Tag: #GGN2024

Great Graphic Novels (#GGN2024) Featured Review: Blue Box, Vol. 1, by Kouji Miura

  • Blue Box, vol. 1
  • by Kouji Miura
  • VIZ Media
  • Publication Date: November 1, 2022
  • ISBN-13: 9781974734627

Blue Box, vol. 1 is the first volume in a new series written and drawn by Kouji Miura. Taiki is on the school badminton team, and practices in the school gym at the same time as Chinatsu, an upperclassman. Chinatsu is a star on the girls’ basketball team and very popular. When Taiki first sees her, he instantly falls in love. During their days in the gym, the two get to know each other. Unaware of Taiki’s feelings, Chinatsu offers to help him improve at badminton and qualify for nationals. To complicate matters more, Chinatsu’s parents move away, and Taiki’s mother offers to let her stay at their house for the remainder of the school year. Now Taiki has to face his embarrassment and agony of having his sempai and crush living with him!

Blue Box combines the themes of sports, humor, friendship and romance in a new manga series with big teen appeal. The art fits the mold of realistic high school manga, and readers will jump right into the familiar feel. Supporting characters have their own storylines and are used for more than just comic relief. The anxiety and doubts that both Chinatsu and Taiki face about their sports careers mirror what real life teen athletes often go through. Miura manages to balance both Taiki’s crush on Chinatsu and the importance of their respective disciplines. Much of the story focuses on the bond the two main characters create through their love of sports, and how their friendship helps each other become better at them.

Recommend Blue Box to teens who enjoy sports manga such as Blue Lock by Muneyuki Kaneshiro and Haikyu! by Haruichi Furudate. Teen readers who like sports combined with romance should also read the Wandance series by Coffee and Cheeky Brat by Miyuki Mitsubachi.

–Jacqueline Bush

Other Nominated Titles

Release Date: March 14, 2023
Release Date: July 18, 2023
Release Date: August 8, 2023
Release Date: August 29, 2023

The Selected Lists teams read throughout the year in search of the best titles published in their respective categories. Once a book is suggested (either internally or through the title suggestion form), it must pass through a review process to be designated an official nomination.

Each week, the teams feature a review of one of the officially nominated titles. Additional titles to receive this designation are listed as well. At year’s end, the team will curate a final list from all nominated titles and select a Top Ten.

Great Graphic Novels (#GGN2024) Featured Review: Season of the Bruja by Aaron Durán and Sara Soler

  • Season of the Bruja, vol. 1
  • by Aaron Durán and Sara Soler
  • Publisher: Oni Press
  • Publication Date: January 24, 2023
  • ISBN-13: ‎978-1549308161

Raised by her grandmother and paranormal family friends, Althalia is one of the last brujas and is being taught to control her magic and maintain her culture. Her life drastically shifts when it turns out that the church who has persecuted her people for centuries now knows of her and her grandmother. Althalia must go through the trials of learning to control her power as her grandmother wishes, while uncovering family secrets and a vast array of emotions in the process.

Season of the Bruja, vol. 1 is a fast-paced and action-packed graphic story with a center of family, friendship, and culture. It has exorcisms, Chupacabra’s, and were-coyotes–oh my! But the magic enhances the storytelling without overwhelming it, and character emotions still shine through.

Those who are interested in the magic and paranormal combined with everyday life should read Kelly Thompson’s Sabrina The Teenage Witch comics. For those who want more of the action, look for the new comic adaptation of Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Jordie Bellaire and Dan Mora. For teens who want more Latine representation in witchcraft, pick up Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas or the Brooklyn Brujas series by Zoraida Córdova.

—Cheyenne Sons

Other Nominated Titles

Release Date: February 14, 2023
Release Date: March 14, 2023
Release Date: May 2, 2023
Release Date: June 27, 2023

The Selected Lists teams read throughout the year in search of the best titles published in their respective categories. Once a book is suggested (either internally or through the title suggestion form), it must pass through a review process to be designated an official nomination.

Each week, the teams feature a review of one of the officially nominated titles. Additional titles to receive this designation are listed as well. At year’s end, the team will curate a final list from all nominated titles and select a Top Ten.

