Great Graphic Novels 

Novels surely to make you say, "Wow, that was great!"

Jop and Blip Wanna Know: Can you hear a Penguins Fart on Mars?

Benton, Jim. Jop and Blip Wanna Know: Can you hear a Penguins Fart on Mars? And Other Excellent Questions. HarperAlley 2021. $7.19. 96 pages. ISBN 0062972936. 

A fun graphic novel for the kids that always ask the most questions. Finding the answers for Jop and Blip aren’t always easy, but their journey to discover the truth leads the reader to a funny and quizzical story. With bright illustrations and bold lines to follow, the graphics highlight  the light and comical atmosphere perfectly. For early readers looking into reading graphic novels, this one's for you! 

New Kid 

Craft, Jerry. New Kid. HarperCollins Children’s Books, 2019. $7.54. 256 pages. ISBN 0062691198. 

Being the new kid in school is never easy and no matter what age, its difficult to squeeze into the right place and find you niche. Jordan Banks loves to draw, but his parents end up sending him to a prestigious academic school so he can get a solid education. Being a predominately white school Jordan being one of the few kids of color, Jordan finds it even harder to fit in. Jordan is torn between worlds: does he want to fit in more at school or more at home? In this coming-of-age graphic novel by Jerry Craft, Jordan Banks teaches us a lot about overcoming adversity, and learning to be ourselves no matter where we are. With classic comic-like graphics, Craft uses pieces of comic nostalgia to take us all back to when we felt we didn’t fit in and used something, art in Jordan’s case, to get through our tougher days. 

Garlic and the Vampire 

Paulsen, Bree. Garlic and the Vampire. Quill Tree Books, 2021. $11.77. 160 pages. ISBN 0062995081.

A clever and cute storyline that makes you think the stinky smell of garlic can be much smarter than you could believe. In a garden ran by a witch and maintained by other vegetables, Garlic does her best to keep up with the others. When a vampire arrives in a castle not too far from the garden, another farmer, Celery, makes the suggestion that Garlic should be the one to go confront the vampire. Despite her apprehension, with a little help from her friends, Garlic makes her way to the castle and finds that the vampire isn’t so blood-thristy as they think. With whimsical drawings and warm browns and reds to set the scene of olden days, Paulsen does an excellent job of putting us into Garlic’s world, and sharing a wonderful story of how important it is to be brave. 

Another Kind 

May, Cait and Bream, Trevor. Another Kind. HarperAlley, 2021. $9.99. 288 Pages. ISBN 006304353.

Meant for an older reader, but still accessible to those who love an alien story, Another Kind hits all the marks of a great adventure story. While this group of child aliens are attempting to be kidnapped from a poacher, they travel across the United States and meet all other kinds of traditionally known monsters or other fables. Throughout their journey they find that the best family to have is each other. With funky colors and attention to detail of each and every character, the graphics are killer, making you have a hard time deciding whether to hangout and look at them for longer, or read more of this intriguing story.