Graphic Novels

The Lionharts by Mike Lawrence – Book Recommendation

| Tasha
Cover image for The Lionharts by Mike Lawrence. Features an older woman with an axe, a wizard with a long gray beard, and two boys, one with a bow and the other with daggers. A dragon looms in the darkness behind them.

The Lionharts by Mike Lawrence 

  • Publisher: Abrams
  • Publication Date: March 3, 2026
  • Reviewed from Edelweiss e-galley
  • ISBN: 9781419759970

Alder and Flynt have grown up in a family that quests and goes on adventures. Their grandparents, Grammy and Baba, were once famous but are now retired spending time baking and reading. But the family business isn’t going well for the next generation, so when a new contract comes in that will pay more, they quickly agree to take it. When their parents don’t return from the job, the boys head out on their own to rescue them. Their grandparents rescue them before they can end up in too much trouble and they all set off to find out what happened to the boys’ parents. Along the way, the boys meet many of their grandparents’ previous foes who are now friends. When they find their parents, a secret is revealed that will change their family forever.

This middle grade graphic novel has a Dungeons & Dragons flair about it. With diverse characters, including some with green skin or pointed ears, the book has an interesting and surprising cast. Readers will love the action scenes just as much as the moments of laughter and warmth as they come right after another thanks to the brisk pace. The twist at the end is a great reveal that is incredibly satisfying. 

Grab your sword and head out on this adventure. Appropriate for ages 8-12.

2026 Great Graphic Novels for Teens

| Tasha

The Young Adult Library Services Association has selected their list of Great Graphic Novels for Teens. The list includes nonfiction and fiction graphic literature. A top ten was selected; here are those titles:

TOP TEN

Eden of Witches by Yumeji (Volumes 1-5)

Halfway There: A Graphic Memoir of Self-Discovery by Christine Mari

Hunger’s Bite by Taylor Robin

Kindergarten Wars by You Chiba

Love, Misha by Askel Aden

Meat Eaters by Meredith McClaren

Monster Locker, Volume 1 by Jorge Aguirre

Song of a Blackbird by Maria van Lieshout

Spacewalking with You, Volume 1 by Inuhiko Doronoda

You and Me on Repeat by Mary Shyne

Steam by Shaenon K. Garrity – Book Recommendation

| Tasha
The cover image for Steam by Shaenon K. Garrity, illustrated by Emily Holden. Two girls sit together in a coffee shop tapping their coffee cups together. The steam forms a heart.

Steam by Shaenon K. Garrity, illustrated by Emily Holden

  • Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
  • Publication Date: February 03, 2026
  • Reviewed from Edelweiss e-galley
  • ISBN: 9781534495869

When Ruby, a super genius raised in a university lab, escapes captivity, she must find a way to live among normal humans. She gets a job at a coffee shop near the university as a barista. She attempts to fulfill her function by helping the regulars at the coffee shop find love while still not giving her true identity away. As she starts pairing staff and customers the love takes off, and Ruby herself may have found her match too. But the lab hasn’t given up trying to get Ruby back for themselves, insisting that she isn’t human after all.

This graphic novel for teens is a delightful mix of lighthearted romance, caffeine and technology. There is just enough action to keep the book from being too frothy and compelling romantic pairings that are intelligent and embrace queerness and all ages. The illustrations echo the feel of the story with a lightness and an underlying love of the characters. Filled with found family and a built community, Ruby’s own humanness is the key to her survival in the end.

Grab a coffee and fall in love. Appropriate for ages 13+.

A Kid Like Me by Norm Feuti – Book Recommendation

| Tasha

A Kid Like Me by Norm Feuti

  • Publisher: HarperAlley
  • Publication Date: February 03, 2026
  • Reviewed from Edelweiss e-galley
  • ISBN: 9780063354111

Ethan lives in a trailer park near his best friend, Ricky. As they head to middle school, the school includes kids from wealthier neighborhoods. Ricky decides that they need a new group of friends, but Ricky’s picks of new friends are more into wrestling than what Ethan likes. Ethan loves the card game Bio Battle, something that Ricky doesn’t understand. So Ethan starts to make new friends too, but soon the differences between him and his classmates continue to create issues. Ethan can’t have a new fancy phone, his shoes and backpack are falling apart, and he gets his clothes second hand. Is there any way to bridge the differences without losing himself along the way?

In this graphic novel, Feuti sensitively captures the difficulties that living in poverty create for children. Whether it is the place you live, the car you drive, your parents’ jobs, what you wear, or the items you buy, it all becomes somehow deeper and more personal than that for the child experiencing it. Gaming is such a great opportunity for kids with like interests to meet and start being friends. I love how it is depicted and then the final moment of the book where new opportunities arise. Feuti does a great job of showing the issues and also offering a way through shame to the other side.

A middle school graphic novel full of empathy, friendships and gaming.

Angelica and the Bear Prince by Trung Le Nguyen – Book Recommendation

| Tasha

Angelica and the Bear Prince by Trung Le Nguyen 

Publisher: Random House 

Publication Date: October 7, 2025

Reviewed from library copy

ISBN: 9780593125472

Angelica is burned out after trying to do too much. So when she gets an internship at the Log House Theater in town, she decides to focus all her attention on that. Oh, and perhaps also on texting with an account that seems to be related to the theater’s famous Per the Bear. As Angelica gets closer to Per, she is losing connections with her mother and her best friend. Meanwhile, Gable has returned to town and is living with his grandmother after his grandfather died. All of them are involved in the theater too. Gable had been best friends with Angelica before moving away, and now he happens to be the person behind Per the Bear in the costume and on the account. 