Great Graphic Novels (#GGN2024) Featured Review: Pardalita by Joana Estrala

  • Pardalita
  • by Joana Estrela
  • Publisher: Levine Querido
  • Publication Date: April 19, 2023
  • ISBN-13: 978-1646142569

Being 16 is never easy, but it feels more complicated for Raquel than it should be. Her parents’ divorce is wreaking havoc because everyone in this small town in Portugal seems to know about her father’s new marriage, and her mother seems to only have time to find herself, not to help Raquel cope with her changing circumstances. Even though she has her best friends, Luisa and Fred, and Miquel, her boyfriend, Raquel feels like an irregular verb that doesn’t quite fit everything around her. Raquel’s growing fascination with senior Pardalita exacerbates the feeling of otherness. Their friendship grows as they work together on a local theater production, and Raquel begins to realize what her feelings really mean.

Pardalita is a stylistically complex and engaging read for fans of character-driven coming-of-age stories, employing a mix of prose, verse, and graphic panels that makes the whole book feel ethereal. The dynamic black-and-white illustrations complement and enhance the story moving from concrete to abstract, much like Raquel’s thoughts, and grow from white-space dominant to page-filling spreads reflecting Raquel and Pardalita’s developing relationship.

Recommend Pardalita to readers who enjoy queer awakening stories such as Girl from the Sea by Molly Ostertag and Heartstopper by Alice Oseman. For other authentic LGBTQIA+ relationship stories, hand readers Only on the Weekends by Dean Atta and The Ghosts We Keep by Mason Deaver.

—Patricia Jimenez

Other Nominated Titles

Release Date: November 29, 2023
Release Date: January 21, 2023
Release Date: February 7, 2023
Release Date: February 21, 2023

The Selected Lists teams read throughout the year in search of the best titles published in their respective categories. Once a book is suggested (either internally or through the title suggestion form), it must pass through a review process to be designated an official nomination.

Each week, the teams feature a review of one of the officially nominated titles. Additional titles to receive this designation are listed as well. At year’s end, the team will curate a final list from all nominated titles and select a Top Ten.

Great Graphic Novels (#GGN2024) Featured Review: Space Trash by Jenn Woodall

  • Space Trash, vol. 1
  • by Jenn Woodall
  • Publisher: Oni Press
  • Publication Date: September 20, 2022
  • ISBN-13: 9781637150405

Circa 2115: Earth has been forcibly evacuated, and a reform school for wayward female-assigned humans is isolated on the moon. Students are educated and monitored by corporate robots with support from the stoolies of the student council, and they’re expected to dedicate their lives to Planet X. Co. Enter protagonists Stab, Yuki, and Una—friends who’ll tough it out through any amount of struggle even if they can’t agree on a good gang name. When that struggle takes the shape of a rival gang raiding their lockers (snack-theft! Precious Yuri manga-napping!), the ensuing confrontation leaves them with more questions than answers about what they have to accept and what they might be able to change.

Volume one of Space Trash offers a large amount of humor for such a vividly-depicted grim reality. The graffiti on every wall tells a story about the students’ discontent with a world that has clearly thrown them away, while the Earth memorabilia on the dorm walls anchors the friends in affinity with rebellions of eras past, and the Planet X Co. propaganda in the midst of it all gives things an especially creepy kick. Woodall’s use of saturated color schemes brings the feelings of these teens to the forefront, making it easy to stay with and root for these friends as they push all the limits.

Please hand this book to fans of dystopia, rock music, and general rebellion. It reads like Bitch Planet for a younger audience, and will appeal to readers who enjoyed the School for Extraterrestrial Girls, The Memory Librarian, and Paper Girls. Fans of sweet, queer-centered ruckus are also sure to enjoy it!

-M’issa Fleming

Other Nominated Titles

Release Date: November 8, 2022
Release Date: February 14, 2023
Release Date: March 14, 2023
Release Date: March 16, 2023

The Selected Lists teams read throughout the year in search of the best titles published in their respective categories. Once a book is suggested (either internally or through the title suggestion form), it must pass through a review process to be designated an official nomination.

Each week, the teams feature a review of one of the officially nominated titles. Additional titles to receive this designation are listed as well. At year’s end, the team will curate a final list from all nominated titles and select a Top Ten.

Great Graphic Novels (#GGN2024) Nominees Round Up, Summer Edition

Due to the large number of nominees, not all titles are shown here. See the full list below.

Each quarter, the Selected Lists teams compile the officially nominated titles to date. These titles have been suggested by the team or through the title suggestion form, read by multiple team members, and received approval to be designated an official nomination. At the end of the year, each team will choose the final list of nominations and determine the Selected List’s Top Ten from these titles. Since we skipped our March Quarterly Round-Up, this post catches you up on all titles officially nominated since the committee began its work in January 2023. For brevity, we have not included official nominations of subsequent volumes in ongoing series in this round-up, only first volumes and standalone titles. 

