This is a comprehensive list of all the HIGHLY RECOMMENDED and RECOMMENDED comics that we have reviewed. It is categorized by grade level to help teachers and librarians pick the best comic literature for students.
It is important to keep an open mind about grade levels. I caution you not to look only for graphic novels in your grade level. The books are listed according to the lowest age or grade level appropriate. However, a book listed in the ELEMENTARY: AGES 8-11 category may be very appropriate for middle school or even high school. For example, the many BEOWULF comics are categorized starting at elementary ages. However, these could also be used on the middle school and high school literature class as well. Keep an open mind.
Check back because update will occur as often as possible.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Emergent Readers
Luke on the Loose
Jack and the Box
Mo and Jo: Fighting Together Forever
One Stormy Night
Stinky
Zig and Wikki
Jack and the Box
Mo and Jo: Fighting Together Forever
One Stormy Night
Stinky
Zig and Wikki
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
All Ages
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Elementary: Ages 7 and older
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Elementary: Ages 8 and older
Sardine in Outer Space (Vol. 1)
Sardine in Outer Space (2nd review)
The Story of America
Super Friends (#1 - #8)
Sardine in Outer Space (2nd review)
The Story of America
Super Friends (#1 - #8)
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Elementary School: Ages 9 and older
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Elementary School: Ages 10 and older
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Middle School: Ages 12 and older
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
High School: Ages 15 and older
Adventures of Johnny Bunko: The Last Career You'll Ever Need
After 9/11: America's War on Terror (highly recommended with reservations)
Batgirl: Redemption
The Cartoon History of the United States
Cleburne: A Graphic Novel
After 9/11: America's War on Terror (highly recommended with reservations)
Batgirl: Redemption
The Cartoon History of the United States
Cleburne: A Graphic Novel
DC: The New Frontier (highly recommended with reservations)
Frankenstein
The Iliad
Joker's Asylum (The Joker and The Penguin only)
King Lear
Logicomix: An Epic Search for Truth
Frankenstein
The Iliad
Joker's Asylum (The Joker and The Penguin only)
King Lear
Logicomix: An Epic Search for Truth
Malice
Maus
Moby-Dick
The Odyssey
Optical Allusions
The Photographer
Three Shadows
The United States Constitution: A Graphic Adaptation
Maus
Moby-Dick
The Odyssey
Optical Allusions
The Photographer
Three Shadows
The United States Constitution: A Graphic Adaptation
Watchmen, by Nate (highly recommended with reservations)
Watchmen, by Kevin (highly recommended with reservations)
Watchmen, by Chris (highly recommended with reservations)
Watchmen, by Chris (highly recommended with reservations)
RECOMMENDED
All Ages
RECOMMENDED
Elementary: Ages 8 and older
The Lords of the Sea: The Vikings Explore the North Atlantic
Monster and Me
The Monster of Lake Lobo
Monster and Me
The Monster of Lake Lobo
RECOMMENDED
Elementary: Ages 9 and older
RECOMMENDED
Elementary: Ages 10 and older
RECOMMENDED
Middle School: Ages 12 and older
RECOMMENDED
High School: Ages 15 and older
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7 comments:
I think that both Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew titles are great for the classroom as well. Easy to get into, and it's nice for the girls to have a strong female-driven book like Nancy!
More HS graphic novels needed! Maybe Deogratias by J.P. Stassen. It's pretty graphic (ach!) but it is a well done look at Rwanda. The others to look at would be the Persepolis books and maybe Epileptic by David B.
Thanks for the suggestions, Nate. Persepolis is on the list, but Epileptic and Deogratias are new to me. I'll check them out.
Chris
a couple of great graphic novels worth checking out:
louis riel by chester brown...an outstanding history lesson wonderfully rendered in black and white
northwest passage by scott chantler, another great, well drawn history lesson with a compelling story
the arrival by shaun tan...never seen a story so well told without the use of a single word...transcendent.
I taught V for Vendetta after teaching Animal Farm to my high school freshmen, and would highly recommend its addition.
FWIW, I wrote of how comics were my own path to lifelong reading (and an eventual lit. degree) in "Reading Despite Teaching: How the Hulk Led Me to Hamlet". Why no Marvel and DC here? They ruled my childhood, led me to sci-fi/fantasy in high school, and finally, literature in college.
I am researching graphic novels for my 7th and 8th grade classes. I am looking at "Cairo" with some f-word censoring for a world geography unit. I am also looking at "American Born Chinese" for an American history unit. There seems to be quite a few from First Second publishers that can be used in the classroom that I didn't see on your list.
Anonymous:
First Second puts out a lot of great books. We only list books we have personally reviewed. We just haven't reviewed all of First Second books. The fact is, there are just too many great publishers putting out great stuff for the classroom for us to review everything. But we will keep at it.
Keep in mind we are always looking for new writers to help us influence this comic literature movement.
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