Graphic Novels and Comics

When Stars Are Scattered

These dynamic, diverse graphic novels include a number of award-winning titles that explore big topics and social issues as well as the details of every day life.

Almost American Girl

Illustration of a tween looking over her shoulder
By: Robin Ha
Age Level: Middle Grade (9-14)

For as long as she can remember, it’s been Robin and her mom against the world. Growing up as the only child of a single mother in Seoul, Korea, wasn’t always easy, but it has bonded them fiercely together. So when a vacation to visit friends in Huntsville, Alabama, unexpectedly becomes a permanent relocation — following her mother’s announcement that she’s getting married — Robin is devastated. Overnight, her life changes. She is dropped into a new school where she doesn’t understand the language and struggles to keep up.

American Born Chinese

American Born Chinese
Age Level: Middle Grade (9-14)
Language: English

Three storylines — contemporary and mythic — intersect in this tale of a boy who is not comfortable with his culture or himself. This fresh, sometimes surprising, revealing novel is told in image and text. While author Gene Luen Yang says American Born Chinese is not strictly autobiographical, he does say that he pulled from his own life for inspiration. This graphic novel was the first of its format to win the Printz Award for best work of Young Adult Literature.

Crush

Drawing of kids at a picnic table, but only two of them are in color.

Jorge seems to have it all together. He's big enough that nobody really messes with him, but he's also a genuinely sweet guy with a solid, reliable group of friends. The only time he ever really feels off his game is when he crosses paths with a certain girl... But when the group dynamic among the boys starts to shift, will Jorge be able to balance what his friends expect of him versus what he actually wants?

Green Lantern: Legacy

Green Lantern: Legacy
By: Minh Lê
Illustrated by: Andie Tong
Age Level: Middle Grade (9-14)

Thirteen-year-old Tai Pham lives in the apartment above his grandmother's store, where his bedroom is crammed with sketchpads and comic books. But not even his most imaginative drawings could compare to the colorful adventure he's about to embark on. When Tai inherits his grandmother's jade ring, he soon finds out it's more than just a piece of jewelry. Suddenly he's inducted into a group of space cops known as the Green Lanterns. He is about to learn that being a superhero takes more than just a ring.

I Was Their American Dream

Drawing of a diverse group standing behind a girl with american flags shaped like stars for eyes.

I Was Their American Dream is at once a coming-of-age story and a reminder of the thousands of immigrants who come to America in search for a better life for themselves and their children. The daughter of parents with unfulfilled dreams themselves, Malaka navigated her childhood chasing her parents' ideals, learning to code-switch between her family's Filipino and Egyptian customs, adapting to white culture to fit in, crushing on skater boys, and trying to understand the tension between holding onto cultural values and trying to be an all-American kid.

Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me

Drawing of a girl looking over a boy's shoulder.
Illustrated by: Rosemary Valero-O'Connell
Age Level: Young adult (14-18)
Language: English

Author Mariko Tamaki and illustrator Rosemary Valero-O’Connell bring to life a sweet and spirited tale of young love in Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me, a graphic novel that asks us to consider what happens when we ditch the toxic relationships we crave to embrace the healthy ones we need.

Laura Dean, the most popular girl in high school, was Frederica Riley's dream girl: charming, confident, and SO cute. There's just one problem: Laura Dean is maybe not the greatest girlfriend.

Lowriders to the Center of the Earth

Drawing of creatures in a car with flames driving through a cave.
Illustrated by: Raúl the Third
Language: English, Spanish vocabulary featured

The lovable trio from the acclaimed Lowriders in Space are back! Lupe Impala, Elirio Malaria, and El Chavo Octopus are living their dream at last. They're the proud owners of their very own garage. But when their beloved cat Genie goes missing, they need to do everything they can to find him. Little do they know the trail will lead them to the realm of Mictlantecuhtli, the Aztec god of the Underworld, who is keeping Genie prisoner!

March: Book 1

Product Description: The late Congressman John Lewis was one of the key figures of the civil rights movement. His commitment to justice and nonviolence took him from an Alabama sharecropper's farm to the halls of Congress, from a segregated schoolroom to the 1963 March on Washington, and from receiving beatings from state troopers to receiving the Medal of Freedom from the first African-American president. Part 1 of this graphic novel trilogy tells his story.