–Kelley Blue, GGN Coordinator

83 Days in Mariupol: A War Diary. By Don Brown. Art by the author. 2023. 128p. Clarion Books, hardcover, $22.99 (9780063311565). Gr. 10-12. 947.7086.

This journalistic nonfiction graphic novel focuses on the siege of Mariupol and the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine.

A Blanket of Butterflies: The Spirit of Denendeh, vol. 1. By Richard Van Camp. Art by Scott B. Henderson, Donovan Yaciuk and Nickolej Villiger. 2022. 56p. Highwater Press, paper, $21.95 (9781774920404). Gr. 10-12. 741.5971.

A former Yakuza’s search for lost family armor leads him to a Dene community where the armor has ended up mysteriously.

A First Time for Everything. By Dan Santat. Art by the author. 2023. 230p. First Second, paper, $14.99 (9781250851048). Gr. 4-6. B.

The summer before his first year in high school, Dan Santat spent a summer abroad, traveling Europe with his classmates and stepping outside his comfort zone.

Belle of the Ball. By Mari Costa. Art by the author. 2023. 320p. First Second, paper, $17.99 (9781250784124). Gr. 10-12. 741.5973.

Feelings get complicated between mascot Belle, cheerleader Regina, and all-star athlete Chloe in this refreshing take on the high school love triangle.

Blue Box, vol. 1. By Kouji Miura. Art by the author. 2022. 192p. VIZ Media, paper, $9.99 (9781974734627). Gr. 7-9. 741.5952.

In this light sports-romance manga, badminton player Taiki admires basketball star Chinatsu, who inspires him to become a better athlete.

Call the Name of the Night, vol. 1. By Tama Mitsuboshi. Art by the author. 2023. 194p. Yen Press, paper, $13.00 (9781975352004). General Adult. 741.5952.

Is Mira gifted or cursed? With the help of a new mentor and some shadowy spirits, Mira may learn to feel good about her strange powers.

Charisma’s Turn. By Monique Couvson. Art by Amanda Jones. 2023. 128p. The New Press, hardcover, $19.99 (9781620974018). Gr. 7-9. 741.5973.

After repeat suspensions for fighting, Charisma is given an alternative way to work out her issues at school: lead the social justice club.

DC vs. Vampires, vol. 1. By James Tynion IV and Matthew Rosenberg. Art by Otto Schmidt. 2022. 160p. DC Comics, hardcover, $24.99 (9781779516794). 741.5973.

A master vampire is turning heroes and villains alike into vampires. The Justice League is compromised. Can Batman save the day?

D&D Dungeon Club, vol. 1: Roll Call. By Molly Knox Ostertag. Art by Xanthe Bouma. 2022. 208p. HarperAlley, hardcover, $19.99 (9780063039247). Gr. 4-6. 741.5973.

Jess and Olivia have a long-running, two-person D&D campaign. When Olivia wants to bring in new players, Jess worries about their friendship.

Dinosaur Sanctuary, vol. 1. By Itaru Kinoshita and Shin-ichi Fujiwara. Art by Itaru Kinoshita. 2022. 194p. Seven Seas Entertainment, paper, $13.99 (9781685793241). Gr. 7-9. 741.5952.

A dinosaur sanctuary in Japan faces financial ruin, but the staff is determined not to close. Yes, the dinosaurs are real!

Doughnuts and Doom. By Balazs Lorinczi. Art by the author. 2022. 136p. Top Shelf Productions, paper, $14.99 (9781603095136). Gr. 7-9. 741.5941.

Magical Margot heads to a local doughnut shop after failing an exam, then accidentally wrecks the shop and curses Elena, who works there. Oops!

DPS Only! By Velinxi. Art by the author. 2022. 432p. Andrew McMeel Publishing, paper, $18.99 (9781524876494). Gr. 7-9. 741.5973.

Vicky’s brother is a big-shot esports player, and he has no idea that she’s been secretly playing (and winning) the same game behind his back.

Embrace Your Size: My Own Body Positivity. By hara. Art by the author. 2022. 160p. Yen Press, paper, $17.00 (9781975347291). General Adult. 306.4.

This nonfiction manga contains vignettes about the creator’s personal experiences with body image and how body positivity does/does not exist in society.

Family Style: Memories of an American from Vietnam. By Thien Pham. Art by the author. 2023. 240p. First Second, paper, $17.99 (9781250809728). Gr. 10-12. 302.

Distinct food memories link the milestones in Thien’s life, from fleeing Vietnam, living in a refugee camp, and coming of age after arriving in America.

