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Maverick Current List

Recommended graphic novels for grades 6 - 12.

Collection Development Statement
The Maverick Reading List is not designed to support any particular curriculum. Librarians are not required or expected to purchase every book on the list. Due to the diversity in age range and topics, librarians should follow their local collection development policies and guidelines when considering which titles to purchase for their library.

Annual List
The Texas Maverick Graphic Novels Reading List (TMGNRL) is a recommended reading list developed by public and school librarians from the Young Adult Round Table (YART). The list’s purpose is to encourage students in grades 6-12 to explore a variety of current books. The TMGNRL 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.


2024 Nominations

Click the button below to submit a nomination for the 2024 Texas Maverick Graphic Novels Reading List.

2024 Maverick Nomination Form

To see the titles currently nominated for the 2024 TMGNRL, click the button below:

2024 MAVERICK CURRENT NOMINATIONS LIST

To learn more about nomination criteria, please click here.


2023 Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List STARRED TITLES

2023 Maverick Starred Titles 1    2023 Maverick Starred Titles 2


2023 Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List

2023 Texas Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List – Printable Version

2023 Texas Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List
Creator(s) Title
Grades 6-8
Hale, Shannon, Dean Hale, Asiah Fulmore Amethyst: Princess of Gemworld
May, Cait, Trevor Bream Another Kind
Santat, Dan The Aquanaut
Murray, Duane, Shawn Daley Better Place
Blasco, Serena Enola Holmes: The Graphic Novels
***Ortega, Claribel A., Rose Bousamra Frizzy
***Smith, Niki The Golden Hour
Deneen, Brendan, Bell Hosalla Green Arrow: Stranded
Fung, Rosena Living With Viola
Fernandez, Kelly Manu: A Graphic Novel
***Chau, Alina Marshmallow & Jordan
***Fajardo, Kat Miss Quinces
Lai, Remy Pawcasso
Hicks, Faith Erin Ride On
Regina, Michael The Sleepover
Douye, Sylvia, Paola Antista Sorceline
Terciero, Rey, Megan Kearney Swan Lake: Quest for the Kingdoms
Grades 6-12
***Delliquanti, Blue Across A Field of Starlight
Bernardin, Marc, Ariela Kristantina, Bryan Valenza, Bernardo Brice, Damon Lindelof Adora and the Distance
King, Thomas, Natasha Donovan Borders
Page, Tyler Button Pusher
Nadatani, Wataru Cat + Gamer
Rioux, Jo Cat’s Cradle: The Golden Twine
Einhorn, Heather, Adam Staffaroni, Janet Harvey, Sonia Liao The Curie Society
Valentino, Serena, Arielle Jovellanos Evil Thing: A Villains Graphic Novel
Fahmy, Huda Huda F Are You?
McCormack, Will, Michael Govier, Youngran Nho, Laura Dern If Anything Happens I Love You
***Gonzalez, Christina Diaz, Gabriela Epstein Invisible: A Graphic Novel
Brinkman, Kiara, Sean Chiki Lucy in the Sky
***The Kao Magical Boy, Volume 1 & 2
Komoto, Hajime Mashle Magic and Muscles, Volume 1-6
Neely, Kindra Numb To This: Memoir of a Mass Shooting
Sugitani, Shogo Pompo: The Cinephile
Walsh, Liam Francis Red Scare: A Graphic Novel
Seeley, Tim, Baldemar Rivas, Romulo Fajardo Jr. Robins: Being Robin, Volume 1
***Midori, Wataru Run On Your New Legs, Volume 1 and 2
***Alfageeh, Sara, Nadia Shammas Squire
***Christmas, Johnnie Swim Team
Siegel, Siena Cherson, Mark Siegel Tiny Dancer
***Smith, Tommie, Derrick Barnes, Dawud Anyabwile Victory. Stand!
Wyatt, Jake, Choo The Well
Liu, Marjorie, Teny Issakhanian Wingbearer
***Sandlin, Jay, Patrick Mulholland, Rebecca Nalty, Justin Birch World Class
***Tynion, James IV, Michael Dialynas Wynd, Book One: Flight of the Prince and Wynd: Book Two: The Secret of the Wings
***Elliott, Victoria Grace Yummy: A History of Desserts
Grades 9-12
