Graphic novels featuring a comics-style "OMG!" and "YES!"

Recommended Reads

14 kid-approved comics & graphic novels they won’t want to put down

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Let’s be honest—asking for help at the comic book store can feel intimidating. What if the clerk asks what you’ve already read or what series you follow, and you blank out? What if you mix up Marvel and DC Comics, revealing your lack of comic cred? What if a simple errand to find your kid a new book becomes an exercise in self-humiliation?

Have no fear, Libby is here, letting you skip the potential awkwardness entirely. Comics, graphic novels, and manga are a huge hit with kids and teens, and there are plenty to borrow on the Libby app from your library (judgment-free).

With Libby, kids can burn through an entire series in one road trip or a rainy Sunday afternoon. So let them have at it!

The perks of comics & graphic novels for kids

Graphic versions of assigned classics make daunting texts more accessible. Hesitant readers stop seeing reading as a chore when a story comes to life in art and color. The same format can fulfill an escapist fantasy as well as a science lesson! Reading digitally also means no more barriers. You don’t always have to choose plastic-enshrined comics, carefully preserved and restricted from sticky kid fingers. Let them explore as much as they want, guilt-free!

To celebrate National Comic Book Day on Sept. 25th, here’s a roundup of some must-read graphic novels for young readers:

JUVENILE/YOUNG READERS

Club MicrobeClub Microbe by Elise Gravel
Age 5+

Germs are everywhere—in your cheese, in your snowflakes, in your friends, and in you! Written in a colorful cartoon style, Club Microbe explores the heroes and villains of the microbe world.


Queen of the World!Babymouse: Queen of the World! by Jennifer L. Holm & Matthew Holm
Ages 7 to 10

This first volume in a bestselling series follows Babymouse as she chases an invite to the most exclusive slumber party around, wishing for the glamor and the excitement. But with fame, some friends might get left behind.


Bigby BearBigby Bear by Philippe Coudray
Ages 6 to 10

Bigby uses experiments to learn about nature, as told through a series of vignettes, teaching science, math, and the value of life through friends of the forest.


Night StoriesNight Stories: Folktales from Latin America by Liniers
Age 8+

A mermaid, an owl, and a light—the stars of classic Latin American folktales are told in beautiful art supported by ecological, cultural, & historical backgrounds.


Cosmic GirlsCosmic Girls, Issue 1 by Manuel P. Godoy Jr.
Age 8+

Far in the future, 13-year-old Corina is a bounty hunter with an alien companion, taking on the villains of a vast galaxy.


ScurryScurry, Volume 1 by Mac Smith
Ages 8 to 12

Humanity is no more—only animals remain. Destiny chooses a brave mouse, Wix, to take off on a dangerous journey.


Mini Marvels: Spidey-SenseMini Marvels: Spidey-Sense by Chris Giarrusso
Age 10+

Marvel’s greatest heroes are hit with the shrink-ray so they can fit in this issue of all-ages fun.


Black Canary: IgniteBlack Canary: Ignite by Meg Cabot
Age 10+

Thirteen-year-old Dinah is set on winning battle of the bands and joining the Gotham City Junior Police Academy, but something keeps getting in her way, bringing to light her mother’s hidden past.


The Complete Emily the StrangeThe Complete Emily the Strange by Rob Reger and Buzz Parker
Age 10+

If everything’s boring except black cats, monsters, and bats, Emily is the girl for you.


YOUNG ADULT

The Girl From the Other SideThe Girl from the Other Side: Siúil, a Rún, Volume 1 by Nagabe
Age 13+

A stunning modern fairytale following a human girl and a beast with a mysterious past, navigating a world touched by a curse.


Amelia AierwoodAmelia Aierwood by Emily Hampshire
Age 13+

Schitt’s Creek actress Emily Hampshire makes magic with the Aierwoods, a famous family of witches in Los Angeles.


Birth of KitaroBirth of Kitaro by Shigeru Mizuki
Age 12+

From the late 1960s, this legendary Japanese series is finally offered in English with timeless stories and memorable art.


The Good Times are Killing MeThe Good Times are Killing Me by Lynda Barry
Age 14+

This coming-of-age novella explores racism, friendship, and music through young women whose worlds are changing around them.


Black SandsBlack Sands: The Seven Kingdoms, Issue 1 by Manuel P. Godoy Jr. and David Lenormand
Age 11+

For fans of Avatar and Naruto, the Black Sands series follows a young boy named Ausar who journeys across the ancient world, challenging gods and the nature of society.


📧 Subscribe to Libby Life for more book recommendations sure to entertain readers of all ages.

*Title availability may vary by library & region.

Published Sep 24, 2024

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About the Author

Gryphon Beyerle is an Account Manager at OverDrive specializing in international publisher services. She lives in Cleveland, Ohio, where she’s stuck in a Groundhog-Day-style loop of snacking, reading, and napping.

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