Best Teen Graphic Novels: Home
Superheroes
Ant-Man by
Scott Lang has never exactly been the world's best super hero. Most people don't even think he's been the best Ant-Man! And the last guy invented Ultron and joined the Masters of Evil, so that's saying something. But when the Superior Iron Man calls with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and an old enemy returns (sort of), Scott's going to get a chance to turn it all around and be the hero he's always dreamed of being. This time nothing is gonna stop the astonishing Ant-Man! Collecting Ant-Man 1-5
Call Number: YA GN SPEISBN: 9780785193876Publication Date: 2015-06-23
The Batgirl of Burnside by
Barbara Gordon's ready for a fresh start. She's packing her bags, crossing the bridge, and heading to Gotham's coolest neighborhood: Burnside. And when a freak fire burns up her costume and gear, Babs has the chance to become a whole new Batgirl! But she barely slips on her new DIY costume before Batgirl starts trending as Gotham's first viral vigilante -- and attracting a new wave of enemies who want her social-media spotlight for themselves. Meanwhile, the girl beneath the gear's got a whole new crew of friends, college classes that are kicking her Bat-butt and a dating scene that can make anyone want to swipe left on life. This bat's done living in the shadows. But will the bright lights of Burnside burn her for good? Red-hot creative team Cameron Stewart, Brenden Fletcher and Babs Tarr reinvent Barbara Gordon from the boots up in BATGIRL: THE BATGIRL OF BURNSIDE (collects issues #35-40 and a story from SECRET ORIGINS #10).
Call Number: YA GN BATISBN: 9781401253325Publication Date: 2015-06-16
The Dark Knight Returns by
The comics masterpiece Batman: the Dark Knight Returns is back in hardcover, with a new cover designed by Chip Kidd.The Batman has not been seen in ten years, some now consider him more myth than reality, but crime and violence have continued in Gotham City. Bruce Wayne had reached a point in his life where he can no longer silence the voice of his vigilante side aching to break free. The Dark Knight must return
Call Number: YA GN BATISBN: 9781563893414Publication Date: 2002-11-01
The Dark Phoenix Saga by
Writer/artist John Byrne's retro take on the X-Men, set between their Silver Age title and the All-New, All-Different incarnation, comes to a calamitous conclusion. The original X-Men take on the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, mutant-controlled Sentinels, Angel's evil uncle Burt, the long-lost Yeti, Kraven the Hunter and the mysterious mutant group the Promise and a 'crossover' with a classic Lee/Kirby/Romita Fantastic Four tale. Collecting: X-Men: The Hidden Years 13-22, Fantastic Four (1961) 102-104; material from Yellow Claw 2 and Amazing Adult Fantasy 14.
Call Number: YA GN XMEISBN: 9780785122135Publication Date: 2006-04-05
Ms. Marvel - No Normal by
Marvel Comics presents the all-new Ms. Marvel, the ground breaking heroine that has become an international sensation! Kamala Khan is an ordinary girl from Jersey City until she is suddenly empowered with extraordinary gifts. But who truly is the all-new Ms. Marvel? Find out as she takes the Marvel Universe by storm! As Kamala discovers the dangers of her newfound powers, she unlocks a secret behind them as well. Is Kamala ready to wield these immense new gifts? It's history in the making from acclaimed writer G. Willow Wilson and beloved artist Adrian Alphona!
Call Number: YA GN WILISBN: 9780785190219Publication Date: 2014-10-28
Watchmen by
A "New York Times" Best Seller This Hugo Award-winning graphic novel chronicles the fall from grace of a group of super-heroes plagued by all-too-human failings. Along the way, the concept of the super-hero is dissected as the heroes are stalked by an unknown assassin. One of the most influential graphic novels of all time and a perennial bestseller, WATCHMEN has been studied on college campuses across the nation and is considered a gateway title, leading readers to other graphic novels such as V FOR VENDETTA, BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS and THE SANDMAN series.
Call Number: YA GN MOOISBN: 9780930289232Publication Date: 1995-04-01
Manga
Death Note by
Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects - and he's bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and now Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. But when criminals begin dropping dead, the authorities send the legendary detective L to track down the killer. With L hot on his heels, will Light lose sight of his noble goal...or his life? Light tests the boundaries of the Death Note's powers as L and the police begin to close in. Luckily Light's father is the head of the Japanese National Police Agency and leaves vital information about the case lying around the house. With access to his father's files, Light can keep one step ahead of the authorities. But who is the strange man following him, and how can Light guard against enemies whose names he doesn't know?
