Graphic Novels
The first cat in space and the Soup of Doom
Mac Barnett
jGRAPHIC NOVEL Barnett First
Kids, Graphic Novels
Award-winning creators Mac Barnett and Shawn Harris are back with the second volume in the bestselling The First Cat in Space graphic novel series! Secret tales of woe, hilarious new characters, and dangerous plans of sabotage will keep readers delighted and laughing until the thrilling climax. Perfect for fans of Dog Man and InvestiGators. The Moon Queen has been poisoned—by SOUP. With few she can trust in her own royal court, she and First Cat will have to journey alone to find the antidote. If only LOZ 4000 were still with them . . . But our once-heroic toenail clipping robot is on the run, looking for new purpose in this vast universe. Unbeknownst to our trio, secret forces are working against them. In a world of villainous cowboys, high-speed chases, and falling pianos, can our iconic trio find their way back to one another and save the Moon Queen before it’s too late? And who would want to poison her? Is Captain Babybeard, the adorable baby pirate, in this one?
The moth keeper
O'Neill, Kay (Cartoonist), author, illustrator.
jGRAPHIC NOVEL O'Neill
Graphic Novels, Fantasy
Kit is excited to prove her worth as a Moth-Keeper, a protector of the lunar moths that allow the Night-Lily flower to bloom once a year, but she quickly finds that life as a Moth-Keeper is not what she imagined it would be.
Fans of the Tea Dragon Society will love this new title from Kay O'Neill! -Casey
Carmilla : the first vampire
Amy Chu
GRAPHIC NOVEL Chu
Diverse Characters, Fantasy, Horror, LGBTQ+, Graphic Novels, Mystery
"Before Dracula, before Nosferatu, there was...CARMILLA. At the height of the Lunar New Year in 1990s New York City, an idealistic social worker turns detective when she discovers young, homeless LGBTQ+ women are being murdered and no one, especially the police, seems to care. A series of clues points her to Carmilla's, a mysterious nightclub in the heart of her neighborhood, Chinatown. There she falls for the next likely target, landing her at the center of a real-life horror story-and face-to-face with illusions about herself, her life, and her hidden past. Inspired by the gothic novel that started a genre and layered with dark Chinese folklore, this queer, feminist murder mystery is a tale of identity, obsession and fateful family secrets"--
A cool reimagining of the 1872 classic "Carmilla" that takes queer vampire murder mystery to a new level by incorporating Chinese folklore in the heart of 1990s New York. Perfect for the dark season! -Annie
Persepolis
Marjane Satrapi
BIOGRAPHY Satrapi, Marjane
Graphic Novels
Another good read for Banned Books Week. Twenty years after its initial publishing, this graphic memoir still holds the same gravitas. The illustrations and humor mixed in tastefully with the distressing and gut-wrenching moments throughout the book are what makes it a real page-turner. The book recounts graphic novelist Marjane Satrapi's experiences growing up in Iran during the overthrow of the Shah's regime, the ascendancy of the Iranian Revolution and the devastating effects of war with Iraq. Today, the book is banned in Iran (previously in Lebanon and challenged in some U.S. school districts). -Annie
Tegan and Sara : junior high
Tegan Quin
jGRAPHIC NOVEL Quin
Music, Graphic Novels, Memoir
"Before Tegan and Sara took the music world by storm, the Quins were just two 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've always faced things. But growing up also means growing apart, as Tegan and Sara make different friends and take separate paths to understanding their queerness. For the first time ever, they ask who one sister is without the other"--
Kids, and Millennials in their 30s :), will love this portrayal of junior high, and for me the fact that it was written by one of my favorite bands of my teens and 20s makes it even better! Tillie Walden is such a wonderful comic artist, and the semi-autobiographical story of twins Tegan and Sara as 7th graders in a new school quickly had me invested. The feelings and experiences felt authentic, and as a twin I could relate to a lot their relationship as sisters and best friends in the same class at school. Over the course of a year of pretty typical teenager moments including a lot of self-discovery, the story also loosely depicts their beginnings as a band. A must read for fans of Raina Telgemeier, Shannon Hale, Hope Larson and Jennifer Holm. -Mari
Impossible people : a completely average recovery story
Julia Wertz
362.292092 /Wertz
Graphic Novels, Biographies
"Celebrated cartoonist Julia Wertz chronicles her haphazard attempts at sobriety and the relentlessly challenging, surprisingly funny, and occasionally absurd cycle of addiction and recovery"--
I love graphic memoirs, and Julia Wertz is just too good at drawing her life. Come for an honest graphic memoir about the journey of recovery from a drinking problem, stay for the immature but witty observations on life, beautiful drawings of New York architecture, and the fart jokes. Lots of fart jokes. -Mari
Parachute kids
Betty C. Tang
jGRAPHIC NOVEL Tang
Graphic Novels
After their two-week family tour of Los Angeles, ten-year-old Feng Li Lin and her older brother and sister learn they will remain in California while their parents return to Taiwan, forcing them to navigate a new school, a new language, bullies, racism, and the pressures of running a household.
