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Graphic-format book publishers continue to enjoy sales success, even though the pandemic boom has subsided. Graphic-format book publishers now have the power to touch more lives and impact the culture. For their young readers, creators are exploring the emotional challenges of growing up amidst stressors like a pandemic, wars, and climate change.

“Because Black history isn’t centered, you have to search harder for those stories,” says Gill, who has researched figures including Spottswood Rice, who escaped enslavement and joined the Union Army, and motorcyclist Bessie Stringfield. 

From a spirited shark to a cheerful squirrel, the characters in these four graphic novels will inspire holiday cheer in readers.

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The weighty subject of antiracism—actively dismantling the systems of oppression that are based on race—is made more approachable through these titles.

Witches, orphans, gods, and some ordinary folks populate these compelling stories for grades 5 and up.

These charming graphic novels for middle grade readers feature everything you’d expect from spooky season—haunted hayrides, magic, monster-hunting, and more—yet the stories are cozy, like a mug of hot cider. No matter the time of year, curl up with these titles and enjoy the gentle autumnal vibes.

In these seven manga works for grades five and up, affable characters cast gentle spells.

If graphic novels are flying off the shelves at your library, that reflects a remarkable trend: The format’s popularity has shot up at over 90 percent of school libraries in the last few years, according to a new SLJ survey.