Graphic novels hold an undeniable allure that captivates readers, drawing them into a realm where words and images harmonize to create unforgettable reading experiences. Through their accessibility, artistic prowess, and boundary-breaking narratives, these literary treasures inspire a love for reading that transcends age, background, and personal preferences.
Here are a few graphic novels that will ignite a passion for reading:
Strange Alliances
Book 2
From the Series Seekers of the Aweto
- Interest Level: Grade 7 – Grade 12
In Seekers of the Aweto, a poetic adventure across medieval China, roguish bands of “seekers” chase a plantlike treasure that may lead to fortune and even eternal life. Acclaimed artist and storyteller Nie Jun (My Beijing: Four Stories of Everyday Wonder) presents an environmental fantasy rich with mystery, betrayal, and an adorable baby deity.
Another Band’s Treasure: A Story of Recycled Instruments
- Interest Level: Grade 3 – Grade 6
In a small village in Paraguay, Diego dreams of giving music lessons to the children he sees each day. The only problem: there aren’t enough instruments to go around.
Inspired by the true story of La Orquesta de Instrumentos Reciclados de Cateura, Hua Lin Xie’s first graphic novel is a big-hearted ode to the power of music.
The Green Girls
- Interest Level: Grade 4 – Grade 8
Emma, Lily, and Fadila want to save the planet . . . but no one around them seems to care.
Frustrated, they name themselves the Green Girls, take to social media, and launch a series of bold protests. Alongside their classmate and aspiring Green Girl Silas, the crew risks getting in trouble (and stirs some up) to raise awareness about container ship pollution, palm oil overproduction, and more environmental hazards. With a mix of livestreams, spray paint, and bungee cords, they’re out to make a difference—and get their followers to do the same.
The Search for the Slimy Stone
Book 3
From the Series Felix and Calcite
- Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 3
Artur Laperla, creator of the hit Super Potato series, presents a new set of laugh-out-loud adventures perfect for first-time readers of graphic novels. When Felix discovers a tunnel in his toy chest, he finds a land of trolls and a new best friend: Calcite! Felix learns that trolls are named after their favorite rocks, love munching on their favorite snacks (also rocks), and have really runny noses. Together, Felix and Calcite will encounter confused gnomes, cranky giants, talking frogs, and much more!
Ada Lovelace and the Start of Computers
From the Series Graphic Science Biographies
- Interest Level: Grade 5 – Grade 8
Ada Lovelace turned her powerful imagination into a vision of the future, predicting the impact of computers on human life. Lovelace had a unique education and embraced mathematics. She became one of the biggest believers in engineer Charles Babbage’s ideas for calculation machines. This graphic biography shows how Lovelace helped spread awareness of what an early computer could do and how she became one of the first computer programmers. It also shows how Lovelace pushed back against doubts about calculation machines and against her own self-doubt.
Avicenna and the Book of Medicine
From the Series Graphic Science Biographies
- Interest Level: Grade 5 – Grade 8
Avicenna was a physician and philosopher in an era known as the Islamic Golden Age. His works, such as the early medical encyclopedia The Canon of Medicine, were groundbreaking texts that scholars and healers read for centuries afterward. This graphic biography explores the life and inspirations behind Avicenna’s greatly influential projects.
Galileo Galilei and the Movement of the Planets
From the Series Graphic Science Biographies
- Interest Level: Grade 5 – Grade 8
Galileo Galilei believed in the power of scientific observation over traditional ideas. His close study of the night sky helped support the theory that planets move around the sun. His defiant personality made him powerful enemies. This graphic biography covers Galilei’s life from his early work with projectiles to his revolutionary look at the cosmos. It also depicts the backlash to his bold ideas and his trial under the Inquisition.
Louis Pasteur and the Power of Observation
From the Series Graphic Science Biographies
- Interest Level: Grade 5 – Grade 8
Louis Pasteur’s passion for laboratory experiments led to major, life-saving changes in medicine. His research targeted unusual problems from the spoiling of wine to disease in French silkworms. His wide-ranging efforts found evidence for the existence of germs and created advances in vaccination science. This graphic biography showcases Pasteur’s looks at microorganisms and his game-changing conclusions. It also explains the use of weakened viruses to boost the body’s immune system.
Mary Anning and the Great Fossil Discoveries
From the Series Graphic Science Biographies
- Interest Level: Grade 5 – Grade 8
Mary Anning made some of the most notable fossil discoveries of the nineteenth century. Her uncovering of ichthyosaur remains, plesiosaurus remains, and more expanded people’s knowledge of prehistoric life. This graphic biography follows Anning from her early life in a family of fossil hunters in a coastal British town to her years as a collector who impacted scientific research and understandings of the past.
Super Potato’s Middle Ages Adventure
Book 10
From the Series Super Potato
- Interest Level: Grade 2 – Grade 5
Super Potato has lost his giant muscles! To take his mind off this tragedy, he agrees to a time-travel mission.
This hilarious, irreverent graphic novel series will entice fans of Captain Underpants and The Lego Batman Movie. Spanish cartoonist Artur Laperla presents the adventures of a costumed crime-fighter who turns into a potato and becomes a bigger hero than ever. He faces off against sinister scientists, slugs from space, giant chickens, and more in a series of graphic novels perfect for reluctant readers.
