Seattle Picks: Teen - Graphic Novels

Annotation:Scout Montana fights crime as the masked hero Shadoweyes, but after getting hit in the head, she transforms into a strange creature with superpowers. Her abilities intensify, but she may never be the same. MS

Annotation:As a young, white, gay man coming of age during the Civil Rights era, Toland Polk grapples with the turbulent racial politics of his Southern hometown and a growing awareness of his sexuality.

Annotation:Juniper thinks her dreams have come true when she wins a scholarship to the prestigious Ellsmere Academy, but she quickly discovers that the boarding school and its students have a dark side.

Annotation:To most people, Barbra Thorson is just a harmless, slightly weird, little girl. But Barbra knows a different truth: she’s a giant-killer, about to battle the most terrible monster the world has ever known.

Annotation:Underachievers Jenna and Lucas are sent to Camp Fielding for “a summer of learning and fun.” But when their fellow campers start mysteriously disappearing, they realize something more sinister is afoot. MS

Annotation:Tara and Josey are two teenagers who grew up in the same small Nova Scotia town over a hundred and fifty years apart, yet their lives are intertwined in this story of family secrets, forbidden love and magic.

Annotation:Based on the author’s childhood memories, Kampung Boy tells the story of Mat, a young boy growing up in rural Malaysia, and joyfully describes a way of life that has almost completely disappeared. MS

Annotation:After a ten-year break from fighting crime, Batman comes out of retirement to confront a treacherous and psychotic villain and his own inner demons.

Annotation:When one of their former colleagues is murdered, a band of retired superheroes reunite to investigate his death and stumble upon a plot with vast consequences for a world teetering on the brink of nuclear war.

Annotation:Having defeated six of Ramona Flowers’ seven evil exes, Scott must now face Gideon Graves – the seventh and most evil ex – in order to win her heart once and for all. Will love or evil prevail?

Annotation:Before he became the X-Men’s most formidable foe, Magneto was Max Eisenhardt, a Jewish teen who grew up in Nazi Germany. Learn how he survived the Holocaust in this riveting and historically accurate comic.

Annotation:Ruthy and Perry are siblings with an uncommon bond. Both suffer from mental illness, and struggle to keep their inner demons at bay as their beloved grandmother, who also has hallucinations, approaches death.

Annotation:Miyamoto Usagi is no Bugs Bunny. He's a ronin, a masterless samurai who just happens to be a rabbit. As he wanders across feudal Japan, he encounters rhinos, snakes, ninja moles and other unusual creatures. MS

Annotation:K., an orphan and former thief, arrives at her aunt’s academy for girls hoping to make a new start. But something is amiss at Bellsong Academy, and K. may have to resort to criminal ways to solve the mystery. MS

Annotation:Chocolate or vanilla? This everyday decision touches off a strange and epic journey in this highly unusual choose-your-own-adventure comic. Choose wisely or your path will lead to certain doom. MS

Annotation:Forced to leave their village, Fone Bone and his two cousins stumble into a mysterious valley and are caught up in a war between humans and the Rat Creatures. First in a series. MS

Annotation:Six friends discover their parents are all super-villains! Finding strength in one another, they run away from home and into adventure - vowing to forsake their evil legacy. First in a series.

Annotation:In this collection of twelve interconnected stories, each taking place in a different year and a different city, a young woman named Megan travels across America in search of her true home.

Annotation:Twelve teenagers with unearthly powers struggle to find themselves and make peace with their special gifts in this collection of short stories.

Annotation:Fantasy and reality collide in unexpected ways in these three tales about the worlds we inhabit and the worlds we create.

Annotation:This affecting story about growing up different is more than just the story of a Chinese-American childhood; it's a fable for every kid born into a body and a life they wished they could escape. MS

Annotation:At times, King's life is a straightforward narrative, but then a Greek chorus of voices will interrupt to comment. Anchoring all this dazzling technique is Anderson's profound understanding of his subject.

Annotation:As a young boy growing up on the mean streets of the South Bronx, Geoffrey Canada received a thorough education in urban violence and its implements: fists, sticks, knives and guns.

Annotation:Everyone knows that John Wilkes Booth shot Abraham Lincoln, but who was he and why did he murder the President? Learn the true story behind one of the most infamous assassins in American history.

Annotation:The horrors and humanity unleashed by Hurricane Katrina are recounted in the voices of seven diverse New Orleans residents who survived the storm and its aftermath.

Annotation:Edgar Allan Poe may be the author whose work is best suited to graphic adaptation. Illustrated in styles ranging from the outright comedic to the brooding, the art draws readers more deeply into the stories.

Annotation:The burdens of history and filial responsibility are intertwined in this moving account of a Jewish Holocaust survivor’s wartime experiences and his difficult relationship with his adult son, a cartoonist.

Annotation:Amelia Earhart was a trailblazer in the history of aviation and women’s rights. This comic tells the story of her groundbreaking 1928 flight across the Atlantic Ocean.

Annotation:When she was 17, Tracy White checked herself into a mental hospital. This darkly funny comic is based on her experiences there and her struggles with depression, self-esteem and drug addiction.

Annotation:Like these graphic novels but want some more? Try NoveList Plus for other suggestions!
A Shared List by SeattleTeenLibrarians
Member of The Seattle Public Library
Description
Some of the best teen fiction is illustrated, and some of the best artwork around follows a compelling plot. Enjoy these teen graphic novels! MS = middle school readers
Genre Guide
