My kid absolutely loves graphic novels, and can devour a whole stack in just a few days! When his obsession started a few years ago, it was challenging to find graphic novels, especially series, that were diverse or inclusive. There has been a lot of improvement since then, but with the current backlash against diverse books, supporting LGBTQ, BIPOC, and disabled authors is more important than ever.
If you have a kid who loves graphic novels as much as mine, check out my list people of the best diverse graphic novels for middle grades, with books starring Black, Latine, Asian, LGBTQ, and disabled characters. Note: all of these are what I call “everyday stories,” which are not primarily about painful topics from history. Let’s dive in!
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Best diverse fantasy graphic novels
Chunky by Yehudi Mercado.
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Chunky is inspired by the author’s childhood struggles of being excluded as a fat Mexican American Jewish kid growing up in Texas. Hudi’s weight is a constant source of scrutiny and worry for his family, especially since he had to have lung surgery when he was younger. His mother is convinced he needs to lose weight, and his star athlete father suggests sport after sport for Hudi to try.
As Hudi spectacularly fails at each sport he attempts, his imaginary friend/monster cheerleader Chunky encourages him to be true to himself, especially to his love of comedy and drama. When Hudi loses sight of himself in his attempts to fit in, Chunky disappears. What will Hudi do when he realizes he really does need Chunky? (Recommended for ages 7 – 11. Jewish Mexican American author.)
Related post: 6 ways kids can unlearn anti-fat bias
Fibbed by Elizabeth Agyemang.
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In this wide-ranging graphic novel, heroine Nana loves storytelling and wants to be a journalist. The problem is that no one believes her stories, especially the one about circus squirrels stealing her teacher’s toupee.
When her parents decide she should spend the summer in Ghana with her grandmother and extended family instead of going to storytelling camp, Nana is not thrilled. Her cousin Tiwaa always seems frustrated with her, and she even has to go to school because Ghanian schools are on a different schedule than American ones.
The one bright spot is that her grandmother encourages her storytelling, explaining that since Ananse the spider has scattered the world’s stories, people cannot learn wisdom unless stories are told. Before long, Nana and Tiwaa have the chance to find out just how true this is from Ananse himself as they fight to protect his forest home. (Recommended for ages 8 – 12. Ghanian-American author.)
Related post: Engaging children’s books by African authors
Lunar Boy by Jes and Cin Wibowo.
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This unique graphic novel vulnerably tackles themes of culture, language, gender identity, loneliness, blended families, and more. Through emotional and honest text and dazzling, otherworldly illustrations, readers meet Indu, a transgender boy whose adoptive mother first finds him alone on the Moon. For years, they live on the Eyesun spaceship, where everyone is a friend to Indu.
But when they move to New Earth, Indu struggles to catch up in school with his limited Indonesian language skills. Kids keep warning him about the tutor he’s been assigned, but Aminah, a transgender girl, turns out to be a bright spot through painful struggles. After his stepfather misgenders Indu and his new penpal (and first crush) Noah stops writing to him, Indu decides he should return to the moon. But as he waits for the right time to leave, the people of New Earth still have a lot to teach him about family and community. (Recommended for ages 10 – 14. Graphic novel. Chinese Indonesian authors.)
Related post: Children’s books with transgender and nonbinary characters
Where’s Halmoni? by Julie Kim
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This imaginative and hilarious graphic novel plunges two Korean-American children into adventure when they can’t find their Halmoni (Grandma). A secret door take them to a land where they have to convince a clever rabbit, a greedy tiger, a trickster goblin, and a mysterious fox to reveal Halmoni’s whereabouts.
The facial expressions (both the children’s and the animals’) made me laugh out loud multiple times. I love how much Korean language is woven into the book, in a way that all children will be able to understand. (Korean-American author. Recommended for ages 7- 10).
