HoB icon

Graphic Novels

 

Contents

An annotated list of selected graphic novels with cover pictures and descriptions for middle school students to read.

 

2023
Colin Kaepernick Change the Game cover
Colin Kaepernick Change the Game
10 years +
4 Stars
Colin Kaepernick - Scholastic
History of Panama, science , time travel,

Story of Colin's young life as a Black adolescent.

The focus is on his high school life, being scouted and recruited for baseball by colleges and Major League Baseball (MLB) and how he makes his own way, and never compromise.

Everyone believes his future ahead of him as a highly touted prospect. Everyone, believes his future in in baseball, but not Colin. He is influenced by MLB player Adam Jones who says: "Baseball is a white man's sport." And Allen Iverson.

For him college football looks a lot more fun than traveling with a minor league team. But no one is offering him to play football.

I was disappointed in the tone or voice that describes the backstory of his Black experience, which is told much better by Jerry Craft in School Trip and New Kid.

2023
School Trip cover
School Trip
10 years +
5 Stars
Jerry Craft
Middle school travel, cultural differences, getting along, what is funny or hurtful

Middle school trip ...

Jordan Banks and eight of his school mates are on a school trip to Paris, France. A prank by another group of students mixes-up the the teacher sponsors. So the teachers and students are challenged to make their own arrangements on the fly.

Among the humorous adventures the cultural differences that have caused friction in school is heightened as the teachers and students are brought closer together on their school trip. More

2021
Martina and the Bridge of Time cover
Martina and the Bridge of Time
9 years +
5 Stars
Aaron O'Dea and illustrated by Ian Cooke 
History of Panama, science , time travel,

Martina wonders about the history of Panama before Columbus. Not getting an answer from anyone, she builds a time machine and travels through time and different geological eras to discover its and her origin story. Source with audio and page viewer.

2019
They Called US Enemy cover
They Called US Enemy
8 years +
5 Stars
George Takei
World War II, relocation camp, Japanese American, 1942 racism

Georg Takei was four years old when President F D. Roosevelt ordered every person of Japanese descent to one of ten relocation centers. This is George's story of four years growing up a prisoner behind barbed wire fences thousands of miles from his birth town and how this experience would shape his future as an actor, author, and activist.

See also his Ted Talk: Why I love a Country that Once Betrayed Me (15:46)

2019
New Kid cover
New Kid
10years +
5 Stars
Jerry Craft
Middle school new kid Black experience

Jordan Banks is the new kid whose parents convince him to attend an academically prestigious private school, instead of an art academy, that Jordan wants to attend.

The plot is about Jordan’s year in seventh grade as a Black male in a predominantly White school. The subplots are often driven by cultural and experiential differences that lead to conflict through miscommunication with Jordan and several of his classmates as they grow into new kids!

Additionally, to a well written, and illustrated story, Jordan’s journal pages, created by his character as short graphic novellas, are scattered throughout the book as two page black and white comic paneled sketches. More

2018
Speak book cover
Speak the graphic novel
12 years +
5 Stars
Laurie Halse Anderson
Art by Emily Carroll
Outcast, freshman, adolescent, rape, high school, friendship, trauma, recovery, family

Melinda (freshman in high school) is friendless and an outcast because of summer events. Now no one will talk to her, let alone listen. Through a trauma filled year she eventually is able to move forward and face her reality of the present to save herself by speaking out.

Text copyright 1999. Pictures copyright 2018

 

2017
Wires and Nerves the Lunar Chronicles series
Wires and Nerves: The Lunar Chronicles series
11 years +
4 Stars
Art by Doug Holgate
Fantasy, moon, lunar, Earth, social issues, technology, cyborgs, androids

An evil Lunar Queen Levana gains control of lunar inhabitants, attempts to marry a handsome emperor, and works to enslave the inhabitants of the Earth. Nine heroes battle to depose her and enthrone the long lost Princess, restore peace on the Moon and between the Earth and Moon inhabitants.

