Graphic Novels on Friendship
As you know from reading this blog, we love graphic novels at my house. I recently had a conversation with a librarian that started by her saying that the graphic novels were especially popular now that school is out. I countered that we believe graphic novels are year-round reading material!
Many graphic novels in the MG space deal in some way with friendships. Here are a few that are particularly great at capturing these essential relationships.
Friends series by Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham (started 2017)
In the first book of this autobiographical trilogy, Shannon’s BFF starts hanging out with the cool kids, leaving Shannon behind. Should she try to join in, even if the cool kids don’t seem very nice? The following two books take Shannon through the rest of middle-school and all the conflicts that come up around being and keeping friends.
Emmie and Friends series by Terri Libenson (started 2017)
Beginning with Invisible Emmie, Libenson has created a middle-school world that is very recognizable and relatable. That comes with a lot of great friendships and fraught friendships and rocky friendships. In Just Jaime (book 3 of the series), Maya and Jaime find their long-time friendship strained. In Truly Tyler (book 5), Tyler’s friends taunt him about collaborating with Emmie on an art project. In all of these books, Libenson shows how middle schoolers navigate the ups and downs of friendships.
The Cardboard Kingdom by Chad Sell (started in 2018)
I love Sell’s book about the power of imagination. A neighborhood of kids comes together to make their fantasy world out of cardboard, supporting each other in lovely and touching ways as they create their alter-egos. Sell collaborated with 10 other artists to draw and write the graphic novel, so different styles and stories come across, just like the different kids of the neighborhood.
Shirley and Jamila series by Gillian Goerz (started 2019)
I’ll tell you a secret: I came up with this post so I could write about Goerz’s books! Shirley and Jamila Save Their Summer and Shirley and Jamila’s Big Fall are fantastic. In the first, the two kids spend time together out of necessity (read: their overprotective parents) before they find it fun. In both, they solve mysteries and help other kids as a team. The second book finds Jamila growing close to a kid that she has more in common with, but she’s eventually able to explain that she doesn’t have to have a ton in common with Shirley to be her friend.
Go with the Flow by Karen Schneemann and Lily Williams (2020)
Williams and Schneemann’s graphic novel is all about periods. One character becomes an advocate for better access to period supplies for her school. This book is a great primer for how to become a period activist. It’s also a great depiction of how friends empathize and support one another and engage with each other’s passions.
Magical Boy series by The Kao (started 2022)
Max is from a long line of Magical Girls with powers that keep humanity safe from the forces of evil. Mom’s all ready to show Max the ropes (cue the training montage) as Max’s powers begin to emerge. The problem? Max is a trans boy. I’m glad Max has great friends that stick with him through thick and thin and through battles with the big bad.