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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Around the Spider-verse : an original graphic novel collection
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...
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...
Hikaru in the light! 01
Matsuda, Mai
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 to say goodbye in Cuban
Miyares, Daniel
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 1993-
Paper Book
After the loss of her mother, Adara struggles to communicate with her family about her grief. When a sympathetic ear arises in an unlikely place, Adara can finally find her words -- but can she find the time to listen? A stunning graphic novel for middle-grade readers about family, friendship and...
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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