Reading with Pictures is a recently formed nonprofit that, according to their mission statement, "advocates the use of comics in the classroom to promote literacy and improve educational outcomes for all students." And they're kicking off their efforts with a Kickstarter project for an anthology called The Reading With Pictures Anthology Vol. 1.
The anthology will sport a cover by Jill Thompson and will feature stories by an impressive list of talent: Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey, Jim Gownley, Jeffrey Brown, Eric Wight, Jay Piscopo, Raina Telgemeier, Vito Delsante and Rachel Friere, Chris Giarrusso and many more (you can find the complete list after the jump below).
"I believe in bringing comics into the classroom because comics were my 'secret weapons' in school," said Josh Elder, the organization's executive director. "All the creators involved in this anthology volunteered their time and considerable talents because they believe it too. Comics made us all better students, better citizens and better people, and we know they can do the same for everyone."
According to a press release they sent over, the anthology centers on educational stories "with each story contains engaging and entertaining educational content." Trevor Mueller and Gabriel Bautista tell the story of alien exchange student and his human classmates traveling back in time to learn about dinosaurs firsthand. In Kevin Pyle’s “The Order of the Secret Pencil,” a boy learns to read and write through the use of comics. The sciences are also represented along with the humanities when Chris Eliopoulos, an animation director for Yo Gabba Gabba! on Nick Jr., explains the unique biology of the electric eel.
Over at Kickstarter, you can donate anywhere from $5 to $1,500, with various prizes available for each level. A simple $5 donation will land you a digital copy of the book, while $15 gets you a softcover and $20 a hardcover. They're offering the opportunity to be drawn into one of the stories and classroom packages as well.
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The list of contributors to the anthology includes:
John Bivens
Phillip Bowles
Phil Chan & Joe Dunn
Erica Currey
John Gallagher & Rich Faber
Chris Giarrusso
Russell Lissau & Christine Larsen
Dwight MacPherson & Worth Gowell
Michael Moreci & Andrew Scordellis
Trevor Mueller & Gabriel Bautista
Kevin Pyle & Kevin Sacco
David Reddick
Jill Thompson
Steve Wallace & Daniel Gutowski
Gene Ambaum & Bill Barnes
FillBach Bros.
Jeffrey Brown
Harold Buchholz
Dino Caruso & Dave Windett
Josh Elder & Erich Owen
Josh Elder & Jen Brazas
Josh Elder & Jason Allen
Chris Eliopoulos
Ray Friesen
Jim Gownley
Jay Piscopo
Scott Sava
Raina Telgemeier
Fred Van Lente & Ryan Dunlavey
Eric Wight
Scott Cunningham & Phillip Pittz
Vito Delsante & Rachel Friere
Kevin LaPorte & Amanda Rachels
Michael LaRiccia
David Precht Cho Youn Chul
Tory Woollcott