Bendable Media

Last weekend’s Free Comic Book Day was a huge hit in my household, as the boy, a neighbor and myself visited three local comic book stores to grab fun stuff and meet interesting people.

Yet the goodness need not end, as comic book writer Trevor Mueller pointed out when I met him at Chicago’s Brainstorm comics. Mueller is on the board of directors of an organization called Reading with Pictures, and the group’s goal is to use comic books to encourage reading in the classroom.

Those of you who know me and have been reading here realize that I’m a big fan of reading comics with kids. There are plenty of appropriate titles aimed at children, but more importantly, comic books are an engaging way to bring children into the world of reading.

The Reading with Pictures group is a non-profit that aims to improve literacy. A number of illustrators and writers are working on the project, and the group is developing an anthology it can distribute into classrooms. An impressive array of talent is contributing to the anthology, which is still raising money.

In an entertaining nod to noted actor Troy McClure, Chicago-based writer Josh Elder explains the merits of this project. Better, if you donate a certain amount of money for the project, you can be drawn into a comic to be included in the anthology.

How cool is that?

For more info on Reading with Pictures, you can follow the group on Twitter (@ReadingWithPix) or join the group’s Facebook fan page at Facebook.com/ReadingWithPictures.

Of course, once one mentions actor Troy McClure, one can’t stop thinking of him either. So, thanks to the goodness of YouTube, here’s a taste.

See, I told you comics are engaging.

Related Posts, Bendable Gadgets:

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• Hugh Jackman explains the importance of Free Comic Book Day
• Want to encourage reading? Go to Free Comic Book Day