The "parachute kid" phenomenon dates back to the 1980s. This term refers students who are sent to live and study in the United States,in this case from Taiwan, without their parents, at probably too young an age. I didn't know what the title meant before reading the graphic and TBH I didn't read the synopsis, so it was very shocking in the story when the three sibling protagonists end up living alone in America, and even more surprising to find out there is a generation of kids with this experience. I can't imagine going through what the siblings go through, not to mention how hard it would be living without parents in a country that doesn't speak your primary language. It's illuminating to read about the hardships the protagonists go through and to see just a small window into the adversity kids must face being immigrants in America alone. -Mari
Numb to this : memoir of a mass shooting
Kindra Neely
371.782 /Neely
Nonfiction, Graphic Novels
Kindra Neely never expected it to happen to her. No one does. Sure, she'd sometimes been close to gun violence, like when the house down the street from her childhood home in Texas was targeted in a drive-by shooting. But now she lived in Oregon, where she spent her time swimming in rivers with friends or attending classes at the bucolic Umpqua Community College. And then, one day, it happend: a mass shooting shattered her college campus. Over the span of a few minutes, on October 1, 2015, eight students and a professor lost their lives. And suddenly, Kindra became a survivor. This empathetic and ultimately hopeful graphic memoir recounts Kindra's journey forward from those few minutes that changed everything. It wasn't easy. Every time Kindra took a step toward peace and wholeness, a new mass shooting devastated her again. Las Vegas. Parkland. She was hopeless at times, feeling as if no one was listening. Not even at the worldwide demonstration March for Our Lives. But finally, Kindra learned that--for her--the path toward hope wound through art, helping others, and sharing her story.
The brilliance of nonfiction in graphic novel form is the depth of emotion that only images can convey. It's one thing to read a paragraph written with literary lusciousness, words that catapult you to a scene and a feeling, but its a completely different experience to look into a character's illustrated eyes and read the expression on her face. While I am a sucker for survivors' tales, I also tend to turn away from horrific news, unable to take in the violence and tragedy and still get my work done. But ignorance isn't healthy! What is healthy is taking time to sit with a survivor's story and absorb it into yourself, learning what panic attacks and PTSD look like up close. It's really hard to put this book down once you pick it up. -Melody
Heartstopper
Oseman, Alice, author, artist.
GRAPHIC NOVEL Oseman Heartstopper
LGBTQ+, Young Adult, Romance, Graphic Novels
Boy meets boy. Boys become friends. Boys fall in love. A sweet and charming coming-of-age story that explores friendship, love, and coming out. This edition features beautiful two-color artwork. Absolutely delightful. Sweet, romantic, kind. Beautifully paced. I loved this book. -- Rainbow Rowell, author of Carry On Shy and softhearted Charlie Spring sits next to rugby player Nick Nelson in class one morning. A warm and intimate friendship follows, and that soon develops into something more for Charlie, who doesn't think he has a chance. But Nick is struggling with feelings of his own, and as the two grow closer and take on the ups and downs of high school, they come to understand the surprising and delightful ways in which love works.
This lovely graphic novel series is full of hope and joy as spring blooms while Nick and Charlie fall in love. This is perfect to read in one sitting with a sweet beverage or ice cream in hand. -Bailey
The Tea Dragon Society
O'Neill, Katie (Cartoonist), author, illustrator.
jGRAPHIC NOVEL O'Neill
Graphic Novels, LGBTQ+
After discovering a lost Tea Dragon in the marketplace, apprentice blacksmith Greta learns about the dying art form of Tea Dragon caretaking from the kind tea shop owners.
This adorable graphic novel series is ultimate spring vibes--full of whimsy, bright colors, and beautiful stories of friendship, reading it feels like a late-spring picnic. -Bailey
The ridiculously fun sequel is finally here and I am over the moon! I laughed out loud at the adventure that was just as clever, funny, and artistically impressive as the first volume in the series. This is a great family read aloud for the younger kids, and a great book for the independent reader-through 6th grade. Kids will love it and will be eagerly awaiting the third volume! -Angie