Breezy Mama Editor Lan gets the scoop from author Howard Shaprio on great graphic novels for ages 9-15!
From Lan:
One of the great things about having older brothers while growing up was inheriting their collections of Conan the Barbarian, X-Men, Superman, Spider-Man and other comic books.
Youth’s love affair with the graphic novel remains sizzling. Combined sales of graphic novels and periodical novels in North America rose to $935 million in 2014, a 7 percent increase from 2013, according to a joint report by comics trade news sites ICv2.com and Comichron.
Breezy Mama tapped Howard Shapiro — author of The Hockey Saint, a well-crafted, insightful story about the lessons learned from friendship between a reclusive hockey star and a college sophomore — to recommend some of best graphic novels in the past five years. Here are the first-time author’s picks:
Ages 9 – 12
The Adventures of Ook and Gluk, Kung-Fu Cavemen from the Future
by Dav Pilkey
Ook and Gluk are two kids from the cavemen time who <!–more–>find a way to get into trouble and find themselves on the wrong side of Chief Goppernopper. The Boys then travel into the future and learn kung-fu. What more could you ask for: cavemen and kung fu!!
Bone: Out from Boneville
by Jeff Smith
This is great start to the Bone series and cannot to be missed!
Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman
by Marc Tyler Nobleman and Ross Macdonald (illustrator)
This wonderful part graphic novel, part picture book centers on two high school friends, Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel, and how they created the man of steel.
Hyperactive
by Scott Christian Sava and Joseph Bergin (illustrator)
Kids who enjoy The Flash will like this book! Joey has some weird happenings that enable him to run really fast. Adventures and fun ensues!
Robot Dreams
by Sara Varon
For something a little different, check out this wordless graphic novel of an abandoned rusty robot, who dreams of a rescue, while its companion, a dog, tries to come up with ways to save it.
The Whole World’s Crazy
by Jimmy Gownley
Amelia, her mother and father are divorced, and she now lives with her mom and aunt. She survives with the help of her friends… the Gathering of Awesome Superpals! This is the first book in the Amelia Rules! series.
Ages 13-15
The Arrival
by Shaun Tan
Another very cool and different book in that it is wordless but still a very moving story about a lonely man who has just arrived in a new town.
Houdini: The Handcuff King
by Jason Lutes and Nick Bertozzi (illustrator)
An excellent story about the great and mysterious Harry Houdini.
Zebrafish
by Sharon Emerson, Renee Kurilla, Peter Reynolds
In this wonderful tale, Vita and her rock band, Zebrafish, raise money to help the children’s hospital where their friend and bandmate is receiving cancer treatments.
Garage Band
by Gipi
This amazing story from the great and renowned Italian artist Gipi is about four friends who form a band. Playing music gives them a refuge from their tough home lives. But when their only amp breaks, their search for a new one begins to tear them apart.
The Big Kahn
by Neil Kleid and Nicholas Cinquegrani
Great drama about the consequences of a family lie and the ripples that it causes among the family members and their friends.
Death: The High Cost of Living
by Neil Gaiman, Chris Bachalo (illustrator), and Mark Buckingham (illustrator)
Neil Gaiman, one of the best graphic novel authors, crafts this compelling story about the young, perky and incredibly likable Lady Death. One day in every century, Death walks the earth to better understand those to whom she will be the final visitor. Today is that day.
What are your kids’ favorites?
My 9 year old son loved the Nathan Hale books–they’re all centered around historic events (i.e. the Donner party, a spy in the revolutionary war). My 6 year old daughter just finished another Hale book (written by Nathan’s brother and sister) called The Princess in Black. She couldn’t get enough!