Mariel Recommends: Middle Grade and Young Adult Graphic Novels (Updated)
After reading 500 paged fantasy books, usually I'm either exhausted or exhilarated. I may crave the thrill of the chase, the fantasy and dystopian elements. The characters are able to conjure flames with their hands, the ability to manipulate metal and bending it at their will, sometimes gets overwhelming. Sometimes even contemporary novels seem too long for my taste at the time. The swoon-worthy romance can be draining, maybe the tropes within the book are too overused. So, if you're anything like me, sometimes you wish to read something that entices you, is relatively short, fast-paced, and still contains a whole world within its pages. When it comes to be that time, to help, I've compiled a list of graphic novels that I enjoyed very much. The genres range from fantasy to nonfiction, the art styles all breathtaking and the stories, although vastly different from one another, are all interesting and have unique perspectives on certain matters. Lumberjanes by Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, Shannon Watters, Kat Leyh, and Faith Erin Hicks "Five best friends spending summer at Lumberjanes scout camp . . . defeating three-eyed wolves, yetis, and encountering dinosaurs and werewolves . . . what's not to love? Friendship to the max! Jo, April, Mal, Molly and Ripley are five best pals determined to have the best summer together, going on quests, sighting and fighting supernatural animals." This is only the first book, as of now there are six books in the Lumberjanes series. Lumberjanes: Beware the Kitten Holy (Vol. One), Lumberjanes: Friendship to the Max (Vol. Two), Lumberjanes: A Terrible Plan (Vol. Three), Lumberjanes: Out of Time (Vol. Four), Lumberjanes: Band Together (Vol. Five), Lumberjanes: Sink or Swim (Vol. Six) In 2015 it was announced that 20th Century Fox was going to pick up the story of Lumberjanes and adapt it into a movie. Then, a year later, in 2016 Emily Carmichael was said to direct the film. The characters are lovable, the plot is fast moving and enticing. The characters embark on wild adventures, encountering supernatural beings and otherworldly creatures. Friendship plays an important role within the entire series, the bonds created and strengthened between the characters are demonstrated throughout the series of comics. Nimona by Noelle Stevenson Nimona follows a young girl with a knack of villainy, Nimona, as she takes up the role of being the side-kick to villain, Lord Ballister Blackheart as they scheme and plot their way to victory while trying to expose the supposed "good guys" to show that the good guys aren't as good as they seem. Nimona has some ideas of her own, blowing things up and killing a few people here and there. Ballister must keep Nimona from destroying everything while attempting to expose the dark-dealings of of those who claim to be the protectors of the kingdom-- including Ballister's former best friend turned nemesis, Ambrosius Goldenlion. Through the Woods by Emily Carroll It came from the woods (like most strange things do) spirits, ghosts, and otherworldly creatures. Five haunting, bone-chilling tales follow journeys into (and out of?) the eerie abyss. These fairy tale seriously gone wrong, where you can travel to "Our Neighbor's House"-- though coming back might be a problem. Or find yourself a young bride in a house that holds a dark secret in "A Lady's Hands Are Cold." You might want to try and figure out what exactly is haunting "My Friend Janna," or discover that your brother's fiancée may not be as sweet as she seems in "A Nesting Place." Of course you must revisit "His Face All Red," the breakout webcomic hit that has been gorgeously translated to the printed pages. Tomboy by Liz Prince Tomboy tells of a girl's struggles in finding out who she is, and dealing with the feeling that she was born the wrong gender. She never fit in with the girls in her neighborhood, the girls who were prancing around in tutus or playing with dolls. She didn't feel at home with the guys either. She wouldn't be able to play with the guys without being made fun of. Liz didn't feel like a girl, yet she wasn't a boy either. She was somewhere in between. Tomboy is about being who you are--finding out who that is first--and being okay with it. Being who you are is more important than being someone you're not, even if you don't fit in. Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol Anya could really use a friend. But her new BFF isn't kidding about the "forever" part. Of all the things Anya expected to happen at the bottom of a hole. Especially not a friend who's been dead for a century. Falling down a well was bad enough, but Anya's life beyond the well might just be worse. She's embarrassed by her family, she's self-conscious about her body and she's given up trying to fit in at her new school. A new friend--even one that's a ghost-- is just what she needs. Or so Anya thinks. In Real Life by Cory Doctoro and Jen Wang Anda loves Coarsegold Online, the massively multiplayer role game that she spends most of her free time playing on. It's the one place where she can be a hero, a fighter, a leader. It's a place where she can meet people and make friends from all over the world even though she's just at home. For Anda, gaming is an escape from reality. But Coarsegold isn't all that ideal when Anda befriends a gold farmer-- a poor Chinese kid whose avatar in the game illegally collects valuable objects from the game and sells them to players from developed countries to burn. Actions like that is strictly prohibited on Coarsegold, but Anda soon realizes that the difference between what's right and what's wrong isn't always easy when a person's livelihood is at stake. Princess Princess Ever After by Katie O'Neill When the heroic princess Amira rescues the kind-hearted princess Sadie from her tower prison, neither expects to find a true friend in the bargain. Yet as they adventure across the kingdom, they discover that they bring out the very best in the other person. They’ll need to join forces and use all the know-how, kindness, and bravery they have in order to defeat their greatest foe yet: a jealous sorceress, who wants to get rid of Sadie once and for all. Join Sadie and Amira, two very different princesses with very different strengths, on their journey to figure out what “happily ever after” really means—and how they can find it with each other. 5 Worlds: The Sand Warrior by Alexis Seigel and Mark Siegel The Five Worlds are at risk of extinction unless all five of the ancient beacons are lit. When war breaks out, three unlikely heroes will discover that there is more to themselves--and their worlds-- that meets the eye. The clumsiest student at the Sand Dancer Academy, Oona Lee is a fighter with a destiny bigger than she could have ever imagined. A boy from the poorest slums, An Tzu has a surprising gift and a knack for getting out of difficult situations. Star athlete Jax Amboy is beloved by everyone in the galaxy, but what good is that when he has no real friends? The Witch Boy by Molly Knox Ostertag "In thirteen-year-old Aster's family, all the girls are raised to be witches, while boys grow up to be shapeshifters. Anyone who dares cross those lines is exiled. Unfortunately for Aster, he still hasn't shifted . . . and he's still fascinated by witchery, no matter how forbidden it might be. When a mysterious danger threatens the other boys, Aster knows he can help -- as a witch. It will take the encouragement of a new friend, the non-magical and non-conforming Charlie, to convince Aster to try practicing his skills. And it will require even more courage to save his family . . . and be truly himself." The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang "Paris, at the dawn of the modern age: Prince Sebastian is looking for a bride―or rather, his parents are looking for one for him. Sebastian is too busy hiding his secret life from everyone. At night he puts on daring dresses and takes Paris by storm as the fabulous Lady Crystallia―the hottest fashion icon in the world capital of fashion! Sebastian’s secret weapon (and best friend) is the brilliant dressmaker Frances―one of only two people who know the truth: sometimes this boy wears dresses. But Frances dreams of greatness, and being someone’s secret weapon means being a secret. Forever. How long can Frances defer her dreams to protect a friend? Jen Wang weaves an exuberantly romantic tale of identity, young love, art, and family. A fairy tale for any age, The Prince and the Dressmaker will steal your heart."
