7 High Quality Graphic Novels for Young Readers
I shared all about our daily reading hour and suggestions for good summer reading choices for young readers last month. But I thought I’d follow it up with a post about good graphic novels.
To be honest, I haven’t always been excited about graphic novels. Captain Underpants and Dog Man make me want to tear my hair out. I have a visceral reaction! And I think because of some of the twaddle that’s out there, I have been ignoring really good graphic novels as a great option for young readers! Mea culpa.
Graphic novels can be great for transitioning from picture books to chapter books OR overcoming a reading slump when a kid just can’t seem to get motivated to pick up a new book. And they can be incredible works of art. No wonder they’re gaining so much popularity!
So I put together a list of seven great options that I think are good quality, beautiful, and engaging for young readers.
Caveats: My kids are 1, 7, 8, and 11. I’m going to be sharing books they’ve loved that I have read myself or that come highly recommended but I cannot guarantee that every book will be right for your family.
So here’s some great ideas to get you going!
(All links are to bookshop.org which allows you to shop online and support local bookshops–now more important than ever–instead of sending your money to Am*z*n. You can access this full list over there, too, by clicking here.)
Zita the Space Girl by Ben Hatke
Ben Hatke has been one of our favorite illustrators for ages and his Zita books are a huge hit over here!
The Mighty Jack books are also much beloved.
Anne of Green Gables adapted by Mariah Marsden, illustrated by Brenna Thummler
I am a bit of an Anne nut and have passed my love for Anne on to the kids so we were delighted to discover this absolute gem! It’s simply beautiful.
The Giver adapted and illustrated by P. Craig Russell
My 11yo recently listened to the audiobook of Lois Lowry’s The Giver and he also enjoyed this graphic novel version.
The Hobbit adapted by Charles Dixon and illustrated by David Wenzel
We’re big Tolkien fans over here but the girls (ages 7 and 8) are a little intimidated by starting The Hobbit so this gorgeous graphic novel version was a good introduction until they’re ready for Tolkien’s original.
Maximilian Kolbe: The Saint of Auschwitz by Jean-Francois Vivier
I’m always excited for my kids to learn about the saints and St. Maximilian Kolbe is one of my favorites. This graphic novel version begins at Auschwitz and the narrative is flashbacks of his life leading up to his martyrdom.
Queen of the Sea by Dylan Meconis
This one we got from the library and somehow, we didn’t finish it before it was due back, but I was entranced by it and it is absolutely stunning (and LONG!). A copy to keep is on its way to our mailbox as we speak.
Access this full list here at Bookshop.org and happy reading!
In related news, I shared a 20 minute talk about educating very young children through participation in daily family life as part of the virtual Catholic Homeschool Conference in late June.
The conference is over, but the talks are still available for purchase! If you are a seasoned homeschooler who needs some inspiration or if you were thrown into crisis schooling unexpectedly this spring and are discerning whether homeschooling in the fall might work for your family considering the Covid situation, this is a great resource! There are 60+ speakers and you can watch from your laptop.
My talk is about how simple homeschooling very little ones can. It’s a pep talk of encouragement to show you that you are capable of taking on this journey of homeschooling. You can buy a lifetime pass to all the content here.