant readers, only 15 graphic novels are on the shelves at Travis. However, this summer a huge influx of new books, including graphic novels, will arrive at the school. Linda Peña, library media specialist, learned earlier this week the Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries had approved Travis Elementary for a library grant of $6,800.
Principal Beulah Rangel said she was elated by the large grant which will pay for about 450 books.
“We are going to be replacing some of the old books,” Rangel said. “We want the kids to have an opportunity to read more books. This grant will allow us to provide plenty of books for our students to develop a love for learning and a love for reading. I could not be more proud that Travis Elementary is a recipient of this grant.”
Peña, who is finishing her first year at Travis, was delighted by the news.
“My goal is to extend the selection of graphic novels,” said Peña, who applied for the grant.
“Reluctant readers gravitate to these books,” she said. “They just need the pictures.”
Once the children have those images in mind, they often transition into non-fiction books about history and other subjects.
Natalie and her classmates have been reading a lot of history without even thinking of it as a history book. The book “Cosmetics” told her the story of a very important woman, Madam C.J. Walker, whom most people know nothing about. She was one of the first American women to become a self-made millionaire.
Natalie has also acquired considerable knowledge about Henry Ford developing the Model T, thanks to a colorful graphic novel filled with pictures of red cars, brown horses and people in bright colorful clothing.
In the application, Peña described in detail how children feel when they become captivated by a series and then hit a dead-end because they can’t locate the next book.
That’s why she also wants to fill book series which are missing some books, such as “Absolutely Lucy,” “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” and “Artemis Fowl.” Children become enthused about a series and read book after book after book after … Wait a minute. Where’s the next one?
“Kids get frustrated trying to complete the series,” she said.
Johnathan Gonzalez, 10, is hungrily seeking the next book in the Wild Rescue series. He talked enthusiastically about number 8 in the series in which a cougar cub falls down a well. The book lay on the table and Johnathan kept glancing at the cover which featured a cougar. The story, he said, featured a boy and a girl trying desperately to save the cub. And then …
He doesn’t know … yet.
“He can’t see how it goes,” Peña said.
She’s often had to borrow books from other schools. Johnathan read the first two books in the Wild Rescue series and went looking for the third. He couldn’t find it and Peña quickly found a copy. It was the same with No. 7. However, once he’d finished reading No. 8, Peña couldn’t find No. 9 anywhere.
“That’s one of our series,” Peña said with a smile, indicating Johnathan will soon be able to finish the series.
As for Johnathan, he finds a way to read no matter what. One of his favorite series of books is “Diary of a Wimpy Kid.”
“I like it because when we read it it’s like a journey,” Johnathan said. “It’s funny, it’s serious.”
On a grander scale, he just likes reading, period.
“I like a lot of books,” he said. “I like chapter books. They keep you busy.”
The “Model T” book kept him busy, too.
“When I had it, I didn’t want to turn it back in because it was so interesting,” he said.
That one word “interesting” indicated the graphic novel had done its job. Reading wasn’t just about colorful pictures, it was about stories, about liberation, about learning.
Often, once the seed is planted, once the door is opened, the child dives into books and allows them to take him or her to fascinating places of the imagination. In the midst of this, literacy increases and the readers deepen their knowledge base.
