The Core List for Spring 2011: Children's Graphic Novels
Kids will develop a love of graphic novels and comics when they get hooked on these books. Don't forget to also check our Teen and Adult graphic novel lists for more great titles! Note also that we've marked a few books in this list by surrounding them with ****asterisks**** --- these are highlighted as essential for those stores and libraries with only enough room for a select few titles.
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Adventures in Cartooning
by James Sturm, Andrew Arnold, and Alexis Frederick-Frost
First Second
ISBN: 978-1596433694
In this action-packed cartooning adventure, kids will have as much fun making comics as reading them!
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Adventures in Cartooning Activity Book
by James Sturm, Andrew Arnold, and Alexis Frederick-Frost
First Second
ISBN: 978-1-59643-598-8
The Center for Cartoon Studies is back teaching kids about how comics work with their follow up to Adventures in Cartooning.
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Amelia Earhart: This Broad Ocean
by Sarah Stewart Taylor and Ben Towle
Hyperion
ISBN: 978-1-4231-1337-9
The book opens with an essay by astronaut Eileen Collins and closes with endnotes on some of the people and events mentioned in the story, which makes this a particularly rich resource for school and library use.
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The Amelia Rules Series
by Jimmy Gownley
Atheneum
ISBN: 978-1416986096
Amelia Rules! shows a nine-year-old’s world from the inside out, complete with well-intentioned adults, crazy nerd friends, battles with ninjas, scary walks through the woods, and the dreaded sneeze-barf.
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The Amulet of Samarkand
by Jonathan Stroud and Andrew Donkin
Disney
ISBN: 978-1423-1-1146-7
Nathaniel, an eleven-year-old magician-in-training, thinks he's ready to take on more challenging spells. With revenge against the proud and ambitious Simon Lovelace on his mind, he masters one of the toughest spells of all and summons Bartimaeus, a 5000-year-old djinni, to assist him. But summoning Bartimaeus and controlling him are two different things entirely, and when Nathaniel sends the djinni to steal Lovelace's greatest treasure, the Amulet of Samarkand, he finds himself caught in a whirlwind of magical espionage, murder, and rebellion.
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Artemis Fowl: The Graphic Novel Series
by Eoin Colfer, Andrew Donkin, and Giovanni Rigano
Hyperion
ISBN: 978-0786848829
Eoin Colfer has teamed up with established comic writer Andrew Donkin to adapt the text of his bestselling novels.
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The Babymouse Series
by Jennifer Holm and Matthew Holm
Random House Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 978-0375832291
The fun and energy in these books are second to none, and young readers (and a few older ones) will be happy to see Babymouse's adventures.
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The Baby-Sitters Club Series
by Ann M. Martin and Raina Telgemeier
ISBN: 978-0439885171
Graphix/Scholastic
Claudia and her sister, Janine, may as well be from two different planets. Claudia, who pays more attention to her art than her grades, feels she can't compete with her perfect sister. Janine studies nonstop, makes straight As, and even takes college-level courses. The girls are nothing alike, and they can't agree on anything. While Janine devotes all her time to working on her website, The Baby-Sitters Club is busy with their new summer play group.
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Banana Tail
by Mark McKenna
ISBN: 978-1607061649
Image
Lavishly illustrated in a beautiful CGI style reminiscent of Pixar and Dreamworks animated films, Banana Tail promotes the virtues of honesty and friendship in a gentle manner that even the youngest of readers will understand.
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Beauty and the Squat Bears
by Emile Bravo
Yen Press
ISBN: 978-0316083621
When Stepmother's magic mirror declares that Snow White is the fairest in the land, Snow flees the kingdom and finds herself at the doorstep of the seven squat bears' cabin. But the squat bears aren't interested in harboring fugitive princesses. The best place for a beautiful princess is with a prince.
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Ben 10 Alien Force Series
by various
ISBN: 978-0345514387
Del Rey
When his grandpa Max goes missing, fifteen-year-old Ben Tennyson finds himself back in the hero business. Strapping on his Omnitrix, which allows him to change into different aliens, Ben teams up with his friends Gwen and Kevin, and together, the three of them set out to locate Max.
