Worm & Caterpillar Are Friends By Kaz Windness Simon Spotlight A Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book A Kirkus Reviews Best Graphic Novel & Comic A New York Public Library Best Book A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book Worm and Caterpillar are friends—best friends. Worm loves how they are just alike, but Caterpillar has a feeling there is a big change coming. Then Caterpillar disappears for a while and comes back as Butterfly. Will Butterfly and Worm still be friends?

Bluffton: My Summers with Buster Keaton
By Matt Phelan
Candlewick

“Thrilling — a spirited, poignant coming-of-age vignette and an intriguing window into a little-known chapter in vaudeville history.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

In 1908, a visiting troupe of vaudeville performers is about the most exciting thing to come to Muskegon, Michigan, since baseball. They’re summering in nearby Bluffton, so Henry has a few months to ogle the elephant and the zebra, the tightrope walkers, and — best of all — a slapstick actor his own age named Buster Keaton. Henry longs to learn to take a fall like Buster, “the human mop,” but Buster just wants to play ball with Henry and his friends. With his signature nostalgic touch, Scott O’Dell Award–winning graphic novelist Matt Phelan illuminates a bygone era with lustrous color, dynamic lines, and flawless dramatic pacing.

Hey, Kiddo
Jarrett Krosoczka
Graphix

The powerful, unforgettable graphic memoir from Jarrett Krosoczka, about growing up with a drug-addicted mother, a missing father, and two unforgettably opinionated grandparents.
In kindergarten, Jarrett Krosoczka’s teacher asks him to draw his family, with a mommy and a daddy. But Jarrett’s family is much more complicated than that. His mom is an addict, in and out of rehab, and in and out of Jarrett’s life. His father is a mystery — Jarrett doesn’t know where to find him, or even what his name is. Jarrett lives with his grandparents — two very loud, very loving, very opinionated people who had thought they were through with raising children until Jarrett came along. Jarrett goes through his childhood trying to make his non-normal life as normal as possible, finding a way to express himself through drawing even as so little is being said to him about what’s going on. Only as a teenager can Jarrett begin to piece together the truth of his family, reckoning with his mother and tracking down his father. 

The Real Riley Mayes
By Rachel Elliott
HarperAlley

Fifth grade is just not Riley’s vibe. Everyone else is squaded up—except Riley. Her best friend moved away. All she wants to do is draw, and her grades show it. One thing that makes her happy is her favorite comedian, Joy Powers. Riley loves to watch her old shows and has memorized her best jokes. So when the class is assigned to write letters to people they admire, of course Riley’s picking Joy Powers!

Things start to look up when a classmate, Cate, offers to help Riley with the letter, and a new kid, Aaron, actually seems to get her weird sense of humor. But when mean girl Whitney spreads a rumor about her, things begin to click into place for Riley. Her curiosity about Aaron’s two dads and her celebrity crush on Joy Powers suddenly make more sense.

Readers will respond to Riley’s journey of self-discovery and will recognize themselves in this character who is less than perfect but trying her best. And creative kids will recognize themselves in her love of art and drawing. While often funny and light, Riley’s exploration of what it feels to be an outsider and how hard it can be to make a friend break your heart in the best way. And with all of Riley’s hijinks and missteps, this story is laugh-out-loud funny from start to finish.

Nat Enough By Maria Scrivan Graphix A New York Times bestseller! Making friends isn’t easy, but losing them is even harder! Natalie has never felt that she’s enough — athletic enough, stylish enough, or talented enough. And on the first day of middle school, Natalie discovers that things are worse than she thought — now she’s not even cool enough for her best friend, Lily! As Natalie tries to get her best friend back, she learns more about her true self and natural talents. If Natalie can focus on who she is rather than who she isn’t, then she might realize she’s more than enough, just the way she is.

Living with Viola
By Rosena Fung
Annick Press

Livy is already having trouble fitting in as the new girl at school—and then there’s Viola. Viola is Livy’s anxiety brought to life, a shadowy twin that only Livy can see or hear. Livy tries to push back against Viola’s relentless judgment, but nothing seems to work until she strikes up new friendships at school. Livy hopes that Viola’s days are numbered. But when tensions arise both at home and at school, Viola rears her head stronger than ever. Only when Livy learns how to ask for help and face her anxiety does she finally figure out living with Viola.

Rosena Fung draws on her own early experiences with anxiety and the pressures of growing up as the child of Chinese immigrant parents to craft a charming, deeply personal story.