Firebird. By Sunmi. Art by the author. 2023. 320p. HarperAlley, paper, $18.99 (9780062981516). Gr. 7-9. 741.5973.

Sophomore Caroline begins tutoring senior Kimberly, and the two strike up an increasingly close relationship while navigating family issues, queer identities, and potential romance.

Freestyle. By Gale Galligan. Art by the author. 2022. 240p. Graphix, paper, $12.99 (9781338045802). Gr. 4-6. 741.5973.

Cory navigates the challenges of 8th grade with members of his dance crew and newfound friend, Sunna, with plenty of moves and yo-yo tricks.

Hollow. By Shannon Watters and Branden Boyer-White. Art by Berenice Nelle. 2022. 176p. Boom Box, paper, $19.99 (9781684158522). Gr. 9-12. 741.5973.

In this standalone retelling, Izzy Crane moves to the town of Sleepy Hollow where “the legend” and the legacy are  all too real.

Hoops. By Matt Tavares. Art by the author. 2023. 215p. Candlewick Press, paper, $12.99 (9781536231953). Gr. 4-6. 741.5973.

Inspired by real players and events, Hoops tells the story of a trailblazing women’s high school basketball team at the dawn of Title IX.

Hungry Ghost. By Victoria Ying. Art by the author. 2023. 198p. First Second, paper, $17.99 (9781250767004). Gr. 10-12. 741.5973.

A significant life event forces high school senior Valerie to realize that her relationships with food, her body, and her mother are toxic and causing her harm.

In Limbo: A Graphic Memoir. By Deb JJ Lee. Art by the author. 2023. 339p. First Second, paper, $17.99 (9781250252661). Gr. 10-12. B.

This graphic memoir explores some of the author’s most poignant and painful memories of growing up as a Korean-American and perpetually feeling ‘in limbo’ with friends, family, and community.

Insomniacs After School, vol. 1. By Makoto Ojiro. Art by the author. 2023. 178p. VIZ Media, paper, $12.99 (9781974736577). General Adult. 741.5952.

Sleepless high school student Ganta Nakami begins napping in his school’s astronomy observatory with a classmate (and fellow insomniac), Isaki Magari.

It Won’t Always Be Like This: A Graphic Memoir. By Malaka Gharib. Art by the author. 2022. 224p. Ten Speed Press, paper, $19.99 (9781984860293). General Adult. B.

Malaka’s parents divorced, and she now spends summers with her dad in Egypt, where she struggles to understand where she fits within family and culture.

Kwändür. By Cole Pauls. Art by the author. 2022. 140p. Conundrum Press, paper, $25.00 (9781772620771). General Adult. 741.5973.

This collection of shorter comics and zines touches on the artist’s family, culture, and experiences living in Haines Junction, Yukon.

Match Point. By Maddie Gallegos. Art by the author. 2023. 256p. First Second, paper, $14.99 (9781250784148). Gr. 4-6. 741.5973.

Rosie Vo hates racquetball, but her dad, a former champion, wants her to play. Can a new teammate turn things around for Rosie?

Maybe an Artist: A Graphic Memoir. By Elizabeth Montague. Art by the author. 2022. 176p. Random House Studio, paper, $17.99 (9780593307823). Gr. 7-9. B.

This graphic memoir follows artist Liz Montague’s life from childhood to the start of her professional career as a Black female cartoonist.

Mermaid Scales and the Town of Sand. By Yoko Komori. Art by the author. 2023. 408p. VIZ Media, paper, $19.99 (9781974734658). General Adult. 741.5952.

Tokiko and her father move from Tokyo to a small seaside town with a strange mystery. Can Tokiko and her new friend Yoskue discover the truth?

Miss Miyazan Would Love to Get Closer to You, vol. 1. By Akitaka. Art by the author. 2022. 146p. Kodansha, paper, $12.95 (9781647291419). General Adult. 741.5952.

Transfer students Miyazen and Matsubayashi are from different worlds but are drawn to each other at their new school. Shyness makes getting closer a lengthy process.

Monkey Meat. By Juni Ba. Art by the author. 2022. 160p. Image Comics, paper, $16.99 (9781534323230). General Adult. 741.5973.

Welcome to a wacky world where the Monkey Meat corporation rules, and their products might give you supernatural powers!

Muhammad Najem, War Reporter: How One Boy Put the Spotlight on Syria. By Muhammad Najem and Nora Neus. Art by Julie Robine. 2022. 320p. Little, Brown Ink, paper, $12.99 (9780759556904). Gr. 4-6. 956.9104.

