7 Awesome Comics for Young Readers

Lumberjanes Vol. 1: Beware the Kitten Holy, by Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, and Brooke Allen
Breakout comics star Stevenson helms a fantastic team of female artists in this bestselling series. The first volume introduces us to the titular crew of scouts, who are determined to have the best summer ever—despite all the supernatural horrors and mystical quests waiting for them at camp!

Bone, by Jeff Smith
Equal parts epic and farcical, Smith’s cartoon saga charts the adventures of three cousins who stumble into a mystical valley full of wonderful and terrifying beings. Though the Bones themselves are nothing if not memorable protagonists, just as much of the fun and excitement in Bone comes from their friend (and Fone Bone’s everlasting crush) Thorn, whose magical destiny unfolds in terrifically exciting fashion. This one isn’t a classic for nothing.

The Truth About Stacey, by Raina Telgemeier
After climbing her way up through the ranks of indie cartoonists, Telgemeier’s smash-hit Smile has earned her awards and admiration. Her work on the Baby-Sitters’ Club graphic adaptations, however, often gets overlooked in favor of her original work. Telgemeier’s adaptation of the second book in the series will resonate especially with children whose lives have been affected by chronic illness; ever effective at evoking empathy from her readers, Telgemeier delivers an excellent adaptation with all the punch of her independent material.

Ms. Marvel Vol. 1: No Normal, by G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona
One of Marvel Comics’ most popular new characters is Kamala Khan, better known to the Marvel Universe at large as Ms. Marvel—a shapeshifting, butt-kicking, masked crimefighter who has to deal with more than just her strange new powers and the odd super-threat. As a Muslim teen, Kamala must also navigate the complex racial and cultural barriers between her, her family, and the rest of New York. Wilson and Alphona craft a nuanced tale of self-discovery that’s rightly considered one of Marvel’s best books.

Codename Sailor V Book 1, by Naoko Takeuchi
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: a Japanese middle school student is suddenly visited by a talking cat who gives her a magic pen that transforms her into a Sailor Scout who fights against evil. Before Sailor Moon took the world by storm, her creator wrote this short manga that serves in some ways as a prequel (and in others as fodder) for the space-fantasy epic to come. Codename Sailor V is a great, bite-sized introduction to the world of shoujo manga in general, as well as a special “gateway drug” to the beloved (and bizarre) Sailor Moon series.

Little Lit: Folklore and Fairy Tale Funnies, by Art Spiegelman
Spiegelman—whom young readers will one day encounter once more when they pick up his classic Maus—edited this oversized anthology of “fractured fairy tale”-esque cartoons. Led by Spiegelman’s own retelling of the Jewish parable “The Rooster Prince,” Little Lit contains work by a variety of independent creators and picture book artists, including Charles Burns, David Macaulay, and Daniel Clowes, with a special board game designed and illustrated by Chris Ware on the endpapers. Not only does Little Lit encourage an interest in classical stories, it also primes kids to seek out these subversive artists’ more groundbreaking work when they’re old enough to understand it.

Avatar: The Lost Adventures, by Joaquim Dos Santos, Amy Kim Ganter, May Chan, and Aaron Ehasz
Over the course of Bryan Konietzko and Michael DiMartino’s popular Nickelodeon cartoon Avatar, a great many questions have cropped up—especially about what happened between each season. How did Sokka and Katara manage to steal a Fire Navy ship for the third season premiere? What made Zuko ultimately decide to return to the Fire Nation after betraying Katara at Ba Sing Se? This collection of minicomics from various Nick magazines and DVD editions answer these queries and many more, showcasing a huge swath of creators and providing additional depth to the already gigantic Avatar universe. Perfect for the middle-grade animation fan in your life!
What are your favorite graphic novels to introduce to young readers?