Current List

The Little Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List is a recommended reading list designed for children in grades K-5. The purpose of the list is to encourage students to explore a variety of current graphic novels. The Little Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List is intended for recreational reading, not to support a specific curriculum. Due to the diversity of this age range, Texas librarians should purchase titles on this list according to their individual collection policies.

 

Important Dates
Nomination deadline: September 30^th       List release date: Early December

Selection Requirements Eligibility:

• Books published in the year prior to and the year of the publication of the list.
• Books with published scholarly reviews or peer reviews are preferred; however, books for which there are no reviews available may be considered at the discretion of the committee.
• A previous nomination that has been voted on may not be reconsidered.
• Though graphic novels need not be published in the United States, they must be widely available for purchase in the U.S. at the time of consideration. Reissues will be considered if there has been significant change to the original content of the work since first issued. Whether or not the changes are significant enough is ultimately determined by the Chair.
• Collections of comic strips will be considered only if they contain an overarching story line.

2023 Little Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List

* Titles received a unanimous vote from the selection committee
+ Title is part of a series

Grades K-5

*+Arlo and Pips: New Kids in the Flock by Elise Gravel (Harper Alley, an imprint of HarperCollins, 2022)

*Lemon Bird Can Help! by Paulina Ganucheau (Random House Graphic, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2022)

*+Rainbow the Koala by Remy Lai (Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, 2022a)

*Scaredy Squirrel Gets a Surprise by Melanie Watt (Random House Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House, 2022)

*+Star the Elephant by Remy Lai (Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, 2022)

*+ Sunny the Shark by Remy Lai (Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, 2022)

The Flower Garden by Renée Kurilla (Amulet Books, an imprint of Abrams, 2022)

The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza by Mac Barnett and Shawn Harris (Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2022)

Grades K-2

Anzu the Great Kaiju by Benson Shum (Roaring Brook Press, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, 2022)

+Bug Scouts: Out in the Wild by Mike Lowery (Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., 2022)

Burt’s Way Home by John Martz (Tundra, an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada Young Readers, 2022)

+Cranky Chicken by Katherine Battersby (Margaret K. McElderry Books, an imprint of Simon and Schuster, 2021)

*+Elinor Wonders Why: Forest Giants by Jorge Cham and Daniel Whiteson (Kids Can Press, 2022)

*+Fox and Chick: Up and Down by Sergio Ruzzier (Chronicle Books, 2022)

*+Hello, Hedgehog: Happy Birthday, Hedgehog! by Norm Feuti (Scholastic Inc.,2022)

Kraken Me Up by Jeffery Ebbler (Holiday House, 2021)

*Kunoichi Bunny by Sara Cassidy and Braydon Sato (Orca book Publishers, 2022)

+School’s In, Crabby by Jonathan Fenske (Scholastic Inc., 2022)

Shark Princess by Nidhi Chanani (Viking Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2022)

*+Simon and Chester: Super Sleepover by Cale Atkinson (Tundra, an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada Young Readers, 2021)

+Sir Ladybug by Corey R. Tabor (Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2022)

*Stick and Stone Explore and More by Beth Ferry and Kristen Cella (Clarion Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2022)

+Tiny Tales: A Feast for Friends by Steph Waldo (HarperAlley, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2022)

Grades 3-5

*Anne of West Philly by Ivy Noel Weir and Myisha Haynes (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Hatchette, 2022)

*Another Kind by Trevor Bream and Cait May (HarperAlley, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2021)

+Apple Crush by Lucy Knisley (Random House Graphic, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC., 2022)

Artie and the Wolf Moon by Olivia Stephens (Graphic Universe, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group, 2021)

+Batpig: When Pigs Fly by Rob Harrell (Dial Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2021)

Bounce Back by Misako Rocks! (Feiwel and Friends, an imprint of Macmillan, 2021)

+Bug Boys: Adventures and Daydreams by Laura Knetzger (Random House Graphic, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2022)

+Bunnicula: The Graphic Novel by James Howe, Andrew Donkin and Stephen Gilpin (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon and Schuster, 2022)

Carlos Gomez Freestyles…Heavy on the Style by Chuck Gonzalez (Reycraft Books, 2021)

+Crunch by Kayla Miller (Clarion Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2022)

+Enemies by Svetlana Chmakova (JY, an imprint of Yen Press, 2022)

*Freestyle by Gale Galligan (Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., 2022)

*Frizzy by Claribel Ortega (First Second, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, 2022)

*+Garlic and the Witch by Bree Paulsen (Quill Tree Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2022)

*Growing Pangs by Kathryn Ormsbee and Molly Brooks (Random House Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House, 2022)

+Hilo: Gina and the Big Secret by Judd Winick (Random House Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House, 2022)

