The best graphic novels and comics for children & YA
Writer and illustrator John Patrick Green on what makes comics so magical, plus our pick of the best comic books and graphic novels for kids and YA readers.
Since I was a kid, comics have been my favorite form of storytelling. From the three-panel format of a standard newspaper comic strip, to the pages and pages of panels of the average comic book, I fell in love with stories that are told through both text and illustrations.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and nowhere is this more evident than in graphic novels, where the drawings of a location or the expression on a character’s face can reveal far more to the reader than just the narration or dialogue alone.
At the same time, the reader has to go looking for the story being told within the pictures. Which means, even with the same book, you might find a different story to someone else. Or, if you go back and reread a favourite, you may notice clues or plot developments you missed but were in the art all along. To me, this is what makes comics so magical. It is a form of literature that is both textual and visual.
Combining words and images into a sequential art that tells stories in a way that is accessible, engaging, and most of all fun, is what makes a graphic novel the best reading experience.
Read on to discover some of the best graphic novels and comic books for kids and young adults.