Graphic Novels for Older Kids

In celebration of Free Comic Book Day (annually on the 1st Saturday of May), GVPL asked staff what their favorite graphic novels are. Here are some of the ones we love and think you might love too!

Updated August 16, 2024
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Garlic & the witch
Paulsen, Bree
Paper Book
Bree Paulsen's brave little protagonist, Garlic, is back in this charmingly illustrated standalone companion to Garlic and the Vampire, serving up another tale of friendship, magic, and self-discovery. Give both books to readers who fell in love with Tidesong or Witch Boy! Garlic loves...
Super Boba Cafe
Chanani, Nidhi.
Paper Book
First in a series,Nidhi Chanani's Super Boba Café isa sweet and magical middle-grade, full-color graphic novel about a secret teashop, an earthquake-causing monster, and an unforgettable summer. In the fog-laden hills of San Francisco sits a sleepy...
Saving Sunshine
Faruqi, Saadia
Paper Book
It's already hard enough just being a kid, without being teased for having a funny sounding name or wearing a hijab. It's even harder when you're constantly fighting your sibling--and Zara and Zeeshan really can't stand each other. During a family trip to Florida, when the bickering, shoving, and...
A sky of paper stars
Yi, Susie
Paper Book
A Sky of Paper Stars is a heartrending middle-grade graphic novel by Susie Yi about a girl's ill-fated wish to fit in, perfect for readers of Stargazing and Pashmina.All Yuna wants is to belong. She wants to go to sleepovers, have a smart phone, and go to summer camp--just like her friends in middle...
Cross my heart and never lie
DÃ¥snes, Nora
Paper Book
★ WINNER of the 2024 Stonewall Book Award, American Library Association Perfect for fans of The Girl from the Sea by Molly Knox Ostertag, HeartStopper by Alice Oseman, and Jen Wang's The Dressmaker and the Prince. In this fresh, sensitive,...
Tegan and Sara : junior high
Quin, Tegan
Paper Book
Before the indie-pop duo Tegan & Sara took the world by storm, Tegan and Sara Quin were identical twins trying to find their place in a new home and new school. From first crushes to the perils of puberty, surviving junior high is something the sisters plan to face side-by-side, just like they...
Duel
Bagley, Jessixa
Paper Book
A rivalry between sisters culminates in a fencing duel in this funny and emotional debut graphic novel sure to appeal to readers of Raina Telgemeier and Shannon Hale. Sixth grader Lucy loves fantasy novels and is brand-new to middle school. GiGi is the undisputed queen bee of...
Be prepared
Brosgol, Vera
Paper Book
"Beautifully drawn, brutally funny, brilliantly honest. Vera is such a good cartoonist I almost can't stand it." --Raina Telgemeier, author of Smile In Be Prepared, all Vera wants to do is fit in--but that's not easy for a Russian girl in the suburbs. Her friends live...
Go with the flow
Williams, Lily
Paper Book
Abby: the activistSasha: the new girlBrit: the smart oneChristine: the goofballWhen these four best friends notice that the boys have brand-new football uniforms and equipment while the girls bathrooms are still shamefully bereft of feminine hygiene products, they decide to take matters into their...
The Tea Dragon Society
O'Neill, Katie (Cartoonist)
Paper Book
From the award-winning author of Princess Princess Ever After comes The TeaDragon Society, a charming all-ages book that follows the story of Greta, ablacksmith apprentice, and the people she meets as she becomes entwined in theenchanting world of tea dragons. After discovering a...
Snapdragon
Leyh, Kat
Paper Book
Snap's town has a witch.And when Snap's dog goes missing, the first place she looks is the witch's house. She finds her dog there, recovering from being hit by a car, in the care of a woman named Jacks. She is a crocks-wearing, internet-savvy older woman whos collects roadkill, put their spirits to...
Lumberjanes. [Volume one], Beware the kitten holy
Stevenson, Noelle
Paper Book
Five best friends spending the summer at Lumberjane scout camp...defeating yetis, three-eyed wolves, and giant falcons...what's not to love?! Friendship to the max! Jo, April, Mal, Molly and Ripley are five best pals determined to have an awesome summer together...and they're not...
Hilda and the troll
Pearson, Luke
Paper Book
Hilda Season 1 is now on Netflix! "Luke Pearson is one of the best cartoonists working today. Hilda is utterly brilliant!" --Raina Telgemeier, creator of Smile This brand new paperback edition of Hilda and the Troll offers a fresh chance to...
The witch boy
Ostertag, Molly
Paper Book
From the illustrator of the web comic Strong Female Protagonist comes a debut middle-grade graphic novel about family, identity, courage -- and magic.In thirteen-year-old Aster's family, all the girls are raised to be witches, while boys grow up to be shapeshifters. Anyone who dares cross...
Pashmina
Chanani, Nidhi
Paper Book
A Junior Library Guild Selection 2017 Amazon Top Twenty Children's Book of the Year 2017 Amazon Best Book of the month December 2017 Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2017 Texas Maverick Graphic Novel 2017 Northern California Indie Bookseller Association Long...
Apple crush
Knisley, Lucy
Paper Book
After finally adjusting to life on a family farm with two brand new step-sisters, a young girl faces an even bigger challenge - figuring out where she fits in at her first year in middle school. This middle grade graphic novel explores family, friendship, and change! Jen is just...

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