The Boom in Middle Grade Novels Turned Comics

Martin herself sees new readers coming to the Baby-Sitters Club books, which launched in prose form in 1986, from the graphic adaptations. Corey, who also edits the graphic adaptations of Mary Pope Osborne’s Magic Tree House books, thinks the cool factor makes the graphic novels a little easier for older kids to read. Updates and tweaks One benefit of adaptations is that they allow editors to update the books, taking out the corded phones, modernizing hairstyles, and generally bringing things up to date. Out it goes!’ ” On the other hand, Osborne was initially reluctant to allow the Magic Tree House books to be adapted, Nagler says.