Excelsior Award Comics Plus

The Library added a new digital resource in January: Comics Plus is a captivating and curated hub of comic books, graphic novels and manga from across the globe that provides collections for learners of all ages.

Jay delivered some workshops on Performance Poetry to the Second Year students during which he performed some of his poetry and helped them analyse a range of works. The differences between the spoken and written word became very apparent and were a real test of the students’ listening and reading skills.

Jay also came along to Pride Society and spoke to students about his own experiences. It was a thoroughly entertaining, informative chat and the students really enjoyed the chance to find out more about Jay’s life and career.

This year, KGS is participating in the Excelsior Award. The overall goal is to encourage reading for pleasure amongst teenagers.

Its secondary target is to raise the profile of graphic novels and manga – a storytelling medium that has been a largely underused resource within education for many years. The Excelsior Award attempts to highlight some of the amazing books that are published every year.

Students will read a shortlist of five books and rate and review them according to Story, Artwork, Characters and Dialogue. The winning titles will be announced at a special awards ceremony in June.

Learners can read above their usual independent reading level, inspiring confidence and fostering a joy of reading in even the most reluctant readers. The international range of fictional titles act as a gateway to understanding and empathising with cultures, characters and lives outside the reader’s own world. The impressive range of non-fiction titles included in the Comics Plus catalogue encourages readers to engage with subjects which they may not otherwise have chosen to read about. From scientific guides and historical references through to biographies of key political figures, the platform enriches learning across the curriculum.

Ms F McBride I Librarian