Call Number: YA GN OHBISBN: 9781421501680Publication Date: 2005-10-10
Fullmetal Alchemist by
Alchemy: the mystical power to alter the natural world; something between magic, art and science. When two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, dabbled in this power to grant their dearest wish, one of them lost an arm and a leg?and the other became nothing but a soul locked into a body of living steel. Now Edward is an agent of the government, a slave of the military-alchemical complex, using his unique powers to obey orders?even to kill. Except his powers aren't unique. The world has been ravaged by the abuse of alchemy. And in pursuit of the ultimate alchemical treasure, the Philosopher's Stone, their enemies are even more ruthless than they are?
Call Number: YA GN ARAISBN: 9781591169208Publication Date: 2005-05-03
Vampire Knight by
Yuki Cross has no memory of her past prior to the moment she was saved from a vampire attack ten years ago. She was adopted by the headmaster of Cross Academy, and now works alongside Zero to guard the Academy's secret. Cross Adademy is attended by two groups of students: the Day Class and the Night Class. At twilight, when the students of the Day Class return to their dorm, they cross paths with the Night Class on their way to school. Yuki Cross and Zero Kiryu are the Guardians of the school, protecting the Day Class from the Academy's dark secret: the Night Class is full of vampires! Yuki Cross has no memory of her past prior to the moment she was saved from a vampire attack ten years ago. She was adopted by the headmaster of Cross Academy, and now works alongside Zero to guard the Academy's secret. Yuki believes that vampires and humans can coexist peacefully, but her partner has different ideas...
Call Number: YA GN HINISBN: 9781421508221Publication Date: 2007-01-09
Standalones
American Born Chinese by
Gene Luen Yang is the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. A tour-de-force byNew 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. American Born Chinese is the winner of the 2007 Michael L. Printz Award, a 2006 National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature, the winner of the 2007 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album: New, an Eisner Award nominee for Best Coloring, a 2007 Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year, and aNew York Times bestseller.
Call Number: YA GN YANISBN: 9781596431522Publication Date: 2006-09-05
Anya's Ghost by
Anya could really use a friend. But her new BFF isn't kidding about the "Forever" part . . . Of all the things Anya expected to find at the bottom of an old well, a new friend was not one of them. Especially not a new friend who's been dead for a century. Falling down a well is bad enough, but Anya's normal life might actually be worse. She's embarrassed by her family, self-conscious about her body, and she's pretty much given up on fitting in at school. A new friendâe"even a ghostâe"is just what she needs. Or so she thinks. Spooky, sardonic, and secretly sincere,Anya's Ghostis a wonderfully entertaining debut from author/artist Vera Brosgol. Anya's Ghost is a 2011Kirkus Best Teen Books of the Year title. One ofSchool Library Journal's Best Fiction Books of 2011. One ofHorn Book's Best Fiction Books of 2011. Winner of the 2012 Eisner Award for Best Publication for Young Adults (Ages 12-17)
Call Number: YA GN BROISBN: 9781596437135Publication Date: 2011-06-07
Nimona by
National Book Award Finalist * New York Times Bestseller * New York Times Notable Book * Kirkus Best Book * School Library Journal Best Book * Publishers Weekly Best Book * NPR Best Book * New York Public Library Best Book * Chicago Public Library Best Book * A Spring 2015 Indie Next List Pick The New York Times bestselling graphic novel sensation from Noelle Stevenson, based on her beloved and critically acclaimed web comic. Kirkus says, “If you’re going to read one graphic novel this year, make it this one.” Nemeses! Dragons! Science! Symbolism! All these and more await in this brilliantly subversive, sharply irreverent epic from Noelle Stevenson. Featuring an exclusive epilogue not seen in the web comic, along with bonus conceptual sketches and revised pages throughout, this gorgeous full-color graphic novel has been hailed by critics and fans alike as the arrival of a “superstar” talent (NPR.org). Nimona is an impulsive young shapeshifter with a knack for villainy. Lord Ballister Blackheart is a villain with a vendetta. As sidekick and supervillain, Nimona and Lord Blackheart are about to wreak some serious havoc. Their mission: prove to the kingdom that Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin and his buddies at the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics aren't the heroes everyone thinks they are. But as small acts of mischief escalate into a vicious battle, Lord Blackheart realizes that Nimona's powers are as murky and mysterious as her past. And her unpredictable wild side might be more dangerous than he is willing to admit.