March: Book 2

March: Book Two

After the success of the Nashville sit-in campaign, John Lewis is more committed than ever to changing the world through nonviolence — but as he and his fellow Freedom Riders board a bus into the vicious heart of the deep south, they will be tested like never before. Faced with beatings, police brutality, imprisonment, arson, and even murder, the movement’s young activists place their lives on the line while internal conflicts threaten to tear them apart.

March: Book 3

March: Book Three

Welcome to the stunning conclusion of the award-winning and best-selling MARCH trilogy. By the fall of 1963, the Civil Rights Movement has penetrated deep into the American consciousness, and as chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, John Lewis is guiding the tip of the spear. Through relentless direct action, SNCC continues to force the nation to confront its own blatant injustice, but for every step forward, the danger grows more intense: Jim Crow strikes back through legal tricks, intimidation, violence, and death.

Measuring Up

Illustration of tween cooking
Illustrated by: Ann Xu

Twelve-year-old Cici has just moved from Taiwan to Seattle, and the only thing she wants more than to fit in at her new school is to celebrate her grandmother, A-má's, seventieth birthday together. Since she can't go to A-má, Cici cooks up a plan to bring A-má to her by winning the grand prize in a kids’ cooking contest to pay for A-má’s plane ticket! There’s just one problem: Cici only knows how to cook Taiwanese food. And after her pickled cucumber debacle at lunch, she’s determined to channel her inner Julia Child.

Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir

Young boy near a Winnebago
Age Level: Middle Grade (9-14)
Language: Spanish vocabulary featured

Pedro Martín has grown up hearing stories about his abuelito — his legendary crime-fighting, grandfather who was once a part of the Mexican Revolution! 

But that doesn't mean Pedro is excited at the news that Abuelito is coming to live with their family. After all, Pedro has 8 brothers and sisters and the house is crowded enough!

Miles Morales: Shock Waves (Graphic Novel)

Miles Morales: Shock Waves (Graphic Novel)
Illustrated by: Pablo Leon
Age Level: Middle Grade (9-14)

Miles Morales is a normal kid who happens to juggle school at Brooklyn Visions Academy while swinging through the streets of Brooklyn as Spider-Man. After a disastrous earthquake strikes his mother's birthplace of Puerto Rico, Miles springs into action to help set up a fundraiser for the devastated island. But when a new student's father goes missing, Miles begins to make connections between the disappearance and a giant corporation sponsoring Miles' fundraiser.

Minecraft: The Crash (An Official Minecraft Novel)

Bianca has never been good at following the plan. She's more of an act-now, deal-with-the-consequences-later kind of person. But consequences can't be put off forever, as Bianca learns when she and her best friend, Lonnie, are in a terrible car crash. Waking up in the hospital, almost paralyzed by her injuries, Bianca is faced with questions she's not equipped to answer. She chooses instead to try a new virtual-reality version of Minecraft that responds to her every wish, giving her control over a world at the very moment she thought she'd lost it.

Miss Quinces: A Graphic Novel

Teenager in pink dress
Age Level: 6-9
Language: Spanish

Sue just wants to spend the summer reading and making comics at sleepaway camp with her friends, but instead she gets stuck going to Honduras to visit relatives with her parents and two sisters. They live way out in the country, which means no texting, no cable, and no Internet! The trip takes a turn for the worse when Sue's mother announces that they'll be having a surprise quinceañera for Sue, which is the last thing she wants. She can't imagine wearing a big, floofy, colorful dress! What is Sue going to do?

Moonshot Vol 3: The Indigenous Comics Collection

Moonshot: The Indigenous Comics Collection (Vol. 3)
Age Level: Middle Grade (9-14)
MOONSHOT: The Indigenous Comics Collection brings together dozens of creators from North America to contribute comic book stories showcasing the rich heritage and identity of indigenous storytelling. From traditional stories to exciting new visions of the future, this collection presents some of the finest comic book and graphic novel work on the continent.

Moonshot Vol. 2: The Indigenous Comics Collection

black and white image of person's face, composed of small jagged pieces
This collection brings together dozens of creators from North America to contribute comic book stories showcasing the rich heritage and identity of indigenous storytelling. From traditional stories to exciting new visions of the future, this collection presents some of the finest comic book and graphic novel work on the continent.