Related Post: 11 children’s books about Korean culture
Lowriders in Space by Cathy Camper and Raúl the Third (series)
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Both the plot and illustrations of Lowriders in Space are truly out of this world! Lupe Impala, El Chavo Flapjack, and Elirio Malaria are the finest mechanic and detailing crew around. But they’re tired of working long hours for the jefe at the car dealership while they dream of fixing up their own lowrider.
When they fix up an old car (so low and slow that it won’t go), their job is so extraordinary that it launches them into space. Once they pass the stratosphere, the talented bunch uses the features of different planets to deck the car out even more. (Arab-American author. Mexican-American illustrator. Recommended for ages 8 – 12.)
The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O’Neill (series)
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This charming graphic novel stars Greta, a child who’s half goblin, half human. Greta wonders why her Mama is still a blacksmith since she practices a dying art. It isn’t long before Greta decides to learn another art that is disappearing: care of tea dragons. These dragons get their names for the leaves on their horns, which can be gently harvested to make tea.
I love the diversity of the characters, which includes people of many skin tones, several LBGTQ characters and other folks who defy gender stereotypes, and a strapping character who uses a wheelchair. (Non-binary author. Recommended for ages 7 – 11.) If your child has a passion for protecting the environment, also check out O’Neill’s Aquicorn Cove.
Related Post: 13 Diverse & Inclusive Children’s Books about Dragons
Sea Sirens: A Trot and Cap’n Bill Adventure by Amy Chu and Janet K. Lee (series)
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When feisty Trot and her one-eyed cat Cap’n Bill defy her mother’s wishes to go surfing, things quickly turn strange. After a huge wave overtakes them, they’re plunged into a world of sea sirens and serpents. After Trot is given magical powers, she can breathe underwater and understand what cantankerous Cap’n Bill is saying to her. Because they saved the Sirens from the Serpents, the majestic sea creatures adopt Trot and Bill as their own.
As Trot and Cap’n Bill become drawn into a war between the Sirens and Serpents, Trot becomes anxious about returning home before her mother gets off work. (Bill is happy to stay in the sea, where the Sirens lavish him with fishy feasts.) Will they ever be able to escape to land? (Chinese-American author. Recommended for ages 8 – 12.)
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Princeless: Save Yourself by Jeremy Whitley and M. Goodwin (series)
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From the first time fairy tales are told to her, Princess Adrienne knows that they’re “hogwash.” When she becomes a teenager, her own father locks her into a tower, telling all the brave princes and knights to try to rescue her from a fierce dragon who guards the gates. Adrienne has no patience for the princes and the sexist, racist ideas they have about what a princess should be like. When she finds a sword under her bed, she realizes that she and Sparks (her dragon) can be the ones to rescue princesses just like her who’ve been locked away.
Whitley wrote this book with his Black-White biracial daughter in mind, since representation of girls of color in graphic novels is rare. From the sarcasm to the feminism to the adventure, there’s so much to love in this story! (White author. Recommended for ages 9 – 12)
Pashmina by Nidhi Chanani
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Priyanka has so many questions for her mother, none of which she’s willing to answer. Who is her father? Why did she leave India before Priyanka was born? Uncle Jatin is the one she can really confide it, but their weekly visits will soon be coming to end when his new baby is born.
When she discovers a pashmina hidden in her mother’s suitcase, Priyanka discovers that it transports her to India for as long as she wears it. When her mother finally agrees to let her visit her aunt in India, she wonders how truthful her visions of her mother’s homeland have been. (Indian-American author. Recommended for ages 9 – 13).
Best diverse realistic fiction graphic novels for middle grades
Shiny Misfits by Maysoon Zayid. Illustrated by Shadia Amin.
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Bay Ann loves to dance, and she’s also incredibly competitive, so she’s delighted when she wins first place in her school’s Halloween Idol show. But when her crush and nemesis Alyee Maq catches her on stage when she wobbles, he posts the video online. He soon goes viral by humble bragging about how he saved a “special” girl. Bay Ann is outraged that he’s playing into stereotypes about her cerebral palsy and that his “help” has gotten way more attention than her performance.
