Graphic Novels

Backyard Bug Battle: A Buzz Beaker Brainstorm by Scott Nickel

Buzz Beaker’s latest invention is “Buzz Beaker’s Super Sticky Bug Goo” which attracts bugs but prevents them from harming the plants. When Buzz’s dad invents a “super top-secret” juice of his own, Buzz mistakenly uses it as he would his own “bug goo”. After using his dad’s invented juice by mistake, the bugs begin to grow abnormally large and begin to attack Buzz and his friend. Buzz eventually learns that he mixed up his juice with his dad’s and Buzz is relieved to know he won’t be grounded for mixing them up.

A Day in the Office of Doctor Bugspit by Elise Gravel

Dr. Bugspit is an eccentric doctor with a “cure” for everything such as a melting patient, a woman who is growing toes all over her body, and a little boy who says, “beep” instead of “burp”. His “fix-it syrup” is given to the woman’s toes to make them look “pretty” instead of making them disappear. The “fix-it syrup” is given to the boy who “beeps” instead of “burps”, causing him to “beep” louder and win contests. Dr. Bugspit believes his “fix-it syrup” can “fix” everything until he sneazes and asks for a “real doctor”.

The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln by Kay Melchisedech Olson

The story of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination is portrayed in graphic novel style, recounting the details of John Wilkes Booth’s plan to shoot the President at Ford’s Theater.  The graphic style provides an easy to read experience for children while teaching them about one of the most infamous events in American history.

Red Ted and the Lost Things by Michael Rosen

This adorable story is one of a teddy bear named Red Ted who was left of the train by his owner Stevie. Red Ted is placed on a shelf by the train conductor and he finds himself in the company of the other things that have been left on the train over time. Red Ted meets another a crocodile stuffed animal and the two go in search of Stevie. On their way they meet a cat and the cat helps them find Stevie’s house. Eventually they are reunited with Stevie and she keeps the crocodile, the cat, and Red Ted for her own.

Little Mouse Gets Ready by Jeff Smith

Little Mouse is excited to go to the barn with his brothers and sisters and to look for food and find good hiding spots. Little Mouse decides he needs to get ready so he starts to put on his underwear, socks, pants, shirt, and shoes. Once he is finally done getting ready, his mother tells him mice don’t wear clothes! Little Mouse quickly takes his clothes off and rushes to the barn to meet his brothers and sisters. As mother mouse says at the end, “What a silly little mouse!”

Johnny Boo:  Twinkle Power by James Kochalka

Johnny Boo is confident in his boo power while Squiggle has his squiggle power. But when Squiggle wants to sparkle like the stars, Johnny boo finds himself alone in the dark until the Ice Cream Monster comes to keep him company. After showing the Ice Cream Monster how to “boo”, Squiggle comes back down from the stars and helps Johnny discover his “wiggle” power. Squiggle finds Johnny’s wiggling hair to be so funny that Johnny believes his hair has giggle power.

A Buzz Beaker Brainstorm: Attack of the Mutant Lunch Lady by Scott Nickel

The lunch lady at Buzz and Larry’s school is mean and won’t let them talk in line while she’s serving mystery meat and “schlop” for lunch.  When the lunch lady falls into the next day’s soup, she turns into a mutant and starts eating everything in the school. Buzz and Larry take a sample from her mutant body and discover that feeding her fresh fruit will return her back to her human form. Successful in their efforts, the lunch lady now serves fresh fruits and vegetables for lunch instead of mystery meat and everyone is healthy.

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Coraline is a preteenager that moves into an old mansion with her family and discovers a secret door that leads her to an alternate life. Here she meets her “other” parents who give her the attention she craves from her real parents. When Coraline wants to go back to her real family, her “other” mother won’t let her leave and Coraline needs to find her real parents and save the souls of three ghosts of children in order to make things better in her real universe. This graphic novel has a creepy but entertaining quality to it and was adapted from text to graphic novel.

Picture Books for Older Readers

Seal Surfer by Michael Foreman

This loveable story is one about a boy named Ben who likes to go to the beach with his grandfather and look for mussels. One day, he sees a baby seal next to its mother on the rocks and continues to visit them while he and his grandfather look for mussels in the water. After a terrible storm, Ben loses sight of the baby seal and believes him to have died in the torrential waves. Ben he finds himself in a similar situation when the currant pulls him under while he is surfing. To Ben’s surprise, the baby seal carries him above the waves to the safety of his surfboard and Ben realizes the seal was safe the whole time. Ben continues to watch the seals even after his grandfather has passed and looks forward to the time when he can bring his own grandchildren to the sea to watch the seals.

Zeee by Elizabeth Enright

Zeee is a “bad fairy” that hates people because they can never see her or hear her. The bee-sized Zeee tries to make her home in an empty wasp’s nest and a toy pail on the beach, but every time she does, a person who can’t see her, comes and ruins her home. Just as Zeee is convinced people don’t like her, a girl named Pandora rescues her from being eaten by a cat and the two become lifelong friends.

