Gift Guides

Gift Guide: Graphic Novels

Zakiya Jamal  //  Dec 3, 2020

Gift Guide: Graphic Novels

Give the gift of Graphix this holiday season with these amazing graphic novels!

Dog Man: Grime and Punishment by Dav Pilkey

The mayor has had enough of Dog Man's shenanigans in the ninth book from worldwide bestselling author and artist Dav Pilkey. Dog Man's really done it this time! He hands over his badge and clears out his desk, but while he may be out of a job, he's not yet out of hope. With his friends at his side, can Dog Man dig himself out of this hole and paw his way back onto the force? Dav Pilkey's wildly popular Dog Man series appeals to readers of all ages and explores universally positive themes, including empathy, kindness, persistence, and the importance of doing good.

Twins by Varian Johnson & Shannon Wright

Maureen and Francine Carter are twins and best friends. They participate in the same clubs, enjoy the same foods, and are partners on all their school projects. But just before the girls start sixth grade, Francine becomes Fran — a girl who wants to join the chorus, run for class president, and dress in fashionable outfits that set her apart from Maureen. A girl who seems happy to share only two classes with her sister!

The Witches: The Graphic Novel by Roald Dahl; adapted by Pénélope Bagieu

Witches are real, or so Grandmother says. They live in secret societies in every country across the globe, and there's nothing they hate more than children. Her eight-year-old grandson loves her stories… until he and Grandmother accidentally stumble into the witches' most ambitious plot yet to stamp out every child in the country!

Animorphs: The Invasion by K.A. Applegate & Michael; adapted by Chris Grine

Sometimes weird things happen to people. Ask Jake. He could tell you about the night he and his friends saw a strange light in the sky that seemed to be heading right for them. That was the night five normal kids learned that humanity is under a silent attack — and were given the power to fight back.

Now Jake, Rachel, Cassie, Tobias, and Marco can transform into some of the most dangerous creatures on Earth. And they must use that power to outsmart an evil greater than anything the world has ever seen…

Smile by Raina Telgemeier

Raina just wants to be a normal sixth grader. But one night after Girl Scouts she trips and falls, severely injuring her two front teeth, and what follows is a long and frustrating journey with on-again, off-again braces, surgery, embarrassing headgear, and even a retainer with fake teeth attached. And on top of all that, there's still more to deal with: a major earthquake, boy confusion, and friends who turn out to be not so friendly.This coming-of-age true story is sure to resonate with anyone who has ever been in middle school, and especially those who have ever had a bit of their own dental drama.

Nat Enough / Forget Me Nat by Maria Scrivan

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 just might realize she's more than enough, just the way she is.

Logan Likes Mary Anne! by Ann M. Martin; adapted by Gale Galligan

It's the first day of a new school year, and while Mary Anne doesn't know what to expect from the eighth grade, she's looking forward to getting back into the swing of things. One thing she definitely doesn't expect is to meet Logan Bruno, who just moved to Stoneybrook!

Logan has a dreamy southern accent, he's awfully cute… and he might be interested in joining the BSC. But the baby-sitters aren't sure if Logan would make a good club member, so they send him on a job with Mary Anne as a test. Logan and Mary Anne hit it off, but Mary Anne isn't sure of where their friendship could go. Life in the Baby-sitters Club has never been this complicated — or this fun!

Karen's Roller Skates by Ann M. Martin; adapted by Katy Farina

When Karen shows off her roller-skating expertise and accidentally crashes into her brother, she ends up with a broken wrist but uses the opportunity to get everyone she knows to sign her new cast.

Catwad: Four Me? by Jim Benton

Catwad and Blurmp return with an all-new group of hilarious comic stories and a few bonus back-of-book activities! This snarky blue furball (and his adorably innocent friend) have a funny take on just about everything. It's a laugh-out-loud romp not to be missed, even if Catwad claims otherwise.

Owly: Just A Little Blue by Andy Runton

Best friends Owly and Wormy have days filled with adventure and hearts filled with kindness. And when they discover a bluebird family living in a damaged tree, they want to help out the best way they can: by building the birds a new home! But when Owly and Wormy share their gift, the birds don't welcome the new birdhouse quite as Owly and Wormy had hoped. With a big storm moving in, can Owly and Wormy help get the birds (and their chicks!) to safety before it's too late?

Bunbun & Bonbon: Fancy Friends by Jess Keating

Bunbun has it all: a delightful Bunbun nose, a winning Bunbun smile, a ridiculously cute Bunbun tail, and not one, but two adorable Bunbun ears. But Bunbun doesn't have a friend — until Bunbun meets Bonbon. Learning how to be fancy and eating donuts for lunch are two of the duo's many adventures in this irresistible young graphic novel by acclaimed author and illustrator Jess Keating. Hop hop hooray!

Heartstopper Vol. 1 & 2 by Alice Oseman

Shy and softhearted Charlie Spring sits next to rugby player Nick Nelson in class one morning. A warm and intimate friendship follows, and that soon develops into something more for Charlie, who doesn't think he has a chance.

But Nick is struggling with feelings of his own, and as the two grow closer and take on the ups and downs of high school, they come to understand the surprising and delightful ways in which love works.

Through the Moon by Peter Wartman & Xanthe Bouma

The Dragon Prince has been reunited with his mother, the Human Kingdoms and Xadia are at peace, and humans and elves alike are ready to move on.

Only Rayla is still restless. Unable to believe Lord Viren is truly dead, and haunted by questions about the fate of her parents and Runaan, she remains trapped between hope and fear. When an ancient ritual calls her, Callum, and Ezran to the Moon Nexus, she learns the lake is a portal to a world between life and death. Rayla seizes the opportunity for closure and the chance to confirm that Lord Viren is gone for good.

But the portal is unstable, and the ancient Moonshadow elves who destroyed it never intended for it to be reopened. Will Rayla's quest to uncover the secrets of the dead put her living friends in mortal danger?

Cat Kid Comic Club by Dav Pilkey

In Cat Kid Comic Club, Li'l Petey, Flippy, and Molly introduce twenty-one rambunctious, funny, and talented baby frogs to the art of comic making. As the story unwinds with mishaps and hilarity, readers get to see the progress, mistakes, and improvements that come with practice and persistence.

Squid Kid and KatydidBaby Frog SquadMonster Cheese Sandwich, and Birds Flowers Trees: A Haiku Photo Comic are just some of the mini-comics that are included as stories-within-the-story, each done in a different style, utilizing humor and drama, prose and poetry, illustrated in different media including acrylics, pastels, colored pencils, felt-tip markers, clay, hand-made cardboard sculptures, photographs, pipe cleaners, construction paper collages, and cookies.

Readers of all ages will be inspired to dream up their own stories and unleash their own creativity as they dive into this new graphic novel adventure from Dav Pilkey and his heartfelt, humorous, and amazing cast of characters in the Cat Kid Comic Club.