Graphic novels are more than just pictures; they tell illustrative stories that appeal to reluctant readers and often support social emotional growth through relatable narratives and diverse characters. By offering students the option of selecting graphic novels for independent reading, you are helping them foster a love of reading! 

Take a look at this list of great graphic novels to add to your classroom library, and check out the external resources below that explore ways to incorporate graphic novels into your instruction. 

Interested in graphic novels for social-emotional learning? Check out this webinar hosted by School Outreach at the New York Public Library on Thursday, May 20th from 2:30PM to 3:30PM.

Elementary

• Cardboard Kingdom by Chad Sell

• CatStronauts (series) by Drew Brockington

• El Deafo by Cece Bell

• Guts by Raina Telgemeier

• Hilda and the Troll (series) by Luke Pearson

• Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea! (series) by Ben Clanton

• Sanity & Tallulah (series) by Molly Brooks

• Stargazing by Jen Wang

Middle Grade

• Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol

• Coraline by Neil Gaiman, adapted and illustrated by P. Craig Russell

• The Crossover: The Graphic Novel by Kwame Alexander and illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile

• Go With the Flow by Karen Schneemann and Lily Williams

• New Kid by Jerry Craft

• Pashmina by Nidhi Chanani

• Pie in the Sky by Remi Lai

• The Witch Boy (series) by Molly Ostertag

High School

• Boxers and Saints by Gene Luen Yang

• Check, Please! (series) by by Ngozi Ukazu

• Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me by Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O’Connell

• March (series) by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell

• Nimona by Noelle Stevenson

• Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

• Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and illustrated by Faith Erin Hicks

• They Called Us Enemy by George Takei, Justin Eisinger, and Steven Scott and illustrated by Harmony Becker

Teaching Resources

• “A Guide to Using Graphic Novels with Children and Teens” by Scholastic

• “From Superheroes to Syrian Refugees: Teaching Comics and Graphic Novels With Resources From The New York Times” by Katherine Schulten and Michael Gonchar

• “Graphic Novels Belong in Your English Class. Here’s How to Use Them.” by Paige Classey Przybylski

• “Graphic Novels for Kids: Classroom Ideas, Booklists, and More” by Reading Rockets