After losing nearly everything to war, teenager Muhammad gathers the stories of Syrian children and makes a global impact with his reporting.

My Life Among Humans. By Jed McGowan. Art by the author. 2023. 96p. Oni Press, hardcover, $19.99 (9781637151990). General Adult. 741.5973.

An alien is forced to collect data on an Earth family secretly, but observing humans leads him down a path of discovery and revelation.

Numb to This: Memoir of a Mass Shooting. By Kindra Neely. Art by the author. 2022. 304p. Little, Brown & Co., paper, $17.99 (9780316462099). Gr. 7-9. 362.88/B.

The author recounts a mass shooting at her college and explores what it is like to be a survivor in an age epidemic of gun violence.

Pardalita. By Joana Estrela. Art by the author. 2023. 224p. Levine Querido, paper, $16.99 (9781646142569). Gr. 7-9. 741.5946.

A coming-of-age story told in poems and panels about 16-year-old Raquel and her developing relationship with alluring drama student Pardalita.

Saving Sunshine. By Saadia Faruqi. Art by Shazleen Khan. 2023. 224p. First Second, paper, $14.99 (9781250793812). Gr. 4-6. 741.5973.

On a family trip to Key West, bickering twins Zara and Zeeshan have their phones confiscated to help them learn to get along.

Sea Serpent’s Heir, bk. 1: Pirates Daughter. By Mairghread Scott. Art by Pablo Tunica. 2022. 160p. Image Comics, paper, $14.99 (9781534321298). Gr. 7-9. 741.5973.

Aessa’s mom keeps a BIG secret from her: Aessa is the reincarnation of the demonic sea serpent Xir, destined to destroy the world.

Show-ha Shoten!, vol. 1. By Akinari Asakura. Art by Takeshi Obata. 2023. 192p. VIZ Media, paper, $9.99 (9781974736829). General Adult. 741.5952.

Introvert Azemichi Shijima and extrovert Taiyo Higashikata share a love of comedy. Can they make it as a standup duo?

Space Trash, vol. 1. By Jenn Woodall. Art by the author. 2022. 96p. Oni Press, hardcover, $21.99 (9781637150405). Gr. 10-12. 741.5973.

Sent to a reformatory high school on the moon, Stab, Yuki, and Una want nothing more than to find a way back to Earth.

Sunshine: How One Camp Taught Me About Life, Death, and Hope. By Jarrett J. Krosoczka. Art by the author. 2023. 240p. Graphix, paper, $14.99 (9781338356311). Gr. 7-9. 302.

In this graphic memoir, Krosoczka recounts his experiences as a teen counselor at Camp Sunshine, a camp for seriously ill children and their families.

Talli, Daughter of the Moon, vol. 1. By Sourya. Art by the author. 2022. 168p. Oni Press, paper, $19.99 (9781637150825). Gr. 7-9. 741.5952.

Talli discovers she is a summoner, a descendent of the moon goddess, forced to live on the run with a ragtag group of allies.

The Infinity Particle. By Wendy Xu. Art by the author. 2023. 272p. Quill Tree Books, paper, $18.99 (9780062955760). Gr. 7-9. 741.5973.
From the co-creator of Mooncakes: Young scientist Clementine Change moves to Mars and begins a blossoming romance with a humanoid AI named Kye.

The Keeper. By Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes. Art by Marco Finnegan. 176p. Abrams Comic Arts, hardcover, $24.99 (9781419751554). General Adult. 741.5973.

Aisha’s grandmother promised she would never end up in the foster system. Even when she dies, someone (or something) keeps  her promise to Aisha.

The Keeper: Soccer, Me, and the Law That Changed Women’s Lives. By Kelcey Ervick. Art by the author. 2022. 336p. Avery Publishing Group, paper, $27.00 (9780593539187). General Adult. B.

One athlete’s personal history with Title IX is interspersed with factual details about the fight for equality in women’s sports and the history of women’s soccer.

The Librarian of Auschwitz: The Graphic Novel. By Antonio Iturbe and Salva Rubio. Art by Loreto Aroca. 2023. 144p. Laura Godwin Books, paper, $14.99 (9781250842985). Gr. 10-12. 741.5946.

This graphic adaptation of the YA novel is based on the life of Dita Kraus, who was entrusted with keeping forbidden books safe in Auschwitz.

The Moth Keeper. By K. O’Neill. Art by the author. 2023. 272p. Random House Graphic, paper, $13.99 (9780593182260). Gr. 4-6. 741.5973.

Anya becomes the apprentice Moth Keeper for her nocturnal village, but the job is more difficult than she imagined.