Characters

  • Cinder, cyborg, mechanic, long lost Moon Princess, Queen Selene Backburn of Luma
  • Emperor, Kai
  • Thief, Captain Carswell Throne
  • Scarlet Benoit, farm girl,
  • Wolf, biogenetically engineered soldier
  • Cress, hacker, Crescent Moon Darnel
  • Sir Jacin Clay, member of the Royal Guard,
  • Winter Hayle-Blackburn, scarred Princess, Ambassader to Earth, step daughter of Queen Levana, sister to Cinder
  • Iko, android

Supporting characters and items

  • Rampion - spacecraft
  • Alpha Lysander Steele, special operative 212
  • The pack, savage beasts, feral animals, trained mutts. (Want to convince Queen Selene they are men & not beasts, monsters, savages & demand she reverse their mutations.
  • Sir Garrison Clay, Old Royal Guard member but supports Cinder now, Jacin's dad,
  • Sir Kinney - Tressa's brother

 

March books

2013
March 1
March (Book 1)
11 years +
5 Stars
John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, & Nate Powell
Voting rights, human rights, John Robert Lewis

The story of desegregation, voting rights, and discrimination from the 1960's until Barak Obama as told by John Robert Lewis.

 

2015
March 2
March (Book 2)
11 years +
5 Stars
John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, & Nate Powell
Voting rights, human rights, John Robert Lewis

The story of desegregation, voting rights, and discrimination from the 1960's until Barak Obama as told by John Robert Lewis.

 

2016
March 3
March (Book 3)
11 years +
5 Stars
John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, & Nate Powell
Voting rights, human rights, John Robert Lewis

The story of desegregation, voting rights, and discrimination from the 1960's until Barak Obama as told by John Robert Lewis.

 

2011
cover image
Missle Mouse: Rescue on Tankium 3
9 years +
4 Stars
Ed. Adam Rau
Interplanetary adventure

 

2011
cover image
Witch and Wizards: Battle for Shadowland
10 years +
5 Stars
James Patterson and Dara Naraghi
Witches, wizards, politics, corruption, moral cultural, technology, supremacy

Issues 1- 4.

 

Amelia Rules

2010
cover image
Amelia Rules - True Things (Adults Don't Want Kids to Know)
9 years +
5 Stars
Jimmy Gownley
Growing up, friends, divorce

Amelia (fourth grade) is an only child who lives with her recently divorced mother. She has one melodramatic adventure after another. Each packed with freewheeling energetic antics. Her good and bad traits are illustrated in full colored graphic art. Jealousy, meanness, sadness, confusion, generosity, and love splatter the pages.

 

2010
cover image
Amelia Rules - The Teenage Guide to NOT Being UNpopular
9 years +
5 Stars
Jimmy Gownley
Growing up, friends, divorce

Amelia (fourth grade) is an only child who lives with her recently divorced mother. She has one melodramatic adventure after another. Each packed with freewheeling energetic antics. Her good and bad traits are illustrated in full colored graphic art. Jealousy, meanness, sadness, confusion, generosity, and love splatter the pages. TEN stories included in this book are: The Whole World is Crazy - What Makes You Happy - Superheroes - When the Past Is a Present - The Gym Class System - Loosely in Disguise, and Frightened - Amelia McBride and the Other Side of Yuletide - Speak Softee to Me - True Things (Adults Don't Want Kids to Know) The Teenage Guide to NOT Being Unpopular.

 

2009
cover image
Amelia Rules - The Whole World's Crazy
9 years - fourth
5 Stars
Jimmy Gownley
growing up friends divorce

Amelia (fourth grade) is an only child who lives with her recently divorced mother. She has one melodramatic adventure after another. Each packed with freewheeling energetic antics. Her good and bad traits are illustrated in full colored graphic art. Jealousy, meanness, sadness, confusion, generosity, and love splatter the pages.

Five stories included in this book are:

  • The Whole world is crazy
  • The Gym Class System
  • Loosely in Disguise, and Frightened
  • Amelia McBride and the Other Side of Yuletide
  • Speak Softee to Me

age 9 years fourth grade topics growing up friends divorce

 

2008
cover image
Amelia Rules - When the Past Is a Present
9 years - fourth
Four Stars
Jimmy Gownley
friends family super heroes growing up

Amelia (fourth grade) is an only child who lives with her recently divorced mother. She has one melodramatic adventure after another. Each packed with freewheeling energetic antics. Her good and bad traits are illustrated in full colored graphic art. Jealousy, meanness, sadness, confusion, generosity, and love splatter the pages.

