A Guide to Graphic Novels
I don’t read a lot of graphic novels but every time I pick one up, I realize how much I love them. They’re obviously visually stunning and full of creativity, but it’s such a unique brand of storytelling. I read my first graphic novel in college actually. One of my English teachers had us read Maus by Art Spiegelman and I enjoyed it so much, I did my final project on the second volume.
My favorite part about graphic novels is that it’s not limited to comic book stories like some people may think. There are memoirs and poems and important stories brought to life this way. I’m rounding up some of my favorite and some that I’m hoping to add to my shelves soon, especially because Heartstopper is becoming a Netflix show soon! No better time to dive into the world of graphic novels.
Favorites
Maus by Art Spiegelman
I highly recommend this series as it is one of the books that usually gets banned in schools and libraries in conservative states for telling the truth about the Holocaust. It can be quite brutal but it’s very well done.
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
Jason Reynolds is a true gift to the literary world. Long Way Down was originally published as a poem but in 2020, a graphic novel was created to go with it and It’s incredible. It adds so much to the story and is really suited to the medium! TW: grief, fun violence, loss of a sibling
Good Talk by Mira Jacob
The first graphic memoir I ever read and what really hooked me on the genre. It’s about how Mira Jacob grappled with being in an interracial relationship after the 2016 election and how to explain the ugliness of the Trump era to her son.
March by John Lewis
These three volumes were some of the most heart wrenching but necessary books I’ve read. John Lewis is a national treasure and I miss his presence in Washington greatly. March tells the true story of the Freedom Riders during the Civil Rights Movement and what Barack Obama’s presidency meant to John Lewis. They’re wonderful and should be in every classroom.
On My Radar
Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe
A little Hades and Persephone story in graphic novel form that you may remember from this post. It just looks stunning and I can’t wait to read it!
Heartstopper by Alice Osman
Soon to be a TV show so get your copies now before they have Netflix stickers on them! “Boy meets boy. Boys become friends. Boys fall in love. An LGBTQ+ graphic novel about life, love, and everything that happens in between - for fans of The Art of Being Normal, Holly Bourne and Love, Simon.” —Amazon
Check Please by Ngozi Ukazu
I have had this book on my TBR forever and I don’t know what keeps stopping me from getting it! It sounds so good and I love a hockey romance.
Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me by Mariko Tamaki
“Laura Dean, the most popular girl in high school, was Frederica Riley's dream girl: charming, confident, and SO cute. There's just one problem: Laura Dean is maybe not the greatest girlfriend.
Reeling from her latest break up, Freddy's best friend, Doodle, introduces her to the Seek-Her, a mysterious medium, who leaves Freddy some cryptic parting words: break up with her. But Laura Dean keeps coming back, and as their relationship spirals further out of her control, Freddy has to wonder if it's really Laura Dean that's the problem. Maybe it's Freddy, who is rapidly losing her friends, including Doodle, who needs her now more than ever.
Fortunately for Freddy, there are new friends, and the insight of advice columnists like Anna Vice to help her through being a teenager in love.” —Amazon
The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang
“Paris, at the dawn of the modern age:
Prince Sebastian is looking for a bride―or rather, his parents are looking for one for him. Sebastian is too busy hiding his secret life from everyone. At night he puts on daring dresses and takes Paris by storm as the fabulous Lady Crystallia―the hottest fashion icon in the world capital of fashion!
Sebastian’s secret weapon (and best friend) is the brilliant dressmaker Frances―one of only two people who know the truth: sometimes this boy wears dresses. But Frances dreams of greatness, and being someone’s secret weapon means being a secret. Forever. How long can Frances defer her dreams to protect a friend? Jen Wang weaves an exuberantly romantic tale of identity, young love, art, and family.” —Amazon
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
“Wise, funny, and heartbreaking, Persepolis is Marjane Satrapi’s graphic memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution.” —Amazon
I’d love to know your graphic novel recommendations!