Young Adult Comics & Graphic Novels
Two boys. One war-torn country. A world away, freedom. Twelve-year-old Adel and his cousin Shafi try to lead a normal childhood in war-torn Afghanistan. But when Adel's father dies, everything changes. His uncle, a religious fundamentalist, sends Adel to study at a madrasa run by militants, where he is trained as an insurgent and chosen to carry out a suicide bombing. When his moment of martyrdom arrives, Adel's detonator fails, and he is forced to flee the country or risk being killed by the Afghan police or the Taliban themselves. Together, Adel and Shafi set out to seek refuge in England, where Shafi's brother now lives and where a new life awaits. With that hope, the two boys begin the perilous journey of 6,000 miles to freedom, crossing mountains on foot and squeezing into crowded trucks with other refugees. The two become separated only to find each other again in the Calais Jungle encampment, their last, hellish stop. Based on numerous testimonies from refugee youth, this poignant, timely, and well-documented story brings to life the traumatic experiences faced by Afghani children fleeing war and poverty, as well as the isolation they often feel as refugees in the West.
A thrilling and bold take on the classic Western tale of redemption and revenge. ONE DEADLY MISSION.1857. Texas. A group of death row criminals is recruited by a priest for a suicide mission into Comancheria. Led by an outlaw with a bloody past, this deadly crew embarks on an action-packed adventure in this bold new vision of the American West. Written by Tze Chun (GOTHAM, ONCE UPON A TIME), drawn by Artyom Trakhanov (UNDERTOW, TURNCOAT), colored by Giulia Brusco (DJANGO UNCHAINED, SCALPED), and lettered by Jared K Fletcher (PAPER GIRLS).
A PATH TO PURPOSE LAID WITH IRON RAILS. An end to the endless war--the possibility of stopping the Legion once and for all. Such is humanity's most fervent desire. But in the war-free world of tomorrow, what will become of the Eighty-Six? Many have gained renewed faith in the future. Some have found love; others, new aspirations. But what of those who have yet to dream? The warm rays of hope have bent their iron wills and distorted their realities. For those tragic few, the worst is yet to come...
An epic sci-fi graphic novel romance between two non-binary characters as they find one another through time, distance, and war. An amazing story that explores the complexity of human nature and what brings us together. When they were kids, Fassen's fighter spaceship crash-landed on a planet that Lu's survey force was exploring. It was a forbidden meeting between a kid from a war-focused resistance movement and a kid whose community and planet are dedicated to peace and secrecy. Lu and Fassen are from different worlds and separate solar systems. But their friendship keeps them in each other's orbit as they grow up. They stay in contact in secret as their communities are increasingly threatened by the omnipresent, ever-expanding empire. As the empire begins a new attack against Fassen's people--and discovers Lu's in the process--the two of them have the chance to reunite at last. They finally are able to be together...but at what cost? This beautifully illustrated graphic novel is an epic science fiction romance between two non-binary characters as they find one another through time, distance, and war.
One hundred years after the Tulsa Race Massacre, Across the Tracks is a celebration and memorial of Greenwood, Oklahoma In Across the Tracks: Remembering Greenwood, Black Wall Street, and the Tulsa Race Massacre, author Alverne Ball and illustrator Stacey Robinson have crafted a love letter to Greenwood, Oklahoma. Also known as Black Wall Street, Greenwood was a community whose importance is often overshadowed by the atrocious massacre that took place there in 1921. Across the Tracks introduces the reader to the businesses and townsfolk who flourished in this unprecedented time of prosperity for Black Americans. We learn about Greenwood and why it is essential to remember the great achievements of the community as well as the tragedy which nearly erased it. However, Ball is careful to recount the eventual recovery of Greenwood. With additional supplementary materials including a detailed preface, timeline, and historical essay, Across the Tracks offers a thorough examination of the rise, fall, and rebirth of Black Wall Street.
