The Young Adult Library Services Association’s latest annual list of Great Graphic Novels is out! Books are nominated for inclusion on the list by members of YALSA, a division of the American Library Association, and then voted on by a committee made up of school and public librarians from across the United States. The books on the list are judged to exemplify “both good quality literature and appealing reading for teens.” From the long list of 55 titles, committee members also selected their top ten “titles that exemplify the quality and range of graphic novels appropriate for teen audiences.” And here’s the top ten list:
Non-Fiction
My Friend Dahmer by Derf Backderf
Go to high school with the nation’s most notorious serial killer.
Trinity: A Graphic History of the First Atomic Bomb by Jonathan Fetter-Vorm
A look at one of the most controversial decisions in American history.
Annie Sullivan and the Trials of Helen Keller by Joseph Lambert
You thought you knew the whole story.
Fiction
Ultimate Comics Spider-man, Vol. 1 by Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli
Witness the birth of a new Spider-man Miles Morales.
Friends with Boys by Faith Erin Hicks
From homeschool to high school, Maggie learns to let go of her past and make new friends.
Flight of Angels by Alisa Kwitney, Rebecca Guay, and others
An angel lies dying in a forest while its denizens decide his fate.
The Silence of Our Friends by Mark Long, Nate Powell and others
In 1966 two families have the courage to become friends against a backdrop of riots and racism.
Stargazing Dog by Takashi Murakami
The heart-breaking story of a man and his dog as they search for happiness in a life that rejects them.
Drama by Raina T
elgemeier
The drama on the stage is no match for drama behind the curtain.
Daredevil, Vol. 1 by Mark Waid, Paolo Manuel Rivera, and Marcos Martin
Daredevil is back and he has an eye for justice!
If you want to see the rest of this year’s Great Graphic Novels or you’re looking for some more good reading, YALSA Great Graphic Novels lists from this and previous years can be found here.
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Maren Williams is a reference librarian who enjoys free speech and rescue dogs.