Soon Bay Ann is ruthlessly obsessed with beating Alyee at anything, so much so that she becomes rude and neglectful to her two closest friends, Michelle and Davey Matt. I’ll be honest – for a good portion of the book Bay Ann is pretty unlikeable. However, this could be a seen as a welcome antidote to “inspiring” stories about disabled characters that stereotype and idealize them. Eventually Bay Ann realizes that her behavior and her focus need to shift. (Recommended for ages 9 – 13. Arab American Muslim Disabled author.)
Related post: 20 children’s books about disability that shatter stereotypes
Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir by Pedro Martín.
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This laugh-out-loud Newberry Honor book chronicles an epic 2,000 mile journey the author made with his family to bring his Abuelito back from Mexico to live with them. Pedro is one of 11 kids, and his older siblings who were born in Mexico have always made fun of he and his younger siblings’ lack of understanding of their homeplace.
As they start their travels in the family’s “fancy, bargain-priced” Winnebago, Pedro isn’t sure what to expect. His Spanish isn’t as good as his older siblings, and Abeulo doesn’t speak English. When he learns that his grandfather may have been a hero in the Mexican Revolution, he becomes fascinated but struggles to get more information from Abuelito.
The trip is filled with many hilarious and difficult moments, including a fair amount of gross-out humor. It also manages to explore complex family relationships in a sensitive way between the laughs. This is my favorite graphic novel for kids I’ve ever read!
Note: There are two chapters that may be difficult for sensitive readers, one related to a grave and another to the death of a wild animal. (Recommended for ages 9 – 13. Mexican American author.)
Related Post: 20 engaging picture books starring Latine characters
Gamerville by Johnny Christmas.
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Max can’t believe that he’s finally qualified for the finals of Gamerville, where he’ll have the chance to defeat his video game nemesis and classmate Wilder. But just as he’s ready to take his gaming to the next level, his worried mother decides it’s time to enroll him in nature-based (i.e. no screens) Camp Reset. His mom doesn’t seem to care that this will mean Max can’t make the tournament. But when Max gets settled in at camp, he realizes that Gamerville is being held just across the lake. Can he figure out a way to make his escape in time for the tournament?
In a society that often pits gaming culture and screen-free living against each other, this zany graphic novel shows respect for kids that tend toward either end of that spectrum. (Recommended for ages 8 – 12. Graphic novel. Black author.)
Blue Stars: The Vice Principal Problem by Kekla Magoon and Cynthia Leitich Smith. Illustrated by Molly Murakami.
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The moment my kid finished reading Blue Stars, he asked me to get him the next graphic novel in the series. (Unfortunately for him, it has been written yet but I share his enthusiasm for this collaboration between two of my favorite children’s authors!)
Cousins Riley and Maya haven’t seen each other since they were little, and now both of them are moving to Urbanopolis to live with their grandma. Extroverted Riley can’t wait, but Maya’s having a much harder time with the move since her military parents won’t be coming with her.
Maya interprets Riley’s enthusiasm as an invasion of her privacy, and at first it seems the cousins won’t be getting along at all. Soon, however, their shared frustration at their vice-principal’s desire to throw every student into detention unites them. (Recommended for ages 8 – 12. Graphic novel. Black author and Muscogee author.)
Related post: Indigenous children’s books set in the present day
Curlfriends: New In Town by Sharee Miller.
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Starting at a new school is nothing new for Charlie, whose family moved often when her Dad was active military. Now that they’ve settled in a new place and Dad has a civilian job, Charlie is determined to reinvent herself with contacts, new fashions, and a more grown-up hair style.
