Top and award-winning graphic novel titles for teens
"This is an anthology of short memoir comics about modern indigenous life, with some fiction or fictionalized memories mixed in"--Publisher.
"Sori Lee is hoping for a fresh start at her new school--which is easier said than done when every single thing reminds her of why she transferred. As luck would have it, an anonymous letter taped to the bottom of her desk provides a perfect distraction. Little does Sori know that she's about to embark on the scavenger hunt of a lifetime! What starts off as simple curiosity becomes a healing journey as Sori discovers just how far a small act of kindness can go"--Back cover.
"High-school senior and notorious wallflower Hawkins finally works up the courage to remove her mascot mask and ask out her longtime crush: Regina Moreno, head cheerleader, academic overachiever, and all-around popular girl. There's only one teensy little problem: Regina is already dating Chloe Kitagawa, athletic all-star ... and middling English student. Regina sees a perfectly self-serving opportunity here, and asks the smitten Hawkins to tutor Chloe free of charge, knowing Hawkins will do anything to get closer to her"-- Provided by publisher.
Erika knows that people find her weird and off-putting. Instead of making friends, she finds solace in talking to herself and obsessing over handsome actors and pop stars. When she starts attending a new school, her loneliness takes on a life of its own and she develops a new obsession: the cutest boy in her theater class, Christian. For some reason, Christian is kind to her and even agrees to star in the play that she wrote for him, and Erika starts to find a creative voice that might lead to new friendship and romance. But the more time Erika spends with Christian, the more she wonders what he sees in a creep like her. Can Erika somehow write her way into the center of her own heartfelt love story? Or does Christian have an ending of his own in mind?
"A powerful coming-of-age graphic novel about three generations of mothers and daughters passing down and rebelling against standards of gender, race, beauty, size, and worth, for fans of Mariko Tamaki. Sixteen-year-old Roz is preoccupied with normal teenage stuff: navigating high school friendships, worrying about college, and figuring out what to wear to prom. When her estranged Por Por abruptly arrives for a seemingly indefinite visit, the already delicate relationship between Roz and her mother is upended. With three generations under one roof, conflicts inevitably arise and long suppressed family secrets rise to the surface. Told in alternating perspectives, Age 16 shifts seamlessly between time and place, exploring how this pivotal year in adolescence affects three women in the same family, from Guangdong in 1954 to Hong Kong in 1972, and Toronto in 2000. Award-winning creator of Living with Viola Rosena Fung pulls from her own family history in her YA debut to give us an emotional and poignant story about how every generation is affected by those that came before and affect those that come after."-- Provided by publisher.
"Kirby Tan is in free fall. Once dubbed the Queen of Balance as her school's top rock climber, Kirby suffers an injury that sidelines her for the rest of the season. Now she's forced to join the newspaper club for some desperately needed extra credit. Worse, she's recruited by crystal-wearing, tarot-reading Bex Santos for her astrology-based love advice column. As Kirby reluctantly agrees to orchestrate matches made in heaven with Bex, she begins to wonder if their own stars could be aligned. But loving who she wants isn't so easy when her other relationships are on the line"--Back cover.
Set in dictatorial South Korea in 1984, a group of teens experience a taste of freedom on a winter retreat with no parental supervision.
Ever since Deborah (Jung-Jin) Lee emigrated from South Korea to the United States, she's felt her otherness. For a while, her English wasn't perfect. Her teachers can't pronounce her Korean name. Her face and her eyes--especially her eyes--feel wrong. In high school, everything gets harder. Friendships change and end, she falls behind in classes, and fights with her mom escalate. Caught in limbo, with nowhere safe to go, Deb finds her mental health plummeting, resulting in a suicide attempt. But Deb is resilient and slowly heals with the help of art and self-care, guiding her to a deeper understanding of her heritage and herself.
"Nubia has always been a little bit...different. As a baby she showcased Amazonian-like strength by pushing over a tree to rescue her neighbor's cat. But despite her having similar abilities, the world has no problem telling her that she's no Wonder Woman. And even if she were, they wouldn't want her. Every time she comes to the rescue, she's reminded of how people see her: as a threat. Her moms do their best to keep her safe, but Nubia can't deny the fire within her, even if she's a little awkward about it sometimes. Even if it means people assume the worst. When Nubia's best friend, Quisha, is threatened by a boy who thinks he owns the town, Nubia will risk it all--her safety, her home, and her crush on that cute kid in English class--to become the hero society tells her she isn't."--Amazon.
