Great gifts for Middle Schoolers: graphic novels!

Looking for something new and fun to read?  Look no further than our latest additions to the Youth Room Graphic Novel section! These books would also make great holiday gifts for avid Middle School graphic novel readers!

Sisters 
The latest from Raina Telgemeier (author/illustrator of Smile and Drama) about her relationship with her sister over the course of a family cross-country trip.






 
The Graveyard book  
Graphic Novel version of the dark Newbery-medal-winning book about a young orphan who is adopted by ghosts in a graveyard.










The Shadow Hero 
Well-known graphic novel author Gene Luen Yang invents an origin story for the not-well-known superhero, The Green Turtle, the first Asian-American superhero character.



 

Through the Woods 
This is a spooky collection of fairy-tales gone wrong.  Not for the faint-of-heart, grizzly tales are made even more dark by haunting illustrations.





 


Shackleton: Antarctic Odyssey 
This non-fiction graphic novel portrays the travels of Earnest Shackleton as he explored the Antarctic. 






 


Lies in the Dust: A Tale of Remorse from the Salem Witch Trials 
A letter of apology from Ann Putnam Jr., a key witness in the Salem Witch Trials, comes to life in this graphic novel.





 


El Deafo
An autobiographical story about a girl navigating making friends and fitting in while using a hearing aid.

The Dumbest Idea Ever 
This fun autobiographical graphic novel tells of how the author discovered his love of comics and illustrations while bedridden, after missing out on his championship basketball game due to illness.

Boy, do we love Cece Bell!

Books by Cece Bell

Bee-Wigged (Candlewick Press, 2008) is my favorite book of all the ones that I’ve published. In a crazy way, it is autobiographical, because, like Jerry Bee, I am a wig-wearing child-sized bee who tries to radiate positive energy whenever possible.

See the resemblance?

This book has a twist! And who doesn’t love a book with a twist?
The illustrations for this book were done using acrylics, and lots and lots of hand-cut stencils, and then everything was outlined in black ink. Work, work, work. Whew. But fun.

Lots and lots of hand-cut stencils headed to the dump!

Here’s what Kirkus had to say:

The daffy winsomeness of Bell’s art is given aesthetic heft by her gorgeous use of color, bold outlines containing saturated blues, greens and, of course, bumblebee-yellows. Is Jerry a little too cute to serve as a vehicle to combat prejudice? Hardly—no one’s about to kill this messenger.

Not too shabby!

For much more on Cece Bell, go to http://cecebell.wordpress.com/