Why Audiobooks & Graphic Novels are NOT Cheating!

You've probably heard the phrase "audiobooks are cheating!" or "comic books don't count" more than a few times.  You've probably even heard parents make similar remarks about audiobooks or graphic novels or make their kids choose different books.  But audiobooks and graphic novels (GNs) are in no way "cheating"!

Both forms of literature are just as valid as  traditional texts and here's why:

They're complex!
GNs require the reader to create meaning using "multiple modalities". Readers must process and interpret multiple information sources (visual, textual and spacial) to decipher a story. Audiobooks require a different level of concentration; it's much easier to interrupt someone who is reading than someone who is listening.

They do a brain good!
Audiobooks and GNs are often formats that reluctant readers are more likely to embrace. Research shows that reading stories has a significant impact on our brains; reading a compelling story increases neuron activity for days after the story is finished.

Different - not bad! 
The visual nature of GNs allows the reader to experience a story in a very different way than traditional text.  Readers can explore details in an image that are often left out of traditional stories. As for audiobooks, there is actually some research that suggests that audiobooks are better at allowing the reader to visualize the story. Reading and visualization both require visual representation which uses the same part of the brain - in effect that part of your brain is working twice as hard. Many readers must pause after a description in a written text to allow their brain to build the picture. Listening allows for a faster creation of that image, since your brain isn't have to recognize and interpret text.

The details matter!
Details abound in GNs; readers know to pay attention to the details in the images. There may be a villain sneaking up in the background, or the item the heroes are searching for is hidden on the top shelf of the bookcase in a certain panel. Similarly, when you listen to an audiobook the reader is required to listen to every word of a sentence. Readers who are reading a text often skip words or even sentences and can lose precise details of a scene.

Comprehension is comprehension!
Listening comprehension correlates to reading comprehension. You brain forms understanding and memories differently based on the input (text, audiobook, GN) but different doesn't mean better or worse. In fact, one study showed that listeners are quicker to glean deeper meaning faster than readers.