Larger than life (non-fiction, YA comics)

Comics don't always have to be works of fiction - this form can also be used to tell true stories or deliver instructions or information.

You'll probably notice that many of the titles in this list are memoirs, where the author/artists are reflecting back on what have often been tough times as they grew up. If you're a fan of these arts' other works, memoirs can be pretty interesting, giving you insights into how their minds work and how and why they came up with their stories and characters. And it can be cool just reading about another person's life in a not-creepy kind of way - it's not snooping, they've published these books themselves!

The list here is indeed a memoir-heavy selection of popular AND lesser-known-but-still-amazing non-fiction works that we think you'll like.

Updated August 1, 2024
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Other boys
Alexander, Damian (Cartoonist)
Paper Book
A 2023 YALSA Great Graphic Novels for Teens Selection In Other Boys, debut author Damian Alexander delivers a moving middle grade graphic memoir about his struggles with bullying, the death of his mother, and coming out. Damian is the new kid at...

Memoir

Passport
Glock, Sophia
Paper Book
An unforgettable graphic memoir by debut talent Sophia Glock reveals her discovery as a teenager that her parents are agents working for the CIA.   Young Sophia has lived in so many different countries, she can barely keep count. Stationed now with her family in...

Memoir

Hey, kiddo
Krosoczka, Jarrett
Paper Book
The powerful, unforgettable graphic memoir from Jarrett Krosoczka, about growing up with a drug-addicted mother, a missing father, and two unforgettably opinionated grandparents.In kindergarten, Jarrett Krosoczka's teacher asks him to draw his family, with a mommy and a daddy. But Jarrett's family...

Memoir

All together now
Larson, Hope
Paper Book
Middle-schooler Bina is having the best time playing in her new band with her friends, Darcy and Enzo. But both the band and her friendships begin to crumble when Darcy and Enzo start dating, effectively relegating Bina to third-wheel status. To make matters worse, Bina's best friend, Austin, starts...

Music, Relationships

Slip
McCoola, Marika
Paper Book
An emotional LGBTQ coming-of-age graphic novel, with a magical twist, for fans of Bloom and Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me, where a pottery student finds her artistic voice--and her first love. Just as...

Mental Health

No Ivy League
Newlevant, Hazel
Paper Book
"No Ivy League gracefully delivers a messy truth behind the essential process of questioning and reckoning." -- Nate Powell, artist of the March trilogy When 17-year-old Hazel takes a summer job clearing ivy from the forest in Portland, Oregon, the only plan is to earn some extra...

Memoir

The fire never goes out : a memoir in pictures
Stevenson, Noelle
Paper Book
From ND Stevenson, the New York Times bestselling author-illustrator of Nimona, comes a captivating, honest illustrated memoir that finds him turning an important corner in his creative journey--and inviting readers along for the ride. In a collection of essays and personal...

Memoir

Lost soul, be at peace
Thrash, Maggie
Paper Book
Following her acclaimed Honor Girl, Maggie Thrash revisits a period of teenage depression in a graphic memoir that is at once thoughtful, honest, and marked by hope. A year and a half after the summer that changed her life, Maggie Thrash wishes she could change it all back...

Memoir


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