Bullied by her classmates, Sarah, a Korean American girl growing up in a rural community with few Asian neighbors, channels her rage into her art and cosplay until it threatens to explode.
"Ludovica Bonnaire, a pampered Victorian noble, dreams of adventure. Spurred by her desire to learn more about the world outside her sheltered existence, she steals her brother's identity (along with his ship) and heads out on a journey to find love, excitement, and enough material to write a book about her favorite aquatic creatures, sea sponges. Before long, she realizes life at sea isn't as simple as the romantic novels made it seem...and there are many sinister things lurking in the depths below"-- Provided by publisher.
"Boy meets boy. Boys become friends. Boys fall in love. Shy and softhearted Charlie Spring sits next to rugby player Nick Nelson in class one morning. A warm and intimate friendship follows, and that soon develops into something more for Charlie, who doesn't think he has a chance. But Nick is struggling with feelings of his own, and as the two grow closer and take on the ups and downs of high school, they come to understand the surprising and delightful ways in which love works."--page 4 of cover.
In their comics debut, Theo Parish masterfully weaves an intimate and defiantly hopeful memoir about the journey one nonbinary person takes to find a home within themself. Combining traditional comics with organic journal-like interludes, Theo takes us through their experiences with the hundred arbitrary and unspoken gender binary rules of high school, from harrowing haircuts and finally the right haircut to the intersection of gender identity and sexuality--and through tiny everyday moments that all led up to Theo finding the term "nonbinary," which finally struck a chord.
"Thien's first memory isn't a sight or a sound. It's the sweetness of watermelon and the saltiness of fish. It's the taste of the foods he ate while adrift at sea as his family fled Vietnam. After the Pham family arrives at a refugee camp in Thailand, they struggle to survive. Things don't get much easier once they resettle in California. And through each chapter of their lives, food takes on a new meaning. Strawberries come to signify struggle as Thien's mom and dad look for work. Potato chips are an indulgence that bring Thien so much joy that they become a necessity. Behind every cut of steak and inside every croissant lies a story. And for Thien Pham, that story is about a search-- for belonging, for happiness, for the American dream."--Amazon.
"Meet Jalisco and Santa: Jalisco is looking for her beloved mother, who disappeared mysteriously. Santa is faced with taking down the corrupt politicians in her hometown...Jalisco, a spirited girl from the outskirts of Guadalajara, finds her life shattered when her mother mysteriously disappears. Brushed off by authorities, Jalisco's quest for truth leads her to the Adelitas, a clandestine group fighting against the sinister forces behind the femicides plaguing their community. Determined to uncover the fate of her beloved mother, Jalisco embarks on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment, guided by the unwavering strength of sisterhood. Santa is from Wexo, a town on the Texan/Mexican border. The upcoming elections are threatening to put a corrupt politician in power: Ilena Chavez-Estevez AKA ICE. Santa joins the other candidate's campaign and fights. Racial tensions begin to rise within the town. And when citizens of Wexo begin to disappear one by one, Santa must raid the detention camps and take down ICE." -- Provided by publisher.
"Perley and Amandine are both starting their Junior year late. Perley was diagnosed with diabetes over the summer and has to worry about what this means, both for him and for his family's finances. Amandine is part of a venerated family of vampires, but was turned much sooner than expected after a car accident nearly killed her. When their worlds collide as they make up the time they missed, their fast friendship quickly turns into something more. Amandine sipping Perley's blood holds benefits for the both of them, but it also sets them on a path that could spiral out of control. Will they be able to get their lives back to normal? Or will both have to figure out new ways for their "normal" to look?"-- Provided by publisher.
"A groundbreaking and timely graphic memoir from one of the most iconic figures in American sports-and a tribute to his fight for civil rights. On October 16, 1968, during the medal ceremony at the Mexico City Olympics, Tommie Smith, the gold medal winner in the 200-meter sprint, and John Carlos, the bronze medal winner, stood on the podium in black socks and raised their black-gloved fists to protest racial injustice inflicted upon African Americans. Both men were forced to leave the Olympics, received death threats, and faced ostracism and continuing economic hardships. In his first-ever memoir for young readers, Tommie Smith looks back on his childhood growing up in rural Texas through to his stellar athletic career, culminating in his historic victory and Olympic podium protest. Cowritten with Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Author Honor recipient Derrick Barnes and illustrated with bold and muscular artwork from Emmy Award-winning illustrator Dawud Anyabwile, Victory. Stand! paints a stirring portrait of an iconic moment in Olympic history that still resonates today"-- Provided by publisher.
