Homeschooling: A New Way To Encourage Reading...

by Danica Davidson

One of the main areas in education is reading. Whether a person is studying in a public school or learning at a long distance school like Laurel Springs, students are encouraged to read. While some people dive into reading, others are more hesitant. I think sometimes those who say they don’t like to read actually don’t like the type of reading materials they’re given by schools or by parents. In my experience, many people who say they don’t like to read end up having a blast reading manga.

Manga? If it sounds like a different language, that’s because it is. Manga are Japanese comic books and they’re being licensed and translated into English. I’ve always been a bookworm, and after years of mostly just reading novels, I read my first manga. And I liked it so much I had to read another one. Now I read them on a regular basis (along with novels) and have found plenty of other people who can’t put them down either. I find many of them clever, informative and easy-to-get-into, with likeable characters and unique storylines.

I believe manga can be a great source for reading material. Most bookstores carry manga these days, as well as many libraries, and don’t believe the old stereotypes that comic books aren’t intellectual and worth reading. In fact, most manga are tightly plotted. They tend to be serial, and paying attention to the storyline is important. Because they’re Japanese, they often take place in Japan, and this inevitably teaches about Japanese culture.

By reading manga, I’ve learned all sorts of things about Japan — from its history to its religions to its manners to its modern day society foibles. This can actually be a look into a whole new culture. Students can not only up their language arts skills reading these, they can learn about a different country and get caught up in the story. More and more companies are publishing manga — Aurora, CPM Press, Del Rey, Digital Manga Publishing, TOKYOPOP, VIZ Media — to name only a few. An increasing number of titles are being licensed into English, and that’s because of the strong sales and obvious interest, with young people as the bulk of readership.

I think part of what makes manga so fun to read would be the uniqueness of them. These come from Japan, from a different culture, and they have unparalleled and sometimes outrageous storylines I’d never thought of before. I do believe reading them has made me more creative and helped my brain go down new paths. It’s actually quite hard to describe exactly what I mean when I say they’re unparalleled and outrageous, because it’s something a person has to see for themselves. The more I read, the more I understand manga’s distinct voice. While sometimes the plots can meld with fantasy and be a little “out there,” the characters stay very human and relatable. A combination of things — like those fantastical plots, relatable characters and the clear singularity of a culture different from ours — all give manga its pull.

Manga ranges in its readership ages, meaning you can find examples that are aimed for young children and others that are supposed to be for high schoolers. Some are clearly aimed for people older than high school, but because the covers have clear suggestions on age range, it shouldn’t be an issue finding the right ones for the right students. Reading can take on all different forms, and if a story adds to a person’s wonder and opens their mind, it shouldn’t matter whether it’s a chapter book or a comic book.

About the Author: Danica Davidson is a professional writer and recent graduate of Laurel Springs School. She enjoys spending her days writing, reading and learning, even though she's not 'technically' in school now.