YA Graphic Novels: Older Teens

Graphic novels feature some of the best storytelling you'll find anywhere; we bet you can't read just one!


Compiled by:
Sam O., Laura W. & Fern. S
Across a Field of Starlight

Blue Delliquanti
(Graphic Novels - GN Delliqu Across A Field Of Starlight)

Lu and Fassen are from different worlds and separate solar systems, so when the war of Fassen's world invades Lu's peaceful home, they find themselves at the forefront of a battle they hoped would never happen.


Artie and the Wolf Moon

Olivia Stephens
(Graphic Novels - GN Stephen Artie And The Wolf Moon)

After sneaking out against her mother's wishes, Artie Irvin spots a massive wolf--then watches it don a bathrobe and transform into her mom. Thrilled to discover she comes from a line of werewolves, Artie asks her mom to share everything. And to help Artie figure out her wolflike abilities, she recruits some old family friends.


Birdking, Vol. 1

Daniel Freedman
(Graphic Novels - GN Birdking v. 1)

Bianca, teenage apprentice to an infamous arcane blacksmith, is forced to flee her homeland and seek out Atlas, a fabled land of light ruled by "the clean god." She is joined by a mysterious guardian spirit known only as the 'Birdking.'


Chef's Kiss

Jarrett Melendez
(Graphic Novels - GN Melende Chefs Kiss)

Now that college is over, English graduate Ben Cook is on the job hunt looking for somethingn related to his passion for reading and writing. Ben soon learns getting the dream job won't be as easy as he thought. But when Ben stumbles upon a "Now Hiring—No Experience Necessary" sign outside a restaurant, he jumps at the chance to land his first job. He's actually not so bad in the kitchen, but he will have to pass a series of cooking tests to prove he's got the culinary skills to stay on full-time.


Coda, Vol. 1

Simon Spurrier
(Graphic Novels - GN Coda v. 1)

In the aftermath of an apocalypse which wiped out nearly all magic from a once-wondrous fantasy world, an antisocial former bard named Hum seeks a way to save the soul of his wife with nothing but a foul-tempered mutant unicorn and his wits to protect him. But in the process, he is unwillingly drawn into a brutal power struggle which will decide forever who rules the weird wasteland.


Cosmoknights, 1

Hannah Templer
(Graphic Novels - GN Cosmoknights v. 1)

Pan's life used to be very small. Work in her dad's body shop, sneak out with her friend Tara to go dancing, and watch the skies for freighter ships. It didn't even matter that Tara was a princess.until one day it very much did matter, and Pan had to say goodbye forever. Years later, when a charismatic pair of off-world gladiators show up on her doorstep, she finds that life may not be as small as she thought.


Galaxy: The Prettiest Star

Jadzia Axelrod
(Graphic Novels - GN Axelrod Galaxy Prettiest Star)

Taylor Barzelay has the perfect life. And every day is torture. Taylor is actually the Galaxy Crowned, an alien princess from the planet Cyandii, and one of the few survivors of an intergalactic war. For six long, painful years, Taylor has accepted her duty to remain in hiding as a boy on Earth. That all changes when Taylor meets Metropolis girl Katherine "call me Kat" Silverberg, whose confidence is electrifying.


Giant Days, Vol. 1

John Allison
(Graphic Novels - GN Giant Days v. 1)

Susan, Esther, and Daisy started at university three weeks ago and became fast friends. Now, away from home for the first time, all three want to reinvent themselves. Going off to university is always a time of change and growth, but for Esther, Susan, and Daisy, things are about to get a little weird


Heartstopper, Vol. 1

Alice Oseman
(Graphic Novels - GN Heartstopper v. 1)

Charlie Spring is in Year 10 at Truham Grammar School for Boys. The past year hasn't been too great, but at least he's not being bullied anymore, and he's sort of got a boyfriend, even if he's kind of mean and only wants to meet up in secret. Nick Nelson is in Year 11 and on the school rugby team. He's heard a little about Charlie - the kid who was outed last year and bullied for a few months - but he's never had the opportunity to talk to him. That is, until the start of January, in which Nick and Charlie are placed in the same form group and made to sit together.


