Graphic Novels for Kids Has (Probably) Not Read Yet

If your elementary school has devoured all the Dog Man and Wimpy Kid books, all from Raina Telgemeier and Jeff Smith's "Bone," give them one of these highlights.The pounding sound? That was another barrier that fell down in the children's publications. For years, graphic novels were not considered 'real' books.

Many parents and educators still cling to this outdated idea. Maybe it's because graphic novels are cousins ​​to that unfairly maligned bugaboo of mid-20th century parents and librarians - comic books. Still, there is definitive research showing that reading books that combine images and text is just as cognitively challenging as reading in text alone. Each child's brain is wired differently, and some children are more 'visual readers', struggling with large chunks of text, but having easier access to information and telling stories through a balance of words and illustrations.

But there is a real problem with graphic novels for kids: there aren't enough of them. That's because the process is cumbersome - it takes a long time to map and ink a 200-page book, then longer to add color - and the hunger for graphic books is strong and growing.

Many avid readers between the ages of 7 and 12 have reviewed the books Captain Underpants, Dog Man and Wimpy Kid all by Raina Telgemeier, Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham's 'Real Friends' and 'Best Friends', the Dork Diaries and the 13-story Treehouse books. . They devoured"Roller GirlVictoria Jamieson" and"El DeafoCece Bell". If they like fantasy, they's classic "Jeff SmithBone've finished Kazu Kibuishi" and the Amulet series, as well as Max Brallier's Last Kids on Earth books.

What's next for these happy children? My picks below are lesser-known gems that deserve more attention - especially now.

'Bug Boys', by Laura Knetzger.

This one is great for readers on the younger side of the ages 7-10, or even younger if they're reading alone. In five colorful short stories, we meet Rhino-B, a daring rhinoceros beetle, and his calmer buddy, Stag-B, a deer beetle. The adventurous and funny Bug Boys find a treasure map, celebrate their Coming-of-Age festival, have a big fight but then make up for it.

They are called upon to make a peace agreement between bees and termites. Sure, they're bugs and they live in a cool buggy world, but they're also a great example of guys who value - and are good at - friendship. This is a standalone book, but I hope it will be a series.

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The Chronicles of Claudette series, by Jorge Aguirre and Rafael Rosado.

These stylish books - there are three so far - become "Giants Pas!", "Monsters Beware!" and "Dragons Pas!" and they are perfect for kids who love broken fairytales. Our heroine is Claudette, a short, spunky, red-haired murderer. Her sidekicks are Marie, an aspiring princess, and Gaston, Claudette's frightened little brother. They set out to escape their own dull world and correct a number of mistakes, including a dragon that bit off Claudette's father's legs. Yes, some of what they do is not for the squeamish, and all the more interesting for certain little readers.

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The Stig & Tilde series, by Max de Radiguès

This Belgian import has a simple story and a sleek style, yet delivers an utterly mysterious fascination, ideal for children on the older side of the 7-12 range. In the first book, "Vanisher's Island", we meet twins Stig and Tilde, who take off in a motor boat.

According to local tradition, when they turn 14, children leave to spend a month - it used to be a full year - with other children on a local island to practice survival skills. But their boat gets caught in a storm and they wash up on an island that appears empty. Or is it? There is a second part, "Leader of the Pack", and a third, "The Loser Squad", which will be released in July 2020.

This Was Our Pact, by Ryan Andrews

This stunning book about friendship, trust, and openness to new possibilities opens up at the Fall Equinox Festival of an unnamed city. Legend has it that the paper lanterns launched into the river that night keep going all the way to the Milky Way, where they become stars.

A boy named Ben makes a pact with his friends to follow the lanterns and discover the truth. A social outcast named Nathaniel joins in - and it soon turns out that he and Ben are the only ones sticking to the pact. Soon the story becomes magical. There is a talking bear, dressed in a coat and scarf, and even more wonder to them.

