Current List
Recommended graphic novels for grades 6 - 12.
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 purpose of the list 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.
2021 Maverick Graphic Novels Reading List
| Download complete list | |
| * titles mean a unanimous vote from reading list committee members | |
| Grades 6-8 | |
| King, Jonathan | The Inkberg Enigma |
| LaMotte, Lily and Ann Xu | Measuring Up |
| Miller, Kayla | *Act |
| Queen, Ben and Joe Todd-Stanton | Bear |
| Grades 6-12 | |
| Arakawa, Naoshi | Sayonara Football 1 |
| Barnes, Daniel, DJ Kirkland, Jarrett Williams, Brenda Hickey | Aggretsuko: Metal to the Max |
| Barnes, Rodney; Espritu, Selina | Quincredible: Quest to Be the Best |
| Boo, Sweeney and Lylian Klepakowsky | *Eat, and Love Yourself |
| Brown, Lisa | The Phantom Twin |
| Cabot,Meg and Cara McGee | Black Canary: Ignite |
| Chmakova, Svetlana | Be Wary of the Silent Woods |
| Corey Maison (Author), Zuiker Anthony Ahmara Smith (Illustrator) | Identity: A Story of Transitioning |
| Craft, Jerry | *Class Act |
| Di Bartolo, Jim | The Boy Who Became a Dragon: a Bruce Lee Story |
| Garcia, Kami and Gabriel Picolo | Teen Titans: Beast Boy |
| Ha, Robin | *Almost American Girl |
| Hicks, Faith Erin | One Year at Ellsmere |
| Husted, Ursula Murray | A Cat Story |
| Kat Leyh | *Snapdragon |
| Kuhn, Sarah and Nicole Goux | Shadow of the Batgirl |
| Le Nguyen, Trung | The Magic Fish |
| Levy, Debbie & Whitney Gardner | *Becoming RBG : Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Journey to Justice |
| Magruder, Nilah; illustrated by DiSalvo, Rob | Marvel Rising. Heroes of the Round Table |
| Mohamed, Omar and Victoria Jamieson | *When Stars are Scattered |
| Montgomery, L.M. | Manga Classics: Anne of Green Gables |
| Muro, Jennifer & Thomas Krajewski & Gretel Lusky | Primer |
| Nicke | Beyond the Clouds |
| Nijkamp, Marieke and Manuel Preitano | The Oracle Code |
| Palacio, R.J. | White Bird |
| Peters, Julian | Poems to See By |
| Peterson, Scott and José Garcia | *Truckus Maximus |
| Reynolds, Jason & Danica Novgordoff | *Long Way Down: The Graphic Novel |
| Sanchez, Alex and Julie Maroh | You Brought Me The Ocean |
| Sook, Kim Hyun | Banned Book Club |
| Tatsuya Endo, Tatsuya | *Spy x Family, Vol. 1 |
| Tyrion IV, James, Rian Sygh, Walter Baiamonte | Backstagers: Vol 1, The Rebels without Applause |
| Usdin, Carly and Noah Hayes | The Avant- Guards |
| Williams, Lily & Karen Schneeman | *Go With The Flow |
| Yang, Gene Luen and Gurihiru | Superman Smashes the Klan |
| Yang, Gene Luen and Lark Pien | *Dragon Hoops |
| Grades 9-12 | |
| Anderson, M.T. and Jo Rioux (Illustrator) | The Daughters of Ys |
| Burrell, Emei | We Served the People: My Mother’s Stories |
| Caplan, Bryan and Zach Weinersmith | Open Borders: The Science and Ethics of Immigration |
| Curato, Mike | *Flamer |
| Dungo, AJ | In Waves |
| Feder, Tyler | *Dancing at the Pity Party |
| Grayson , Devin(Author), Alitha E Martinez (Illustrator) | Omni Vol. 1: The Doctor Is In |
| Itagaki, Paru | Beastars |
| Jonnie, Brianna and (Author), Neal Shannacappo (Illustrator), Nahanni Shingoose (Contributor) | If I Go Missing |
| Khor, Shing Yin | The American Dream?: A Journey on Route 66 Discovering Dinosaur Statues, Muffler Men, and the Perfect Breakfast Burrito |
| Kirsch, T.J and Harvard S. Johansen (Illustrator), Coskun Kuzgun (Illustrator), Jesse Lonergan (Illustrator), Jeremy Massie (Illustrator), Jason Pittman (Illustrator), Adam Walmsley (Illustrator), J.T. Yost (Illustrator) | Willie Nelson: A Graphic History |
| Lemire, Jeff (Author), Dustin Nguyen (Artist) | Ascender Volume 1 and 2 |
| Makino, Aoi | Not Your Idol Volume 1 |
| Ori, Mita | Our Dining Table |
| Oseman, Alice | *Heartstopper: Volume 1 |
| Rotman, Isabella | *A Quick & Easy Guide to Consent |
| Rowell, Rainbow, and Sam Maggs, Gabi Nam (Illustrator) | *Fangirl, Vol. 1: The Manga |
| Stiefvater, Maggie, illustrated by Morgan Beem | Swamp Thing: Twin Branches |
| Walker, David & Sanford Greene | Bitter Root. Volume One: Family Business |
| Adult for YA | |
| Ansel, Sophie and Sam Garcia | Burmese Moons |
| Dachez, Julie and Mademoiselle Caroline | Invisible Differences |
| Murphy,Sean; Klaus Janson, Matt Hollingsworth | Batman Curse of the White Knight |
| Reinmuth, Jared and Frank “Big Black” Smith, illustrated by Améziane | Big Black Stand at Attica |
If you have questions or comments for the Young Adult Round Table, contact the YART webmaster.
Young Adult Reading Incentive Award
Join or Renew Your TLA Membership!
Latest News
View all NewsNovember Staff Spotlight – Catherine Lapoint
In our new TLA Staff Spotlight series, you will meet a member of our team each month. It’s part of our effort to make sure you know who the TLA staff is, so you’re more familiar with us when you need to contact us. We love to hear from members! Name: Catherine Lapoint Position: Administrative […]
Read MoreCampaign to Support Diverse Books Is a Viral Sensation
By Michele Chan Santos For the Texas Library Association A social media campaign emphasizing support for diverse books and student access to books, launched by a group of Texas Library Association member librarians, was an astounding success, generating more than 13,000 tweets on Twitter with the hashtag #FReadom on Thursday, November 4. Nationally, it trended […]
Read More