The Tryout: A Graphic Novel. By Christina Soontornvat. Art by Joanna Cacao. 2022. 272p. Graphix, paper, $12.99 (9781338741261). Gr. 4-6. B.

In this graphic memoir, Christina recounts the experience of trying out for cheerleading as the only Asian-American in her Texas middle school.

The Witch’s Throne, vol. 1. By Cedric Caballes. Art by the author. 2022. 320p. Andrews McMeel Publishing, paper, $15.99 (9781524876500). Gr. 7-9. 741.5973.

Inspired by the heroic stories of her childhood, young alchemist Agni ventures out to become a Throne Seeker, picking up three companions haphazardly along the way.

The Witches of Silverlake, vol. 1. By Simon Curtis. Art by Stephanie Son. 2023. 200p. Legendary Comics, paper, $19.99 (9781681160849). Gr. 7-9. 741.5973.

After a tumultuous year, Elliot enrolls at a new private school where he befriends a group of misfits but soon discovers they are witches.

The World After the Fall, vol. 1. By S-Cynan. Art by Undead Gamja. 2022. 280p. Ize Press, paper, $20.00 (9798400900044). Gr. 7-9. 741.5951.

Jaewhan is the last of the Tower Walkers, an elite group of ‘chosen ones’ selected to climb the levels of dystopian towers filled with monsters.

Tower of God, vol. 1. By S.I.U. Art by the author. 2022. 288p. Webtoon Unscrolled, paper, $18.99 (9781990259906). Gr. 7-9. 741.5951.

Welcome to the Tower. Everyone’s dream is to ascend it. Hundreds will try; few, if any, will rise to its challenges.

Twelfth Grade Night: Arden High, bk. 1. By Molly Horton Booth and Stephanie Kate Strohm. Art by Jamie Green. 2022. 160p. Disney-Hyperion, paper, $14.99 (9781368064651). Gr. 7-9. 741.5973.

Twins Vi and Sebastian start a new year at different schools. Soon Vi is swept up in some Shakespearean-level romantic drama. Literally!

Unfamiliar, vol. 1. By Haley Newsome. Art by the author. 2022. 160p. Andrews McMeel Publishing, paper, $15.99 (9781524876838). Gr. 10-12. 741.5973.

A culinary witch named Planchette gathers help from new friends and familiars to exercise the many ghosts living in her new home.

Victory. Stand! Raising My Fist for Justice. By Tommie Smith and Derrick Barnes. Art by Dawud Anyabwile. 2022. 208p. Norton Young Readers, paper, $17.95 (9781324052159). Gr. 7-9. B.

Track-and-field gold medalist and civil rights icon Tommie Smith recounts his life leading up to his participation in the 1968 Summer Olympics in this riveting and relevant graphic memoir.

Villains Are Destined to Die, vol. 1. By Gwon Gyeoeul. Art by Suol. 2022. 256p. Ize Press, paper, $20.00 (9798400900006). General Adult. 741.5952.

Ever fall asleep grinding too many hours on a new RPG? Careful! You may wake up inside the game.On hard mode. As the villain.

We Survived the Holocaust: The Bluma and Felix Goldberg Story. By Frank W. Baker. Art by Tim Ogline. 156p. Imagine and Wonder, paper, $19.99 (9781637610206). Gr. 7-9. 900/B.

This graphic biography follows the lives of Bluma and Felix Goldberg from childhood, life inside German concentration camps, and their years together after the war.

Great Graphic Novels (#GGN2024) Featured Review: A First Time for Everything by Dan Santat

  • A First Time for Everything
  • by Dan Santat
  • Publisher: First Second/Roaring Brook Press
  • Publication Date: February 28, 2023
  • ISBN-13: 9781626724150

A First Time for Everything is the laugh-out-loud funny memoir about the middle school field trip to Europe that changed author Dan Santat’s life. Dan was an awkward kid throughout middle school; he was picked on, he didn’t have many friends, and he was not looking forward to the school trip that his parents insisted he embark on. Once he got there, though, he experienced a series of firsts that taught him that maybe he didn’t need to change who he was – maybe he just needed to let go and live a little.

A First Time for Everything has the engaging and emotive drawing style that is Dan Santat’s standard; the facial expressions alone are so relatable and familiar to anyone who is or has been a teenager. The scenery of Europe is evocative and helps to set the tone of a completely overwhelming and life-altering experience. This book is full of personal growth without being heavy-handed, the antics are genuinely hilarious, and the relationship-building is sweet without a drop of saccharine.

