Staff Picks: Our Favorite Graphic Novels
In search of your next graphic novel to read? Our staff has you covered.
Newport Branch
The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O’Neill
“This is a lovely fantasy story about a girl who learns all about tea dragons, magical creatures that grow herbs from their horns. The story unfolds leisurely and is complemented by endearing characters and adorable illustrations. Best enjoyed with a nice cup of tea.”
– Sarah Geisler, collection services librarian
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Nimona by Noelle Stevenson
“This fun, but touching, story follows a feisty lass with a mysterious past who gets a job as a sidekick for a local supervillain.”
– Lisa Kuhn, patron services assistant
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DeadEndia: The Watcher’s Test by Hamish Steele
“Norma works at a haunted house in a Dollywood-esque theme park but when her best friend Barney starts living there after running away from home, they both realize that the “haunted” part of “haunted house” is closer to reality than they thought. The book is super fun with lovable characters, and the plot is surprisingly more complex than its quirky art style would suggest.”
– Leah Byars, collection services assistant
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Carrico/Fort Thomas Branch
Nausicaä
“This classic Miyazaki tale is well known because of the animated Studio Ghibli masterpiece of the same name. The graphic novel delves more deeply into the characters and world-building elements as it takes readers on a fantastic adventure through an alternate dying world. A princess embarks on a journey to discover the cause and seek a cure. A joy to read throughout, if you have a love for the movie, please check out this extraordinary story!”
– Max Sulken, patron services assistant
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Cold Spring Branch
Locke & Key by Joe Hill
“If you like horror and mystery as much as I do, I highly recommend reading Locke & Key. But don’t be surprised if you watch the show and find it to be way different. The graphic novels bring more depth to the story. The keys unlock secret worlds and take the Locke kids on a wild journey.”
– Brittany Parr, children’s service programmer
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Maus by Art Spiegelman
“It captures the horror of the Holocaust and the effect of generational trauma in a way that traditional novels do not.”
– Amy Carroll, adult/teen programming coordinator
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Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem and Other Things That Happened by Allie Brosh
“A memoir of sorts, Allie uses this graphic novel to reflect on some tough moments in her life and how she handled them using her dry sense of humor as a way to cope. This book is laugh-out-loud funny and has a whole lot of heart too!”
– Danielle Turner, adult/teen services programmer
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Avatar: The Last Airbender
“I love the Avatar: The Last Airbender (ATLA) and Avatar: The Legend of Korra (TLOK) graphic novels! The ATLA series includes The Promise; The Search; The Rift; Smoke and Shadow; North and South; and Imbalance. So far, TLOK includes Turf Wars and Ruins of the Empire. The library editions feature amazing character designs and extras at the end of the book. The Avatar universe is one of my favorites and the graphic novels add another layer to the series!”
– Danielle Heiert, patron services assistant
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Alexandria Branch
A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge by Josh Neufeld
“Both a heartbreaking portrayal of a city’s devastation and its perseverance, this graphic novel tells the true harrowing stories of six New Orleans residents who survived Hurricane Katrina.”
-Molly Walker, children’s services programmer
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