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The Benny and Penny Series
by Geoffrey Hayes
Toon Books
ISBN: 978-0979923890
Benny and Penny is more than just a picture book with word balloons; Hayes uses the full comics toolbox, often stretching and shaping his panels and breaking the borders to help tell his story in subtle ways.
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Big Nate: In a Class by Himself
by Lincoln Pierce
ISBN: 0061944343
HarperCollins
Big Nate is in a class by himself! But things don't always go your way just because you're awesome.
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Billy Hazelnuts and the Crazy Bird
by Tony Millionaire
ISBN: 978-1560979173
Fantagraphics
Billy Hazelnuts is back for the first time since his acclaimed 2006 Eisner Award-winning debut. Life has settled back to normal in the old house. Becky and her mom are getting used to having Billy around, as he performs various household chores, utilizing his amazing strength. Nothing could be better, aside from a jumpy relationship with the cat. Until one day Billy hears screeching in the back yard and runs out to find a very large owl attacking his housemate.
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Binky the Space Cat
by Ashley Spires
ISBN: 978-1554534197
Kids Can Press
Binky is your everyday-variety football-shaped cat who’s out to do good, save the world, and keep his humans safe.
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Bone: Rose
by Jeff Smith
Scholastic/Graphix
ISBN: 978-0545135436
Rose is a prequel to Bone, taking place years earlier and starring Gran’ma Ben as the title character.
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Calamity Jack
by Shannon Hale, Nathan Hale, and Dean Hale
Bloomsbury
978-1599900766
Jack and Rapunzel decide to head into the big city to find Jack’s mother, but they soon find that the troubles Jack ran from have only gotten worse. Now is the time for Jack to decide what kind of man he is going to be if he ever wants to be worthy of his Rapunzel.
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Cars
by various
Boom! Studios
ISBN: 978-1-934506-84-4
Pulse-pounding collections make the world of Cars come alive!
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City of Spies
by Susan Kim, Laurence Klavan, and Pascal Dizik
ISBN: 978-1596432628
First Second
With the world at war, even kids have to watch out for Nazi spies. Two intrepid kids have an adventure in WWII-era New York City.
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Claire and the Water Wish/Claire and the Bakery Thief
by Janice Poon
ISBN: 978-1554533824
Kids Can Press
Janice Poon’s series is appealing because of its earnest nature. Claire is on the cusp of adolescence, but she’s not quite ready to obsess over boys or clothes.
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Classics Illustrated
by Michael Plessix and Kenneth Grahame
ISBN: 978-1597070966
Papercutz
This ongoing series presents some of the greatest works of literature in a kid-friendly format.
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The Complete Little Orphan Annie Series
by Harold Gray
ISBN: 978-1600107924
IDW
A beautifully collected tribute to the classic comic.
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Copper
by Kazu Kibuishi
ISBN: 978-0545098939
Graphix
First published as a series of webcomics, Copper expands on the collection with new stories. All are wild and full of adventure, both of which give Kibuishi ample room to display his artistic talents.
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A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever
by Marla Frazee
ISBN: 978-1430108481
Live Oak Media
When James and Eamon go to a week of Nature Camp and stay at Eamon's grandparents' house, it turns out that their free time spent staying inside, eating waffles, and playing video games isway more interesting than nature. But sometimes things work out best when they don't go exactly as planned.
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The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish
by Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean
ISBN: 978-0060587031
HarperCollins
What if you wanted your best friend's two goldfish so much that you'd swap anything for them, even your father?
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DC Superheroes Chapter Books
by various
ISBN: 978-1434230829
Stone Arch Books
Early reader books starring the world's best superheroes!
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DC Super-Pets
by various
Capstone
ISBN: 9781404866225
Superheroes have pets too, and sometimes they help out with adventures of their own.
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Dear Dracula
by Joshua Williamson and Vicente Navarrete
Image
ISBN: 978-1582409702
Lots of kids have a special interest, whether it’s baseball or stamp collecting. For Sam, it’s scary movies, and Dracula is his favorite character of all. So he writes him a letter.
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The Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series
by Jeff Kinney
Amulet Books
ISBN: 978-0810997820
Life is tough at school and at home for one ambition young kid, who documents his ups and downs in this funny, touching series.