Hand this to any young teen who is looking for more stories about kids who feel invisible and unpopular, like fans of Invisible Emmie by Terri Libenson. Readers who loved the independent and slightly reckless vibe of All Summer Long by Hope Larsen will also enjoy this book. Finally, this title will also be an easy what-to-read-next pick for fans of Jerry Craft’s School Trip (2023) who are looking for more stories about kids of color going abroad and learning to let go of their expectations.

—Lee Stokes

Other Nominated Titles

Release Date: March 14, 2023
Release Date: March 21, 2023
Release Date: August 29, 2023
Release Date: September 5, 2023

The Selected Lists teams read throughout the year in search of the best titles published in their respective categories. Once a book is suggested (either internally or through the title suggestion form), it must pass through a review process to be designated an official nomination.

Each week, the teams feature a review of one of the officially nominated titles. Additional titles to receive this designation are listed as well. At year’s end, the team will curate a final list from all nominated titles and select a Top Ten.

Great Graphic Novels (#GGN2024) Featured Review: Unfamiliar, Vol. 1 by Haley Newsome

  • Unfamiliar, Vol. 1
  • by Haley Newsome
  • Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
  • Publication Date: December 6, 2022
  • ISBN-13: 9781524876838

Unfamiliar by Haley Newsome, based on her webcomic of the same title, follows plucky kitchen witch Planchette as she and her rabbit familiar, Winston, move to a witchy town in search of like-minded friends. Unfortunately, her new abode has raised the wrong kind of spirits–ghosts to be exact. Using her predicament as an opportunity to meet new friends, Planchette pulls together an unlikely group of witches and familiars to solve her problem. 

Newsome’s cute, expressive illustrations present characters that all feel unique and likable in a warm, dusky color palette. Upbeat, fast-paced storytelling packed with easy humor, feel-good vibes, and a sprinkle of queer romance make difficult subjects like loneliness, death, and anxiety go down easy. Magic is largely non-violent and used as a fun support, like an umbrella that functions as a personal rain cloud for a character who is feeling extra sad and wants everyone else to know it. 

This comic’s group of underdogs will appeal to teens who enjoy witchy stories of friendship like the Witch Hat Atelier series by Kamome Shirahama or the Netflix series Little Witch Academia. The easy yet quirky comedy is also a good fit for fans of Cartoon Network’s Steven Universe and the Bee and PuppyCat comics and animated series.

—Adam Wheeler

Other Nominated Titles

Release Date: September 27, 2022
Release Date: February 21, 2023
Release Date: March 14, 2023
Release Date: April 11, 2023

The Selected Lists teams read throughout the year in search of the best titles published in their respective categories. Once a book is suggested (either internally or through the title suggestion form), it must pass through a review process to be designated an official nomination.

Each week, the teams feature a review of one of the officially nominated titles. Additional titles to receive this designation are listed as well. At year’s end, the team will curate a final list from all nominated titles and select a Top Ten.

Great Graphic Novels (#GGN2024) Featured Review: Embrace You Size: My Own Body Positvity by hara

  • Embrace Your Size: My Own Body Positivity
  • by hara
  • Publisher: Yen Press
  • Publication Date: November 22, 2022
  • ISBN-13: 9781975347307

Embrace Your Size follows author, hara’s, journey of self-acceptance as she learns more about the body positivity movement. These graphic essays cover a wide range of subjects, all linked to hara’s attempts to build a positive relationship with her body. Topics include: recovery from an eating disorder, a growing interest in fashion, movie reviews, and interviews with other members of the body positivity community. 

The art style is charming, and Hara’s positive depiction of bodies of all sizes is a refreshing change of pace from the traditionally limited range of manga body types. Very little is prescriptive here, with the emphasis on the uniqueness of each person’s version of body positivity giving the book an inclusive and welcoming feel. Difficult topics such as hara’s eating disorder and body image issues are raised, but the tone remains lighthearted and upbeat throughout. 

Readers who enjoy the fictional adventures of plus-sized characters in novels like Amy Spalding’s The Summer of Jordy Perez or Lyla Lee’s I’ll Be the One will find similar discussions of fashion and beauty standards here. Embrace Your Size will also appeal to readers looking for adorably illustrated fat characters, similar to Grace Ellis and Shae Beagle’s Moonstruck. Fans of other autobiographical manga like The Bride Was a Boy or My Lesbian Experience With Loneliness may also be interested in Hara’s emotional journey and commentary on social expectations. 

