Getting
Graphic
Graphic Novels and Comic-Style Books

Preschool | Younger | Intermediate
| Young Adult
Preschool
The Marvelous Misadventures of Fun-Boy written
and illustrated by Ralph Cosentino (Viking)
Simple panels show a young boy’s vivid imagination taking
off, then coming down to earth when reality intrudes. 32 pages.
Supercat written by Kate McMullan,
illustrated by Pascal Lemaitre (Workman)
Leaping tall couches in a single bound, Supercat finds missing blankies
and performs feats to appease babies everywhere. 32 pages.
Jack and the Box written and
illustrated by Art Spiegelman (RAW Junior)
A startling and capricious jack-in-the-box clown frightens its owner
as it produces more and more pop-up creatures. 32 pages.
 
Younger
Suggested grade level with each entry
There’s a Wolf at the Door
retold by Zoe B. Alley, illustrated by R. W. Alley (Porter/Roaring
Brook)
Five interlinked and thoroughly retold tales, compiled in an oversized
format and presented in engaging panel illustrations, all end with
a wolf foiled. Grade level: K–3. 40 pages.
Ug: Boy Genius of the Stone Age and
His Search for Soft Trousers written and illustrated by Raymond
Briggs (Knopf)
With tongue in cheek, Briggs relates the trials of a forward-thinking
Stone-Age boy and his gruff, traditionalist parents. Grade level:
1–3. 32 pages.
Keep Your Eye on the Kid: The Early
Years of Buster Keaton written and illustrated by Catherine
Brighton (Flash Point/Roaring Brook)
This picture book biography’s deadpan text and masterfully
varied design outline Keaton's life from birth through his early
days in Hollywood. Grade level: K–3. 32 pages.
Around the World
written by John Coy, illustrated by Antonio Reonegro (Lee)
An action-packed street basketball game traverses panels, cultures,
and the globe. Grade level: K–3. 32 pages.
The Adventures of Polo and Polo: The Runaway
Book illustrated by Regis Faller (Roaring Brook)
Little dog Polo goes on myriad (wordless) adventures equipped only
with his trusty backpack and indefatigable resourcefulness. Grade
level: K–3.
Benny and Penny in Just Pretend
written and illustrated by Geoffrey Hayes (RAW Junior)
Mouse siblings Benny and Penny squabble about playing together.
32 pages
Babymouse series written and illustrated
by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm (Random)
Pink, black, and white illustrations energetically convey the comedic
daydream sequences and real-life dilemmas of an unstoppable heroine.
Grade level: 1–3.
Otto's Orange Day written by
Jay Lynch, illustrated by Frank Cammuso (RAW Junior)
This take on King Midas is just long enough — three
chapters and a small twist at the end — to keep beginning
chapter book readers on their toes without being overly challenged.
40 pages
Little Lit: Folklore and Fairy Tale
Funnies and Little Lit: Strange Stories for Strange Kids
edited by Francoise Mouly and Art Spiegelman (Cotler/HarperCollins)
Two eclectic anthologies showcase a multitude of talents and a broad
range of story lines, all in comic format with illustrations ranging
from golden-age to postmodern in style. Grade level: 1–3.
64 pages.
Captain Underpants books by Dav Pilkey (Scholastic)
Toilet humor, rollicking adventure, and a hero in cape and BVDs
will draw in even reluctant readers from the elementary school set.
Grade level: 1–3.
The Adventures of Sparrowboy
written and illustrated by Brian Pinkney (Simon)
Henry enjoys the heroic exploits of comic hero Falconman; when a
little bird gifts Henry with superpowers, he's soon saving the neighborhood
from all kinds of menace. Grade level: K–3. 40 pages.
Silly Lilly and the Four Seasons
written and illustrated by Agnes Rosenstiehl (RAW Junior)
Rosenstiehl uses bright colors and uncluttered illustrations to
introduce the four seasons through a preschooler’s experience.
36 pages.
Timothy and the Strong Pajamas
written and illustrated by Viviane Schwarz (Levine/Scholastic)
Timothy’s mother’s sturdy mending transforms his favorite
pajamas into super pajamas, and heroic rescues of toys ensue. 40
pages.
Master Man: A Tall Tale of Nigeria
written by Aaron Shepard, illustrated by David Wisniewski (HarperCollins)
In a variation on the superhero comic, a boastful bruiser named
Shadusa meets his match. Grade level: K–3. 32 pages.
The Castaway written and illustrated by James Stevenson
(Greenwillow)
Fraidy-mouse Hubie gets over his phobias when he becomes marooned
on a deserted island with an inventive castaway hedgehog. Grade
level: K–3. 32 pages.
Silent Night written and illustrated by Sandy Turner
(Atheneum)
Christmas Eve is a not-so-silent night for a family whose yappy
dog alone can see Santa approaching in his sleigh, coming down the
chimney, and stashing the gifts under the tree. Grade level: K–3.
40 pages.
Seadogs: An Epic Ocean Operetta written by Lisa Wheeler,
illustrated by Mark Siegel (Jackson/Atheneum)
A young dog is inspired when she attends a swashbuckling stage performance.
Siegel deftly plays out Wheeler’s chanteys with humorous serial
drawings. Grade level: K–3. 40 pages.
Fabulous Monsters written and illustrated by Marcia Williams
(Candlewick)
Five monsters, in all their guts and glory, are profiled with bright,
busy art. Grade level: K–3. 32 pages.
 