Himawari House

Harmony Becker
(Graphic Novels - GN Becker Himawari House)

When Nao returns to Tokyo to reconnect with her Japanese heritage, she books a yearlong stay at the Himawari sharehouse. There, she meets Hyejung and Tina, two other girls who came to Japan to freely forge their own paths. The trio live together, share meals, and even attend the same Japanese-language school, which results in them becoming fast friends.


Hungry Ghost

Victoria Ying
(Graphic Novels - GN Ying Hungry Ghost)

Valerie Chu is quiet, studious, and above all, thin. No one, not even her best friend Jordan, knows that she has been binging and purging for years. But when tragedy strikes, Val finds herself taking a good, hard look at her priorities, her choices, and her own body. The path to happiness may lead her away from her hometown and her mother's toxic projections, but first she will have to find the strength to seek help.


Iyanu: Child of Wonder, 1

Roye Okupe
(Graphic Novels - GN Iyanu v. 1)

A teenage orphan with no recollection of her past, suddenly discovers that she has abilities that rival the ancient deities told in the folklore of her people.


The Last Halloween. 1, Children

Abby Howard
(Graphic Novels - GN Last Halloween v. 1)

In a gothic adventure at the end of the world, a 10-year-old girl and a motley crew of ghouls must stop an invading horde of monsters on a fateful Halloween night.


Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me

Mariko Tamaki
(Graphic Novels - GN Tamaki Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me)

Laura Dean, the most popular girl in high school, was Frederica Riley's dream girl: charming, confident, and SO cute. There's just one problem: Laura Dean is maybe not the greatest girlfriend. Reeling from her latest break up, Freddy's best friend, Doodle, introduces her to the Seek-Her, a mysterious medium, who leaves Freddy some cryptic parting words: break up with her.


M is for Monster

Talia Dutton
(Graphic Novels - GN Dutton M Is For Monster)

When Doctor Frances Ai's younger sister Maura died in a tragic accident six months ago, Frances swore she would bring her back to life. However, the creature that rises from the slab is clearly not Maura. This girl, who chooses the name M, doesn't remember anything about Maura's life and just wants to be her own person.


The Magic Fish

Trung Le Nguyen
(Graphic Novels - GN Trung Magic Fish)

Real life isn't a fairytale. But Tié̂n still enjoys reading his favorite stories with his parents from the books he borrows from the local library. It's hard enough trying to communicate with your parents as a kid, but for Tié̂n, he doesn't even have the right words because his parents are struggling with their English. Is there a Vietnamese word for what he's going through?


Magical Boy, 1

The Kao
(Graphic Novels - GN Magical Boy v. 1)

Although he was assigned female at birth, Max is your average trans man trying to get through high school as himself. But on top of classes, crushes, and coming out, Max's life is turned upside down when his mom reveals an eons old family secret: he's descended from a long line of Magical Girls tasked with defending humanity from a dark, ancient evil!


Mamo

Sas Milledge
(Graphic Novels - GN Milledg Mamo)

Orla O'Reilly, the youngest in a long line of hedge witches, is compelled to return home after the death of her grandmother, Mamo. In the wake of her Mamo's passing, seas are impossible to fish, crops have soured, and even Jo Manalo's attic is taken over by a poltergeist!


The Montague Twins, Vol. 1: The Witch's Hand

Nathan Page
(Graphic Novels - GN Montague Twins v. 1)

Orphaned teens Pete and Al Montague and their adopted sister, Charlie, already known for solving mysteries in their small New England town, begin studying magic as they investigate a disappearance connected to a 17th-century witch.


The Nice House on the Lake, Vol. 1

James Tynion IV
(Graphic Novels - GN Nice House On The Lake v. 1)

Everyone who was invited to the house knows Walter--well, they know him a little, anyway. And Walter's always been a little...off. But after the hardest year of their lives, nobody was going to turn down Walter's invitation to an astonishingly beautiful house in the woods, overlooking an enormous sylvan lake. 


