Children's Book Suggestions | Graphic Novel Hybrids

What do you do with a kid who loves graphic novels but struggles with the transition to text-based chapter books? Try some graphic novel hybrids! These books use a mix of traditional text passages and comic-style illustrations. This helps kids build up their stamina for longer passages of text and harnesses the power of sequential art in reading comprehension.

Graphic novel hybrids aren't the only strategies for engaging readers who struggle with long blocks of text. Additional strategies include:

  • Novels in verse pair plenty of white space with age-appropriate topics, making complex stories with rich vocabularies more accessible to striving readers.
  • Digital audiobooks from Libby can be paired with print books (with narration slowed to match the reader's speed if necessary) or with fidgets, crafts, or coloring for kids whose concentration benefits from a kinetic focus.
  • For readers who thrive with the support of dyslexia-friendly fonts, our Libby e-books can be read with OpenDyslexic.
Updated July 25, 2025
LINCC (Libraries in Clackamas County) Oregon City Public Library
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Bad kitty gets a bath
Bruel, Nick.
Paper Book
Pet owners beware! Bad Kitty really needs a bath, and she is forced to take one in this hysterical new illustrated how-to for young readers. The following are some items you will need for Kitty's bath: one bathtub, plenty of water, dry towels, a suit of armor, a letter to your loved...

Bad Kitty makes her chapter book debut in this humorous "instructional guide" for bathing your cat. (Bridging Fiction Grades 2-4)

El extrano caso de Yoda Origami
Angleberger, Tom.
Paper Book

When a quirky classmate's origami Yoda finger puppet begins dispensing surprisingly good advice, a group of middle schoolers keep an illustrated casebook as they investigate whether or not Yoda's spirit is speaking through Dwight's finger. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

The 13-story treehouse
Griffiths, Andy
Paper Book
Andy and Terry live in a treehouse. But it's not just any old treehouse, it's the most amazing treehouse in the world! This treehouse has thirteen stories, a bowling alley, a see-through swimming pool, a secret underground laboratory, and a marshmallow machine that follows you around...

Shenanigans ensue when Andy and Terry, who live in the world's most amazing treehouse, brainstorm a variety of a wacky plot threads they could use for their book. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

Diary of a wimpy kid : Greg Heffley's journal
Kinney, Jeff
Paper Book
Boys don't keep diaries--or do they? The launch of an exciting and innovatively illustrated new series narrated by an unforgettable kid every family can relate to It's a new school year, and Greg Heffley finds himself thrust into middle school, where...

The O.G. graphic novel hybrid that proved this format was a winning formula for engaging young readers! Greg Heffley chronicles his sixth grade year in this mix of text and cartoon illustrations about the highs and many, many lows of middle school. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

Nate, el grande, unico en su clase
Peirce, Lincoln.
Paper Book
Big Nate is in a class by himself! But things don't always go your way just because you're awesome. Nate keeps his cool. He knows he's destined for greatness because a fortune cookie told him so.

Based on Lincoln Peirce's long-running comic series, the first book in this series features a disorganized sixth grader Nate, whose unshakeable confidence gets him into all sorts of trouble following a fortune cookie promising that he will surpass all others. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

Dragonbreath
Vernon, Ursula.
Paper Book
This action-packed graphic novel is perfect for young readers who love dragons, laughs, and epic adventure! Danny Dragonbreath can't breathe fire, but he has no fear. And that comes in handy when a bad grade at school inspires him embark on a thrilling quest, alongside his trusty...

Humor and mythological monsters come together in this hybrid graphic novel about the antics of an elementary school-aged dragon and his friends. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

Stick dog
Watson, Tom
Paper Book
* Featured title in the "Class Acts Summer Reading program. Promotion to include: group advertising in school and library media, inclusion in "Class Acts Summer Reading Kit" printed and digital guide, promotion at teacher and librarian national conferences, extensive galley distribution at preview...

Put forth as an elementary school student's creative writing assignment, each book in this series follows the adventures of Stick Dog and his fellow stray dogs as they go in search of their favorite things in the world: people food. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)


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