A new YA fantasy graphic novel following the epic adventures of Adora, a brave young woman of color who lives in a fantastical world with underground pirates, ghosts, and a mysterious force called "The Distance." The Distance threatens to destroy it all, and only Adora can stop it! From Marc Bernardin--the award-winning television writer/producer on Star Trek: Picard, Critical Role: The Legend of Vox Machina, Masters of the Universe: Revelations, Castle Rock, and Mata Hari's Ariela Kristantina. Includes an introduction by Damon Lindelof (Lost, The Leftovers, HBO's The Watchmen)! Marc Bernardin's gorgeous, powerful Adora and the Distance was his way of connecting with a child on the Autism spectrum. -- Vanity Fair
A letter from a parent to a child with love so overflowing that it's visible on every page." -- Kelly Sue DeConnick (Captain Marvel, Aquaman) "Gorgeously rendered and tenderly told, ADORA AND THE DISTANCE is the story of an extraordinary child--and the extraordinary people who love her. You cannot help but be moved." --G. Willow Wilson (Co-creator, Ms. Marvel) "Adora and the Distance begins as a fantasy, all fun and brilliance, like a Game of Thrones for teenage girls, and then transmutes into something deeper and more moving, a reflection of an interior life that solves all the riddles it has propounded in a way that is both satisfying and heartbreaking. I'm so glad it exists." -- Neil Gaiman (The Sandman, Coraline, American Gods) Bernardin and Kristantina have pulled off a true magic trick. Adora and the Distance lures you in with dazzling fantasy yet its true magic lies its passionate, heartfelt exploration of deeper truths about connection, understanding and forgiveness through love. One of the most daring and heartfelt books I've read this year. -- Scott Snyder (Batman, Nocterra)
A letter from a parent to a child with love so overflowing that it's visible on every page." -- Kelly Sue DeConnick (Captain Marvel, Aquaman) "Gorgeously rendered and tenderly told, ADORA AND THE DISTANCE is the story of an extraordinary child--and the extraordinary people who love her. You cannot help but be moved." --G. Willow Wilson (Co-creator, Ms. Marvel) "Adora and the Distance begins as a fantasy, all fun and brilliance, like a Game of Thrones for teenage girls, and then transmutes into something deeper and more moving, a reflection of an interior life that solves all the riddles it has propounded in a way that is both satisfying and heartbreaking. I'm so glad it exists." -- Neil Gaiman (The Sandman, Coraline, American Gods) Bernardin and Kristantina have pulled off a true magic trick. Adora and the Distance lures you in with dazzling fantasy yet its true magic lies its passionate, heartfelt exploration of deeper truths about connection, understanding and forgiveness through love. One of the most daring and heartfelt books I've read this year. -- Scott Snyder (Batman, Nocterra)
Adrian isn't very happy these days. He lives in a small town and goes to a Catholic high school. He wears glasses, secretly reads philosophy books, and wishes he had more muscles. He's dogged by a strict mother, bullied by fellow players on the soccer field, and chastised by the school principal, who considers gay rumors about Adrian as a sign that he is ill. But Jeremy, the coolest kid at school, thinks otherwise; he takes Adrian on scooter trips, where they end up in Jeremy's secret treehouse stealing kisses. Adrian finds himself falling in love, until Jeremy's girlfriend rats them out, sending Jeremy into a tailspin of embarrassment for being different than the rest. What will become of him?
Adrian and the Tree of Secrets is a poignant, beautifully illustrated graphic novel about first love, growing up, and having the courage to be true to yourself.
Hubert studied at the School of Fine Arts in Angers, where he first set his career sights on comics. He has written a number of graphic novels and comic series in French, including one that has been translated into English: Miss Don't Touch Me, Vols. 1 and 2, a graphic novel series set in Paris in the 1930s.
Marie Caillou studied fine arts in Strasbourg, France, and then in 1995 went to Brussels to study animation. She has directed short animated films, including a series entitled Peur(s) du Noir (Fear of the Dark). This is her first book to appear in English.
