Out soon from Routledge is Comics in the Classroom by Helen Jones and Lucy Starbuck Braidley, which has gathered plenty of praise ahead of release, an innovative and essential guide for educators teaching children aged seven to fourteen.
Offering a fresh perspective on the use of comics in education, Comics in the Classroom is one of the first books published in the UK to comprehensively show how comics can be used in educational settings, it draws on a growing body of evidence to demonstrate how comics can transform learning experiences, enhance engagement, and support key educational outcomes.
“The arrival of Helen Jones and Lucy Starbuck Braidley’s Comics in the Classroom is very timely as the realisation steadily grows that comics can have a profound effect on teaching methods and on the trajectories of children of all abilities and backgrounds,” Julie Tait, Director of The Lakes International Comic Art Festival and Foundation enthuses, who regular downthetubes readers will know, is organisation has done plenty of work to promote comics as a valuable learning tool. “The chapters are clearly written and concise, taking the reader through essential theory, powerful evidence and real-life practice. It offers not only a compelling read and a rally cry but, most importantly, plenty of practical guidance to put it into action.”
Nick Sousanis, Associate Professor in Comics Studies at San Francisco State University, and author of Unflattening, has described this new book as “a comprehensive guide to what comics are, and why they belong in your classroom (Yes, your classroom!!)”
“Jones and Starbuck Braidley present a thorough and comprehensive guide to what comics are, why they belong in your classroom (yes, your classroom!), and tons of essential resources and practical activities to make that happen!”
Pressing need for new reading approaches
At a time when there growing concern that there’s been a rapid decline in children’s reading for pleasure, raised by organisations such as the United Kindgom Literacy Association and the National Literacy Trust, it’s long been obvious to us just how much comics can play a role in addressing this concern.
A recently-released Parliamentary Report, Reading for Pleasure, reveals that, last year, the proportion of children reading in their free time sank to its lowest in 20 years and stood at under one in three children. “This represents a generational shift in reading that must be reversed,” the Report’s writers urged.
Comics in the Classroom begins with an exploration of the history and rationale for using comics in education, before delving into their role in fostering reading for pleasure, visual literacy, and oracy. It also examines how comics can inspire creative writing and drawing, serve as tools for critical thinking, and be integrated across the curriculum. Later chapters address important topics such as representation, accessibility, diversity, and the potential of comics in sustainable education. Each chapter combines research insights, real-world case studies, and practical activities, equipping educators with the tools to overcome challenges and start using comics effectively.
Packed with practical advice, this book is an invaluable resource for both new and experienced teachers eager to unlock the potential of comics in the classroom.
Helen Jones has worked in education for the past 25 years and is currently a Lecturer in Education at UCL Institute of Education. Helen is completing PhD research into children’s comics making, conducting an action research project to explore children’s comics making, extra-curricular spaces for learning and the use of comics in education; and is the co-founder of Yo Comics!, a comics fair for and by kids.
Lucy Starbuck Braidley is a former primary school teacher and, as Head of School Libraries, leads the National Literacy Trust’s Libraries for Primaries programme. She is a passionate advocate for the use of comics in the classroom and producer and host of the Comics in Education podcast, Comic Boom, which has featured interviews with creators such as Neill Cameron, Jamie Smart, Mollie Raye and more.
• Comics in the Classroom by Helen Jones and Lucy Starbuck Braidley is published by Routledge on 31st July 2026 | ISBN: 978-1041036180 | Buy it from AmazonUK (Affiliate Link) | Buy it via UKBookshop.org (Affiliate Link)
- About the Author
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: Comics, Comics Education News, Comics Studies, Creating Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
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