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Dinosaur Hour
by Hitoshi Shioya
Viz
ISBN: 978-1421526485
Each abbreviated chapter of Dinosaur Time! is a short, standalone vignette akin to a sitcom set in the jungle.
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Disney’s Hero Squad
by various
Boom! Studios
ISBN: 9781608865529
It’s up to the Hero Squad to save the day! Super Goof! The Duck Avenger! And an alliance of Disney’s mightiest.
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The Dork Diaries Series
by Rachel Renee Russell
ISBN: 978-1416980063
Aladdin
School, friendship, and home life all must be navigated with style by one young girl.
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Dragonbreath
by Ursula Vernon
ISBN: 978-0803733633
Dial
It’s not easy for Danny Dragonbreath to be the sole mythical creature in a school for reptiles and amphibians—especially because he can’t breathe fire like other dragons.
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Dragon Puncher
by James Kochalka
ISBN: 978-1603090575
Top Shelf
Meet the Dragon Puncher, a cute but ruthless kitty in an armored battle suit, dedicated to defeating dangerous dragons wherever they may be.
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Ed’s Terrestrials
by Scott Christian Sava and Diego Jourdan
IDW
ISBN: 978-1600103100
Ed is an average little boy: He likes reading comics, and he gets tongue-tied when his teacher asks him what he wants to be when he grows up. Then one night, as he is reading comics by flashlight under his covers, three friendly extraterrestrials crash-land in his backyard and take over his treehouse.
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The Eek & Ack Series
by Blake A. Hoena and Steve Harpster
ISBN: 978-1434211897
Stone Arch Books
Eek and Ack are out to conquer the world, but a lot of fun sidesteps keep tripping them up.
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A Family Secret
by Eric Heuvel
ISBN: 978-0374422653
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
While searching his grandmother’s attic for likely items to sell at a yard sale, Jeroen finds a photo album that brings back hard memories for his grandmother, Helena. Helena tells Jeroen for the first time about her experiences during the German occupation of the Netherlands during the Second World War.
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Finding Nemo
by various
Boom! Studios
ISBN: 978-1934506882
With its straightforward adventures and familiar, likeable characters, Finding Nemo is a fine choice for early-grade readers.
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Fraggle Rock
by various
Archaia
ISBN: 978-1932386424
An anthology of short stories by an extraordinarily talented group of writers and artists.
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The Geronimo Stilton Series
by Geronimo Stilton
Scholastic
ISBN: 978-0545021371
The wildly popular Geronimo Stilton gets in incredible adventures that boggle the mind!
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Gettysburg
by C.M. Butzer
HarperCollins
ISBN: 978-0061561757
Gettysburg: it does more than just present the facts, it puts the reader in the heart of the story, providing a rare look at history from the inside out.
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Ghostopolis
by Doug TenNapel
Graphix/Scholastic
ISBN: 978-0545210287
Garth Hale gets inadvertently pulled into the ghost world while still very much alive. There, he meets a host of good and bad creatures, including the estranged grandfather he never knew.
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G-Man
by Chris Giarrusso
Image
ISBN: 978-1607060871
Becoming a superhero isn’t too hard. It starts with learning how to fly. That’s the reasoning of little Mikey, who has just picked up a book that promises to teach him how to fly.
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Goosebumps Graphic Novels
by R.L. Stine
ISBN: 978-0439857826
Graphix
Spooky stories related to all kinds of things that go bump in the night.
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The Groo Series
by Sergio Aragones and Mark Evanier
ISBN: 978-1595824233
Dark Horse
It's Groo! He's wildly destructive. Unfortunately, he's not very smart. But these books are!
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Guinea Pig, Pet Shop Private Eye
by Colleen A.F. Venable and Stephanie Yue
ISBN: 978-0761356295
Graphic Universe
A delightful mystery series filled with great fun.
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The Gunnerkrigg Court Series
by Tom Siddell
Archaia Studios Press
ISBN: 978-1932386349
Antimony Carver is a precocious and preternaturally self-possessed young girl starting her first year of school at gloomy Gunnerkrigg Court, a very British boarding school that has robots running around along side body-snatching demons, forest gods, and the odd mythical creature.
