6 Diverse Graphic Novel Must Reads

Pashmina, by Nidhi Chanani
Priyanka Das has a dozen unanswered questions about her past and why her mom left India—and her father—behind, but the topic of India is not one Pri’s mother will discuss. But when Pri finds a pashmina shawl hidden in a suitcase, it transports her to a place more vivid than any Bollywood film. It is beautiful, but it might not be the real India. This adorable graphic novel tackles family and identity with the help of a little magic.

Princeless: Raven, the Pirate Princess, by Jeremy Whitley, Rosy Higgins and Ted Brandt
I am absolutely obsessed with Raven, the Pirate Princess. An extension of the excellent middle grade comic series Princeless, Raven, the Pirate Princess follows Raven, a teen girl determined to reclaim her pirate kingdom from her treacherous brothers. This ongoing series features girls from across the spectrum in every capacity—tall girls, fat girls, queer girls, Muslim girls, Deaf girls, black girls, girls who love science and girls who love fighting, every kind of girl—in the middle of an incredible pirate adventure.

Ms. Marvel, by G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona
What happens when you accidentally acquire the superpowers of your favorite superhero and have to hide them from your family while still protecting your city? Ms. Marvel happens. Kamala Khan is one of Marvel’s shining stars, and her story is both exciting and inspirational, turning Kamala into one of those characters you’ll hold dear to your heart in the world’s darkest moments.

Princess Princess Ever After, by Katie O’Neill
Think princes are the only folks capable of rescuing princesses from towers? Think again. Princess Sadie, stuck in her tower, is delighted to find herself rescued by Princess Amira, and even happier to set off on an adventure throughout the kingdom—until they run into the sorceress who first hurt Sadie. I’m obsessed with Katie O’Neill’s work—her newest, The Tea Dragon Society, is equally delightful—and Princess Princess Ever After is cute, queer, body-positive, and a must-read.

Runaways, by Brian K. Vaughan, Adrian Alphona, and Takeshi Miyazawa
When you discover your parents are part of a group of super villains bent on destroying the world, you do what every good teen would do: use the powers you inherited to fight them. Soon to be a series on Hulu, Marvel’s Runaways—which first debuted over a decade ago!—features a diverse group of teens coming of age in a world where their parents are literally the Big Baddies. There’s also a pet dinosaur. Read it for the pet dinosaur.

Spinning, by Tillie Walden
Tillie Walden devoted her entire life to figure skating, but as she grew older, she realized she’d outgrown her original passion. Walden’s graphic novel memoir—written and illustrated by Walden—follows why she left ice skating, her romance with her first girlfriend, and figuring out what she wanted. The three-tone illustration style is gorgeous, and I have a soft spot for Tillie, as she and I rock similar short hairdos.