Ever since I completed the 5 volume Cartoon History of the Universe by comics legend and History scholar Larry Gonick, I’ve been on the look-out  for more text book offered in a readable sequential format. In addition to other books by Gonick (the Cartoon Guides to Physics, Chemistry, Computers, Statistics etc.) I’ve read Jim Ottaviani’s books about Niels Boers and recent comic examination of Primates. I’ve also devoured the reprints of Will Eisner’s PS Magazine— a military publication that provides soldiers with difficult mechanical and technical directions in a simple to follow comics form. In all of these books, comics become a teaching tool. This Wednesday, Andrews McNeel Publishing adds another to this growing field with  Reading With Pictures: Comics That Make Kids Smarter a book that uses comics as a tool to improve visual literacy for use in the classroom and in real life. Topics include  Social Studies, Math, Language Arts, and Science featuring art by Fred Van Lente, Ryan Dunlavey , Katie Cook, the great , and many more. PLUS! you get a downloadable Teachers’ Guide that offers a number of tools for educators who see the potential and want to utilize comics in their classroom. Join in on the fun as comics continue to reach their greater potential.