I love wordless books immoderately, and I also love books that have meta, surreal, or magical realism elements. This list combines these two features! I was personally so happy that The Red Book was described in a review as “a wordless mind trip for tots,” and I think all the books on this list would perfectly fit that description (and much, much more!) too.
I love being in the gentle and cheery little world of Polo! Polo is a small dog who travels via ingenious visual twists of perspective and imagery. I both admire the cleverness and invention, and enjoy the cozy worlds and friends that Polo meets along the way. The Polo books are unique in being truly action-packed while also being very tranquil and peaceful.
Equipped with a backpack full of supplies, Polo sets off on a little boat--and on a series of delightful adventures that take him across (and under) the ocean, to an island and a frozen iceberg, to space and home again, with a world of magical encounters along the way. Polo's journey is packed with incident and expression; 80 pages of seamless, satisfying picture storytelling are perfectly targeted to the youngest reader. Unique, dynamic, and playful, The Adventures of Polo calls to mind the worlds of film animation, comics, and classic books from Harold and the Purple Crayon to The Snowman--and…
When I was a queer teen in the early 2000s, I didn’t have sapphic books or media available to me aside from anime, and even then, the dubbed versions on TV were scrubbed of queerness (I’m looking at you, Sailor Moon and Cardcaptor Sakura). I did have Revolutionary Girl Utena, and it was everything to me: fantasy, ballgowns, and girls dancing together. I wrote my book for that me who craved to see herself in beautiful, fantastical stories, and it’s why I love the fact that we have so many more out there right now that I can recommend to all of you!
This book has all the things I love about a swashbuckling fantasy–found family, romance, and magic. The art is gorgeous, the characters are loveable, and the world is bustling with excitement and danger at every turn.
I loved the One Piece vibes, and it’s so wonderful to see queerness just be there. I could not stop turning the pages.
Our Flag Means Death gets a magical, sapphic twist in this swashbuckling young adult graphic novel adventure full of high-stakes adventure, fantastical creatures, and a swoony enemies-to-lovers romance perfect for fans of In Deeper Waters and The Prince and the Dressmaker.
“I want to be beautiful. I want to be interesting. I want to be enough.”
That was Ferra Brickminder’s prayer to win back the love of her life. And the gods answer—just not in the way she expected. After hoping for a miracle, Ferra instead watches her skin turn into delicate and dangerously breakable porcelain.
I've been an editorial cartoonist and author of children's books for years, and I've always wanted to try my hand at a graphic novel. I'd want to explore this art form even if I didn't have kids. Editorial cartoons deal with serious, heavy issues. Comic strips can get monotonous, and picture books tend to skew young. Graphic novels for kids, however, are 'Goldilocks' projects for me—just right. They allow you to imagine incredible adventures for your characters, they give you an excuse to incorporate wacky humor, and the format provides a chance to have fun with art and design. What's not to love?
My first pick, by Kirk Reedstrom, is the perfect combo of funny and charming. The playful dynamics between Duck and Moose, with their contrasting personalities and quirky adventures, create the ideal set-up for Reedstrom’s storytelling and witty dialogue.
I smile just by looking at it. The book's heartwarming themes of friendship and teamwork, combined with its lighthearted tone, make this book a great pick.
The first book in a laugh-out-loud early graphic novel series perfect for fans of Narwhal and Jelly! Quiet-loving Moose's life is turned upside down by free-wheeling Duck. The two will need to put their differences aside if they're ever going to be neighbors...or friends!
Moose loves peace and quiet, relaxing, living alone, and spring! He can't wait for the arrival of sun, flowers, and...a new neighbor?! Duck just landed himself a new home. He loves parties, karaoke, and living with—and on—Moose's head. Moose tries everything he can to send Duck away, but he soon finds that this persistent neighbor might…
I have written seven picture books, one of which was a New York Times Editors’ Choice and many of which have been award nominees. My books have been translated into five languages and are enjoyed by kids from Denmark to Korea. As a mom, I know that when a child loves a book they want it read to them repeatedly. That’s why I admire books that are written for the enjoyment of both the adult and the child. I dislike preachy books filled with lessons. I prefer when books entertain and contain a nugget of gold that readers can take with them when the book is done.
