POETICS OF CHILDREN’S GRAPHIC NOVEL. THE CASES OF MEMET BY NOÉMIE MARSILY AND ISABELLA CIELI, AND TRIP MIT TROPF BY JOSEPHINE MARK

Abstract

In this work, the poetics of children’s graphic novel is discussed. Firstly, the concept of fiction is defined, which encompasses various forms, including ‘graphic literatures.’ Within this scope, comic is considered to be a versatile medium that supports diverse genres, including children’s graphic novels. Our research characterizes these novels through a triple attribution: to a medium (comic); to a genre graphic novel); and to a category of literature, (children’s and young adult literature). Having laid the groundwork, we analyze two recent instances of this genre. Firstly, we examine the issue of encountering the other in Memet, a children’s graphic novel by scriptwriter Noémie Masily and illustrator Isabella Cieli, published in Belgium in 2019 and translated into Spanish in 2022. Secondly, we delve into the issue of escaping death in Trip mit Tropf, a children’s graphic novel by Josephine Mark, published in Germany in 2022 and translated into Spanish in 2023.