What if you can leap tall buildings and defeat alien monsters with your bare hands, but you buy your capes at secondhand stores and have a weakness for kittens? Cartoonist Faith Erin Hicks brings charming humor to the trials and tribulations of a young female superhero, battling monsters both supernatural and mundane in an all-too-ordinary world. The expanded edition collects the original Eisner Award-winning comic, two new stories, and new art from creators including Tyler Crook, Ron Chan, Jake Wyatt, Paulina Ganucheau, and more! The first collection won an Eisner Award (Best Publication for Kids) and has gone through 4 printings This charming modern vision of a Superhero Girl features a young woman living an uncertain life, unsure of the best way to contribute to society. It's superhero as person instead of as corporate symbol or fight machine. We see her struggling with relatable elements of daily life, like keeping her mother informed of how things are going or having to replace her cape after it shrunk in the laundry. One of the best strips has Superhero Girl explaining to a fan how she too can be a superhero without having a horrible tragedy in her past. This strip shines because it's fresh and lighthearted without wallowing in angst. Her arch-nemesis is a normal guy who keeps telling her she's doing it wrong. She struggles to balance her calling with a paying day job but keeps forgetting to take her mask off. Her annoying perfect brother Kevin shows her up, and she struggles with whether to stay hero or take the easier, villainous way to riches. The comic is perfectly suited to Hicks's expressive figures and energetic storytelling. The perfect laugh-filled tonic for heavier angst-filled superhero series. -Publishers Weekly Have you ever wanted a superhero who lives in your world? If so, you will love Faith Erin Hicks' Eisner-award-winning story of a young woman who happens to be a superhero. -YALSA The Hub
Courtney Summers meets Deb Caletti in this "all too believable" (Publishers Weekly) page-turning suspense story about a teen girl--reeling in the wake of betrayed trust--who learns what it is to face hard truths about yourself and others, and how to find strength when you need it most. Sixteen-year-old Erica Walker is a webcomic artist who wants to fit in at her affluent new high school. Seventeen-year-old Thomas VanBrackel is an aspiring songwriter and reluctant lacrosse goalie who wants out from under his father's thumb. After their electric first kiss at Saturday's lacrosse match, Erica and Thomas both want to see where their new relationship could take them. The next morning, however, following a drunken house party, Erica wakes up half-clothed, and discovers words and names drawn in Sharpie in intimate places on her body--names belonging to Thomas's lacrosse friends, including the boyfriend of Erica's best friend. Devastated, Erica convinces herself Thomas wasn't involved in this horrific so-called prank...until she discovers Thomas's name on her skin, too. Told in alternating viewpoints, Erica seeks to uncover what happened while battling to keep evidence of her humiliation from leaking out, as Thomas grapples with his actions and who he thought he was. Woven throughout, illustrated graphic novel interstitials depict Erica's alter ego superhero, Erica Strange, whose courage just might help Erica come through to the other side.
During a furious storm a young woman's destiny is revealed . . . and her life is changed forever After the Rain is a graphic novel adaptation of Nnedi Okorafor's short story "On the Road." The drama takes place in a small Nigerian town during a violent and unexpected storm. A Nigerian-American woman named Chioma answers a knock at her door and is horrified to see a boy with a severe head wound standing at her doorstep. He reaches for her, and his touch burns like fire. Something is very wrong. Haunted and hunted, Chioma must embrace her heritage in order to survive. John Jennings and David Brame's graphic novel collaboration uses bold art and colors to powerfully tell this tale of identity and destiny.
This Campfire Classics adaptation faithfully renders Lewis Carroll's original language and plot details in a stunning graphic novel format. Alice was just an ordinary girl - imaginative and curious and thirsting for adventure. She was an ordinary girl, that is, until she found herself instantly transported to a place that was anything but ordinary. After diving down a rabbit hole, young Alice encounters a magical world ruled by a vicious Queen. It is a world where anything can happen; a world filled with a talking caterpillar, a puppy as big as a house, and a Cheshire cat that can disappear and reappear in the blink of an eye. Are these colorful characters real? And if so, how will Alice ever find her way back home? Beloved for more than a century, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is widely viewed as Lewis Carroll's masterpiece; a fantastic journey that will never be forgotten.
Harvey Award Nominee, Best Children or Young Adult Book
A powerful and moving teen graphic novel memoir about immigration, belonging, and how arts can save a life--perfect for fans of American Born Chinese and Hey, Kiddo.
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. She is completely cut off from her friends in Seoul and has no access to her beloved comics. At home, she doesn't fit in with her new stepfamily, and worst of all, she is furious with the one person she is closest to--her mother.
Then one day Robin's mother enrolls her in a local comic drawing class, which opens the window to a future Robin could never have imagined.
This nonfiction graphic novel with four starred reviews is an excellent choice for teens and also accelerated tween readers, both for independent reading and units on immigration, memoirs, and the search for identity.
A seamless integration of art and feeling. -- Kirkus Reviews
[An] intimate peek into the creative trajectory of a brilliant author and illustrator. -- School Library Journal
In her first collection of short comics stories, Hugo-nominated cartoonist Tillie Walden opens windows into strange new worlds with all the stylish visual panache and stunning emotional resonance of her widely lauded graphic novels.