I love this book as a parent because it is a joy to read. Its rhyme is sheer perfection (which is hard to pull off) and the conclusion is pure genius, as Hoberman deftly weaves a tapestry out of seemingly random strings. This is a hilarious book about a mother who grows more and more weary from the demands of her seven children and their very particular and fussy eating habits. This kitchen-bound, short-order-chef hero of a mom gets a lovely surprise at the end that makes all the chaos seem worth it. Kids will giggle, moms (or dads or other caregivers) will relate.
As an author and illustrator, I much prefer to present my writing with visuals. It’s how I write, by “seeing the story” in my mind. I have written and illustrated many graphic novels and comics on my own and as a part of a team. The art in comic books can be so much work it is often broken into stages: penciled art, then inked, and then colored. These graphic novels are some of the best magical stories for kids that I’ve ever read, and as someone who reads all the time, that’s saying a lot.
A boy without a name, referred to only as “The Human Childe”, lives in an underworld of magical creatures. Stolen from his true parents and kept almost as a pet or a trophy by the Fay King and Queen. He knows he is different and that he doesn’t belong here.
In the world above is a boy named Edmund. Not really his name, for he is a changeling and replaced the true Edmund long ago, but this is the only family he’s ever known, and he loves them, and they love him. However, he can speak to birds and cats and accidentally sets his sister’s hair aflame.
This book is a very complete magical world with beautiful art throughout. The pacing is just excellent, and the story is really engaging.
Rising star author-illustrator Ethan M. Aldridge delivers a fantasy adventure with all the makings of a classic. Illustrated with over two-hundred pages of watercolor paintings, this epic graphic novel is perfect for fans of Amulet.
Edmund and the Childe were swapped at birth. Now Edmund lives in secret as a changeling in the World Above, his fae powers hidden from his unsuspecting parents and his older sister, Alexis. The Childe lives among the fae in the World Below, where being a human makes him a curiosity at the royal palace.
But when the cruel sorceress Hawthorne seizes the throne, the…
I'm a writer and a mother. Prior to the birth of my son, I wrote mainly fiction but fiction grounded in reality. As my son grew up, I wanted to write stories for him but as soon as I had written a crocodile story, he had already outgrown it. The years seven until eleven are a magical time for reading and perhaps the age group I enjoy writing for most. As a single, older mother I found the most engaging narratives for myself and my son (who is not a reader although loves being read to) were those that were grounded in reality, particularly the setting and with challenging as well as challenged characters.
These are a perfect series of stories for kids transitioning from picture to chapter books. The setting is ‘realistic’ (London and the US) and the characters involve Mac B (Kid Spy) and the Queen of England, among others. That doesn’t sound like a realistic premise but it absolutely works. The first-person narrator is the author reimagining his spy childhood in the 80s. ‘Before Mac Barnett was an author, he was a kid. And while he was a kid, he was a spy.’ The illustrations are perhaps more plentiful, which would make reading by themselves easier – although, again, I read these to my son. The writing is light, humorous with lots of historical referencing, particularly to the old USSR.
From the esteemed New York Times bestselling and multi-award-winning author Mac Barnett comes a thrilling, hilarious fully-illustrated new spy adventure series! Before Mac Barnett was an author, he was a kid. And while he was a kid, he was a spy. Not just any spy. But a spy...for the Queen of England.
James Bond meets Diary of a Wimpy Kid with this groundbreaking fully-illustrated chapter book series Mac B., Kid Spy.
The precious Crown Jewels have been stolen, and there's only one person who can help the Queen of England: her newest secret agent, Mac B. Mac travels around the…
With her father being a comic book nerd, he picked up a lot of Superhero-themed books from the time our daughter was an infant (bonus: My Dad is a Superhero is his favorite DC Comics board book).
As she’s moved out of board books, The Big Book of Girl Power has become the number 1 request for bedtime stories this year. If you have a superhero lover as well, this is a great one for learning both about some of the DC Superheroines and getting a good dose about how strong women can be.
DC's awesome super heroes are terrific role models for young girls. This colorful picture book, illustrated with DC Comics classic art, details the inspiring qualities that make Wonder Woman, Batgirl, Supergirl and their friends so powerful.