*+History Comics: The American Bison: The Buffalo’s Survival Tale by Andy Hirsch (First Second, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, 2021)

*Invisible by Christina Diaz Gonzalez and Gabriela Epstein (Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., 2022)

Isla to Island by Alexis Castellanos (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon and Schuster, 2022)

+I Survived the Attack of the Grizzlies, 1967 by Lauren Tarshis and Bernat Pekmezci (Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., 2022)

+I Survived the Nazi Invasion, 1944 by Lauren Tarshis and Álvaro Sarraseca (Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., 2021)

+Katie the Catsitter: Best Friends for Never by Colleen AF Venable and Stephanie Yue (Random House Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House, 2022)

*Killer Underwear Invasion!: How to Spot Fake News, Disinformation, & Conspiracy Theories by Elise Gravel (Chronicle Books, 2022)

*+Lightfall: Shadow of the Bird by Tim Probert (HarperAlley, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2022)

Little Monarchs by Jonathan Case (Margaret Ferguson Books, an imprint of Holiday House, 2022)

*Lumber-Jackula by Matt Heagerty and Sam Owen (Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon and Schuster, 2022)

¡¡Manu!! by Kelly Fernández (Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., 2021)

Mapmakers and the Lost Magic by Cameron Chittock and Amanda Castillo (Random House Graphic, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2022)

*Marshmallow and Jordan by Alina Chau (Roaring Brook Press, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, 2021)

+Mason Mooney Doppelgänger Detective by Seaerra Miller (Flying Eye Books, an imprint of Nobrow, 2021)

*Miss Quinces by Kat Fajardo (Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., 2022)

Muhammad Najem, War Reporter by Muhammad Najem, Nora Neus and Julie Robine (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Hatchette, 2022)

My Aunt is a Monster by Reimena Yee (Random House Graphic, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2022)

+Oh My Gods II: The Forgotten Maze by Stephanie Cooke, Insha Fitzpatrick, and Juliana Moon (Clarion Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2022)

*+Order of the Night Jay: The Forest Beckons by Jonathan Schnapp (Top Shelf Productions, an imprint of IDW Publishing, 2022)

*Prunella and the Cursed Skull Ring by Matthew Loux (First Second, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, 2022)

*Ride On by Faith Erin Hicks (First Second, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, 2022)

Salt Magic by Hope Larson and Rebecca Mock (Margaret Ferguson Books, an imprint of Holiday House, 2021)

*+Science Comics: Birds of Prey: Terrifying Talons by Joe Flood (First Second, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, 2022)

+Secrets of Camp Whatever: The Doors to Nowhere by Chris Grine (Oni Press, 2022)

+Shirley and Jamila’s Big Fall by Gillian Goerz (Dial Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2021)

*Smaller Sister by Maggie Edkins Willis (Roaring Brook Press, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, 2022)

Speak Up! By Rebecca Burgess (Quill Tree Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2022)

*Stealing Home by J. Torres and David Namisato (Kids Can Press, 2021)

*Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas (HarperAlley, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2022)

The Aquanaut by Dan Santat (Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., 2022)

+The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo: The Tangled Web by Drew Weing (First Second, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, 2021)

*+The Ghoul Next Door by Cullen Bunn and Cat Farris (HarperAlley, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2021)

*The Legend of Brightblade by Ethan Aldridge (Quill Tree Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2022)

The Real Riley Mayes by Rachel Elliott (Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2022)

*The Rema Chronicles: The Realm of the Blue Mist by Amy Kim Kibuishi (Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., 2022)

*The Secret Garden on 81st Street by Ivy Noel Weir and Amber Padilla (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Hatchette, 2021)

*The Tryout by Christina Soontornvat and Joanna Cacao (Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., 2022)

*+ Who Was the Voice of the People? Cesar Chavez by Terry Blas (Penguin Workshop, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC., 2022)

*+Witches of Brooklyn: What the Hex?! by Sophie Escabasse (Random House Graphic, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC., 2021)

The Woman in the Woods and Other North American Stories ed.by Kate Ashwin, Kel McDonald,  and Alina Pete (Iron Circus Comics, 2022)

Tidesong by Wendy Xu (Quill Tree Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2021)

+Wingbearer by Marjorie Liu and Teny Issakhanian (Quill Tree Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2022)

*Your Pal Fred by Michael Rex (Viking Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2022)

*Yummy: A History of Desserts by Victoria Grace Elliot (Random House Graphic, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2021)

*+Yuzu the Pet Vet Volume 5 by Mingo Ito (Kodansha Comics, 2021)

*+Yuzu the Pet Vet Volume 6 by Mingo Ito (Kodansha Comics, 2021)

PUBLIC NOMINATION FORM