"Nimona," by Noelle Stevenson

Every villain needs a sidekick. Ballister Blackheart, a former good knight who lost his arm in an accident and went bad, hires the enthusiastic but inexperienced Nimona, a shape-shifting girl who really wants to help. But they have to face Ballister's nemesis, Ambrosius Goldenloin, now with the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics, not to mention his boss, a woman known only as the director.

The twists and turns of this lovely, moody superhero story (anti superhero story?) Will make readers shake their heads to the last page. Obviously, this one is probably best for older or more advanced middle-aged readers.

The Olympians series, by George O'Connor

O'Connor, a self-proclaimed obsessive Greek mythology, has done an amazing job: turning the stories of those adventurous, villainous, feuding, impotent Greek gods into a handy set of beautifully drawn, well-researched graphic novels that drive kids crazy.

And why not? Each sleek, sleek book contains action, drama and a story of the relentless pursuit of lofty ideals and personal destiny. The young readers I know love to read them all to find out what their favorite god is. To date, the series includes Zeus, Athena, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, Aphrodite, Aries, Apollo, Hermes and Hephaistos.

'Compass South' and 'Knife's Edge' by Hope Larson; illustrated by Rebecca Mock

This action-packed duology begins in New York City in 1860. Running out of options after their father's disappearance, twins named Alex and Cleo join a notorious gang and are caught by the police in a robbery. They negotiate and get tickets to New Orleans in exchange for naming the gang. But Alex is soon kidnapped and put to work on a ship bound for San Francisco. Cleo is hiding on another ship and plans to make her own way to San Francisco. Meanwhile: pirates! A pirate gang is on their way. History comes to life in these books.

Tom's Midnight Garden, by Philippa Pearce; graphic adaptation by Edith

This children's literature classic, first published in 1958, is a time-traveling mystery about a boy who, while spending the summer with his aunt and uncle, discovers a grandfather clock that rings 13 hours every night - and returns it to takes time to an old garden, where he meets a lovely girl named Hatty and eventually learns some secrets about his family. The renowned French illustrator Edith has turned a great story into a truly sublime graphic novel with her beautiful, haunting illustrations and judicious translation of text into visual language.

'FakeBlood'by Whitney Gardner

Located in the Pacific Northwest, with many tall, looming trees, this story is a lot of fun. We meet an average sixth grader named AJ, who is desperate for his super cool crush, Nia, to notice him. Nia is obsessed with vampire fiction, so AJ pretends to be a vampire with Halloween fangs and fake blood. But - oh no! Nia is actually a vampire slayer,and AJ will soon be on the run.

Luke Pearson'sBooks

Hilda Hilda is an intrepid little blue-haired heroine who lives in a mysterious, magical world that vaguely appears Northern European, but where trolls, giants and other dangerous creatures hide everywhere. All these beautifully drawn books - 'Hilda and the Troll', 'Hilda and the Midnight Giant', 'Hilda and the Bird Parade', 'Hilda and the Black Dog' and 'Hilda and the Stone Forest' - see Hilda facing a predicament with both brain and heart.

Perhaps her greatest talent is her ability to make the most unlikely of friends. Note that there is a Netflix series based on Hilda, and the publisher has produced a ton of books based on episodes in the series that are illustrated, but are not graphic novels. But you want to get your hands on these original five!

The Sunny books by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm

These amazing, realistic graphic novels are set in the 1970s, when the verb "parenting" was not yet invented and children roamed the streets and had their own fun. Young readers today find that period of freewheeling, when many of their parents were growing up, fascinating! In the first book of this series, "Sunny Side Up," 10-year-old Sunny Lewin travels alone by plane to Florida for an extended stay with her grandfather in his retirement community.

In flashbacks, we learn that her brother, Dale, at home in Pennsylvania, has grown from a loving rule breaker to a teenager with a drug problem. But Sunny has her own growing up to do, and that's the real focus of these delightful books. The difficult topics are treated sensitively and intelligently. Gramps is a hoot, and Sunny is a sweet, brave character whose adventures continue in "Swing It, Sunny" and "Sunny Rolls the Dice."