In The End of Summer, Lars is battling illness and boredom in a secluded castle at the start of an endless winter with a giant cat to keep him company and fraying family bonds to test his strength. In I Love This Part, two small-town girls kill time and try to muddle through school when an unexpected romance blooms. And the surreal A City Inside recounts one woman's life from childhood on, in a poetic tale about coming-of-age when you think you're past all that.
Also includes never-before collected early sketches, webcomics, and short comics such as What It's Like To Be Gay In An All-Girls Middle School, which shot Tillie to fame on both sides of the Atlant
[An] intimate peek into the creative trajectory of a brilliant author and illustrator. -- School Library Journal
In her first collection of short comics stories, Hugo-nominated cartoonist Tillie Walden opens windows into strange new worlds with all the stylish visual panache and stunning emotional resonance of her widely lauded graphic novels.
In The End of Summer, Lars is battling illness and boredom in a secluded castle at the start of an endless winter with a giant cat to keep him company and fraying family bonds to test his strength. In I Love This Part, two small-town girls kill time and try to muddle through school when an unexpected romance blooms. And the surreal A City Inside recounts one woman's life from childhood on, in a poetic tale about coming-of-age when you think you're past all that.
Also includes never-before collected early sketches, webcomics, and short comics such as What It's Like To Be Gay In An All-Girls Middle School, which shot Tillie to fame on both sides of the Atlant
Andrea, a young Indigenous Colombian woman, has returned to the land she calls home. Only nineteen years old, she comes to mourn her lost child, carrying a box in her arms. And she comes with another mission. Andrea has hidden a camera upon herself. If she can capture evidence of the illegal mining that displaced her family, it will mark the first step toward reclaiming their land. This socially conscious thriller from graphic novelist Canizales examines the injustices of his home country in a stark, distinctive style.
A Michael L. Printz Award winner, a National Book Award finalist, and a New York Times bestseller!
A tour-de-force by New York Times bestselling graphic novelist Gene Yang, American Born Chinese tells the story of three apparently unrelated characters: Jin Wang, who moves to a new neighborhood with his family only to discover that he's the only Chinese-American student at his new school; the powerful Monkey King, subject of one of the oldest and greatest Chinese fables; and Chin-Kee, a personification of the ultimate negative Chinese stereotype, who is ruining his cousin Danny's life with his yearly visits. Their lives and stories come together with an unexpected twist in this action-packed modern fable. American Born Chinese is an amazing ride, all the way up to the astonishing climax.
As a child growing up in Malaysia, Shing Yin Khor had two very different ideas of what America meant.
The first looked a lot like Hollywood, full of beautiful people, sunlight, and freeways. The second looked more like The Grapes of Wrath--a nightmare landscape filled with impoverished people, broken-down cars, barren landscapes, and broken dreams.
Follow along on Shing's solo journey (small adventure-dog included) along the iconic Route 66, beginning in Santa Monica and ending up Chicago. What begins as a road trip ends up as something more like a pilgrimage in search of an American landscape that seems forever shifting and forever out of place.
"Just like Shing in real life, The American Dream? is quirky, honest, captivating, and filled with recollections of weird roadside statues."--Carol L. Tilley, comics historian and information science professor
"Shing Yin Khor's debut graphic memoir The American Dream? is the critical antidote to the whitewashed narratives of the great American road trip." --Kristina Wong, performance artist and activist
"A lovely, deceptively simple road trip memoir that revels in quirky discovery and quiet adventure while grappling with the anger and longing of one immigrant's experience." --Greg Pak, comic book writer
Khor takes that 'feeling of desperately searching for something better, for a new start, ' and adapts it to their own 'pilgrimage' as immigrant and artist traveling historic Route 66 . . . in whimsical full-color detail.--starred, Booklist
This is a book that will make you want to pack a bag, jump in your car and travel across America.--Geek Mom
A Forbes Best Graphic Novel of 2019
"A feminist fantasy adventure that overturns genre conventions at every opportunity." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) What does it mean to be a hero? A magical sword? A prophecy? What does it mean to be a leader? A royal title? A kingdom to lead? Misty is a Princess, but does that make her a damsel or a leader? Misty has a Prince, but does that make him the hero? When the mystical sword that can defeat Beldora's long-time enemy Lord Badlug, King of Grimoire, is stolen by his witch princess of Beldora, Misty, decides to go on a mission to retrieve it. Misty knows her mission is to destroy Lord Badlug, but what happens to the country of Grimoire afterwards? As Misty learns of the lives Grimoire's citizens, like her new friends Gorga, Fogmoth and Robin, she realizes overthrowing an evil King isn't as simple as it seems.