Snow White and the Unevil Queen: An Untraditional Graphic Novel Written by Jasmine Walls Illustrated by Richard Watson Stone Arch Books Sarah isn’t the nicest kid at school. She doesn’t want to be rude or mean, but sometimes she can’t control it. When Sarah falls into the Snow White fairy tale, she lands in the Evil Queen’s castle. That seems like the perfect place for a mean girl, doesn’t it? But when Sarah finds out that the Evil Queen is extra mean (some would even say she’s a bully), Sarah takes matters into her own hands. Sarah befriends the Queen and gets to the bottom of her evil ways. Working together, they learn that loving yourself and what you already have is an important lesson in this untraditional graphic novel.

Ghosts
Raina Telgemeier
Scholastic

Catrina and her family are moving to the coast of Northern California because her little sister, Maya, is sick. Cat isn’t happy about leaving her friends for Bahía de la Luna, but Maya has cystic fibrosis and will benefit from the cool, salty air that blows in from the sea. As the girls explore their new home, a neighbor lets them in on a secret: There are ghosts in Bahía de la Luna. Maya is determined to meet one, but Cat wants nothing to do with them. As the time of year when ghosts reunite with their loved ones approaches, Cat must figure out how to put aside her fears for her sister’s sake — and her own.

Ribbon Skirt Cameron Mukwa Graphix A joyful coming-of-age middle-grade graphic novel by debut Indigenous creator Cameron Mukwa about the journey of a two-spirit kid who wants to create a ribbon skirt for the upcoming powwow. Ten-year-old Anang wants to make a ribbon skirt, a piece of clothing typically worn by girls in the Anishinaabe tradition, for an upcoming powwow. Anang is two-spirit and nonbinary and doesn’t know what others will think of them wearing a ribbon skirt, but they’re determined to follow their heart’s desire. Anang sets off to gather the materials needed to make the skirt and turns to those around them — their family, their human and turtle friends, the crows, and even the lake itself — for help. And maybe they’ll even find a new confidence within themself along the way.

Real Friends Written by Shannon Hale Illustrated by LeUyen Pham First Second A graphic memoir about how hard it is to find your real friends—and why it’s worth the journey. When best friends are not forever… Shannon and Adrienne have been best friends ever since they were little. But one day, Adrienne starts hanging out with Jen, the most popular girl in class and the leader of a circle of friends called The Group. Everyone in The Group wants to be Jen’s #1, and some girls would do anything to stay on top . . . even if it means bullying others. Now every day is like a roller coaster for Shannon. Will she and Adrienne stay friends? Can she stand up for herself? And is she in The Group—or out?

The Babysitters Club: Mary Anne’s Bad Luck Mystery Cynthia Yuan Cheng Graphix Mary Anne should never have thrown away that chain letter she got in the mail. Ever since she did, bad things have been happening to everyone in The Baby-sitters Club. With Halloween coming up, Mary Anne’s even more worried — what kind of spooky thing will happen next? Then Mary Anne finds a new note in her mailbox: Wear this bad-luck charm, it says. OR ELSE. Mary Anne has to follow the note’s instructions. But who sent the charm? And why did they send it to Mary Anne? The BSC might never see an end to their bad luck if they don’t solve this mystery soon!

Three Blind Mice Race for Revenge Written by Jasmine Walls Illustrated by Jonatan Cantero Stone Arch Books Three blind mice are racing in the most extreme event ever! Siblings Poppy, Basil, and Lily use sonar tech to zoom down the twisting track and dodge opponents’ battle gadgets. But the team’s biggest threat is the Farmer Family. These bad cats once deployed a saw device that chopped off the tail end of the rodents’ vehicles and nearly ended their careers! This time, can the mice outmaneuver their old rivals and speed to the finish line first? Enjoy a modern twist on “Three Blind Mice” as it’s retold for kids in this exciting Far Out Fairy Tales graphic novel.

Brooms Written by Jasmine Walls Illustrated by Teo DeVall Levine Querido “Six witches get caught up in the excitement and danger of illegal broom racing in an alternate historical Mississippi… highlights the broadly diverse experiences of folks in the South… highlighting the fact that there has always been and will always be room for queer folks in our communities.” –Kirkus

The Princess & the Grilled Cheese Sandwich By Deya Muniz Little, Brown Ink Deya Muniz’s shoujo-inspired rom-com is certain to put a smile on your face. It’s a classic case of hidden identities (as Lady Camembert disguises herself as Lord Camembert) with a sapphic twist. This book is plain old fun. I still laugh over all of the characters’ cheese names and the inclusion of a Nintendo Switch in a fairy tale land. Pure queer joy and pure queer love depicted in luscious illustrations.

The Oracle Code
Written by Marieke Nijkamp
Illustrated by Manuel Preitano
DC Comics

After a gunshot leaves her paralyzed below the waist, Barbara Gordon undergoes physical and mental rehabilitation at the Arkham Center for Independence. She must adapt to a new normal, but she cannot shake the feeling that something is dangerously amiss. Strange sounds escape at night while patients start to go missing.