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The Hardy Boys Series
by Scott Lobdell and various
Papercutz
ISBN: 978-1597070034
Comic adventures starring two brothers who always get to the bottom of the oddest cases.
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Harry Potty and the Deathly Boring
by Stefan Petrucha and Rick Parker
Papercutz
ISBN: 978-1597072175
A wacky parody of the Harry Potter series.
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The Harvey Comics Treasury
by various
Dark Horse
ISBN: 978-1-59582-508-7
Each volume contains two hundred pages of stunning, full-color reprints from Harvey’s golden years!
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Houdini: The Handcuff King
by Jason Lutes and Nick Bertozzi
Hyperion Books for Children
ISBN: 978-0786839032
Harry Houdini mesmerized a generation of Americans when he was alive, and continues to do so eighty years after his death. This is a "snapshot" of Houdini's life, centering on one of his most famous jumps. As Houdini prepares for a death-defying leap into the icy Charles River in Boston, biographer Jason Lutes and artist Nick Bertozzi reveal Houdini's life and influence.
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Hyperactive
by Scott Christian Sava and Joseph Bergin
ISBN: 978-1600103131
IDW
A visit to the doctor reveals that Joey’s metabolism has gone into overdrive, allowing him to move with super speed.
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The Incredibles Series
by Mark Waid and Marcio Takara
Boom! Studios
ISBN: 978-1608865185
You loved the movie--now read the further adventures of the super family.
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Jack and the Box
by Art Spiegelman
Toon Books
ISBN: 978-0-9799238-3-8
Jack just got a new toy, and it’s full of surprises. Each time the box pops open, there’s a new and bigger surprise. Is it a silly toy, a scary toy...or something else entirely?
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Joey Fly, Private Eye Series
by Aaron Reynolds and Neil Numberman
Henry Holt
ISBN: 978-0805087864
Joey Fly, Private Eye is a spoof of private eye movies for children.
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The Johnny Boo Series
by James Kochalka
ISBN: 978-1603090131
Top Shelf
Johnny Boo is the best little ghost in the whole world, because he's got Boo Power. This means that he can go "BOO" really loudly.
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Kaput and Zosky
by Lewis Trondheim
ISBN: 978-1596431324
First Second
Would-be world conquerors Kaput and Zosky are at the pinnacle of their careers. So why does victory always slip from their grasp?
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The Kat & Mouse Series
by Alex de Campi and Federica Manfredi
ISBN: 978-1427811752
TokyoPop
When Kat's dad gets a job as a science teacher at a posh private school, things seem perfect--that is, until Kat's rich, popular classmates shove her to the bottom of the social heap just for being smart.
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Kit Feeny: On the Move/The Ugly Necklace
by Michael Townsend
ISBN: 978-0606144292
Turtleback
Kit’s family is moving to the big city, and he’s excited but worried about losing his best friend, Arnold. Since the two are old hands at coming up with exciting schemes (buying a thousand bouncy balls, selling all their clothes for pizza, creating their own comics), they soon figure out that they should pack Arnold in the moving van! When this doesn’t quite go according to plan, Kit is left on his own to navigate a new school, try to find a replacement for Arnold, and deal with Devon the Bully Comedian.
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Knights of the Lunch Table Series
by Frank Cammuso
ISBN: 978-0439903226
Graphix
Artie King is your basic sixth-grade everyman who is just trying to get through life without getting into too much trouble. His buddies, Wayne and Percy, are at his side as he deals with his principal, the evil Mrs. Dagger, and a gang of bullies known as The Horde. Looking over it all is a kindly science teacher, Mr. Merlyn, and his pet crow, Oberon, who provide subtle and not-so-subtle guidance.
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Laika
by Nick Abadzis
First Second
ISBN: 1596431016
Laika, the first dog in space, is properly honored in this volume.
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The Little Lit Series
by Art Spiegelman and Francoise Mouly
Toon Books
ISBN: 0060286245
It's literature--but with an all-ages twist!
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Little Mouse Gets Ready
by Jeff Smith
Toon Books
ISBN: 978-1935179016
The creator of Bone tells a charming all-ages story.