The Fisherman’s Family by Maryke Reesink

Jan is a boy who lives in Holland and dreams of going fishing with his father. His father, however, thinks Jan is too young to go fishing and thus forbids him to go. When Jan’s father’s boat doesn’t come back with the others after a terrible storm, Jan is left to provide for his family by carving animals out of driftwood and sells them to a gift shop. In the end, Jan’s father returns home and he finally gets to go fishing with him.

Were You A Wild Duck Where Would You Go? by George Mendoza

This beautifully illustrated book tells the story of wild ducks who are looking for a home when America was a “birds fairy tale”. Narrated by a mallard, the reader learns that mankind has greedily taken over the land, causing pollution and destruction, and the wild ducks are left to search for the paradise they once had. This book pleads with the reader to value our wildlife and conserve our planet.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving

This classic story is about Ichabod Crane, an extremely superstitious schoolmaster competing for the hand of Katrina Van Tassel against the handsome “Brom Bones”. After leaving a party one night, Ichabod is followed by the Headless Horseman, a ghost who was beheaded by a cannon and rides through the woods every night with a flaming pumpkin. Ichabod mysteriously disappears after being followed by the Headless Horseman, leaving Katrina to marry Brom Bones, implying that the Horseman was really Brom in disguise.

Bonjour Lonnie by Faith Ringgold

Lonnie is an orphan living in Paris who is visited by a magical Love Bird one night. The bird inspires Lonnie to look for his family.  Through his magical journey, Lonnie meets the spirits of his grandparents and parents, learning about his mixed racial heritage. This aspect of the book sheds light on the issue of acceptance and love while highlighting different cultures through the inclusion of French phrases and a historical index.

When Jessie Came Across the Sea by Amy Hest

This is a Christopher Award winning book about thirteen year-old Jessie who journeys from a poor village in Eastern Europe to New York City and must leave her grandmother behind. While aboard the ship, Jessie meets a young shoemaker named Lou and he helps her get through the hardships of being alone and experiencing a brand new world. Jessie uses her skills as a lace maker, which she learned from her grandmother, to get a job in a dressmaker’s shop and eventually saves enough of her money to buy her grandmother a ticket to come to New York.




The Sorcerer's Apprentice by Inga Moore
A young boy named Franz was always meddling in things he couldn't fix when finally his father throws him out of the house. Franz comes across a sign for an "apprentice wanted" and finds out the job is within a huge and mysterious castle with a sorcerer named Ludvig Hexenmeister. During his stay, Franz sees objects moving on their own and eventually, hones the skills of the sorcerer. In the end, Franz uses what he has learned and becomes a sorcerer himself.

Multicultural Perspective Books

The Island-below-the-stars by James Rumford

When little Manu tells his older brothers he wants to go with them to the far island they saw under the stars, they laughed at him. As the brothers prepared for their long journey, Manu snuck aboard to join them as they venture out to the far island. After a dangerous storm that required the brothers to all work together to keep their ship afloat, Manu sees a bird among the rain and sees it’s about to land. After being teased by his brother for his love of birds, Manu’s spotting of the bird solves the mystery as to where the island was. This book was inspired by navigational techniques of the Polynesians who first came to the Hawaiian Islands.

Gift Horse: A Lakota Story by S.D. Nelson

A young Indian boy named Flying Cloud is given a horse by his father in celebration of him becoming a man. The boy names the horse Storm and they become inseparable. When enemies of the Lakota tribe steal horses from them, Storm is taken away from Flying Cloud, fueling him to become the Warrior he wanted to be. After saving his beloved horse, Flying Cloud is given the shirt of the Lakota Warrior and transitions from boyhood to manhood.

From the Notebooks of Melanin Sun by Jacqueline Woodson

Melanin Sun is an African American boy living with his mother in Brooklyn. When Melanin learns his mother is gay and in love with a white woman, he feels confused and ashamed by the constant gossip surrounding his mother. Melanin begins to resent his mother and longs for the days when life was simple. This story brings to light issues of race and sexuality in the midst of adolescence.

The Year of the Dog by Grace Lin

Pacey is a young Chinese-American girl whose mother tells her that the Year of the Dog is a good year for friends, family, and “finding herself”. Pacey is so excited about all the good things in store for her that she immediately goes searching for them, but struggles along the way with disappointments. After meeting a new friend, Pacey sees her luck change and starts to believe in the good things the Year of the Dog could bring. 

Rickshaw Girl by Mitali Perkins

This Jane Addams Honor book focuses on a young girl named Naima who is talented at creating traditional patterns called alpana for Bangladesh women and girls to paint in their homes for special occasions. Naima, however, longs to earn money for her family, causing her to contemplate disguising herself as a boy to drive her father’s rickshaw. When Naima finds out the owner of the rickshaw repair shop is a woman, she is able to help them with painting decorations on the rickshaws, causing them to help the business grow. Thus, Naima finds a way for her to use her own talents in a way to earn money and stay true to herself.

