A few years ago, I plucked an unsuspecting graphic novel from a shelf at the library–The Sacrifice of Darkness by Roxanne Gay, Tracy Lynne Oliver, Rebecca Kirby, and James Fenner. I remember this graphic novel being solidly okay, but it encouraged me to actively seek out graphic novels going forward. Now I bring one home after every library visit. They are mostly middle-grade or young adult books since that’s what is immediately available to me at my local library, but they are nevertheless incredible. Some have even made me weep! Here are 7 graphic novels I’ve read in the last year (and a half?) that I cannot stop thinking about:
This was Our Pact by Ryan Andrews
On the night of the Autumn Equinox Festival, a town gathers to float paper lanterns down the river. Legend has it, the lanterns will float away and right out to the Milky Way. This year, Ben and his classmates make a pact to follow the lanterns to find out if the legend is true. However, it’s not long before the pact is broken, and all who remain are Ben and the one kid who doesn’t quite fit in, Nathaniel. Together, they travel farther than anyone has gone before, and along the way, they discover a world full of magic and unexpected friendship.
This Was Our Pact was delightful. It was magical. It was whimsical. It had a talking bear! And the whole time I thought, this world could come to life in a Hayao Miyazaki film. The artwork was stunning, too. Like, you could open up the book to the illustration of the Milky Way, and the page could just swallow you up like the sky.
Squire by Sara Alfageeh and Nadia Shammas
Aiza has always dreamed of being a knight; it’s the highest military honor of the Bayt-Sajji Empire, and it’s her only path to full citizenship as a member of the marginalized Ornu people. When Bayt-Sajji finds itself on the brink of war, Aiza enlists. She navigates new friendships and rigorous training all while hiding her Ornu background from her friends and superiors. She also learns that the Bayt-Sajji military might not be fighting for the greater good after all, forcing her to choose between her heritage and her loyalty to the empire.
Lately, I feel as though I’ve abandoned YA books because the authors I’ve picked up struggle to address social issues well. The stories often feel stilted or like the author is just reiterating a talking point they read on social media. It feels cringey and vaguely Afterschool Special-esque. But, I think the thing that impressed me most about Squire was its ability to address complex themes like propaganda, imperialism, colonialism, and minority identity under a conquering empire without sacrificing rich storytelling. Also, the story features badass girls with swords, which is always awesome.
Incredible Doom: Volume 1 by Matthew Bogart and Jesse Holden
Simply, Incredible Doom is about outcast teens finding refuge from abusive parents and acceptance from peers after being bullied at a new school through the bulletin board system of the early ’90s (sort of a precursor to the modern internet). Plus, it has a punk house, 90’s DIY aesthetic, and some wonderful Star Trek geekery!
Even though I didn’t have internet access at home until the late 1990s and didn’t experience BBS, this graphic novel made me feel so nostalgic for the internet of yesteryear. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about this book and the early days of personal websites since.
Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton
Kate Beaton narrates her experience working in the oil sands of Alberta, where she is one of a few women among thousands of men, in this graphic novel memoir.
This is probably the only book on this list that doesn’t target a YA or middle-grade audience and pheeew! This book was heavy. I went into reading this book thinking it was going to be about the environmental impact of the oil sands, and the author does touch on it. But, it was more about the cultural and human impact of living in an insular and isolated community.
As a woman, Beaton dealt with sexual harassment and sexual assault. She doesn’t excuse these actions but still manages to hold compassion for many of her male co-workers, who are complicit in perpetuating a toxic and dangerous environment for women. Ultimately, the men were victims of the oil sands too. Without access to mental health resources, pervasive loneliness and depression permeated their lives as they spent years away from families and communities outside of work camps or watched corporate bosses sweep the accidental deaths of oil sand workers under the rug because they were viewed as expendable. Ducks is a devastating, empathetic, and nuanced portrayal of just how badly the environment and human lives were exploited to churn out a corporate profit.
P.S. Don’t skip the afterword. Beaton addresses her assault more directly here, and it provides much more context on how it was treated in the graphic novel. It helped me process some of the emotions that surfaced as I read this story.
Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me by Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O’Connell
Freddy Riley’s world revolves around her girlfriend, Laura Dean. Laura is cool and popular and exciting, but she’s also a jerk who only seems to use Freddy when she’s bored. Freddy’s self-esteem and friendships are suffering because of it, so Freddy is trying to figure out how to ditch Laura once and for all.
I found this coming-of-age story absorbing, but the thing that sticks with me after all this time is the artwork. The illustrations are inked simply in black and white with the occasional use of pink. It was beautiful, absolutely striking.
This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki
On the surface, This One Summer is about Rose and her annual summer vacation at Awago Beach. This summer is different though because Rose’s parents keep fighting. Luckily, Rose’s friend Windy is at the beach too, and together they find ways to distract themselves from family drama.
Below the surface, This One Summer is a quiet novel about a girl teetering on the cusp of adolescence. It’s about leaving the freedom and naivety of childhood behind and learning to navigate the tumultuous world of pre-teen/teenage girlhood. It’s changing bodies and pushing boundaries and noticing boys. It’s also about all the ways we learn to form opinions of ourselves as girls based on how the world around us (men and boys in particular, but also the media we consume and other women harboring internalized misogyny), reacts to our existence. Girlhood (and womanhood) is such a powerful experience, but sometimes it is a profoundly devastating experience, and it was captured here within the pages of This One Summer. And by God, this book made me weep.
There are two stories I think of that capture the essence of being a preteen girl so perfectly: Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume (which I read as an actual preteen) and now This One Summer by Mariko and Jillian Tamaki (which I read as an adult and through the lens of being a mother). It was absolutely brilliant.
On A Sunbeam by Tillie Walden
Throughout the deepest reaches of space, a crew rebuilds broken-down structures to reassemble the past. As the newest crew member, Mia gets to know her team, the story flashes back to her time in boarding school, where she first fell in love. Soon, Mia reveals her purpose for joining the crew was to track down her long-lost love.
On a Sunbeam is a warm blanket. There is so much love between these pages it soothes my soul. First, it is in the form of Sapphic relationships, especially between Mia and her first love, Grace. When Grace is suddenly ripped from Mia’s life, Mia attempts to defy the vastness of the entire. friggin. universe. just to find her again. Second, it is in the form of a found family– the crew Mia connects with to rebuild abandoned buildings in space.
Beyond the storytelling, Tillie Walden’s illustrations are stunning, and her artwork is among my favorites. Her artwork in Are You Listening? is pretty incredible too.
By Golly, Ollie! 