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The Little Prince
by Joann Sfar
HMH Books
ISBN: 978-0547338026
Joann Sfar adapts Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s classic.
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The Little Vampire Series
by Joann Sfar
ISBN: 978-1596432338
First Second
Living in a house filled with grown-up ghouls and monsters, Little Vampire is so lonely that he’s even willing to go to school if that’s what it takes to find friends. Unfortunately, school seems to be filled with children who are still alive.
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Lola: A Ghost Story
by J. Torres and Elbert Or
ISBN: 978-1934964330
Oni Press
Jesse sees dead people, monsters, demons, and lots of other things that go bump in the night that no one else can see--no one except his ailing grandmother, who used her visions to help those living in her small town...the same rural community in all the scary stories Jesse's heard as a child.
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The Luckiest Boy
by Scott Christian Sava
ISBN: 978-1600104800
IDW
Thirteen-year-old Russell Ranger is the unluckiest boy in the world. Nothing ever seems to go his way. Nothing good at least. One day, though, he meets a real, honest to goodness Leprechaun, who grants him a wish...
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The Lucky Luke Series
by Rene Goscinny
ISBN: 978-1849180597
Cinebook
Lucky Luke is a long-running popular series now translated into English.
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Luke on the Loose
by Harry Bliss
ISBN: 978-1935179009
Toon Books
Luke looks on at the pigeons in Central Park, while Dad is lost in “boring Daddy talk,” and before you know it–Luke is on the loose!
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The Lunch Lady Series
by Jarrett Krosoczka
Knopf Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 978-0375846847
Don't mess with the Lunch Lady--she's ready to take on any baddie who comes her way!
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The Magic Pickle Series
by Scott Morse
Scholastic/Graphix
ISBN: 978-0545135801
That gnarly old lettuce head, The Romaine Gladiator, rises from the garden patch with dastardly plans to reunite the Brotherhood of Evil Produce! Can the Magic Pickle make a knuckle sandwich out of those notorious no-good veggies before their seeds of destruction destroy the world?
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The Magic Trixie Series
by Jill Thompson
ISBN: 978-0061170454
HarperCollins
Magic Trixie doesn't understand why no one will take her seriously! First, she's not allowed to do anything fun, while her baby sister gets away with everything, and then she needs to come up with a trick that's really special to impress her friends. Luckily Trixie has the best plan ever.
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Mini Marvels Ultimate Collection
by Chris Giarrusso, Sean McKeever, Marc Sumerak, and Paul Tobin
ISBN: 978-0785142843
Marvel
All-ages fun featuring the wild and crazy kid counterparts to Marvel's greatest heroes!
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Missile Mouse
by Jake Parker
ISBN: 978-0545117159
Graphix
With its emphasis on agents, robots, and alien worlds, this is a title that will appeal particularly to elementary-age boys.
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The Moomin Series
by Tove Jansson
Drawn & Quarterly
ISBN: 978-1894937801
Tove Jansson is revered around the world as one of the foremost children's authors of the twentieth century for her illustrated chapter books regarding the magical worlds of her creation the Moomins.
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The Mouse Guard Series
by David Peterson
Archaia
ISBN: 978-1932386578
In the world of Mouse Guard, mice struggle to live safely and prosper amongst harsh conditions and a host of predators. Thus the Mouse Guard was formed: more than just soldiers that fight off intruders, they are guides for common mice looking to journey without confrontation from one hidden village to another.
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Mr. Badger and Mrs. Fox
by Brigitte Luciani and Eve Tharlet
GraphicUniverse
ISBN: 978-0761356318
Bristle and Grub live with their father Mr. Badger and their baby sister Berry in a tidy little badger burrow. But one night Mrs. Fox and her daughter Ginger appear suddenly in their home.
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The Muppets
by various
Boom! Studios
ISBN: 9781608866137
The Muppets take on all kinds of adventures in several ongoing series.
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My First Graphic Novel Series
by various
Capstone
ISBN: 978-1-4342-1412-6
These attractive early readers, featuring simple sports stories and bright, uncluttered illustrations, are an excellent introduction to both comics and sports for young readers.
