Compelling stories, graphically told

This sounds crazy, but it's true: The Charlotte-Mecklenburg library's Michele Gorman teaches other librarians how to read books.Not just any books, but graphic novels – the book form of a format better known as comics.Once regarded as junk literature aimed at teenage boys, a new generation of sophisticated visual stories has transformed that old image. The New York Times reviews graphic novels. Libraries covet them to attract young readers. And annual sales are climbing: In the U.S. and Canada, they grew five-fold from 2001 to 2007, to $375 million.Charlotte's Novello Festival of Reading now regularly includes graphic novelists. On Friday, authors Alison Bechdel (“Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic”) and Harvey Pekar (“American Splendor”) appear together at ImaginOn.But lots of people – especially older readers – still don't get... [read full story]