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
Graphic novel · grades 2–5 · 420L
Peak graphic-novel chaos for early readers — the name-change gag is a masterclass in absurdist wordplay, and kids reread it until the binding fails.
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.
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.
Roller Girl
by Victoria Jamieson
Graphic novel · ages 8–12 · grades 3–7 · 520L
A graphic novel that earns its emotional weight—the illustration work (especially faces and body language) does half the storytelling about shame, jealousy, and what repair actually costs.
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.