 

2006
cover
Amelia Rules - Super Hero Series
9 years - fourth
4 Stars
Jimmy Gownley
friends, school, super heroes, growing up, ...

Amelia (fourth grade) is an only child who lives with her recently divorced mother. She has one melodramatic adventure after another. Each packed with freewheeling energetic antics. Her good and bad traits are illustrated in full colored graphic art. Jealousy, meanness, sadness, confusion, generosity, and love splatter the pages.

 

2010
cover image
Zebrafish
10 years +
5 Stars
Sharon Emerson
Friends, rock band, school, activism

 

2010
cover image
Fist Stick Knife Gun: Personal History of Violence
11 years +
5 Stars
Geoffrey Canada
Escalation of violence, life as a black American

One man's journey to reduce violence in black American communities.

 

2010
cover image
Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword
10 years +
4 Stars
Barry Deutsch
Jewish girl

 

Amulet series

2008

 

The Stonekeeper
Book 1: The Stonekeeper's Amulet
9 years +
4 Stars
Kazu Kibuishi
Fantasy, adventure

 

Characters: man-eating demons, a mechanical rabbit, a giant robot, and two ordinary children.

Plot After the death of their father, Emily and Navin move in with their mother who lives in the home of her deceased great-grandfather. After which a creature lures mom through a basement door. Befuddled, Em and Navin, follow her into an underground world inhabited by demons, robots, and talking animals. Together with a small mechanical rabbit, Miskit they face the most terrifying monster before saving their mom..

 

2009
cover image
Book 2: The Stonekeeper Curse Amulet
9 years +
4 Stars
Kazu Kibuishi
Fantasy, adventure

With mom in a coma, from the arachnopod's poison, Em and Navin must travel to Kanalis. However, when they and the Miskit robotic crew in the walking house reach the city, their trouble begins.

 

2010
cover image
Book 3: The Cloud Searchers
9 years +
4 Stars
Kazu Kibuishi
Fantasy, adventure

Emily, Navin, and the resistance fighters charter an airship and set off in search of the lost city of Cielis and the Guardian Council's powerful Stonekeepers. A mission of survival for Alledia and escape from the Elf King.

 

2011
The Last Council
Book 4: The Last Council
9 years +
4 Stars
Kazu Kibuishi
Fantasy, adventure

While hoping for help in Cielis, something seems wrong, streets are deserted, and the people who are still there are fearful. Emily is escorted to the Academy, where she's expected to compete for a spot on the Stonekeepers Guardian Council. As the number of competitors gets smaller and smaller, an awful secret is uncovered—a secret that, if left buried, means the certain destruction of everything they are fightings for.

 

2012
Prince of the Elves
Book 5: Prince of the Elves
9 years +
4 Stars
Kazu Kibuishi
Fantasy, adventure

Emily survives the Stonekeepers Guardian Academy, but Max Griffin has the Mother Stone and the Elf King is forging new Amulets to give him the power to invade and destroy the nation of Windsor. Emily and her crew lead the Cielis Guard in an attempt to stop him. With Max stands in their way and the Voice of her Amulet, working against her …

 

2022
Escape from Lucien
Book 6: Escape from Lucien
9 years +
4 Stars
Kazu Kibuishi
Fantasy, adventure

Navin and his crew travel to Lucien in a search for a beacon essential to their fight against the Elf King. When they arrive they find a city ravaged by war and plagued by mysterious creatures. Meanwhile, Emily goes back into the Void with Max, an Elf King loyal followers. There she discovers his darkest secrets.

2022
Firelight
Book 7: Firelight
9 years +
4 Stars
Kazu Kibuishi
Fantasy, adventure

Emily, Trellis, and Vigo visit Algos Island, where they hope to access lost memories of Trellis's mysterious childhood to discover knowledge to use against the Elf King. Meanwhile, the Voice of Emily's Amulet is getting stronger, and threatens to overtake her completely.

 

2022
Supernova
Book 8: Supernova
9 years +
4 Stars
Kazu Kibuishi
Fantasy, adventure

Emily has lost control of her Amulet and is imprisoned in the Void. To escape she must overcome the influence of the Voice. Meanwhile, Navin, travels to Lighthouse One, a space station where the Resistance is preparing to battle the approaching Shadow forces that would drain planet Alledia of all its resources. Will they ever ensure Alledia's survival?