Is this suspicion simply a result of her trauma? Or does Barbara actually hear voices coming from the center’s labyrinthine hallways? It’s up to her to put the pieces together to solve the mysteries behind the walls.

You Brought Me the Ocean Written by Alex Sanchez Illustrated by Julie Maroh DC Comics Jake Hyde doesn’t swim–not since his father drowned. Luckily, he lives in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. Yet he yearns for the ocean and is determined to leave his hometown for a college on the coast. His best friend, Maria, however, wants nothing more than to stay in the desert, and Jake’s mother encourages him to always play it safe. There’s nothing “safe” about Jake’s future–not when he’s attracted to Kenny Liu, swim team captain and rebel against conformity. And certainly not when he secretly applies to the University of Miami. Jake’s life begins to outpace his small town’s namesake, which doesn’t make it any easier to come out to his mom, or Maria, or the world. But Jake is full of secrets, including the strange blue markings on his skin that glow when in contact with water. What power will he find when he searches for his identity, and will he turn his back to the current or dive headfirst into the waves?

Seen: Edmonia Lewis Written by Jasmine Walls Illustrated by Bex Glendining BOOM! Box “Sometimes the times were dark and the outlook was lonesome, but where there is a will, there is a way. I pitched in and dug at my work until now I am where I am.” Meet Edmonia Lewis, the woman who changed America during the Civil War by becoming the first sculptor of African-American and Native American heritage to earn international acclaim. This is a true story of courage, determination and perseverance through one of America’s most violent eras to create true beauty that still reverberates today.

American Born Chinese Gene Luen Yang First Second A tour-de-force by New York Times bestselling graphic novelist Gene Yang, American Born Chinese tells the story of three apparently unrelated characters: Jin Wang, who moves to a new neighborhood with his family only to discover that he’s the only Chinese-American student at his new school; the powerful Monkey King, subject of one of the oldest and greatest Chinese fables; and Chin-Kee, a personification of the ultimate negative Chinese stereotype, who is ruining his cousin Danny’s life with his yearly visits. Their lives and stories come together with an unexpected twist in this action-packed modern fable. American Born Chinese is an amazing ride, all the way up to the astonishing climax.

Flamer
Mike Curato
Henry Holt

It’s the summer between middle school and high school, and Aiden Navarro is away at camp. Everyone’s going through changes—but for Aiden, the stakes feel higher. As he navigates friendships, deals with bullies, and spends time with Elias (a boy he can’t stop thinking about), he finds himself on a path of self-discovery and acceptance.
Award-winning author and artist Mike Curato draws on his own experiences, telling a difficult story with humor, compassion, and love.

I Am Alfonso Jones Written by Tony Medina Illustrated byJohn Jennings Tu Books Alfonso Jones can’t wait to play the role of Hamlet in his school’s hip-hop rendition of the classic Shakespearean play. He also wants to let his best friend, Danetta, know how he really feels about her. But as he is buying his first suit, an off-duty police officer mistakes a clothes hanger for a gun, and he shoots Alfonso. When Alfonso wakes up in the afterlife, he’s on a ghost train guided by well-known victims of police shootings, who teach him what he needs to know about this subterranean spiritual world. Meanwhile, Alfonso’s family and friends struggle with their grief and seek justice for Alfonso in the streets. As they confront their new realities, both Alfonso and those he loves realize the work that lies ahead in the fight for justice.

Whistle: A New Gotham City Hero
Written by E. Lockhart
Illustrated by Manuel Preitano
DC Comics

Sixteen-year-old Willow Zimmerman has something to say. When she’s not on the streets protesting City Hall’s neglect of her run-down Gotham neighborhood, she’s working nights at the local dog shelter. But despite how much she does for the world around her, she’s struggling to take care of her sick mother at home. She’s got no time for boys (though there’s one she really likes), and no means to adopt the amazingly loyal stray Great Dane, Lebowitz, that follows her around.

Without health insurance and with money running out, a desperate Willow reconnects with an estranged family friend E. Nigma–party promoter, and real estate tycoon. Nigma opens the door to an easier life, offering Willow a new job hosting his glamorous private poker nights with Gotham City’s elites. Now Willow is able to afford critical medical treatments for her mother and get a taste of the high life she’s never had.

Then everything changes: Willow and Lebowitz are attacked by one of Gotham’s most horrific villains, the monstrous Killer Croc. When they wake after the fight, they can understand each other. And Willow has powers she never dreamed of.

When Willow discovers that Nigma and his poker buddies are actually some of Gotham’s most corrupt criminals, she must make a choice: remain loyal to the man who saved her mother’s life, or use her new powers to save her community.