—Meg Bowie

Other Nominated Titles

Release Date: October 18, 2022
Release Date: October 25, 2022
Release Date: November 11, 2022
Release Date: May 16, 2023

The Selected Lists teams read throughout the year in search of the best titles published in their respective categories. Once a book is suggested (either internally or through the title suggestion form), it must pass through a review process to be designated an official nomination.

Each week, the teams feature a review of one of the officially nominated titles. Additional titles to receive this designation are listed as well. At year’s end, the team will curate a final list from all nominated titles and select a Top Ten.

Great Graphic Novels (#GGN2024) Featured Review: Tower of God, Vol. 1, by SIU

  • Tower of God, Vol. 1
  • by SIU
  • Publisher: Webtoon Unscrolled
  • Publication Date: November 2, 2022
  • ISBN-13: 9781990259906

Welcome to the Tower. Everyone’s dream is to ascend to the top. Hundreds will try; few, if any, will rise. So what are the chances for an average kid like Twenty-Fifth Bam? In volume one, Bam is taught the rules of the Tower by its rabbit-like guardian, Headon: each level is its own world, with new rules, characters, challenges, and bosses. Bam will be tested in every imaginable sense, competing with friends and enemies he meets along the way on his quest to find his lost friend, Rachel, who entered the Tower before him. How will he find her, and how will he survive?

Tower of God has been bound into print volumes for the first time after years of popularity on Webtoon. While the transition from web to print stumbles a bit in this first volume, readers will hardly notice once they are swept up in the mysterious worldbuilding and crisp, visually-rich artwork typical of South Korean manhwa. While there is violence and nail-biting suspense, the author wisely gives readers moments of levity through backstory, relationship building, and a little humor.

Hand this first volume of Tower of God to teens who love Solo Leveling by Chungong. Fans of dark science fiction survival stories like The Hunger Games and Netflix’s Squid Game will also be hooked on this series. Gamers will find familiarity in the Tower’s levels and world bosses, and be eager to discover which skills (and secrets) Bam will need to survive each new challenge.

-Kelly Blue

Other Nominated Titles

Release Date: September 1, 2022
Release Date: October 11, 2022
Release Date: September 27, 2022
Release Date: October 25, 2022

The Selected Lists teams read throughout the year in search of the best titles published in their respective categories. Once a book is suggested (either internally or through the title suggestion form), it must pass through a review process to be designated an official nomination.

Each week, the teams feature a review of one of the officially nominated titles. Additional titles to receive this designation are listed as well. At year’s end, the team will curate a final list from all nominated titles and select a Top Ten.

Great Graphic Novels (#GGN2024) Featured Review: Hollow by Watters, Boyer-White, & Nelle

  • Hollow
  • by Shannon Watters, Branden Boyer-White, and Berenice Nelle (Illustrator)
  • Publisher: Boom Box!
  • Publication Date: October 4, 2022
  • ISBN-13: 9781684158522

Izzy Crane is the new kid in the titular town of Sleepy Hollow. There is no relation between her and Ichabod Crane of the famous tale, but there is a relation between Vicky Van Tassel and the female character of that story. Izzy soon discovers that this town takes the legend very seriously, that she’s moved here just in time for all the annual festivities, and that the Headless Horseman is making another appearance! But has he been misunderstood all this time? Is he there to protect Vicky or harm her? And why does Izzy feel like her new friendship with Vicky could be more than she thought? The clock is ticking and Halloween is right around the corner! Will Izzy and her new friends be able to solve the mystery and keep Vicky safe?

Hollow is a fun and spooky story that plays on an older legend, but knowledge of it is not necessary to enjoy this title. The artwork is enjoyable to look at and the coloring of the fall landscape is vibrant without stealing the show. The characters are well-defined and multi-faceted as well as being likable and funny. There is great diversity in the characters’ backgrounds as well as queer representation that is part of the story but not the basis for it.

Hollow will appeal to readers who enjoy not-too-spooky stories, beginning relationships and friendships, being a new kid in school when everyone knows everyone else, and even stories set in the fall. Hand this to readers who are fans of Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker and Wendy Xu, Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks, and The Girl from the Sea by Molly Knox Ostertag.

-Mariela Siegert

Other Nominated Titles

Release Date: September 6, 2022
Release Date: September 27, 2022
Release Date: September 20, 2022
Release Date: October 18, 2022

The Selected Lists teams read throughout the year in search of the best titles published in their respective categories. Once a book is suggested (either internally or through the title suggestion form), it must pass through a review process to be designated an official nomination.

Each week, the teams feature a review of one of the officially nominated titles. Additional titles to receive this designation are listed as well. At year’s end, the team will curate a final list from all nominated titles and select a Top Ten.