2026 Maverick List - Great Graphic Novels for Grades 6-8

Check out these recommended graphic novels for grades 6-8 that appear on the 2026 Texas Library Association's Maverick Reading List.* (Looking for graphic novels for teens? Try the Maverick List for grades 9-12!)

*Not listed: I Witnessed: The Lizzie Borden Story by Jeramy Kraatz, and Charles M. Schulz: Creator of Snoopy and Peanuts by Yuzuru Kuki

About the Maverick Reading List: "The Texas Maverick Graphic Novels Reading List (TMGNRL) is a recommended reading list developed by public and school librarians from the Young Adult Round Table (YART). The list’s purpose is to encourage students in grades 6-12 to explore a variety of current books. The TMGNRL list is intended for recreational reading, not to support a specific curriculum." (from the TLA website)

Updated February 20, 2026
Lewisville Public Library
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Almost sunset
Algarmi, Wahab
Paper Book
Navigating a month of school, an upcoming soccer championship while fasting for Ramadan, can be tough. Luckily, Hassan has a winning combo of family, friends and faith - and his goals in sight! It's almost sunset, and Hassan has been dreaming about eating since the sun rose...
Around the Spider-Verse : an original graphic novel collection
Leon, Pablo
Paper Book
Beloved Marvel characters Spider-Man, Ghost-Spider, and Araña star in three original Spider-verse stories! Don't miss this collection from bestselling authors Justin A. Reynolds, Roseanne A. Brown, and Eisner nominee Pablo Leon! Take a trip around the Spider-Verse (and New York City) in three...
Beetle & the Chimera Carnival
Layne, Aliza
Paper Book
Beetle and her friends attend a carnival full of dragons and magic, only to discover something sinister at play behind the scenes, in this delightful sequel to the Stonewall Honor-winning Beetle & the Hollowbones middle grade graphic novel. Hidden behind the clouds, giant...
Cassi and the house of memories
Stuart, Dean
Paper Book
A dazzling journey through memories past gives one girl the chance to save her grandfather-as long as she can find him in time. A graphic novel perfect for fans of Pashmina and Anya's Ghost. Cassi loves spending time with her grandfather. His games, songs, and...
Dracula's brunch club
Gonsar, Brian
Paper Book
A 2026 Maverick Graphic Novel List Pick A Comics Beat Best Kids Comic of 2025 Have you ever wondered how vampires got their taste for blood? In Dracula's Brunch Club, it all started with a crimson-red donut, dripping and oozing with spooky...
Extra Large
Page, Tyler.
Paper Book
Tyler Page returns with a touching middle grade memoir about a boy dealing with Button Pusher weight gain, bullying, and gendered expectations all while starting a new school year. It's the start of a new school year for Tyler, and with it comes brand-new problems. There...
Hikaru in the Light! 1
Matsuda, Mai.
Paper Book
Best friends compete for the once-in-a-lifetime chance to become pop stars in this funny, feel-good manga series perfect for fans of K-On!, The Tryout, and The Baby-sitters Club. Middle-school student Hikaru Ogino is known as the songbird of her family's bathhouse in Tokyo....
How it all ends
Hunsinger, Emma
Paper Book
"Hilarious, inventive, smart, and silly." --Alice Oseman, bestselling author of Heartstopper "Emma Hunsinger's sharp wit and eclectic humor shines in this fantastic story about making new friends and surviving school." --Dan Santat, National Book Award winner for A First Time...
How to say goodbye in Cuban
Miyares, Daniel
Paper Book
Here is the dramatic coming-of-age graphic novel memoir of 12-year-old Carlos (who would grow up to become the author's father), his life during the Cuban Revolution, and his family's harrowing escape to America. A Graphic Novels and Comics Round Table (GNCRT) Outstanding Comics...
How to talk to your succulent
Persico, Zoe
Paper Book
Eleven-year-old Adara and her dad are moving from California to the cold and flat lands of Michigan... and it sucks. After Mom's recent passing, it seems way too soon. Talking to Dad has always been harder than with Mom, but now it's like walking on eggshells. And why did Dad bring so many of Mom's...
The other side of tomorrow
Cho, Tina
Paper Book
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection Perfect for fans of Illegal and When Stars Are Scattered, this poignant and moving graphic novel in verse captures the dangers and hope that come with fleeing North Korea and reaching for a brighter future through the lives of...

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