Wonder Woman knows the importance of telling the truth. Bat Girl reads a lot and has impressive technical skills. Supergirl is the only girl to survive from the planet Krypton. Black Canary persuades people to do things with the power of her voice. Illustrated with cool, classic DC art, this fun, colorful book shows how these and other amazing female super heroes use their…
When I was a kid, I moved from Sri Lanka to the US without any knowledge of English. I first learned the language through the stories I watched and then the ones I read. I spent hours in the library and was most strongly attracted to stories with magic and witches, which allowed me to escape my own life and find refuge in my imagination. These stories are why I became a writer, and many of these stories still hold sway over me today. When life gets hard, I love to escape into these magical worlds.
I’ve loved the magical girl genre for a long time, ever since I first watched Sailor Moon when I was eight years old. This great duology for teens flips the genre on its head with a trans boy as its protagonist and wonderfully explores the nuances of what it means to be a hero. And it’s quite funny, too.
A breathtakingly imaginative fantasy series starring Max - a trans high school student who has to save the world as a Magical Girl ... as a boy! Although he was assigned female at birth, Max is your average trans man trying to get through high school as himself. But on top of classes, crushes and coming out, Max's life is turned upside down when his mom reveals an eons old family secret: he's descended from a long line of Magical Girls tasked with defending humanity from a dark, ancient evil!
With a sassy feline sidekick and loyal gang of friends…
I like thinking about the people who misbehaved in the 1700s. As a teenager, I was initially drawn to journalism as a medium for telling stories, but in college, I was entranced by the stories I could tell with early American sources. Years ago, Jan Lewis noted that many readers want “bedtime stories” about how great the American Revolution was, but there’s much more to the Revolution’s history. Now, I’m a history professor at Brooklyn College and the Graduate Center of the City of New York. Having lived in the Boston area and New York City, it’s been a thrill to write books about the American Revolution in both places.
I couldn’t put down the story of Isabel, a fictional Black teenager who lived through the American Revolution in New York City.
The book covers everything from the assassination plot against George Washington to the fire that burned much of the city in September 1776, along with the everyday injustices of eighteenth-century slavery. The book gives the reader a true feel for the Black experience in Revolutionary New York.
Each chapter starts with an excerpt from a real Revolutionary document. It’s geared at young adult readers, but this is not your grandmother’s Johnny Tremain. I loved this book and the remainder of the trilogy that followed it.
Isabel and her sister, Ruth, are slaves. Sold from one owner to the next, they arrive in New York as the Americans are fighting for their independence, and the English are struggling to maintain control. Soon Isabel is struggling too. Struggling to keep herself and her sister safe in a world in which they have no control. With a rare and compelling voice, this haunting novel tells not only the story of a remarkable girl and her incredible strength, but also of a time and place in which slavery was the order of the day and lives were valued like…
I was a classroom teacher for 15 years who transitioned to writing children’s books. Starting with picture books, I now write graphic novels. My target audience is 2nd-5th graders and they really get my wacky sense of humor. My passion for silly comedy, from Abbott and Costello to the Marx Brothers, started at an early age and infuses my mission to help reluctant readers become enthusiastic and proficient readers. I feel strongly about this goal because I was once a reluctant reader and I can appreciate what these kids might be going through.
Well, John Patrick Green has done the incredible job of combining a dark mystery with a graphic-novel format to create the first book in this irresistible series: InvestiGators.
When Gustavo, the world-famous cupcake chef, goes missing, Mango and Batch, two bumbling crime-fighting alligators, are on the case!
Packed with crazy gadgets, running gags (a mustache that incomprehensibly travels from face to face), dopey puns, and zany characters like Cici Boringstories (the news reporter), Dr. Jake Hardbones (the brain surgeon), and Houdino (don’t ask), this page-turner will have reluctant-reader middle graders – including my inner ten-year-old – laughing out loud and asking for more!
Meet the InvestiGators. With their gadgets, know-how, and super-fast transportation system (they flush themselves down toilets to speed through the sewers!), Mango and Brash are the scourge of the super-villain landscape! As vest-wearing employees of the Special Undercover Investigation Teams, they solve all kinds of mysteries and frequently butt heads with their archnemesis: a former agent known as Crackerdile.
Riddled with puns, potty humour, absurdism, and hilarious twists, InvestiGators is the perfect series for Dog Man fans looking for their next great read! It's kid-friendly comics at their best.
