Ideas

Genre-blending books offer readers the opportunity to comfortably expand across boundaries and try something different while still in the safety of their preferred reading choice. Here are 14 middle grade graphic novels that blend genres to perfection.

Co-authors Kekla Magoon & Cynthia Leitich Smith in conversation about the inspiration behind The Blue Stars Series: Mission One: The Vice Principal Problem: "When we set out to write a middle grade graphic novel series about cousins who became superheroes to save their school library, we couldn't have imagined how timely our story would become."

A “shift in tone” in a recent Great Books piece prompted a reader’s response. “I don’t think these targeted communities need more stress,” she writes.

Moms for Liberty has waged war on public education and democratic values, leveraging fear and disinformation. There are steps to take, including exercising your own First Amendment rights to uphold a just and equitable society.

From fighting period poverty to speaking out on the negative effects of gentrification, the kids in these forthcoming middle grade books take a stand.

Self-publishing by marginalized people has always taken place outside the mainstream, even before the word zine existed.

Books need to leave room for a child’s feelings while normalizing divorce, encouraging questions, and teaching coping skills, experts say.

For our October cover on horror comics, Stephen Giplin depicted a child reading Mark Fearing's graphic novel Welcome to Feral, while the classic monsters in the bedroom look on in terror.

Children can handle the hard truths about slavery, say educators.  Literature can help the conversation.