Call Number: YA GN STEISBN: 9780062278234Publication Date: 2015-05-12
Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong by
You wouldn't expect Nate and Charlie to be friends. Charlie's the laid-back captain of the basketball team, and Nate is the neurotic, scheming president of the robotics club. But they are friends, however unlikelyâe"until Nate declares war on the cheerleaders. At stake is funding that will either cover a robotics competition or new cheerleading uniformsâe"but not both. It's only going to get worse: after both parties are stripped of their funding on grounds of abominable misbehavior, Nate enrolls the club's robot in a battlebot competition in a desperate bid for prize money. Bad sportsmanship? Sure. Chainsaws? Why not. Running away from home on Thanksgiving to illicitly enter a televised robot death match? Of course! In Faith Erin Hicks' and Prudence Shen's world of high school class warfare and robot death matches, Nothing can possibly go wrong.
Call Number: YA GN SHEISBN: 9781596436596Publication Date: 2013-05-07
Page by Paige by
Paige Turner has just moved to New York with her family, and she?s having some trouble adjusting to the big city. In the pages of her sketchbook, she tries to make sense of her new life, including trying out her secret identity: artist. As she makes friends and starts to explore the city, she slowly brings her secret identity out into the open, a process that is equal parts terrifying and rewarding.nbsp; Laura Lee Gulledge crafts stories and panels with images that are thought-provoking, funny, and emotionally resonant. Teens struggling to find their place can see themselves in Paige's honest, heartfelt story. Praise for Page by Paige “Gulledge's b&w illustrations are simple but well-suited to their subject matter; the work as a whole is a good-natured, optimistic portrait of a young woman evolving toward adulthood.” –Publishers Weeklynbsp; “A sweet coming-of-age graphic novel about an artistic introvert. Paige’s sketches are soft and expressive, and Gulledge does an admirable job of providing insight into Paige’s musings, creating a very intimate ambiance for this well-fleshed-out character. The artist masterfully commands her piece, creating a cohesive and fluid work that cascade smoothly along. Teens are sure to relate to this wallflower who blooms—gloriously.” –Kirkus Reviewsnbsp; “Gulledge has crafted a protagonist who’s introspective with a capital I, and she conveys her character’s thoughts and emotions in ways that are fresh but never feel forced. That same easy, organic quality is found in the book’s design: the story panels and Paige’s sketches blend and interact effortlessly. It all makes for a truly fresh coming-of-age—graphic—novel.” –Horn Book “An elegant portrayal of the interactions of Paige’s external and internal states.” –Publishers Weekly
Call Number: YA GN GULISBN: 9780810997219Publication Date: 2011-05-01
Persepolis by
Originally published to wide critical acclaim in France, where it elicited comparisons to Art Spiegelman's Maus, Persepolis is Marjane Satrapi's wise, funny, and heartbreaking memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. In powerful black-and-white comic strip images, Satrapi tells the story of her life in Tehran from ages six to fourteen, years that saw the overthrow of the Shah's regime, the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, and the devastating effects of war with Iraq. The intelligent and outspoken only child of committed Marxists and the great-granddaughter of one of Iran's last emperors, Marjane bears witness to a childhood uniquely entwined with the history of her country. Persepolis paints an unforgettable portrait of daily life in Iran: of the bewildering contradictions between home life and public life and of the enormous toll repressive regimes exact on the individual spirit. Marjane’s child's-eye-view of dethroned emperors, state-sanctioned whippings, and heroes of the revolution allows us to learn as she does the history of this fascinating country and of her own extraordinary family. Intensely personal, profoundly political, and wholly original, Persepolis is at once a story of growing up and a stunning reminder of the human cost of war and political repression. It shows how we carry on, through laughter and tears, in the face of absurdity. And, finally, it introduces us to an irresistible little girl with whom we cannot help but fall in love.
Call Number: YA GN SATISBN: 9780375422300Publication Date: 2003-04-29
Through the Woods by
Discover a terrifying world in the woods in this collection of five hauntingly beautiful graphic stories that includes the online webcomic sensation “His Face All Red,” in print for the first time. Journey through the woods in this sinister, compellingly spooky collection that features four brand-new stories and one phenomenally popular tale in print for the first time. These are fairy tales gone seriously wrong, where you can travel to “Our Neighbor’s House”—though coming back might be a problem. Or find yourself a young bride in a house that holds a terrible secret in “A Lady’s Hands Are Cold.” You might try to figure out what is haunting “My Friend Janna,” or discover that your brother’s fiancée may not be what she seems in “The Nesting Place.” And of course you must revisit the horror of “His Face All Red,” the breakout webcomic hit that has been gorgeously translated to the printed page. Already revered for her work online, award-winning comic creator Emily Carroll’s stunning visual style and impeccable pacing is on grand display in this entrancing anthology, her print debut.