Intermediate
Suggested grade level for each entry: 4–6
The
Adventures of Tintin, Volumes 1–7 written and illustrated
by Herge (Little)
A boy and his dog travel the world becoming embroiled in adventures
with a colorful cast of characters. 192 pages each.
The
Legend of Sleepy Hollow written by Washington Irving, illustrated
by Gris Grimly (Atheneum)
The tale of the headless horseman, slightly condensed but with language
and ambiguities intact, is accompanied by Halloween-hued illustrations
whose comically caricaturized figures mute the scare factor for
young readers. 40 pages.
Mirrormask written by Neil Gaiman, illustrated
by Dave McKean (HarperCollins)
A teenage girl battles her alter-ego in this Alice in Wonderland–esque
graphic novel adaptation. 80 pages.
The Invention of Hugo Cabret written and illustrated
by Brian Selznick (Scholastic)
1931 Paris is the setting for this seamless integration of sequential
art and short prose installments detailing the adventures of orphan
clocktender Hugo Cabret. 534 pages.
Tales
from Shakespeare and Bravo, Mr. William Shakespeare
retold and illustrated by Marcia Williams (Candlewick)
Williams retells Shakespearean stories with boisterous comic panels
featuring dialogue from the plays along with corresponding summaries
of the action.
The
Adventures of Robin Hood; Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales;
Charles Dickens and Friends; The Iliad and the Odyssey;
and King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table retold
and illustrated by Marcia Williams (Candlewick)
In her trademark cartoon style, Williams breathes new life into
the classics with peanut-gallery commentary and art packed with
detail and humor.
Four
Pictures by Emily Carr written and illustrated by Nicholas
Debon (Groundwood)
The life of Canadian artist Emily Carr receives an innovative treatment
in this involving portrait. 32 pages.
Boys
of Steel: The Creators of Superman written by Marc Tyler Nobleman,
illustrated by Ross MacDonald (Knopf)
Budding cartoonists will be inspired by the lives of Jerry Siegel
and Joe Schuster, the hard-working Clark Kents who created the beloved
comic book hero. 40 pages.
The Art of Making Comic Books written by Michael
Morgan Pellowski, illustrated by Howard Bender (Lerner)
In addition to a history of comic books, this practical guide features
tips on page design, writing scripts, and creating artwork. 80 pages.
Cartooning: The Only Cartooning Book You'll Ever Need
to Be the Artist You've Always Wanted to Be written and illustrated
by Art Roche (Lark)
With materials, drawing instruction, and suggestions for writing
humor, this is a useful and clear introduction to creating comics
and cartoons. 111 pages.
Beowulf:
A Hero’s Tale retold and illustrated by James Rumford
(Houghton)
A superb, emotional recounting of the ancient poem distinguished
by vigorous prose and striking illustrations. 48 pages.
The
Professor’s Daughter written by Joann Sfar, illustrated
by Emmanuel Guibert, translated from the French by Alexis Siegel
(First Second/Roaring Brook)
After Lillian Bowell finds an unlikely beau in a mummy from her
father’s collection, the couple embarks upon several offbeat
adventures. 80 pages.
To Dance written by Siena Cherson Siegel, illustrated
by Mark Siegel (Jackson/Atheneum)
From first ballet slippers to toe shoes, a young dancer’s
story is told with candor and illustrations that convey both the
grandeur of the stage and the grit it takes to arrive there. 64
pages.
Hooray for Inventors! written and illustrated by
Marcia Williams (Candlewick)
Spotlighting the inventors responsible for modern life as we know
it, this comic-style book provides historical information as well
as entertaining anecdotes. 40 pages.
Into
the Volcano written and illustrated by Don Wood (Blue Sky/Scholastic)
While visiting relatives on a remote island, two brothers embark
on a seemingly harmless camping/hiking trip that quickly turns into
a dangerous game of treachery, kidnapping, double-crosses, and spectacular
natural perils. 175 pages.
 
