Great Graphic Novels For Teens Top Ten 2012 (Part 1 of 3)

Did you know Great Graphic Novels for Teens has only been around since 2007? It is such an indispensable tool for so many readers, librarians and selectors that I somehow wonder how we functioned without it until so recently.  While I love the annual GGNFT list, I really look forward to the Top 10 every year and immediately read every one because 1) they are always outstanding, and 2) I end up reading things I never would have found or picked up on my own.  As expected, the 2012 GGNFT Top Ten list follows that trend with titles that explore everything from media and politics to kung-fu to the inner workings of a five-year-old’s brain. These ten books were selected to represent the best of the best graphic novels for this year because of their captivating stories and seamless visual storytelling.  Some of them push the boundaries artistically or conceptually while others offered a fresh new take on the classic format.  All of them showed a mastery of combining images and text to bring readers something they haven’t seen before.  Today’s post will feature three of the GGNFT Top 10 for 2012.

Based on the very real events in Iran following the 2009 elections, Zahra’s Paradise is a timely and haunting story about the family of a young man named Mehdi who goes missing during a political protest.  The reader follows the frantic search for him by his mother and brother. Authors Amir and Khalil show the complexity of a country that is as undeniably modern as it is steeped in religious tradition. Comparisons to Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis are inevitable, but they aren’t without merit. A must read for older teens and adults interested in learning more about the politics of the Middle East.

Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev’s Scarlet takes a slightly different look at politics. The main character is forever changed when she witnesses the murder of her boyfriend by a crooked cop. Unable to forget the crime, she seeks closure through revenge. The recent Occupy Wall Street movement and TIME Magazine‘s declaration that the 2011 Person of the Year was not any one individual but protestors around the world make this title particularly relevant to those curious about justice and social change. It’s a bloody one suited for older teens and adults, but Maleev’s artwork is gorgeous and the story is captivating.

Making the GGNFT Top Ten list is an achievement for any author, but Anya’s Ghost is author Vera Brosgol’s first graphic novel and I really hope this is an indication of what’s to come next! This engaging book tells the story of a Russian immigrant desperate to fit in to her American high school. When she meets a ghost who promises to help her, things start looking up for Anya until she beings to suspect the ghost isn’t being entirely honest. The artwork in this one is deceptively simple and the dark palette of purples, grey and black help set the slightly sinister tone. Give this one to girls who think they don’t like graphic novels.

Check back for the next installment of GGNFT Top Ten 2012, coming soon! Until then, start reading your Great Graphic Novels.

– Summer Hayes, currently reading Froi of the Exiles, The Lumatere Chronicles Book 2 by Melina Marchetta and getting ready to start her second year on Great Graphic Novels for Teens