Anya could really use a friend. But her new BFF isn't kidding about the Forever part . . .
Of all the things Anya expected to find at the bottom of an old well, a new friend was not one of them. Especially not a new friend who's been dead for a century. Falling down a well is bad enough, but Anya's normal life might actually be worse. She's embarrassed by her family, self-conscious about her body, and she's pretty much given up on fitting in at school. A new friend--even a ghost--is just what she needs. Or so she thinks.Spooky, sardonic, and secretly sincere, Anya's Ghost is a wonderfully entertaining debut graphic novel from author/artist Vera Brosgol. This title has Common Core connections. Anya's Ghost is a 2011 Kirkus Best Teen Books of the Year title.
One of School Library Journal's Best Fiction Books of 2011.
One of Horn Book's Best Fiction Books of 2011.
Winner of the 2012 Eisner Award for Best Publication for Young Adults (Ages 12-17)
Jackson Hyde is ready to make some waves! Jackson Hyde finally has it all. Mentors who support him, a community that loves him, an honest relationship with his mother, a cute new guy in Amnesty Bay who's caught his eye, and access to Aquaman's private training facility in Atlantis. Well, he had it all--until that training facility and half of the Atlantean palace got blown to kingdom come with Jackson in them. Now Jackson stands accused of wrecking the life he worked so hard to build. Aqualad's going to need all of his skills, wit, and cunning just to prove his own innocence, let alone graduate from sidekick to Aquaman!
After losing her job at the library, Cel Walden starts working at the haunting Logan Museum as an archivist. But the job may not be the second chance she was hoping for, and she finds herself confronting her mental health, her relationships, and before long, her grasp on reality as she begins to dream of a young woman she's never met, but feels strangely drawn to. Especially after she asks Cel for help... As Cel attempts to learn more about the woman, she begins losing time, misplacing things, passing out--the job is becoming dangerous, but she can't let go of this mysterious woman. Who is she? Why is she so fixated on Cel? And does Cel have the power to save her when she's still trying to save herself?
The graphic novel Are You Listening? is an intimate and emotionally soaring story about friendship, grief, and healing from Eisner Award winner Tillie Walden.
Bea is on the run. And then, she runs into Lou. This chance encounter sends them on a journey through West Texas, where strange things follow them wherever they go. The landscape morphs into an unsettling world, a mysterious cat joins them, and they are haunted by a group of threatening men. To stay safe, Bea and Lou must trust each other as they are driven to confront buried truths. The two women share their stories of loss and heartbreak--and a startling revelation about sexual assault--culminating in an exquisite example of human connection. This magical realistic adventure from the celebrated comics creator of Spinning and On a Sunbeam will stay with readers long after the final gorgeously illustrated page. 2020 Eisner Award Winner, Best Graphic Album--NewA Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book of 2019
A National Public Radio (NPR) Best Book of 2019
An O Magazine Best LGBTQ Book of 2019
One of The Comics Beat's Best Comics of 2019
A Lambda Literary Award Finalist
A Harvey Award nominee, Best Book of the Year
Charlie Lamonte is thirteen years old, queer, black, and questioning what was once a firm belief in God. So naturally, she's spending a week of her summer vacation stuck at an all-white Christian youth backpacking camp. As the journey wears on and the rhetoric wears thin, she can't help but poke holes in the pious obliviousness of this storied sanctuary with little regard for people like herself . . . or her fellow camper, Sydney.
When Charlie transfers to the Georgia O'Keeffe College of Arts and Subtle Dramatics, she struggles to find her feet, but winds up exactly where she belongs...in the school's (terrible) basketball team. As a transfer student to the Georgia O'Keeffe College for Arts and Subtle Dramatics, former sports star Charlie is struggling to find her classes, her dorm, and her place amongst a student body full of artists who seem to know exactly where they're going. When the school's barely-a-basketball-team unexpectedly attempts to recruit her, Charlie's adamant that she's left that life behind...until she's won over by the charming team captain, Liv, and the ragtag crew she's managed to assemble. And while Charlie may have left cut-throat competition in the dust, sinking these hoops may be exactly what she needs to see the person she truly wants to be. From Carly Usdin (Heavy Vinyl) and artist Noah Hayes (Wet Hot American Summer, Goldie Vance) comes an ensemble comedy series that understands that it's the person you are off the court that matters most.
