Graphic Novels

 

Emberley, Michael. I Did It! Holiday House, 2022.

I Did It! is a graphic novel for early readers, recommended for ages 4-8. Lovers of graphic novels or comics will enjoy sharing this story with the beginning readers in their lives. In this book, we meet our young unnamed protagonist who works to build their confidence through trying new challenging activities including climbing a rope, climbing a tree, catching a baseball, and riding a bike. While at first, they are unable to ride the bike, after an attempt and the support of friends, they are able to learn to ride a bike! The simple illustrations are effective plot drivers. Instead of the illustrations enhancing the text, the text appears to be the enhancer. The illustrator makes use of the white space, which makes the illustrations jump out of the page at the reader. The text is simple, with very few words on each page. The text is also repetitive, which helps engage young readers and lends the book well to a read aloud. Children will understand the simple and straightforward plot. With the protagonist being androgynous and unnamed, a young reader will be able to place themselves in the story. If a reader enjoys this story, they are able to read more in the series. The I Like to Read Comics series includes 35 titles. Through reading this book, a child may gain the confidence to attempt a challenging new activity, too!

Guojing. Oasis. Godwin Books/Henry Holt and Company, 2025.

In the attention grabbing and suspenseful graphic novel, Oasis, we follow the journey of two siblings, JieJie and Didi. They are living in a desert outside of Oasis City when they uncover an AI-powered robot in a junkyard. They take the reader on an adventure to restore the robot, learn about the robot, and eventually develop a familial relationship with the robot. The text and illustrations work well together. The illustrator uses light and shadow to help convey the emotions of the text, often times using more shadow when the protagonists discuss their past and their mother, to show that the children had a difficult home life. The graphic pencil style illustrations are very effective as a storytelling element. Guojing executes suspense, hope, fear, and love through her illustration style. Middle school aged readers, ages 8-12, will understand this plot. Many readers of this age are already aware of and have used AI in some way, so they will understand how the robot is functioning and how the children might benefit from having this in their life. The themes include family, sacrifice, bravery, morals, and the use of AI in the home. There are also undertones or financial hardships and economic injustice. This story could be an excellent discussion tool for middle grade readers. The illustrations and subject matter are all age appropriate. There is very little violence shown. The reader meets positive role models throughout the story. This book is a stand-alone title and is not part of a series. However, fans of this book will be pleased to know that Guojing has written several other graphic novels!

Brian, Rachel. Consent (for Kids!): Boundaries, Respect, and Being in Charge of You. Little, Brown and Company, 2020.

A must read for all children, Consent (for Kids!): Boundaries, Respect, and Being in Charge of You teaches children about consent, setting boundaries, how to be a bystander, and how to listen to what your body thinks is safe. The text and illustrations work well together; both are engaging and informative. This graphic novel is more text-heavy than other titles in this list. The illustrations serve as more of a guide to complement the text rather than a plot driver as a stand-alone element. That being said, the illustrations are effective at clarifying what the text is saying to the reader. For example, when discussing if a reader should hold hands with someone, the illustrations help give further examples of when that might be more appropriate (busy parking lots or crossing the street). I also appreciate that although the illustrations are simple, Rachel Brian is still able to feature a diverse group of kids with different skin tones, body types, and abilities. The use of humor throughout the story will keep young readers engaged.  This book is recommended for younger readers, ages 6-10. It will be an important read as they start to have more autonomy both in school and in their social lives. While children may not understand the plot at first, it will serve as a jumping off point for a conversation about consent. Some of the content covered might be beyond what most children at this age can comprehend. Examples include blocking a contact or sharing inappropriate photos and videos. Children will process this to the depth that they are ready, so some children might unintentionally skip over these topics until they are older and ready to discuss it. This book should be read when a trusted adult who can answer questions is nearby. This is a stand-alone title. This is not part of a series. 

Ortega, Claribel, and Rose Bousamra. Frizzy. First Second, 2023.

Frizzy is a drama graphic novel that centers around a young protagonist named Marlene. Her mother insists on straightening her curly hair, to make it "good hair." The illustrations are a classic graphic novel style. They have clean lines and vibrant colors. A reader will be drawn to the story through the powerful and dynamic illustrations. Marlene's hair is featured so heavily in the illustrations that it almost appears to be a character in itself. Portraits of Marlene's natural hair are incredibly detailed, including volume and texture as her hairstyle changes. Illustrations are well executed throughout and help the reader be immersed in the story. They are effective an effective storytelling element. Through the combination of text and illustrations, a reader is able to easily follow along with the plot. They work well together. The text is emotional, and the author utilizes text elements including bold, italics, and font size to convey emotions. Children will understand the plot. Even if a reader has never encountered this specific storyline, most children will have an experience with either wanting to alter their appearance or disagreeing with their parent on appearance. The themes of racism, Afro-Latinx identity, beauty standards, bullying, and self-acceptance will resonate with many readers. This book should be used as a tool for learning about the power of accepting yourself for who you are. Frizzy is an important read for children in this age group, and it is beautifully told by Claribel Ortega. This book is a stand-alone title. It is not part of a series. There are other recommended graphic novel titles in the back of this book, but they are not a continuation of this story. This book is geared towards middle school readers, aged 8-12.  

Frederick-Frost, Alexis, et al. Adventures in Cartooning: How to Turn Your Doodles into Comics. Pan Macmillan, 2009.

Adventures in Cartooning: How to Turn Your Doodles into Comics is a unique book in that it is part story and part tutorial. Throughout the story, the reader is taken on a journey with a knight as he encounters elves, dragons, whales, treasure, and more in the magical land that he creates with his drawings! Through the power of drawing, he is able to save himself when in a pinch. This is a unique approach to teaching a young reader about all of the literary elements included in a comic. It is full of adventure, humor, and tips on how to create your own comic! The text is intentional. A reader is learning a new skill through observing the elements being used in real time. Many pages have few words, and some have none at all. When text is used, it either drives the plot forward quickly or provides insights to creating your own comic, such as explaining how you need to layout the word balloons in a comic strip for it to make sense to a reader. The text pairs well with the illustrations. They correlate and complement each other throughout the entirety of the book. Not only do you learn what a literary term is, but you see it in action. Readers will learn about volume, sound effects, conversations, and more. Some tips might be difficult to understand without the visual aids provided. Through use of simple, cartoon-ish style illustrations, a young reader can more easily put themselves in the story. An aspiring comic writer will be inspired by the no-frills illustrations. They are invited to attempt to draw their own instead of being intimidated by the style presented. The illustrations are effective. They both teach the reader about this new skill and entertain the reader with the princess's story. This story is for children ages 6-10. Children at this age will have no trouble understanding the plot. There are many familiar fairytale characters and elements, the plot is relatively straightforward, and there are very few difficult vocabulary words used. This book is part of a series. If a reader enjoyed Adventures in Cartooning: How to Turn Your Doodles into Comics, there are six other titles available!