Ms. Marvel Vol. 1: No Normal (Ms. Marvel Series)

Ms. Marvel Vol. 1: No Normal (Ms. Marvel Series)
Illustrated by: Adrian Alphona

Marvel Comics presents the all-new Ms. Marvel, the groundbreaking heroine that has become an international sensation! Kamala Khan is an ordinary girl from Jersey City — until she is suddenly empowered with extraordinary gifts. But who truly is the all-new Ms. Marvel? Teenager? Muslim? Inhuman? Find out as she takes the Marvel Universe by storm! As Kamala discovers the dangers of her newfound powers, she unlocks a secret behind them as well. Is Kamala ready to wield these immense new gifts? Or will the weight of the legacy before her be too much to handle?

New Kid

Drawing of a boy in a sweatshirt and backpack writing in a notebook.
Age Level: Middle Grade (9-14)
Language: English

Seventh grader Jordan Banks loves nothing more than drawing cartoons about his life. But instead of sending him to the art school of his dreams, his parents enroll him in a prestigious private school known for its academics, where Jordan is one of the few kids of color in his entire grade.

Pie in the Sky

Boy giving side-eye to another boy eating slice of pie.
By: Remi Lai
Illustrated by: Remi Lai
Age Level: Middle Grade (9-14)

When Jingwen moves to a new country, he feels like he’s landed on Mars. School is torture, making friends is impossible since he doesn’t speak English, and he's often stuck looking after his (extremely irritating) little brother, Yanghao.

Red Panda and Moon Bear

Illustration of two kids in red panda and bear hoodies in front of a cityscape.

Red Panda and Moon Bear are the defenders of their community! Together, these brave siblings rescue lost cats, scold bullies, and solve mysteries, all before Mami and Papi get home. But lately... the mysteries have been EXTRA mysterious. All of RP and MB's powers may not be enough to handle spooks, supervillains, alien invaders, and time warps! It'll take all their imagination -- and some new friends -- to uncover the secret cause behind all these events before the whole world goes crazy.

Stargazing

Drawing of two children looking at stars and one kid is holding a book.
By: Jen Wang
Age Level: Middle Grade (9-14)
Language: English

Moon is everything Christine isn't. She’s confident, impulsive, artistic . . . and though they both grew up in the same Chinese-American suburb, Moon is somehow unlike anyone Christine has ever known.

Superman Smashes the Klan

Superman Smashes the Klan
Illustrated by: Gurihiru
Age Level: Middle Grade (9-14)

The year is 1946. Teenagers Roberta and Tommy Lee just moved with their parents from Chinatown to the center of Metropolis, home to the famous hero, Superman. Tommy makes friends quickly, while Roberta pines for home. Then one night, the family awakens to find their house surrounded by the Klan of the Fiery Kross! Superman leaps into action, but his exposure to a mysterious green rock has left him weak. Can Roberta and Tommy help him smash the Klan?

Tag Team: El Toro & Friends

Tag Team: El Toro & Friends
Age Level: 6-9
Language: English, Spanish vocabulary featured

Little Lobo introduced readers to his wrestling hero El Toro in Vamos! Let’s Go to the Market! Now El Toro is off on his own adventures in this early reader graphic novel series! After last night’s match, the stadium is a mess! With the collaborative spirit they have in the ring, El Toro and La Oink Oink tackle the cleaning up together.

Tales of the Feathered Serpent #1: Rise of the Halfling King

Tales of the Feathered Serpent
Illustrated by: Charlene Bowles
Age Level: Middle Grade (9-14)

Sayam has always been different from other kids ― he’s very short for his age, his best friend is a monkey, and most curious of all: he was born from an egg! His grandmother, a witch, found him and taught him all the ancient magic she uses to help her people. So when a giant snake starts terrorizing a nearby city, Sayam decides it’s time for him to use his knowledge to help others, and steps into action. But the beast might not be Sayam’s biggest problem: the ruthless King Kinich Kak Ek sees Sayam as a threat to his throne.

The Tryout: A Graphic Novel

Young girl in front of a team

When cheerleading tryouts are announced, Christina and her best friend, Megan, literally jump at the chance to join the squad. As two of the only kids of color in the school, they have always yearned to fit in ― and the middle school cheerleaders are popular and accepted by everyone. But will the girls survive the terrifying tryouts, with their whole grade watching? And will their friendship withstand the pressures of competition?

When Stars Are Scattered

Omar and his younger brother, Hassan, have spent most of their lives in Dadaab, a refugee camp in Kenya. Life is hard there: never enough food, achingly dull, and without access to the medical care Omar knows his nonverbal brother needs. So when Omar has the opportunity to go to school, he knows it might be a chance to change their future . . . but it would also mean leaving his brother, the only family member he has left, every day.