Adams, Leisl Batter Royale
***Walker, David F, Marcus Kwame Anderson The Black Panther Party: A Graphic Novel History
Arroyo, Jeannette, Ren Graham Blackwater
Peyo Boy Meets Maria
Walden, Tillie Clementine: Book One
***Stirling, Danie Crumbs
Kasama, Sanshiro, Hikaru Uesugi Deadpool Samurai, Volume 1
***Lorinczi, Balazs Doughnuts and Doom
Aozaki, Ritsu, Asagi Orikawa, Akito Ito The Dragon Knight’s Beloved, Volume 1
***Axelrod, Jadzia, Jess Taylor Galaxy: The Prettiest Star
Keys, Alicia, Andrew Weiner, Brittney Williams Girl on Fire
***Searle, Sarah Winifred The Greatest Thing
Manga Classics Hamlet
Becker, Harmony Himawari House
Anta, Julio, Anna Wieszczyk, Bryan Valenza, Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou HOME, Volume 1
Graudins, Alex Improve: How I Discovered Improv and Conquered Social Anxiety
Gharib, Malaka It Won’t Always Be Like This: A Graphic Memoir
***Matsumoto, Naoya Kaiju No. 8, Volume 1
Yukimori, Nene Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible, Volume 1
***Eastman, Kevin, Peter Laird, Tom Waltz, Esau & Isaac Escorza, Ben Bishop, Luis Antonio Delgado The Last Ronin
***Gao, Laura Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American
Mackay, Jed, Alessandro Cappuccio Moon Knight, Vol. 1: The Midnight Mission
Niimura, Ken Never Open It: The Taboo Trilogy
***Boo, Sweeney Over My Dead Body
Chad, Jon Pinball: A Graphic History of the Silver Ball
Roo, Jean J., Jane Margolis, Charis JB Power On!
***Suzuki, Yuto Sakamoto Days, Volume 1
Ollerton, Bex Sensory: Life on the Spectrum: An Autistic Comics Anthology
McCoola, Marika, Aatmaja Pandya Slip
Chugong Solo Leveling, Volume 1
Tahir, Sabaa, Nicole Andlefinger, Sonia Liao A Spark Within the Forge: An Ember in the Ashes Graphic Novel
Tokudo-Hall, Maggie, Lisa Sterle Squad
Taylor, Tom, Jon Timms Superman: Son of Kal-El volume 1: The Truth
Sourya Talli, Daughter of the Moon
Roca, Paco, Guillermo Corral, Andrea Rosenberg The Treasure of the Black Swan
***Cantwell, Christopher, Josh Trujillo, Dale Eaglesham, Jan Balaldua The United States of Captain America
Szamosi, Sofia Unretouchable
Hancox, Lewis Welcome to St. Hell
Feathers, Bea, Ally Shwed, Kasia Babis, Ian Rosenberg, Mike Cavallaro World Citizen Comic series: Free Speech Handbook: A Practical Framework for Understanding Our Free Speech Protections, Re: Constitutions: Connecting Citizens with the Rules of the Game, Why the People
Adult for YA
Melendez, Jarrett, Danica Brine, Hank Jones, Hasan Otsmane-Elhaou Chef’s Kiss
Tung, Debbie Everything is Ok
Ewing, Rhea Fine: A Comic about Gender
***Spooner, James The High Desert: Black. Punk. Nowhere.
Smythe, Rachel Lore Olympus
Aimoto, Mizuho My Wonderful World, Volume 1
Warren, Sofia Radical: My Year with a Socialist Senator
Bendis, Brian Michael, Alex Maleev Scarlet
Ahmed, Saif A., Fabiana Mascolo Yasmeen

** Titles mean a unanimous vote from the reading list committee members

Resources


YART Volunteers

Ready to take your love of reading young adult books to the next level? Volunteering for one of YART’s reading committee lists allows you to help curate a diverse list of books that meet the needs of all young adults in Texas. You can also volunteer for one of YART’s executive board positions to help advocate for YA reading, publicize reading lists, work with publishers, and plan conferences.

YART Volunteer Form

While we will keep this form active year-round, please complete the form by October 1, 2023, to be considered for 2024 positions.


Nominate a library worker for the YARI Award.

YARI Award Nomination Google Form

To learn more about the YARI Award, email yart@members.txla.org.

Young Adult Reading Incentive Award


Join or Renew Your TLA Membership!

 

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