 

2024
Waverider
Book 9: Waverider
9 years +
4 Stars
Kazu Kibuishi
Fantasy, adventure

After her confrontation with Ikol, Emily finally understands the stone's power and what she must do to defend Alledia from the shadows. As she travels to Typhon to help her mom and Navin, Prince Trellis returns to the Kingdom of the Elves to save his countrymen and confront the fraud who has seized power in the absence of a king. The threat of darkness follows all Stonekeepers closely, and it will take the strength of all to conquer it and survive.

 

2010
cover image
Copper
10 years +
4 Stars
Kazu Kibuishi
Web comic

 

2010
cover image
Olympians Zeus: King of the Gods
10 years +
4 Stars
George O'Connor
Olympian Gods, the beginning of time & humans

 

2010
cover image
The Unsinkable Walker Bean
11 years +
4 Stars
Aaron Renier
Adventuring to Atlantis

Adventuring to Atlantis. Incredible illustrations.

 

2010
cover image
The Bartimaeus Trilogy book 1 The Amulet of Samarkand
10 years +
5 Stars
Jonathan Stroud
Diinni geni, magic, Egypt, London, England, adventure

Nathaniel is apprenticed to learn magic and encounters Simon Lovelace who humiliates Nathan in public. Nathan determined to learn more spells and magic on his own summons a djinni Bartimaeus. Let the trilogy begin. Adventure, excitement, suspense, magic, spells, power, and of course good versus evil.

 

Artemis Fowl: Graphic Novels

2007
cover image
Artemis Fowl: The Graphic Novel
5 years - kindergarten
5 Stars
Colfer, Eoin and Andrew Donkin
child prodigy, adventure, graphic novel

This creatively designed graphic novel tells the complete first story of Artemis Fowl in a way that was not possible in the mere novel. The authors, Colfer and Donkin, collaborated with the illustrators, Rigano and Lamanna to combine text and illustrations in a format that includes detailed character information in illustrations, text, and in character files physically embedded in the graphic novel. The combination of these three elements create a style and tone for the story that may provide more detail and a richer experience than the original novel.

 

2009
cover image
Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident
10 years - fifth
4 Stars
Eoin Colfer
Child prodigy, adventure, graphic novel

This creatively designed graphic novel tells the complete Artemis Fowl story of The Arctic Incident in a way that was not possible in the mere novel. The author, Colfer collaborated with the illustrators, Rigano, and the fact file page creator Alexander Garkusha to combine text and illustrations in a format that includes detailed character information in illustrations, text, and in character files physically embedded in the graphic novel. The combination of these three elements create a style and tone for the story that may provide more detail and a richer experience than the original novel. It is a great feat, but not the first as Artemis Fowl: The Graphic Novel preceded it. Still a great experience.

 

2008
cover image
Pendragon: Book one: The Merchant of Death
3 Stars
D. J. Machale
Modern time into fantasy, mid earth, kind of time adventure

 

2008
cover image
Coraline
10 years +
5 Stars
Gaiman, Neil
Supernatural, adventure, excitement, survival, female

Coraline finds a door with a brick wall or door way into a parallel disturbing world of people with black button eyes. Let the games begin. Scary movies, supernatural adventure, witch craft, romps through a dungeon, missing parents, mystery and suspense; masterfully written this story will enthrall all readers.

 

2008
cover image
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
9 years +
5 Stars
Based on the video game - Zelda

 

2008
cover image
Prince of Persia
10 years +
4 Stars
Jordan Mechner
Persia, good evil, story that the game Prince of Persia is based

 

2007
cover image
The Hedge Knight
11 years +
5 Stars
George R. R. Martin
Knights, adventure, fantasy

Incredible vivid illustrations of knights and fantasy story.

 

2006
Cover 1602
Marvel 1602
Adolescent Adult
4 Stars
Neil Gaiman
fiction comic

Between a graphic novel and comic book. Historical birth of super heroes on Earth.

 

2006
cover image
Happy Happy Clover
9 years +
5 Stars
Sayuri Tatsuyama
Animals, friends

 

2005
cover image
Babymouse Queen of the World
7 years - second
5 Stars
Jennifer L. Holm & Matthew Holm
girls slumber party popularity friends animals imagination mice graphic novel

Graphic novel about Babymouse who wants so bad to go to a slumber party with the popular girls she wants so much to be friends with. She blows off her best friend in her desires to acquire an invitation. However, in the end even a mouse can understand her true personality and accept what she really is.

