5 Fantastic New Graphic Novels for Young Readers

Firelight, by Kazu Kibuishi
The seventh volume in Kibuishi’s Amulet Series once again dives into the story of Emily Hayes, her little brother Navin, and their fellow adventurers in the world of Alledia. Still battling the Elf King, Emily, the Elf King’s son Trellis, and Vigo the Stonekeeper travel to the island of Algos, where memories can be entered and explored. There they hope to discover the secrets of Trellis’ mysterious childhood while Emily continues to struggle with the increasingly powerful—and increasingly disturbing—voice of her amulet. Filled with Kibuishi’s lush imagination, the story continues to have real depth as the children struggle against forces that seem invincible while learning dark truths about the world and themselves, all presented with stunning visuals that delight the eye.

Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare, by Paul Tobin and Jacob Chabot
We all know that Zombies make everything better, and the popular video game series Plants vs. Zombies is further evidence of that. This hilarious and charming graphic novel tells the backstory behind one homeowner’s struggle against invading zombies, and the plants they use to defend their home and spare themselves from having their brains eaten. Never taking itself too seriously, this is one of those rare spin-offs that even people who haven’t played the game will be able to appreciate and enjoy, especially with artwork by Chabot of The Mighty Skullboy Army fame.

Claudia and Mean Janine, by Raina Telgemeier
This fourth book in Telgemeier’s series, which is adapting novels from The Baby-Sitters Club into graphic novels (and which is now available in color for the first time) tells the story of sisters Claudia and Janine. Janine is nearly-perfect: she gets perfect grades, studies constantly, and even takes college courses, while Claudia is more concerned with the Baby Sitters Club and her artwork. When tragedy hits their family, though, the sisters learn how to work together and even appreciate their different personalities and the advantages and disadvantages of each. For longtime fans of the books, this is an awesome adaptation; for newcomers, it is the perfect introduction to a timeless series.

Study Hall of Justice, by Derek Fridolfs and Dustin Nguyen
This clever book tells the story of a young boy named Bruce Wayne (ahem) who enrolls in an exclusive private school, only to encounter a strange faculty, ninjas in the trees, bullies in the halls, and a deep dive into the rich DC universe of superheroes and supervillains. Young Master Bruce encounters friends—including a Midwestern boy named Clark and an exotic girl with a temper named Diana—who both seem to be more than just regular kids (hint: one will grow up to be Superman and the other will grow up to be Wonder Woman). He also finds enemies, including a gang of clowns and a super strong bully named Bane. As Clark and his new friends investigate the strange goings-on at the school, kids and adults alike will enjoy the mystery as well as the insider references to what seems like every major comic book DC has ever published.

The Dragon’s Return, by Stan Lee, Stuart Moore, and Andie Tong
Stan Lee continues his popular new graphic novel series in this sequel, which picks up the story of Steven, a young boy who accidentally acquired the Zodiac power of the Tiger and found himself involved in an epic global battle between people super-powered by the Chinese Zodiac. Once again Lee and co-author Moore have written a tight, fast-paced story, in which the alliances formed in the first book are strained as everyone explores the limits of their powers. Illustrator Tong once again perfectly captures the action with his clear, energetic drawing style. Ending on one heck of a cliffhanger, anyone who has ever enjoyed Stan Lee’s work (which is essentially everyone) will love this edition as much as the last, and close the book wishing fervently for a time machine so they can immediately read the final book in the series.