Featured Reads

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SOMEONE DIES?
The fact of the matter is, no one really knows. What is left behind is what we really know: a tornado of emotions and a feeling of deep, complex change: that what was once there now no longer is.

Paula Cheshire tells the story of her complex feelings and her grieving process after the loss of her mother, walking us through the process of her loss. And, while this loss hurts more than anything, the grieving process—being in mourning—leads to one goal: learning to live with this newfound pain and learning to grow from it without letting it take you over.

"Beautiful, spooky, and emotional." --Kirkus

"Excruciatingly heart-wrenching and deeply affecting, drawn with nostalgia and care." --Booklist, starred review

"Supernatural suspense keeps readers on their toes while complex characterizations create fodder for nuanced and empathetic discussion surrounding mental health stigma and bullying." -- Publishers Weekly

"A bold accomplishment that provides an unflinching yet compassionate look at schizoaffective disorder, and how love can help those living with it." - School Library Journal

In this lush and romantic queer horror graphic novel, a troubled teen disappears from his small town--sending his loved ones on a paranormal journey to bring him home.

Noah is heartbroken. He returns from Bible camp to find that Alex, his secret boyfriend, has had a breakdown and disappeared. He wishes more than anything that he hadn't left that day.

Sky is determined. She'll stop at nothing to find her childhood friend, even if it means alienating the people she loves.

Izzy is ashamed. She knew something weird was going on with Alex, and she didn't say anything to her boyfriend, Jamie--Alex's twin brother. If she had, would Alex still be here?

Jamie is angry. Angry at Alex for being gone, angry at himself for not noticing something was wrong, and angry at his long-dead mother, Desdemona, who had problems of her own.

But what if there was something more to Desdemona's demons? Why is Jamie seeing her ghost? And can he get past his hatred of her if it means finding out what happened to his brother?

In this moving intergenerational tale perfect for fans of Messy Roots and Illegal, Eisner-nominated creator Pablo Leon combines historical research of the Guatemalan Civil War with his own experiences as a Guatemalan immigrant to depict a powerful story of family, sacrifice, survival, and hope.

Langley Park, Maryland, 2013

Brothers Jose and Charlie know very little about their mother's life in Guatemala, until Jose grows curious about the ongoing genocide trial of Efrain Rios Montt. At first his mother, Clara, shuts his questions down. But as the trial progresses, she begins to open up to her sons about a time in her life that she's left buried for years.

Peten, Guatemala, 1982

Sisters Clara and Elena hear about the armed conflict every day, but the violence somehow seems far away from their small village. But the day the fight comes to their doorstep, the sisters are separated and are forced to flee through the mountains, leaving them to wonder...Have their paths diverged forever?

Winner of the Max and Moritz Prize

Facing death leads to the most unexpected friendships: In the surprising German comic of the year, a foul-mouthed lone wolf and a toxic bunny set off together on an action-packed road trip.

The Wolf's Code says that if someone saves your life, you need to return the favor. And if a bunny rabbit plugged into an IV drip saves your life, you're in for a real adventure. The two unforgettable protagonists fight for their lives on every page. The two animals face trigger-happy hunters, scale frozen mountains, nab a motorcycle and set fire to a cabin. As Wolf nurses Bunny back to health, they stare down death with a fearless spirit that is both hilarious and touching.

Praised for its subtle humor and inspirational "graphic medicine," My Trip with Drip began as a book about the author's own experience with illness, but became so much more: a triumphant story of courage, survival and friendship.

Foster kid Sidney Poblocki is thrilled to learn his destiny is to save the multiverse--until he discovers it's actually his destiny to destroy it--in this fantasy adventure graphic novel!

Get ready for Mayhem!

When Sidney Poblocki runs away from his troubled home life, he winds up in a whole new world of trouble. Why are interdimensional assassins after him along with every other kid named Sidney Poblocki throughout the multiverse? Will he ever see his best bud Walt again now that Walt's memory of Sidney has been erased? And what the heck is the deal with Rodeo Hawkins and her ragtag gang of mischief-making girls the Daughters of Mayhem?!

They claim they're trying to keep him safe, but Sidney isn't so certain "safe" is even in their vocabulary. As Sidney is swept into a series of misadventures that will change the multiverse forever, one thing is for certain: with Rodeo Hawkins around, his life is about to be filled with a lot more mayhem.

NPR's 2024 Books We Love list

Starred Review in Publishers Weekly: "Through elegant yellow and black illustrations, Harms's powerful English-language debut traces the ecosystems that pollinators inhabit--and exposes the dangers that threaten their existence. . . Readers will be convinced by this firm and vibrantly drawn warning call."

What would the future of the world look like without bees?

Bees are vital to securing our food supply. We could live in a paradise where insects, especially bees pollinate fragrant seas of flowers whose fruits we harvest. Instead, vast lawns are now replacing flower gardens, and agriculture is characterized by monocultures. Pesticides and climate change are also causing insect mortality, with dramatic consequences for the global ecosystem. As we destroy the insect populations, honey is just one of many foods that will no longer be available to us, unless we learn to honor our innate connection with nature before it's too late.

In gorgeous, limited palette artwork, using contemplative images as well as informative charts, Hanna Harms brings us into the world of bees: their hives, their colonies, and their interactions with the global ecosystem. This is the perfect gift book for anyone concerned about climate change and the environment.