The Great Wall of Lucy Wu by Wendy Wan-Long Shang

Eleven year old Lucy is a second-generation Chinese-American who would rather eat American food than Chinese traditional food and prefers basketball to violin. When her grandmother’s sister Yi-Po comes to visit, Lucy finds herself in the company of an unwanted relative who is stuck in her ancient Chinese ways and traditions. Yo-Po’s visit slowly connects Lucy to her Chinese heritage, causing her to see the little ways in which she can be proud of her nationality.

No Ordinary Day by Deborah Ellis

Valli is a young girl living in the coal town Jharia, India. She discovers the abusive family she has been living with is not her real family and decides to leave Jharia and start a new life in Kolkata. She realizes she is self-sufficient until she is in desperate need of care by Dr. Indra, who tells Valli she has leprosy. Dr. Indra helps treat Valli, leading Valli to look up to her. 

The Gold-Threaded Dress by Carolyn Marsden

In this story, Oy a young girl from Thailand struggles with the differences she encounters in her American school. Her teacher calls her Olivia and she is teased and left out by her classmates. When a popular girl in her class sees Oy in a picture wearing her Thai dancing dress, she says she’ll let Oy be part of her group if she brings her dress to school. Oy struggles with what she should do. If she is to be part of the popular crowd, she’ll be betraying her family’s traditions. This book is a beautiful portrait of the dilemmas children goes through in order to belong to a community.

One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia

Three sisters Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern are sent from Brooklyn to Oakland to meet their estranged mother Cecile. Expecting a mother figure, the girls are extremely mistaken when Cecile shows little interest in spending time with them, instead sending them for Chinese takeout every night as dinner and sending them to a summer camp for breakfast and activities. Delphine, being the eldest, takes on the role as protector and mother to her two sisters, increasing their strong bond as sisters throughout the book. Though Delphine discounts Cecile to hold any motherly traits, Cecile gives important advice to Delphine in the end: “Be 11, Delphine. Be 11 while you can”. 

Newberry Award Winners and Honor Books

Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Newberry Medal-winning novel about Marty Preston, who finds an abused dog, Shioh, and debates whether he should keep him and save him from his brutal owner Judd Travers, or return him in order to do the right thing. Marty sees Judd shooting a deer out of season and uses that as blackmail for Judd to sell Shiloh to him. This story is one that focuses on moral dilemmas and following your instincts to do the right thing.

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg

A Newberry Medal-winner from 1968 tells the story of Claudia Kincaid, an 11-year-old girl who runs away from home and goes to the Metropolitan Museum of Art with her brother Jamie. After coming across a beautiful angel statue at the museum, Claudia is determined to find the statue’s maker. This leads Claudia and her brother on an adventure to Connecticut where they meet the statue’s owner Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and try to uncover the answer to their question by going through her mixed up filing cabinet.

My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett 

A Newberry Honor book about a young boy, Elmer Elevator, who runs away to Wild Island to rescue a baby Dragon. With the help of an alley cat, Elmer jumps onto a ship that will take him to the island where he can rescue the baby Dragon from the lazy animals who use the dragon to fly back and forth. This tale is one that will be enjoyed by all young readers with its use of black and white drawings on every other page and the clever way Elmer is able to outsmart each animal he comes across in order to save the dragon.

Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech

Winner of the 1995 Newberry Medal and a personal favorite from my childhood, Walk Two Moons tells the story of 13-year-old Sal Tree Hiddle as she travels with her grandparents to find her mother in Idaho. Along the way, Sal tells a story of Phoebe Winterbottom, but in reality, reveals a story more about herself.

Joey Pigza Loses Control by Jack Gantos

This Newberry Honor book is both entertaining and loveable, with its main character Joey who has controlled his attention deficit disorder with new and improved meds. When he reconnects with his estranged dad, his dad gets rid of the meds Joey has depended upon and is forced to decide if being friends with his dad is worth giving up the control he had over his ADD.

The Bears on Hemlock Mountain by Alice Dalgliesh

This Newberry Award winning book is about a boy name Jonathan who is asked to run an errand for his family to Aunt Emma's house in search of a big pot for their family dinner. Reassured there were no bears on the mountain, Jonathan can't help but imagine running into one when the cold winter air blows. This tale instills a sense of pride within Jonathan as he runs an errand for the sake of his family.

On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer 

This is a Newberry Honor award winner book about two boys named Joel and Tony who go swimming in a dangerous and forbidden river. Tony gets sucked into the current and cannot swim. Joel tries to save him but it is too late. With Tony dead, Joel is afraid to tell his parents and Tony’s parents about this horrible incident. In the end, Joel learns about life’s uncertainties, unfairness, and also life’s forgiveness.

Along Came a Dog by Meindert DeJong
This Newberry Honor book is a cute tale of a cocky red hen that befriends a lonesome dog. Though they were an unlikely pair, the hen and the dog compliment each other and the lonesome dog finally finds his place with the farmer and the hen.