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Grades 6-9 Graphic Novel Nominees
2020-2021 Grades 6-9 Graphic Novel Nominees
Garcia, Kami - Teen Titans: Raven
Greentea, Vera - Grimoire Noir
Ha, Robin - Almost American Girl
Locatelli-Kournwsky, Loic – Persephone
Maclear, Kyo – Operatic
Palacio, R. J. - White Bird
Revoy, Antoine – Animus
Shirahama, Kamome - Witch Hat Atelier Vol. 1
Vaughn, Sarah - Sleepless: Vol. 1
Walker, Suzanne - Mooncakes
Grades 6-9 Graphic Novel Nominees - Descriptions
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Teen Titans: Raven by Gabriel Picolo (Illustrator); Kami GarciaISBN: 9781401286231
Publication Date: 2019-07-02
A New York Times bestseller! USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestseller! When a tragic accident takes the life of 17-year-old Raven Roth's foster mom--and Raven's memory--she moves to New Orleans to recover and finish her senior year of high school. Starting over isn't easy. Raven remembers everyday stuff like how to solve math equations and make pasta, but she can't remember her favorite song or who she was before the accident. And when impossible things start happening, Raven begins to think it might even be better not to know who she was before. But as she grows closer to her new friends, her foster sister, Max, and Tommy Torres, a guy who accepts her for who she is now, Raven has to decide if she's ready to face what's buried in the past...and the darkness building inside her. From #1 New York Times bestselling author Kami Garcia and first-time graphic novel artist Gabriel Picolo comes this riveting tale of finding the strength to face who you are and learning to trust others--and yourself.
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Grimoire Noir by Vera Greentea; Yana Bogatch (Illustrator)ISBN: 9781626725980
Publication Date: 2019-07-23
Bucky Orson is a bit gloomy, but who isn't at fifteen? His best friend left him to hang out with way cooler friends, his cop dad is always in his business, and wait for it--he lives in Blackwell, a town where all the girls are witches. But when his little sister is kidnapped because of her extraordinary power, Bucky has to get out of his own head and go on a strange journey to investigate the small town that gives him so much grief. And in the process he uncovers the town's painful history and a conspiracy that will change it forever.Beautiful, spooky, and utterly enchanting, Grimoire Noir is a magical coming-of-age story of overcoming your limits to protect those dear to you.
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Almost American Girl by Robin Ha (Illustrator)ISBN: 9780062685094
Publication Date: 2020-01-28
A powerful and moving teen graphic novel memoir about immigration, belonging, and how arts can save a life--perfect for fans of American Born Chinese and Hey, Kiddo. This nonfiction graphic novel is an excellent choice for accelerated tween readers in grades 7 to 8, especially during homeschooling. It's a fun way to keep your child entertained and engaged while not in the classroom. For as long as she can remember, it's been Robin and her mom against the world. Growing up as the only child of a single mother in Seoul, Korea, wasn't always easy, but it has bonded them fiercely together. So when a vacation to visit friends in Huntsville, Alabama, unexpectedly becomes a permanent relocation--following her mother's announcement that she's getting married--Robin is devastated. Overnight, her life changes. She is dropped into a new school where she doesn't understand the language and struggles to keep up. She is completely cut off from her friends in Seoul and has no access to her beloved comics. At home, she doesn't fit in with her new stepfamily, and worst of all, she is furious with the one person she is closest to--her mother. Then one day Robin's mother enrolls her in a local comic drawing class, which opens the window to a future Robin could never have imagined.
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Persephone by Loic Locatelli-KournwskyISBN: 9781684151752
Publication Date: 2018-05-22
An adaptation of the Greek myth of Demeter and her daughter Persephone, in an exciting universe that blends high fantasy adventure with visuals reminiscent of Japanese anime and 1950s American-style comics. Persephone is an ordinary girl, which is exactly what is bothering her. She may be the adopted daughter of the famous magician Demeter, but Persephone struggles to find her place alongside such a force of nature. Driven by recurring nightmares as well as a budding curiosity, Persephone decides to explore the secrets of her birth, which everyone seems rather intent on keeping from her. With or without help, Persephone will embark on an epic adventure deep into the Underworld where she'll discover far more than she bargained for. Storyteller Loïc Locatelli-Kournwsky weaves a story of magic and intrigue in this stunningly rendered modern retelling of the Greek myth of Goddess Demeter and her daughter, Persephone.
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Operatic by Kyo MacLear; Byron Eggenschwiler (Illustrator)ISBN: 9781554989720
Publication Date: 2019-04-02
Somewhere in the universe, there is the perfect tune for you. It's almost the end of middle school, and Charlie has to find her perfect song for a music class assignment. The class learns about a different style of music each day, from hip-hop to metal to disco, but it's hard for Charlie to concentrate when she can't stop noticing her classmate Emile, or wondering about Luka, who hasn't been to school in weeks. On top of everything, she has been talked into participating in an end-of-year performance with her best friends. Then, the class learns about opera, and Charlie discovers the music of Maria Callas. The more she learns about Maria's life, the more Charlie admires her passion for singing and her ability to express herself fully through her music. Can Charlie follow the example of the ultimate diva, Maria Callas, when it comes to her own life? This evocatively illustrated graphic novel brilliantly captures the high drama of middle school by focusing on the desire of its finely drawn characters to sing and be heard.