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My Mommy Is in America and She Met Buffalo Bill
by Emile Bravo and Jean Regnaud
Fanfare/Ponent Mon
ISBN: 978-8496427853
Five-year-old Jean has a busy father, a pugnacious younger brother, a grouchy schoolteacher, a kindhearted nanny…and a mother who has long been missing. Where has she gone? His next-door neighbor Michele seems to know and delivers regular postcards from around the world addressed to Jean from his mommy. At school, at home, and with family and friends, Jean slowly but surely comes to terms with the realities of the world out there and the strength within himself.
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The Nancy Drew Series
by Stefan Petrucha and various
Papercutz
ISBN: 978-1597070003
Everyone's favorite girl detective is on all kinds of cases!
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No Girls Allowed
by Susan Hughes and Willow Dawson
ISBN: 978-1554531776
Kids Can Press
A female pharaoh? A woman general in the Kahn's army? A female Viking raider? No way, you say? Look again. Appearances can be deceiving.
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The Olympians Series
by George O’Connor
ISBN: 978-1596434325
First Second
George O'Connor brings to life the classic myths of old in gorgeously illustrated tales.
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Otto’s Orange Day
by Jay Lynch and Frank Cammuso
Toon Books
ISBN: 978-0979923883
When Otto the cat meets a magical genie, he knows just what to wish for: he makes the whole world orange!
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Our Gang
by Walt Kelly and Steve Thompson
ISBN: 978-1606993224
Fantagraphics
The Little Rascals as written and drawn by Pogo's Walt Kelly.
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Outlaw: The Legend of Robin Hood
by Tony Lee, Sam Hart, and Artur Fujita
Candlewick
ISBN: 978-0763644000
This addition to the mythology of Robin Hood takes bits and pieces from the many stories, poems, songs, television shows, and movies about the famous archer and mixes them into a tale that is sharp, snappy, and fun.
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The Owly Series
by Andy Runton
Top Shelf
ISBN: 978-1603090193
Owly is a kind, yet lonely, little owl who's always on the lookout for new friends and adventure.
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Oz: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
by Eric Shanower and Skottie Young
Marvel
ISBN: 978-0785129219
Eisner Award-winning writer/artist Eric Shanower teams up with fan-favorite artist Skottie Young to bring L. Frank Baum's beloved classic to life.
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The Patrick Series
by Geoffrey Hayes
Toon Books
ISBN: 9781935179092
Meet Patrick, a playful teddy with a sweet spot for mama.
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Percy Jackson and the Olympians
by Robert Venditti
Disney/Hyperion
ISBN: 978-1423116967
Mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking out of the pages of twelve-year-old Percy Jackson's textbooks and into his life. And worse, he's angered a few of them. Zeus's master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect. Now, he and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus's stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus.
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Pet Robots
by Scott Christian Sava and Diego Jourdan
ISBN: 978-1600103117
IDW
Four children get lost in a toy factory and end up with their own personalized robots. The fun has just started when the evil factory owner tries to get his toys back—and the robots fight back with their own special powers.
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The Popularity Papers
by Any Ignatow
Amulet Books
ISBN: 978-0810984219
Fifth-graders and best friends Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham-Chang have decided that their last year of elementary school is also their last year to be at the bottom of the social heap. In junior high, they will be part of the popular crowd!
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Possessions
by Ray Fawkes
Oni Press
ISBN: 978-1-934964-36-1
Fawkes’ graphic novel walks the line between horror and humor, with just the right touch of action and gross-out moments to appeal to younger readers.
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Rapunzel’s Revenge/Calamity Jack
by Shannon Hale, Dean Hale, and Nathan Hale
Bloomsbury
ISBN: 1599903733
Who knew Rapunzel had it in her? All those years spent locked away in that tower, waiting for some handsome young prince to come along and rescue her—wait, she didn’t need a man to get out of that predicament?
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Return of the Dapper Men
by Jim McCann and Janet Lee
Archaia
ISBN: 978-1932386905
An epic fairy tale that's as vividly imaginative as it is wonderfully drawn, Return of the Dapper Men is a magical treat.
