Why Cartoon Books Deserve More Respect in Myanmar

For decades, cartoon books in Myanmar have been seen as “just for kids” or something unserious. But this mindset needs to change. Cartoon books are not only entertaining — they are also powerful tools for learning, thinking, and cultural storytelling. Many people grew up reading comic books without realizing how much they were learning about life, history, humor, and human emotion. These books shaped their imagination and helped build a reading habit early in life.

Some of Myanmar’s most loved cartoonists, like Aw Pi Kyae, have used drawings to express deep truths about society, politics, and daily struggles. They used humor not to escape reality, but to face it with courage and clarity. That is a kind of literary genius that deserves more respect. Cartoon books often carry more wisdom than people expect, and the best ones stay in our hearts for life.

Cartoon books also play a huge role in building literacy. For children, they make reading fun and simple. For adults who may not enjoy long texts, cartoon books offer a way back into the habit of reading. The combination of visuals and words allows deeper emotional impact, especially for topics like war, love, family, and even religion. This is why in many developed countries, comic books and graphic novels are treated as real literature.

In Myanmar, however, many still think reading cartoon books is a waste of time. Some parents even forbid their children from reading them, believing they are useless. But the truth is, cartoon books are often the first door that opens a child’s heart to the joy of reading. That joy, once planted, grows into a lifetime habit of learning and exploring the world through books.

It’s time to give cartoon books the value they deserve in Myanmar. They are not lower than novels. They are simply a different kind of storytelling — one that combines art and writing into a beautiful form. If we start respecting them more, we will see more young writers, more talented artists, and more curious readers rising in our country. Let us open our eyes and see the real impact cartoon books have made, and continue to make, in our lives and culture.