What is Comics-Making

This chapter discusses the utility and affordances of using a participative comics-making approach to researching with young children in an early learning context. It explores an approach to comics-making that was used during a project that investigated the use of comics research techniques with young children. The chapter begins by outlining some of the key literature regarding using visual methods and making comics with young children as research, most notably drawing on the work of Lynda Barry and Dr. Ebony Flowers. A description of the project is given, followed by a discussion of how children engaged with comics-making as a tool for inquiry. The author also describes ways that comics-making can support all aspects of the research process. The chapter focuses on several comics made by children and the author and shows how comics-making is a viable method for researching with young children.