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Robot City Adventures Series
by Paul Collicutt
Templar
ISBN: 978-0763641207
The Robot City Adventures books are brand new, but they look like they were done in the mid-20th century: The art is classic comic-book style, linear, richly colored, and realistic without being overly detailed.
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Robot Dreams
by Sara Varon
ISBN: 978-1596431089
First Second
This moving, charming graphic novel about a dog and a robot shows us in poignant detail how powerful and fragile relationships are.
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Salt Water Taffy
by Matthew Loux
Oni Press
ISBN: 978-1932664942
At first, Jack and his brother, Benny, aren’t very excited about spending the summer in Chowder Bay, Maine. But their attitude changes when they arrive there. First, they meet fisherman Angus O’Neil, who tells them about Old Salty, the biggest lobster in the whole ocean. But it soon becomes apparent that Old Salty is not going to settle for just ruling the ocean.
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Sardine in Outer Space
by Emmanuel Guibert and Joann Sfar
First Second
ISBN: 978-1596431263
In the goofy space adventures of a little girl called Sardine, encounters aren't always friendly: weird creatures, cosmic squids, masters of the universe, talking clouds, and evil beings abound.
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Satchel Paige
by James Sturm
ISBN: 978-0786839001
Hyperion
Baseball Hall of Famer Leroy "Satchel" Paige changed the face of the game in a career that spanned five decades. Much has been written about this larger-than-life pitcher, but when it comes to Paige, fact does not easily separate from fiction.
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The Search
by Eric Heuvel
ISBN: 978-0374464554
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
As a child, Esther Hecht was forced out of her native Germany and into the relative safety of the Netherlands. But that safety too was short-lived. When the Nazis came invading, Esther went into a life of hiding in the countryside, separated from the parents she would never see again.
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The Secret Science Alliance and the Copycat Crook
by Eleanor Davis
Bloomsbury
ISBN: 978-1599903965
The Secret Science Alliance’s main strong points are its amusing characters, quirky storytelling and unique styles of drawing.
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Shazam! The Monster Society of Evil
by Jeff Smith and Alex Ross
ISBN: 978-1401209742
DC Comics
He's the world's mightiest mortal--and this is his kid-friendly (and adult-friendly too) series.
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Silly Lilly Series
by Agnes Rosentiehl
Toon Books
ISBN: 978-0979923876
Silly Lilly is a very basic comic book designed for early readers. The text is simple and relies on lots of repetition, and the pictures are also repetitious, promoting learning through comics.
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Solomon’s Thieves
by Jordan Mechner, LeVyen Pham, and Alex Puvilland
ISBN: 978-1596433915
First Second
With a chic, cool edge and rich, textured illustrations, Solomon’s Thieves is part history lesson, part Dumas adventure, and all incredibly enjoyable.
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Sonic the Hedgehog Archives
by various
Archie Comics
ISBN: 978-1879794597
Collections of Sonic the Hedgehog adventures.
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SpongeBob SquarePants
by various
ISBN: 978-1416983439
Simon Spotlight/Nickelodeon
He lives under the sea, but he really comes to life in these fun comics!
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The Sticky Burr Series
by John Lechner
ISBN: 978-0763635671
Candlewick
Welcome to Burrwood Forest, where a village of seed pods are busy having adventures! There are friends like Sticky Burr and Mossy Burr, who stick together, and bad seeds like Scurvy Burr, who irritates them every chance he gets.
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Stinky
by Eleanor Davis
Toon Books
ISBN: 978-1935179061
Stinky is a monster who loves pickles and possums but is terrified of people. When a new kid enters his swamp, this adorable little monster comes up with all sorts of crazy plans to scare him away. But Stinky quickly learns to conquer his fear, as he realizes that bats, rats, and toads aren’t the only friends you can find in the swamp.
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Thumbelina: The POP Wonderland Series
by Michiyo Hayano
Dark Horse
ISBN: 978-1595822680
Hans Christian Andersen's classic tale of the smallest girl in the world is brought to life for a new generation.
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The Tiny Titans Series
by Art Baltazar and Franco
ISBN: 978-1401228927
Grosset & Dunlap
Before they became the Teen Titans, they were tiny--and they had plenty of adventures on their own.