"Lifelong friends Basem, Mustafa, and Aarfah have carved out a place for themselves in their corner of Muqadas, where they dream of climbing from their place in the city's lowest level, above the limb-snatching, disease-infested waters, to the very top of their vertical city. Young inventors who've seen firsthand the havoc the Habar infection causes set out to dazzle the masses with their innovative prosthetics and escape the dangers of Lake Saha. When their inventions catch the eye of a scout who is on the hunt for new talent to bring to the higher tiers, their dreams are suddenly within reach. But as the wonders of the upper tiers enchant, Basem, Mustafa, and Aarfah begin to question why the bounty of Muqadas falls short of reaching Lake Saha's inhabitants. Behind the beauty of the city's upper tiers lie dark and dangerous secrets--ones that threaten not only everything they've worked for but everyone they love. And when Mustafa and Aarfah are cast away for their allegiance to Lake Saha, Basem is faced with the difficult choice: Fight to bring justice to all of Muqadas? Or abandon his friends and fall in line to achieve everything he's ever dreamed?"--Back cover.
At Wilberton Academy, few students are more revered than the members of the elite Wilberton Theatrical Society--a.k.a. the WTS--and no one represents that exclusive club better than Elizabeth Woodward. Breathtakingly beautiful, beloved by all, and a talented thespian, it's no surprise she's starring as Juliet in the WTS's performance of Shakespeare's classic tragedy. But when she's found dead the morning after opening night, the whole school is thrown into chaos. Transfer student Abby Kita was one of the last people to see Elizabeth alive, and when local authorities deem the it-girl's death a suicide, Abby's not convinced--she's sure there's more to Wilberton and the WTS than meets the eye. As she gets tangled in prep school intrigue, Abby quickly realizes that Elizabeth was keeping secrets. Was one of those secrets worth killing for?
In the summer of 1995, almost-fifteen-year-old Almudena is sent to live with her estranged Spanish-speaking father, and together they renovate a brownstone and build a relationship while Almudena navigates the Latin American side of her heritage for the first time.
Abandoned to live with his grandparents in rural Tennessee, fifteen-year-old Dan adjusts to working on the farm, starting high school, and being queer in a conservative community.
"Commonly regarded as one of the great American novels, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has captured the hearts and imaginations of readers since 1884. But since its publication, critics have rightfully condemned Mark Twain's troubling portrayal of Black Americans as stereotypes and caricatures, with contemporary fans searching for a modern update to this iconic tale. Big Jim and the White Boy is a radical retelling of this American classic, centering the experiences of Jim, an enslaved Black man in search of his kidnapped wife and children, along with his cheeky sidekick, Huckleberry Finn. Jim and Huck's high-stakes adventures take them on an epic voyage across the antebellum South and Midwest, through Confederate war camps and runaway safe houses, into Old West standoffs, and on the road as covert Underground Railroad agents. Intertwined in the narrative are the stories of Jim's descendants in the 1930s, 1980s, and 2020s, making this a multigenerational family epic as well as an adventure story. With compelling artwork and riveting storytelling, David F. Walker and Marcus Kwame Anderson push the boundaries of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in this incredible graphic novel, exploring the triumphs and tribulations of Jim and his family, and finally giving his due as a hero of American literature."-- Page 4 of cover.
"It's 1930s Mississippi. Magic is permitted only in certain circumstances, and by certain people. Unsanctioned broom racing is banned. But for those who need the money, or the thrills...it's there to be found. Meet Billie Mae, captain of the Night Storms racing team, and Loretta, her best friend and second-in-command. They're determined to make enough money to move out west to a state that allows Black folks to legally use magic and take part in national races. Cheng-Kwan - doing her best to handle the delicate and dangerous double act of being the perfect "son" to her parents, and being true to herself while racing. Mattie and Emma -- Choctaw and Black -- the youngest of the group and trying to dodge government officials who want to send them and their newly-surfaced powers away to boarding school. And Luella, in love with Billie Mae. Her powers were sealed away years ago after she fought back against the government. She'll do anything to prevent the same fate for her cousins. Brooms is a queer, witchy Fast and the Furious that shines light on history not often told - it's everything you'd ever want to read in a graphic novel."--Publisher.
