List

Summer Reading Suggestions for Adult and Teen Graphic Novel Readers

By Skokie Staff Advisory Services

Whatever reading mood you find yourself in, we have something for you.

This Beautiful, Ridiculous City
2025 by Sohini, Kay
The narrator of this graphic memoir discovers freedom in New York City, like so many artists before her. Reflecting on her move from India, the author processes trauma from her past through exploration and literature. I loved the vibrant artistic style and deeply personal tone. Suggested by Brenna.

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A Wizard of Earthsea: A Graphic Novel
2025 by Le Guin, Ursula K.
Ursula Le Guin’s beloved 1968 fantasy classic about an ambitious and at times proud young wizard who is set on a journey to correct his grave mistake is brought vividly to life in striking illustrations. Whether you are feeling nostalgic and want to revisit a favorite read through a new medium or would like to dip your toes into the Earthsea world, this is a great read for adults and teens alike. Suggested by Rummanah.

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Confession
2024 by Fukumoto, Nobuyuki
A gripping, page-turning thriller manga set in a cabin during a blizzard and featuring two men in a cat-and-mouse chase with a deadly secret. Suggested by Rummanah.

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Strange Bedfellows
2025 by Ries, Ariel Slamet
This queer sci-fi graphic novel follows a college dropout named Oberon as he grapples with his newfound magical abilities, and the fact that he keeps accidentally and subconsciously conjuring a facsimile of his high school crush. A stunning, fantastical graphic novel with brilliant characters and a good helping of chemistry and banter. Suggested by Aubree.

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Ginseng Roots
by Thompson, Craig
Eisner Award winner Craig Thompson returns with a thoughtful graphic memoir that not only offers an introspective examination of his childhood in rural Wisconsin and exploring his family's experiences working in the ginseng industry, but also delves into the global history of ginseng, exploring its significance in Chinese culture and its economic role in shaping rural American communities. Suggested by Rummanah.

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Huda F Wants to Know?
2025 by Fahmy, Huda
In this third installment in the Huda series, which is inspired by the author's life, Huda has her junior year all planned out until her parents' announcement turns everything upside down. With humor, honesty, and lively illustrations, Fahmy explores divorce, mental health, friendship, and the academic stresses of high school during this different time in her life. Suggested by Brenna and Rummanah.

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Surrounded: America's First School for Black Girls, 1832
2025 by Lupano, Wilfred
This historical comic written by Wilfred Lupano and illustrated by Stefane Fert revisits and offers readers a harrowing glimpse into the trials and tribulations a school of trailblazing Black students faced in antebellum America. It champions the endless persistence and resilience of Quaker abolitionist and teacher Prudence Crandall. Suggested by Rummanah.

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Raised by Ghosts
2025 by Loewinsohn, Briana
A quietly emotional, bittersweet coming-of-age graphic novel set in the 1990s blends the mediums of a diary, memoir, and comic inspired by the author’s own teen experiences as she navigates loneliness, parental neglect, and the lifeline that friendships provide. Suggested by Rummanah.

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Spent
by Bechdel, Alison
Eisner award winner Alison Bechdel uses her trademark self-deprecating humor, sharp storytelling, and incisive eye inward in this critically acclaimed pseudo-graphic memoir. She examines a version of herself who come to terms with her past success while exploring future avenues of artistic evolution. Suggested by Rummanah.

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Song of a Blackbird
2025 by Van Lieshout, Maria
A powerful, moving, and well researched historical graphic novel features a Dutch teen who must unravel a complicated family history to find a bone marrow transplant for her grandmother. The illustrations are striking and seamlessly blend with actual photographs and bring the story to life. Suggested by Rummanah.

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It Rhymes with Takei
by Takei, George
In his full-color and intimate graphic memoir, actor and activist George Takei traces his coming out journey along with America navigating the history of LGBTQ+. Suggested by Rummanah.

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Les Normaux
2025 by Janssen, Janine
A popular global webtoon about friendship, love, and magic comes to the US for the first time. A low-stakes cozy fantasy series opener with queer-normative world building and an inclusive cast of characters. Full of warmth, humor, and grin-inducing romance. Highly recommended for fans of Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper series. Suggested by Rummanah.

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Thinking About Thinking: Impossible Thoughts and Complicated Feelings
by Snider, Grant
Cartoonist Grant Snider creates a charming collection of one- and two-page haiku-like comics that explores our inner life, using colorful illustrations and clever visual metaphors to depict the spectrum of our emotions. Suggested by Rummanah and Steven.

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Hunger's Bite
2025 by Robin, Taylor
Combining elements of historical fiction, horror, and mystery, this debut graphic novel features three teens who are caught up in a sinister plot on the SS Lark, where the crew is worked to death and the rich passengers have unnatural appetites that transform them into something less than human. Suggested by Rummanah.

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I Hated You in High School
by Gros, Kathleen
Author and illustrator Kathleen Gros expands her popular short story webcomic into a beautiful tale of love and learning in this delightful enemies-to-lovers graphic novel that is inspired by many classic romantic movies. Suggested by Rummanah and Steven.

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Trans History
by Combs, Alex L
Empowering, deeply researched, and highly readable, this remarkable compendium from trans creators Alex L. Combs and Andrew Eakett offers a concise overview of the history of trans identity. Suggested by Rummanah.

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The Horizon Experiment
by Pichetshote, Pornsak
A comics anthology that puts a new spin on popular genres and pop culture icons, this book collects five one-shots by some of the most celebrated names in comics, literature, TV, and film. Suggested by Rummanah and Steven.

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The Kiss Bet
2025 by Ochoa, Ingrid
In this adorable, sweet, and charming coming-of-age romance comic for fans of To All the Boys I've Loved Before series by Jenny Han and Rainbow Rowell's graphic novel Pumpkinheads, Sara Lin has decided now is the time. She's going to make her first kiss, something special and magical, happen. Soon she discovers that life isn't a fairytale and romance is inherently complex and messy, but also fun? Suggested by Rummanah.

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Muted: Volume 1
by Mundt, Miranda
A summoning ritual gone awry kicks off a lush, witchy graphic novel series full of found family, magic, mystery, and romance. Suggested by Rummanah and Steven.

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Suitor Armor
2024 by Purpah
A wonderful fantasy graphic novel and recently published Webtoon. An undercover fairy has been living among human royalty as a lady-in-waiting since she was a child. Years later, she meets an enchanted suit of armor and develops an unlikely friendship. Cozy, low stakes, delightful, and the first in a series. Suggested by Aubree.

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