When nothing goes to plan on the first day, Charlie discovers a group of supportive new friends. (I love this change-of-pace from the many books that make middle school seem like a frightening nightmare!) Charlie still has to overcome plenty of challenges, including getting used to her Dad (who doesn’t quite “get her” like her Mom does) being around all the time. (Recommended for ages 8- 12. Black author.)
Stargazing by Jen Wang
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Christine and Moon are opposites in so many ways. Christine cares deeply about others’ opinions, especially her perfectionist father. Moon is free-spirited, and she and her mother don’t follow many of the traditions of their Chinese-American community.
Christine admires Moon’s confidence and independence, and Moon even confides in her that the stars speak to her. When Moon’s behavior dramatically shifts, her friendship with Christine is tested. Will it survive a catastrophe? (Taiwanese-American author. Recommended for ages 8 – 12).
New Kid by Jerry Craft (series)
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This is the book that started my younger son’s obsession with graphic novels (he even slept with it under his pillow for months!) It’s also the first graphic novel to win the Newberry Medal.
12 year old Jordan Banks loves nothing more than drawing cartoons. He hopes he can start art school in the 7th grade, but his parents enroll him at an elite private school instead. Jordan’s dad is concerned about how little racial diversity there seems to be, but his mom is focused on the opportunities this school can bring him.
Over time, Jordan makes friends and finds some classes that he likes. But he also notices patterns, like teachers repeatedly confusing his friend Drew, who’s Black, for another Black student he looks nothing like. As Jordan learns to find his voice and his place in school, kids will be encouraged to think about these same questions for themselves. (Black author. Recommended for ages 8 – 12).
Guts by Raina Telgemeier
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If your child struggles with anxiety or other mental health problems (or wants to understand a friend who does), put Guts on your to-read pile! This heartfelt graphic novel tells the story of Raina’s middle school experience of out-of-control worry.
When Raina has to miss school because she throws up, she and her mother assume it’s a virus. But as her tummy troubles grow stronger, they notice connections with her growing worries over friendships, food, and school requirements. This relatable book also helps take the fear out of therapy for children. (Author with anxiety disorder. Recommended for ages 8 – 12.)
Twins by Varian Johnson and Shannon Wright
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Twins Maureen and Francine Carter have always been best friends, not just sisters. Quiet Maureen wants to keep it that way now that middle school has started, but she soon senses that Francine wants to strike out on her own path. She’s even telling everyone to call her Fran!
When Maureen finds out her parents asked the school to place the girls in different classes, the growing distance between the twins turns into outright hostility. Soon both girls are running for class president, and Maureen wonders if she’s taken things too far. How can she make things right? (Black author. Recommended for ages 8 -12).
Real Friends by Shannon Hale
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This autobiographical graphic novel follows young Shannon’s longing to have just one good friend. She tries to fit into a group at school that sometimes includes her, even while group leader Jenny bullies her. At home, her older sister Wendy mistreats her as well (the author’s note shares that Wendy had a undiagnosed mental illness.)
Shannon’s worries deeper, but the doctor tells her to relax (failing to diagnose Shannon’s obsessive compulsive disorder.) While some adults may feel this book is too honest about the hard parts of life, my son loved it. (Author with mental illness. Recommended for ages 8 – 12).
The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang
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Frances is a talented young seamstress who dreams of making it big. Sebastian is a prince with a secret: he loves to wear elaborate women’s ball gowns. When Frances is quietly summoned to the castle by the one servant who knows Sebastian’s secret, a friendship and partnership in fashion grows.
But as Sebastian realizes he could soon be king, he becomes panicked about others finding out the truth. His obsession with secrecy is not only hurting him, it’s keeping Frances from achieving her dreams. Will he realize how he’s holding both Frances and himself back before it’s too late? (Recommended for ages 10+).
Related Post: 17 LGBTQ affirming picture books
One response to “Diverse & inclusive graphic novels for middle grades”
I just got Mexikid for my son for his birthday! Added a ton of these to my library holds, thank you!