Nubia: Real One

L.L. McKinney
(Graphic Novels - GN Mckinne Nubia Real One)

Nubia has always been a little bit different. As a baby she showcased Amazonian-like strength by pushing over a tree to rescue her neighbor's cat. But despite her having similar abilities, the world has no problem telling her that she's no Wonder Woman. Every time she comes to the rescue, she's reminded of how people see her: as a threat.


Once & Future, Vol. 1: The King is Undead

Kieron Gillen
(Graphic Novels - GN Once And Future v. 1)

When a group of Nationalists use an ancient artifact to bring King Arthur back from the dead, retired monster hunter Bridgette McGuire pulls her unsuspecting grandson, Duncan, a museum curator, into a world of magic and mysticism to defeat a legendary threat.


Run: Book One

John Lewis, Andrew Aydin
(Graphic Novels - GN Run v. 1)

For John Lewis, the Civil Rights Movement as he knew it ended with the signing of the Voting Rights Act in 1965, but his struggle in the following years echo many of the same questions of civil rights and equality that are being asked today. Struggling with the larger question of how to rebuild the movement, Lewis had an idea: someone should run for the 5th Congressional district seat in Georgia.


Season of the Bruja, Vol. 1

Aaron Duran
(Graphic Novels - GN Season Of The Bruja v. 1)

From a young age, Althalia knew she would someday be the last of her kind--a bruja, tasked with keeping the power and stories of the ancient ways from fading fully into history. But the prejudice her people have always faced continues, and after a seemingly random encounter with a priest, Althalia feels the weight of hundreds of years of religious oppression coming down upon her and her abuela.


Seven Secrets, Vol. 1

Tom Taylor
(Graphic Novels - GN Seven Secrets v. 1)

For centuries, the Order has trusted in Keepers and Holders to guard the Secrets in seven briefcases against all harm but when their stronghold is attacked and the secrets put in peril, the entire Order must face their greatest fear--an enemy who knows too much and is willing to kill to get what he wants.


Space Trash, Vol. 1

Jenn Woodall
(Graphic Novels - GN Space Trash v. 1)

In 2115, Earth has been abandoned as a lost cause, and humankind has moved on to space colonization. At a decrepit high school for underprivileged youth on the moon, Stab, Yuki, and Una are three teenagers who try to keep their boredom and resentment at bay by fighting rival gangs and cliques, hanging out, and sleeping their way through class, all while trying to avoid punishment from the student council.


Squad

Maggie Tokuda-Hall
(Graphic Novels - GN Tokudah Squad)

Becca moves to an upscale Silicon Valley suburb and is surprised when she develops a bond with girls who belong to the popular clique-and even more surprised when she learns their secrets.


Squire

Nadia Shammas
(Graphic Novels - GN Shammas Squire)

Aiza has always dreamt of becoming a Knight. It's the highest military honor in the once-great Bayt-Sajji Empire, and as a member of the subjugated Ornu people, Knighthood is her only path to full citizenship. It's not how she imagined it, though. Aiza must navigate new friendships, rivalries, and rigorous training under the unyielding General Hende, all while hiding her Ornu background.


Surviving the City

Tasha Spillett
Available from eLibrary resources

Miikwan and Dez are best friends. Miikwan's Anishinaabe; Dez is Inninew. Together, the teens navigate the challenges of growing up in an urban landscape - they're so close, they even completed their Berry Fast together. However, when Dez's grandmother becomes too sick, Dez is told she can't stay with her anymore. With the threat of a group home looming, Dez can't bring herself to go home and disappears. 


The Well

Jake Wyatt
(Graphic Novels - GN Wyatt Well)

Known to friends and family as Lizzy, she takes care of her grandfather and their goats, she flirts with the woman who helps row the ferry, and she stays away from the fog that comes in the night -- and the monsters hiding within it. But Lizzy's life comes apart when she steals a handful of coins from a sacred well to cover a debt.