"An exceptional work: atmospherically illustrated and underpinned by strong but restrained feelings." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

In a stunning sequel to The Genius Under the Table, Eugene Yelchin's graphic memoir depicts his harrowing journey from Leningrad's underground art scene to a state-run Siberian asylum--and to eventual safety in the US.

No longer the creative little boy under his grandmother's table, Yevgeny is now a young adult, pursuing his artistic dreams under the constant threat of the KGB's stranglehold on Russia's creative scene. When a chance encounter with an American woman opens him up to a world of romance and possibility, Yevgeny believes he has found his path to the future--and freedom overseas. But the threat of being drafted into the military and sent to fight in Afghanistan changes everything in a terrible instant, and he takes drastic measures to decide his fate, leading to unthinkable consequences in a mental hospital. With bold art bringing a vivid reality to life, National Book Award Finalist and Newbery Honoree Eugene Yelchin's sequel to the acclaimed memoir The Genius Under the Table returns to Yevgeny's saga, balancing the terror and oppression of Soviet Russia with the author's signature charm and dark wit. I Wish I Didn't Have to Tell You This shines a stark spotlight on history while offering a poignant, nuanced, and powerfully resonant look at growing up in--and ultimately leaving--Cold War Russia in the early 1980s.

In this “unique, amusing, and compulsively readable” (School Library Journal, starred review) debut graphic novel, a girl born on a day considered unlucky in Chinese superstition starts to wonder if she really is cursed when she’s troubled by visions of doom set to occur on her thirteenth birthday.

Twelve-year-old Eugenia Wang has never celebrated her birthday on her actual birthday, April 4th, because of her mom’s belief in the Chinese superstition that four is an unlucky number. And that’s not the only thing Mom’s strict about; she won’t let Eugenia go to a summer comic art camp because she thinks art is a waste of time. This year, Eugenia is determined to defy her mom by applying for the camp, having her party on her actual birthday, and inviting her super cute crush while she’s at it, too!

But when Eugenia gets hit in the head with a sneaker during PE, she starts getting unnerving visions of impending doom about her upcoming birthday. It might be the aftereffects of her head injury, or maybe she’s just anxious about turning thirteen. As the visions get worse, even affecting her artwork, Eugenia suspects an unseen force may be sending her messages. If she’s haunted after all, Eugenia will have to figure out why before it’s too late. Even more horrifying, she may have to do the unthinkable: admit her mom was right.

Twelve-year-old Millicent Graves discovers she can alter the personalities of her friends and family with hilarious reality-warping results in this extra-magical middle grade graphic novel. Perfect for fans of The Witches of Brooklyn.

Twelve-year-old Millicent Grave's life is a mess. After her mom sank all their money into a fancy fish tank business, her family had to move to an apartment with three creepy landladies.

Then fate (or, actually, the Fates) leads Millie to discover a room full of jigsaw puzzles that give her the power to fix the imperfections in everyone she knows. Soon, her sister is sensible instead of gross, and her mom is successful instead of unlucky. Dad still needs some work, and her new neighbor and classmate Sam Smolt is still annoying--but he's kind of becoming her best friend anyway. 

And if there are mysterious new cracks in the universe in the exact shape of those puzzle pieces, that's not a problem, right? It's not like all of reality is about to unravel. Right? . . . Right?

In this spine-chilling YA horror graphic novel, a rebellious Irish teen visits distant relatives, only to discover that she's to be sacrificed as part of a generational blood ritual. Now, she must confront her ancestors and break the violent cycle to save herself.

Nobody understands Nell.

Strongheaded, fiercely independent, and constantly furious, Nell just wants to be free to carve out her own path in life. And she doesn't care whether her mom or anyone else approves of her choices.

But what Nell doesn't know is that her destiny was etched in stone generations ago.

After getting suspended from school, Nell is forced to go live with an aunt and uncle whom she's never met before. Her sense of unease quickly evolves into terror when Nell discovers that she's been chosen as the latest victim in a perilous plot that spans centuries and has left countless bodies in its wake.

SENIOR YEAR BUCKET LIST? SWITCH BODIES WITH YOUR CRUSH.

Chi-Chi Ekeh has one huge problem: She keeps having crushes on rich white boys who have no idea she exists. Enter Flip Henderson, the most popular boy at school, who receives Chi-Chi's private video proposal to go to senior prom.

But when Flip rejects Chi-Chi in front of their entire class, what happens next is completely unexpected: Chi-Chi--shy nerd and scholarship student--switches bodies with Flip. Suddenly Chi-Chi is 6'1" and cool, while Flip gets a crash course on Chi-Chi's life--that is, k-pop, hair-braiding, and being a poor kid of color at a rich white private school.

With graduation looming and their body swaps lasting longer and longer, Chi-Chi and Flip must form the most unlikely friendship their school has ever seen. But will they survive senior year? And, most importantly, can they find a way back to themselves?

From bestselling author of Check, Please! comes Flip, a thrilling and fantastical tale about self-acceptance, black girlhood, and how walking a mile in someone else's shoes can teach you how to finally see yourself.

self-acceptance, black girlhood, and how walking a mile in someone else's shoes can teach you how to finally see yourself.self-acceptance, black girlhood, and how walking a mile in someone else's shoes can teach you how to finally see yourself.self-acceptance, black girlhood, and how walking a mile in someone else's shoes can teach you how to finally see yourself.