After losing his best friend to cancer, grieving Theo navigates a haunting alternate reality that embodies his depression, where he faces a shape-shifting monster and teams up with a mysterious girl to survive in a world where everyone has vanished.
"Ash has always felt alone. Adults ignore the climate crisis. Other kids Ash's age are more interested in pop stars and popularity contests than in fighting for change. Even Ash's family seems to be sleepwalking through life. The only person who ever seemed to get Ash was their Grandpa Edwin. Before he died, he used to talk about building a secret cabin, deep in the California wilderness. Did he ever build it? What if it's still there, waiting for him to come back...or for Ash to find it? To Ash, that maybe-mythical cabin is starting to feel like the perfect place for a fresh start and an escape from the miserable feeling of alienation that haunts their daily life. But making the wilds your home isn't easy. And as much as Ash wants to be alone...can they really be happy alone? Can they survive alone?." -- Provided by publisher.
Isabel "Izzy" Crane and her family have just relocated to Sleepy Hollow, the town made famous by--and obsessed with--Washington Irving's legend of the Headless Horseman. But city slicker-skeptic Izzy has no time for superstition as she navigates life at a new address, a new school, and, with any luck, with new friends. Ghost stories aren't real, after all... Then Izzy is pulled into the orbit of the town's teen royalty, Vicky Van Tassel (yes, that Van Tassel) and loveable varsity-level prankster Croc Byun. Vicky's weariness with her family connection to the legend turns to terror when the trio begins to be haunted by the Horseman himself, uncovering a curse set on destroying the Van Tassel line. Now, they have only until Halloween night to break it--meaning it's a totally inconvenient time for Izzy to develop a massive crush on the enigmatic Vicky. Can Izzy's practical nature help her face the unknown--or only trip her up? As the calendar runs down to the 31st, Izzy will have to use all of her wits and work with her new friends to save Vicky and uncover the mystery of the legendary Horseman of Sleepy Hollow--before it's too late. New York Times-bestselling writer Shannon Watters (Lumberjanes) and debut author Branden Boyer-White are joined by artist Berenice Nelle (Wanderlicht) in this coming-of-age tale, homage, and a spin-off of the classic Legend of Sleepy Hollow and everyone's favorite headless specter.
"This book tells the true stories of five brave teens fleeing their home countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Guinea, on their own, traveling through unknown and unfriendly places, and ultimately crossing into the US to find refuge and seek asylum. Based on extensive interviews with teen refugees, lawyers, caseworkers, and activists, Tracy White shines a light on five individual kids from among the tens of thousands of unaccompanied minors who enter the US each year. In stark black and white illustrations, she helps us understand why some young people would literally risk their lives to seek safety in the US. Each one of them has been backed into a corner where emigration to the US seems like their only hope."--Amazon.
"Spirit World stars Xanthe, a non-binary Chinese hero with the ability to travel in and out of the Spirit World--the realm of the dead, and that of the living. Xanthe possesses the ability to burn items folded from ceremonial joss paper and turn them into real objects that can be used in the physical world. Their super power is based on the East Asian custom of burning joss paper at gravesites to send resources to ancestors in the spirit world. Their weapon of choice is a large broadsword (because who doesn't love a big sword when you can choose to use a big sword?!). The adventure begins as Xanthe forms a reluctant alliance with DC's bad boy of the mystic arts, John Constantine, to rescue Batgirl Cassandra Cain from a horde of jiangshi (Chinese hopping vampires). Who knows what other spirits they'll find in the Spirit World--like that skateboarding boy wearing hanfu with some headphones and a gaping hole in his chest?!"-- Provided by publisher.
Graphic novel superstars Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham join forces in this heartwarming rom-com about fate, family, and falling in love. Val is ready to give up on love. It's led to nothing but secrets and heartbreak, and she's pretty sure she's cursed--no one in her family, for generations, has ever had any luck with love. But then a chance encounter with a pair of cute lion dancers sparks something in Val. Is it real love? Could this be her chance to break the family curse? Or is she destined to live with a broken heart forever?