Fostering children's enthusiasm, engagement and creativity with classic texts: Adapting Mary Shelley's 'The Mortal Immortal' (1833) into a graphic novel

The popularity of children's graphic novels reflects a rising interest in multi-modal literature. This study explores engagement with classic literature, in particular a Mary Shelley short story, through the adaptation of narrative text into the graphic novel format. The research explores the effectiveness of textual adaptation for engaging young readers, fostering enthusiasm and building comprehension.

In this study, Key Stage 2 pupils read Mary Shelley’s short story “The Mortal Immortal” (1833) and were guided in adapting it into a graphic novel format with input from teachers and a graphic novelist. The adaptation process required them to understand the text and distinguish between what could only be represented in words and what could be shared as images. The study offered insight into how pupils perceived Shelley's original vision. This unique project facilitated the detailed observation of children showcasing their comprehension skills by interpreting and creatively representing the Mary Shelley’s imaginative narrative.

Unlike conventional reading activities centred on information retrieval, this study questioned how children demonstrate comprehension by converting text into a graphic novel. By intertwining their imagination and visualisation with the story, the children illustrated the narrative and created meaning by exploring the intricate interplay between text and image. This study contributes to understanding how adapting a narrative text into a graphic novel can be a pedagogical tool for enhancing children's comprehension skills and fostering a deeper appreciation for literary works.