Call Number: YA GN CARISBN: 9781442465954Publication Date: 2014-07-15
Series
Lumberjanes by
Five best friends spending the summer at Lumberjane scout camp...defeating yetis, three-eyed wolves, and giant falcons...what's not to love?! Friendship to the max! Jo, April, Mal, Molly and Ripley are five best pals determined to have an awesome summer together...and they're not gonna let any insane quest or an array of supernatural critters get in their way! Not only is it the second title launching in our new BOOM! Box imprint but LUMBERJANES is one of those punk rock, love-everything-about-it stories that appeals to fans of basically all excellent things. It's Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Gravity Falls and features five butt-kicking, rad teenage girls wailing on monsters and solving a mystery with the whole world at stake. And with the talent of acclaimed cartoonist Noelle Stevenson, talented newcomer Grace Ellis writing, and Brooke Allen on art, this is going to be a spectacular series that you won't want to miss. Collects Lumberjanes #1-#4.
Call Number: YA GN STEISBN: 9781608866878Publication Date: 2015-04-07
Maus: A Survivor's Tale by
On the occasion of the twenty-fifth anniversary of its first publication, here is the definitive edition of the book acclaimed as "the most affecting and successful narrative ever done about the Holocaust" (Wall Street Journal) and "the first masterpiece in comic book history" (The New Yorker). The Pulitzer Prize-winning Maus tells the story of Vladek Spiegelman, a Jewish survivor of Hitler's Europe, and his son, a cartoonist coming to terms with his father's story. Maus approaches the unspeakable through the diminutive. Its form, the cartoon (the Nazis are cats, the Jews mice), shocks us out of any lingering sense of familiarity and succeeds in "drawing us closer to the bleak heart of the Holocaust" (The New York Times). Maus is a haunting tale within a tale. Vladek's harrowing story of survival is woven into the author's account of his tortured relationship with his aging father. Against the backdrop of guilt brought by survival, they stage a normal life of small arguments and unhappy visits. This astonishing retelling of our century's grisliest news is a story of survival, not only of Vladek but of the children who survive even the survivors. Maus studies the bloody pawprints of history and tracks its meaning for all of us.
Call Number: YA GN SPIISBN: 9780394541556Publication Date: 1991-11-01
Sandman: Vol.1 Preludes and Nocturnes by
Written by Neil Gaiman; Art by Sam Kieth, Mike Dringenberg, and Malcolm Jones, III; Painted Cover by Dave McKean A wizard attempting to capture Death to bargain for eternal life traps her younger brother Dream instead. Fearful for his safety, the wizard kept him imprisoned in a glass bottle for decades. After his escape, Dream, also known as Morpheus, goes on a quest for his lost objects of power. On the way, Morpheus encounters Lucifer and demons from Hell, the Justice League, and John Constantine, the Hellblazer. This book also includes the story "The Sound of Her Wings" which introduces us to the pragmatic and perky goth girl, Death.
Call Number: YA GN GAIISBN: 9781563890116Publication Date: 1993-12-07
Scott Pilgrim: Vol. 1 Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life by
Just when you thought you knew all there was to know about Scott Pilgrim comes Scott Pilgrim Color Hardcover Volume 1: Precious Little Life! The first in a series of brand-new hardcover editions, this remastered, 6"x9" hardcover presents Scott's first "evil ex" battle as you've never seen it before - in full-color! Plus, previously unpublished extras and bonus materials make this mighty tome one that's required reading for Scottaholics everywhere!
Call Number: YA GN OMAISBN: 9781620100004Publication Date: 2012-08-14
The Walking Dead: Vol.1 Days Gone Bye by
The world we knew is gone. The world of commerce and frivolous necessity has been replaced by a world of survival and responsibility. An epidemic of apocalyptic proportions has swept the globe, causing the dead to rise and feed on the living. In a matter of months society has crumbled: no government, no grocery stores, no mail delivery, no cable TV. In a world ruled by the dead, the survivors are forced to finally start living.
Call Number: YA GN KIRISBN: 9781582406725Publication Date: 2006-09-26
