12 of the Best Graphic Novels of 2024 Book List
The Children’s Book Review
Get ready for an incredible lineup of graphic novels that will make 2024 a year to remember!
From magical lion dances to underwater adventures, from gaming champions to unlikely superheroes, this year’s collection offers a vibrant tapestry of stories that will captivate readers of all ages. Whether you’re fascinated by the real-life friendship between C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, eager to dive into a new Dog Man adventure, or looking to explore heartfelt stories about finding your place in the world, these twelve outstanding graphic novels promise to transport readers to extraordinary places while touching on universal themes that resonate with heart and humor.
Be sure to check out all our Best Kids’ Books of 2024 for all ages here.
Here are twelve of the best graphic novels of 2024:
Dog Man: Big Jim Begins
Written and Illustrated by Dav Pilkey
Ages: 7+ | 224 Pages
Publisher: Graphix (2024) | ISBN-13: 978-1338896459
This action-packed origin story from #1 bestselling creator Dav Pilkey reveals how the beloved characters from the Dog Man series first came together, as they must unite their forces to save their city from the destructive Space Cuties, testing their belief in goodness, bravery, and the power of friendship.
Buy the Book
Gamerville
Written and Illustrated by Johnnie Christmas
Ages: 8-12 | 256 Pages
Publisher: HarperAlley (2024) | ISBN: 978-0063056817
When gaming champion hopeful Max Lightning is sent to electronics-free Camp Reset right before the Gamerville championship, he must choose between pursuing his gaming dreams or embracing the real-world connections and experiences that camp life offers.
Buy the Book
Timid: A Graphic Novel
Written and Illustrated by Jonathan Todd
Ages: 8-12 | 272 Pages
Publisher: Graphix (2024) | ISBN: 978-1338305708
In this semiautobiographical graphic novel, Cecil Hall moves from Florida to Massachusetts where he struggles to find his place, hoping his talent for comics will help him make friends—but when his art gets him into trouble, he must learn to stand up for himself and identify his true allies.
Buy the Book
Poetry Comics
Written and Illustrated by Grant Snider
Ages: 8-12 | 96 Pages
Publisher: Chronicle Books (2024) | ISBN: 978-1797219653
In this unique blend of comics and poetry, Grant Snider creates illustrated verses that celebrate everyday moments through the seasons, from lost bicycles to cloud-gazing, encouraging readers to find poetry in the ordinary and perhaps create their own illustrated poems.
Buy the Book
Blue Stars: Mission One: The Vice Principal Problem (The Blue Stars)
Written by Kekla Magoon and Cynthia Leitich Smith
Illustrated by Molly Murakami
Ages: 8-12 | 176 Pages
Publisher: Candlewick (2024) | ISBN: 978-1536228663
In this first installment of an empowering graphic novel series, cousins Riley Halfmoon and Maya Dawn must overcome their differences and combine their unique strengths—Riley’s people skills and Maya’s tech-savvy—to become unlikely superheroes when they discover a threat to their new school’s culture in Urbanopolis.
Buy the Book
Pearl: A Graphic Novel
Written by Sherri L. Smith
Illustrated by Christine Norrie
Ages: 9-12 | 144 Pages
Publisher: Graphix (2024) | ISBN: 978-1338029437
When thirteen-year-old Japanese-American Amy becomes stranded in Hiroshima after Pearl Harbor, she’s forced to navigate wartime loyalties between her two home countries, working as an English translator for the Japanese army while worrying about her family in Hawaii and making an unexpected friend amid the growing tensions.
Buy the Book
The New Girl
Written and Illustrated by Cassandra Calin
Ages: 9-12 | 272 Pages
Publisher: Graphix (2024) | ISBN: 978-1338762457
In this heartfelt graphic novel based on the author’s own experiences, Lia faces the challenges of immigrating from Romania while also dealing with puberty, as she struggles to find her place in a new country where everything from the language to managing her first period feels overwhelmingly different.
Buy the Book
Plain Jane and the Mermaid
Written and Illustrated by Vera Brosgol
Ages: 10-14 | 368 Pages
Publisher: First Second (2024) | ISBN: 978-1250314857
In this subversive fairy tale graphic novel from the creator of Anya’s Ghost, a decidedly “plain” young woman named Jane ventures into the mysterious depths of the ocean to rescue her potential fiancé from a mermaid, discovering along the way that true independence might be worth more than any fairy tale ending.
Buy the Book
Warriors Graphic Novel: The Prophecies Begin #1
Written by Erin Hunter
Illustrated by Natalie Riess and Sara Goetter
Ages: 10+ | 272 Pages
Publisher: HarperAlley (2024) | ISBN: 978-0063203877
A house cat named Rusty joins a clan of wild cats and must prove himself as a warrior, all brought to life in this vibrant graphic novel adaptation of the first two books in the bestselling Warriors series.
Buy the Book
Weirdo
Written by Tony Weaver Jr.
Illustrated by Jes Wibowo and Cin Wibowo
Ages: 10-14 | 320 Pages
Publisher: First Second (2024) | ISBN: 978-1250772879
This heartfelt graphic novel memoir follows eleven-year-old Tony, a self-proclaimed geek who loves comics and anime, as he navigates bullying and self-doubt in middle school, ultimately learning that becoming the hero of his own story means embracing who he truly is rather than trying to conform to others’ expectations.
Buy the Book
The Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C.S. Lewis & J.R.R. Tolkien
Written and Illustrated by John Hendrix
Ages: 11+ | 224 Pages
Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (2024) | ISBN: 978-1419746345
This graphic novel explores the extraordinary friendship between fantasy literature giants C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, who together revolutionized storytelling through their mythical worlds of Narnia and Middle-earth while forming a legendary literary fellowship.
Buy the Book
Lunar New Year Love Story
Written by Gene Luen Yang
Illustrated by LeUyen Pham
Ages: 14+ | 352 Pages
Publisher: First Second (2024) | ISBN: 978-1250908261
In this charming graphic novel from award-winning creators Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham, Val believes her family is cursed when it comes to love—until a magical encounter with lion dancers during Lunar New Year celebrations challenges her beliefs about fate, family traditions, and the possibility of finding true love.
Listen to LeUyen Pham discuss creating books on The Growing Readers Podcast.