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White Bird: a Wonder Story by R. J. PalacioISBN: 9780525645535
Publication Date: 2019-10-01
Inspired by her blockbuster phenomenon Wonder, R. J. Palacio makes her graphic novel debut with an unforgettable, Sydney Taylor Book Award-winning story of the power of kindness and unrelenting courage in a time of war. "I was captivated by White Bird. It tells the hardest truths with honesty and calm (so that young readers can hear them). R.J. Palacio brings to life the nature of heroism and the real risks we face today." --Meg Medina, Newbery award-winning author of Mercy Suarez Changes Gears In R. J. Palacio's bestselling collection of stories Auggie & Me, which expands on characters in Wonder, readers were introduced to Julian's grandmother, Grandmère. Here, Palacio makes her graphic novel debut with Grandmère's heartrending story: how she, a young Jewish girl, was hidden by a family in a Nazi-occupied French village during World War II; how the boy she and her classmates once shunned became her savior and best friend. Sara's harrowing experience movingly demonstrates the power of kindness to change hearts, build bridges, and even save lives. As Grandmère tells Julian, "It always takes courage to be kind, but in those days, such kindness could cost you everything." With poignant symbolism and gorgeous artwork that brings Sara's story out of the past and cements it firmly in this moment in history, White Bird is sure to captivate anyone who was moved by the book Wonder or the blockbuster movie adaptation and its message. Praise for Wonder: #1 New York Times bestseller USA Today bestseller Time Magazine's 100 Best Young Adult Books of All Time "In a wonder of a debut, Palacio has written a crackling page-turner filled with characters you can't help but root for." --Entertainment Weekly "Rich and memorable." --The New York Times "A beautiful, funny and sometimes sob-making story of quiet transformation." --The Wall Street Journal
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Animus by Antoine RevoyISBN: 9781626721838
Publication Date: 2018-05-08
The residents of a quiet Japanese neighborhood have slowly come to realize that inauspicious, paranormal forces are at play in the most unlikely of places: the local playground. Two friends, a young boy and girl, resolve to exorcise the evil that inhabit it, including a snaggle-toothed monster.In Animus, a beautiful but spooky young adult graphic novel of everyday hauntings, Antoine Revoy delivers an eerie tale inspired by the Japanese and French comics of his childhood.
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Witch Hat Atelier 1 by Kamome ShirahamaISBN: 9781632367709
Publication Date: 2019-04-09
A beautifully-illustrated story about a girl who longs for magic in her life and learns that, on the inside, she already is what she wishes she could be. Reminiscent of Studio Ghibli, this lushly-drawn story was voted one of the top 10 manga of the year in 2018 by the Japanese manga industry. In a world where everyone takes wonders like magic spells and dragons for granted, Coco is a girl with a simple dream: She wants to be a witch. But everybody knows magicians are born, not made, and Coco was not born with the gift for magic. She's resigned to her un-magical life, until a travelling magician passes through her village, and Coco learns what everybody 'knows' might not be the truth.
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Sleepless Volume 1 by Sarah Vaughn; Leila del Duca (Artist); Alissa Sallah (Artist)ISBN: 9781534306844
Publication Date: 2018-07-10
Amazon Book Review's BestComics & Graphic Novels of2018 The Chicago PublicLibrary's Best of the Best Books2018 Lady "Poppy" Pyppenia isguarded by the Sleepless Knight Cyrenic but becomes endangered when an assassinthreatens her life in the new king's reign. As Poppy and Cyrenic try to discoverwho wants her dead, they must navigate the dangerous waters of life at court andof their growing feelings for one another. Writer Sarah Vaughn (ALEX + ADA,ETERNAL EMPIRE) and artist Leila del Duca (SHUTTER, AFAR) team up with editor /colorist Alissa Sallah and letterer Deron Bennett for this fantasyromance. Collects issues1-6.
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Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker; Wendy Xu (Illustrator)ISBN: 9781549303043
Publication Date: 2019-10-15
"This sweet, spellbinding story will appeal to fans of magic and romance." -- School Library Journal (starred review) A story of love and demons, family and witchcraft. Nova Huang knows more about magic than your average teen witch. She works at her grandmothers' bookshop, where she helps them loan out spell books and investigate any supernatural occurrences in their New England town. One fateful night, she follows reports of a white wolf into the woods, and she comes across the unexpected: her childhood crush, Tam Lang, battling a horse demon in the woods. As a werewolf, Tam has been wandering from place to place for years, unable to call any townhome. Pursued by dark forces eager to claim the magic of wolves and out of options, Tam turns to Nova for help. Their latent feelings are rekindled against the backdrop of witchcraft, untested magic, occult rituals, and family ties both new and old in this enchanting tale of self-discovery.
TeachingBooks.net BES Graphic Novels Grades 6-9
Grades 6-9 Graphic Novel Nominees - Book Trailers