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Tiny Tyrant Series
by Lewis Trondheim and Fabrice Parme
ISBN: 978-1596435100
First Second
Though he has a handful of advisors, this miniscule monarch is the one who calls the shots–demanding to see Santa Claus (to ask if he really has to eat a balanced diet), testing out his new bodyguard by putting a price on his own head, and replacing all the kids in the kingdom with robot doubles of his own royal self!
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The Toon Treasury of Classic Children’s Comics
by Art Spiegelman, Francoise Mouly, and Jon Scieszka
Toon Books
ISBN: 978-0810957305
It's hard to imagine a better collection of awesome, much beloved children's comics. They're all lovingly presented here.
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Tower of Treasure
by Scott Chantler
Kids Can Press
ISBN: 978-1554534142
Orphaned Dessa is an acrobat in a traveling circus, but her real purpose in traveling is to look for her kidnapped brother.
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The Unsinkable Walker Bean
by Aaron Renier
First Second
ISBN: 978-1596434530
The Unsinkable Walker Bean falls into a classic genre of children's stories, the not-particularly-tough kid who discovers his true abilities when he is sent on a dangerous quest.
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Usagi Yojimbo
by Stan Sakai
Fantagraphics
ISBN: 978-1606991541
Stan Sakai's Usagi Yojimbo is a perennial favorite amongst children, especially boys, and adult fans. Usagi Yojimbo chronicles the action-packed wanderings of a funny-anima; ronin in feudal Japan.
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The War at Ellsmere
by Faith Erin Hicks
ISBN: 978-1593621407
SLG
Jun is the newest scholarship student at the prestigious Ellsmere girls' boarding school--but to a lot of the privileged rich girls, scholarship student is just a code for charity case. Fortunately, Jun has an ally in the quirky Cassie, who tells her legends of a beautiful creature that lives in the forest outside of the school.
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Wolverine: Worst Day Ever
by Barry Lyga
Marvel
ISBN: 978-0785137573
Now, for the first time ever, experience the storied saga of everybody's favorite feral X-Man. In his own words - fully illustrated with archival images from more than 30 years worth of comic-book appearances!
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X-Men Misfits
by Anzu, Raina Telgemeier, and Dave Roman
Del Rey
ISBN: 978-0345505149
Although the series is rated 13+, it would still be suitable for slightly younger readers. Most likely, this series will appeal mostly to girls. There is a little action, but generally, the art and conflict are geared toward a female audience.
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Yo Gabba Gabba Comic Book Time
by various
Oni Press
ISBN: 978-1-934964-49-1
DJ Lance Rock, the residents of his magic boombox, Brobee, Muno, Toodee, Foofa and Plex, along with their Story Time pals from the hit series come to the wild world of comics books.
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Zig and Wikki: Something Ate My Homework
by Nadja Spiegelman and Trade Loeffler
ISBN: 978-1935179023
Toon Books
Zig and Wikki land on a planet full of strange creatures like flies, frogs, and raccoons, just when it seems to be lunchtime!
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Zinc Alloy vs. Frankenstein
by Donald Lemke and Douglas Holgate
Stone Arch Books
ISBN: 978-1434213914
It's an epic battle to the finish!
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Zita the Spacegirl
by Ben Hatke
First Second
ISBN: 9781596434462
Flung across the universe, from star to star, faced with monsters, magicians, and maybe new friends, an earth girl named Zita must find a way home.
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How about adding Lions, Tigers and Bears, as well as the Gimoles and Timothy and the Transgalactic Towel?
http://www.runemasterstudios.com/lions-tigers-and-bears/
http://www.lionstigersandbearscomic.com/timothy-and-the-transgalactic-to...
http://www.runemasterstudios.com/gimoles/
Franks's earliest stories appeared in "Tantalizing Stories", which was a comic aimed at children.
Thanks, Kat! I've updated the lists based on your comments.
I really don't think that a Frank graphic novel by Jim Woodring belongs in a children's collection. I consider Congress of the Animals to be an adult book.
Simpsons comics belong in Teen, not children's.
And Last Unicorn is another book I consider to be much more appropriate in the Teen collection.