What could have been just a frothy fun romance based on the fairy tale East of the Sun, West of the Moon becomes something much deeper in the hands of Nguyen. He deftly incorporates queerness into the tale as well as offering a story of loss, grief and community that resonates throughout the book. Beautifully designed and filled with lovely moments of connection and humor, this is a graphic novel worth sharing with your own Per.

Fun, deep and delightful. Appropriate for ages 12+.

The Vanishing of Lake Peigneur: A Graphic Novel Based on a True Story by Allan Wolf – Book Recommendation

| Tasha

The Vanishing of Lake Peigneur: A Graphic Novel Based on a True Story by Allan Wolf, illustrated by Jose Pimienta

Publisher: Candlewick

Publication Date: Oct 7, 2025

Reviewed from library copy

ISBN: 9781536217438

This graphic work of nonfiction for middle schoolers is superb. It tells the story of Lake Peigneur in Louisiana from the lake’s point of view. The lake tells of the misfortune that happened there when an oil rig accidentally punctured the local salt mine’s tunnels. The result was incredibly dangerous for everyone in the area since the water from the lake drained into the salt mine, forming a water vortex that could swallow barges. Boats on the surface had to fight to get to shore and then contend with the lowering water levels. The shore eroded and trees were sucked down until suddenly a geyser erupted as air escaped the mine shafts. As the disaster unfolded, people stayed calm and followed their training, resulting in no one losing their life. 

A remarkable tale that creates a book that is fast moving and incredibly gripping. Few people know of the disaster outside of Louisiana since no one lost their life. It’s a look at nature’s response to a man-made issue and the power of water itself. Brilliantly told, the book sticks with the various people in danger, from the miners to the tug boat to the gardeners on shore. The use of the lake as the narrator is clever since there were so many human perspectives. 

A thrilling look at nature and disaster. Appropriate for ages 8-12.

On Starlit Shores by Bex Glendining – Book Recommendation

| Tasha

On Starlit Shores by Bex Glendining 

Publisher: Abrams Fanfare

Publication Date: September 30, 2025

Reviewed from library copy

ISBN: 9781419765049

Alex hasn’t been back to Indigo Harbour where her grandmother lived in years. Now her grandmother has died and Alex offers to help pack up her house. Her best friend Grim comes with her and the two explore Indigo Harbour, meeting the people who were close to Alex’s grandmother. When Alex discovers that her grandmother had a beloved girlfriend that she never knew about, she sets out to meet her. But Indigo Harbour has a certain magic about it. It’s a magic that makes people who leave forget it, that protects those who live there and that offers sanctuary to resident witches. Alex must remember her own memories and build new ones to discover who her grandmother was. 

This YA graphic novel uses magical realism to grapple with loss. It takes a magical place, offering solace to those who may not have visited relatives as much as they would have liked in retrospect and giving space for grief. The beautiful town is a mix of warm acceptance for the queer characters as well as being a space for magical beings. The use of metaphor throughout is thoughtfully done, supporting the Alex through her journey. 

A beautiful graphic novel about loss and love. Appropriate for ages 13+.

Flip by Ngozi Ukazu – Book Recommendation

| Tasha

Flip by Ngozi Ukazu 

Publisher: First Second

Publication Date: September 23, 2025

Reviewed from library copy

ISBN: 9781250179517

Chi-Chi is a Black scholarship student in a mostly-white affluent private boarding school. She finds herself once again crushing on a rich white boy, this time it’s Flip Henderson. When her promposal video is shown accidentally to the entire class, Flip rejects her in front of everyone. In her anger, Chi-Chi makes a wish that becomes a curse. Afterwards, she and Flip switch bodies, and worse it seems to be getting exponentially longer each time they do it. As she and Flip learn about one another’s lives, they both have to face aspects of wealth, privilege, race and bias that they weren’t expecting. 

This graphic novel for teens is a delightful mix of the fun and magic of body swapping mixed with serious commentary and questions about social issues. Add in the zest of a k-pop obsession, the questions of who to trust with the truth, and trying to break the curse together, and you have a truly marvelous story that takes readers deep into both characters and their lives. The emphasis on self-worth despite outside pressures is key in the success of the graphic novel and will resonate with young readers.

Honest and timely, take the time to flip this one over. Appropriate for ages 13+.

Raised by Ghosts by Briana Loewinsohn – Book Recommendation

| Tasha

Raised by Ghosts by Briana Loewinsohn 

Publisher: Fantagraphics

Publication Date: February 4, 2025 

Reviewed from library copy

ISBN: 9798875000508

Set in the early 1990s, this graphic memoir tells the story of the author’s middle school and high school years. Raised by divorced parents who could not be more different from one another and yet are both absent from her life, Briana spends much of her time alone. She eats dinner alone, draws and writes in her closet, and listens to her mother complain about her on the phone to other people. Her days are filled with time with her friends, listening to music on her mix tapes, struggles at school. The book doesn’t offer a bright ending, but rather offers space and a way forward through art and writing that Briana found.

The art in this graphic novel is not the brightly colored, poppy graphics one might expect in a YA graphic work. Rather, it is powerfully dark, stormy on the page, filled with isolation and frustration. The images echo the subject matter beautifully, creating a unique reading experience. The setting of the 1990s, speaks to the differences time brings. There are no cell phones, no ways to check in when waiting to be picked up, and adults will find themselves and their own childhoods shared here.

Deep, thoughtful and powerfully quiet. Appropriate for ages 13+.