 

2005
cover image
Yu-Gi-Oh:GX Volume 1: A New Hero
10 years - fifth
5 Stars
Kazuki Takahashi
Yu-Gi-Oh cards, game, and adventure

 

2005
cover image
Bone: Out from Boneville
Intermediate Adolescent
3 Stars
Jeff Smith
cartoon people and social interactions

Cartoon that may be too advanced for me. I don't know why, but I did read the uncolored version from beginning to end and would like to know WHAT? This one is colored and it really adds much greater style and tone for ... ? The entire series that was first published as a newspaper cartoon is now available as a graphic novel.

 

2003
cover image
The Tale of Despereaux
Primary - Intermediate
5 stars
Katie Di Camillo
Good bad evil, living happily ever after, interesting use of vocabulary and story elements

Well written very engaging fantasy adventure to read aloud in primary grades. The author plays with the reader by using the word "reader". Makes comments about the meaning of some word (perfidy). And uses a generally delightful tone - With a rope made of mice whiskers, He went up to see the light and ended in the Queen's soup... As he was running away he looked back and saw... the Princess's look that broke his heart...

 

2001
cover image
Arf and the Metal Detector
Primary +
5 Stars
Philip Wooderson
Crooks, a mistake, treasure, relative position

 

2000
Scooby-Doo: Howling on the Playground cover
Scooby-Doo: Howling on the Playground
6 years - first
3 Stars
Gail Herman
mystery playground

Could do a plot study for Scooby-Doo - the gang decides to do something, someone doesn't want it done, try to foil it with a haunting, challenge to figure out what is going on (who is haunting)?, In the investigation process a mayhem action sequence erupts, Scooby-Doo and Shaggy crash into each other (climax), resolution with haunting unmasked, rectify, ride off into the sunset.

 

1954
Tintin cover image
Tintin
Intermediate Adolescent
1 Star
Translated by Leslie Lonsdale-Cooper and Michael Turner
adventure comic art graphic

The series includes 7 volumes with three adventures in each volume:

Volume 1: Tintin in America, Cigars of the Pharaoh, & The Blue Lotus.

The language and actions of the characters in the different cultural settings seem to cross a line from comedy into biased and even racist language and situations. Unfortunately dating it for young readers.

Image from a Tintin cover sells as one of the most expensive comic book art in the world for about $3.84 million USD.

Tintin cover art

Black Panther

2016
Black Panther 1
Black Panther, Vol. 1: A Nation Under Our Feet, Book One
11 years +
4 Stars
Ta-Nehisi Coates
Marvel, Black panther, survival, comics, superhero

Super hero book

The collection:

  • Black Panther Book 1, Vol. 1: A Nation Under Our Feet
  • Black Panther Book 2, Vol. 1: A Nation Under Our Feet
  • Black Panther Book 3, Vol. 1: A Nation Under Our Feet
  • Black Panther Book 4, Avengers of the New World part 1
  • Black Panther Book 5, Avengers of the New World part 2
  • Black Panther Book 6, The Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda part 1
  • Black Panther Book 7, The Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda part 2
  • Black Panther Book 8, The Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda part 3

Source for these and many more ...

 

2019
Black Panther 1
Black Panther, The Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda, part 2
11 years +
4 Stars
Ta-Nehisi Coates
Marvel, Black panther, survival, comics, superhero

Super hero book

 

1991
1948
Maus I
Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History
11 years +
5 Stars
Art Spiegelman
Holocaust, survival, persecution, human rights, John Robert Lewis

Pulitzer Prize winning graphic novel.

“The first masterpiece in comic book history” The New Yorker

Maus is an evocative story within a story. The story of the author’s tormented relationship with his father as his father tells the story of his Jewish family in Poland during the Holocaust. A story of persecution, trauma, loss, survival and legacy.

The contrast of illustrations in white and black, with Jews drawn as wide-eyed mice, and Nazis as menacing cats suggest the barbaric inhuman treatment of the Holocaust.

Maus II: A Survivor's Tale: And Here My Troubles Began by Art Spiegelman 1991.

More

 

To check out ...

 

Top

HomeLiteracy, media, literature, children's literature, & language arts