Stargazing
by Jen Wang
Graphic novel · ages 8–12 · grades 3–7 · 520L
Jen Wang's most emotionally intelligent book—a friendship story about two girls who don't look or live alike, told in full color with genuine tenderness and no sermonizing.
For a reader who just finished
Books like Captain Underpants and the Perilous Plot of Professor Poopypants
after Captain Underpants and the Perilous Plot of Professor Poopypants by Dav Pilkey · ages 7–10
Same style
New Kid
by Jerry Craft
Graphic novel · ages 8–12 · grades 3–7 · 520L
A Newbery winner that actually earns it — funny and visually alive, but structurally honest about the real friction of code-switching and class without ever talking down to kids.
Ichiro
by Ryan Inzana
Graphic novel · ages 9–12 · grades 4–7 · 520L
A genuinely moving graphic novel about biracial identity that never feels preachy — Inzana's art carries as much storytelling weight as the text, and kids recognize themselves.
Stretch them up
Relish: My Life in the Kitchen
by Lucy Knisley
Graphic novel · ages 8–12 · grades 3–7 · 620L
A graphic memoir that proves picture books aren't just for young kids — Lucy's illustrations are gorgeous and the arc from finicky child to confident creator is quietly moving, with food as the thread.
Stargazing
by Jen Wang
Graphic novel · ages 8–12 · grades 3–7 · 520L
Jen Wang's most emotionally intelligent book—a friendship story about two girls who don't look or live alike, told in full color with genuine tenderness and no sermonizing.
Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir
by Pedro Martín
Graphic novel · ages 8–12 · grades 3–7 · 520L
A warm, funny, and genuinely moving memoir in graphic form—the illustrations carry the emotional arc perfectly, and kids recognize themselves in Pedro's confusion and joy between two worlds.
We'd skip — for now
Heartstopper, Volume 1
by Alice Oseman
A step up — ages 13–18 · grades 8–12
Skip it if your teen has no exposure to LGBTQ+ content and you haven't discussed sexual orientation first—the book is age-appropriate but assumes some baseline comfort with the topic.