Young Adult
Suggested grade level for each entry: 7 and
up
The Savage written by David Almond,
illustrated by Dave McKean (Candlewick)
In this graphic story within a story, Blue Baker writes about a
savage kid, but the line between fantasy and reality blurs when
the savage visits a bully who has been hounding Blue. 79 pages.
The Good Neighbors: Kin written
by Holly Black, illustrated by Ted Naifeh (Graphix/Scholastic)
In this goth-faerie mystery/thriller, Rue Silver must solve the
puzzles involving her mother’s disappearance and her father’s
murder charge — all while getting through high school. 124
pages.
The Plain Janes written by Cecil
Castellucci, illustrated by Jim Rugg (Minx/DC Comics)
Struggling to see beauty in a dangerous world, Jane works with her
peers to organize “art attacks” in this emotional, multilayered
work. 152 pages.
Garage Band written and illustrated
by Gipi, translated by Spectrum (First Second/Roaring Brook)
Dark-toned watercolors convey the realities that confront four teenage
boys pursuing their musical ambitions. 128 pages.
Rapunzel’s Revenge written
by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale, illustrated by Nathan Hale (Bloomsbury)
Spunky, hair-whip-toting cowgirl Rapunzel joins with goose-stealing
rapscallion Jack to rescue her mother and end her wicked stepmother's
reign. 144 pages.
Good as Lily written by Derek
Kirk Kim, illustrated by Jesse Ham (Minx/DC Comics)
Grace Kwon’s eighteenth birthday is marked by the arrival
of three unexpected visitors: herself at ages six, twenty-nine,
and seventy. 148 pages.
The Merchant of Venice adapted
and illustrated by Gareth Hinds (Candlewick)
Hinds uses excerpts from key speeches to shape a coherent narrative
while conveying meaning through his characters’ expressive
gestures and facial expressions, making this adaptation a bridge
to Shakespeare’s language. 70 pages.
Blindspot written and illustrated
by Kevin C. Pyle (Holt)
Innovative illustrations capture the thoughts of a preadolescent
boy who struggles to understand the trials of the adult world. 96
pages.
The Arrival illustrated by Shaun
Tan (Levine/Scholastic)
This wordless, meticulously composed masterpiece depicts one man’s
journey from a bleak, threatened city to a strange new shore where
he works to reunite his family. Grade level: 6 and up. 128 pages.
Pedro and Me written and illustrated by Judd Winick
(Holt)
A cast member from MTV’s The Real World recounts
his friendship with his HIV-positive housemate, Pedro Zamora. 187
pages.

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