If You Like Smile by Raina Telgemeier, Then Read…

Awkward by Svetlana Chmakova

On her first day at her new school, Penelope (Peppi) Torres pushes a boy so she will not be labelled his nerdy girlfriend.  But soon she discovers that Jaime may be just the friend she needs.  Can she overcome her embarrassment to apologize?  And can the two them find a way to unite their opposing clubs–art and science?  One thing is certain.  Middle school is never dull.  A stunning story about making mistakes and making amends.

Brave by Svetlana Chmakova

Jensen thinks of middle school as a video game. He just has to pass each monster in order to win the level and survive the day.  But school is getting harder and harder.  His art club friends do not want to seem to hang out with him anymore.  And his new friends in the school paper keep telling him he’s a victim of bullying. But…he’s not, is he?  His friends are just teasing, right?  A moving and sympathetic depiction of middle school life that also gives a not-so-subtle dig at books that make bullying look funny (*cough*DiaryofaWimpyKid*cough*).

New Kid by Jerry Craft

Jordan Banks wants to attend art school, not the fancy prep school his mom is in love with. And he’s a little worried about the lack of diversity. It’s difficult to be the new kid in general, but Jordan also has to deal with stuff like the teacher never getting his name right and always looking at him when financial aid is discussed. He’s not sure he’ll ever fit in. Or that he can keep his old friends if he does.  A a brilliant, compelling graphic novel about the struggles of middle school–especially when one is attending a new school.

Best Friends by Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham

It’s the start of sixth grade and Shannon is looking forward to being one of the biggest kids in the school.  And, now that she’s told mean Jenny that she can’t be in the group anymore, Shannon thinks her friendship troubles are over.  But having friends and keeping friends are two different things.  What happens when your friends just don’t seem like a good fit anymore?

Real Friends by Shannon Hale, LeUyen Pham, and Jane Poole

Shannon and Adrienne met on the first day of school and have been friends ever since. But Adrienne is beautiful and popular and soon she is hanging out with The Group. Shannon is allowed to hang on the edges, but soon grows tired of the way the girls back stab each other. She wants to leave, but she does not have the courage. And would Adrienne leave with her, or would she lose her best friend forever?

Sunny Side Up by Jennifer L. Holm, Matthew Holm, Lark Pien

Sunny expected to spend the summer at the beach with her best friend.  Instead, she finds herself in Florida visiting her grandfather, who lives in a retirement community.  It’s a far cry from Disney World–and really difficult to find someone her own age–but Sunny eventually makes friends with a local boy.  But she’s still running from the family tragedy that brought her to Florida in the first place.

All’s Faire in Middle School by Victoria Jamieson

Imogene is ready to become a squire at the Renaissance Faire where her mother runs a shop and her father always plays the villain. But first she has to prove her bravery by going on the ultimate quest–middle school. Unfortunately, middle school is more difficult than Imogene imagined. Mean girls, scary teachers, potential love interests–it’s all too much. Will Imogene find her way through?  A sympathetic look at how it feels to enter a new school and attempt to navigate the unspoken rules.

Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson

Astrid and her friend Nicole have always done everything together. But now Astrid is off to roller derby camp while Nicole goes to dance camp. As the two girls begin to drift apart, Astrid hopes that toughening up in roller derby will help her face her fears off the rink, as well.  A a sympathetic depiction of two friends growing apart as they grow up.

Just Jaime by Terri Libenson

Jaime never imagined that she would spend the last day of seventh grade watching her friendships fall apart.  Her BFF since forever, Maya, no longer seems to like her, now that their new friend Celia is pulling the strings.  And, because Jaime is known as a mean Gossip Girl herself, she’s not sure she can even make new friends.   This is about to be the worst summer ever.

Positively Izzy by Libenson

Izzy has trouble focusing in school, but never when she’s in front of a crowd.  In contrast, Brianna would rather avoid the spotlight, though she wishes people could see her as more than just studious.  Then Brianna has a chance to help the school drama club.  Will she pass out or could this be the start of something new?

The Cardboard Kingdom by Chad Sell, Et Al

Over the summer, sixteen kids will create a kingdom–and costumes–out of cardboard, making friends, dealing with family issues, and confronting their fears.  In the Cardboard Kingdom, your imagination, and your friends, give you strength.

Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy by Rey Terciero and Bre Indigo

The March sisters are facing a Christmas without presents as their mom works late shifts as a nurse and their father serves overseas.  But they soon realize that others have it worse than they do, and that there is still plenty in life to appreciate.  Together, they will face whatever life throws at them and come out stronger.  A graphic novel retelling of Little Women set in modern-day New York City. A re-imagining that promotes inclusion, diversity, and feminism.

If You Like Six of Crows, Then Read…

The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi

It’s 1889 in Paris and hotelier Séverin Montagnet-Alarie has been offered the opportunity of a lifetime: in exchange for helping the Order of Babel, he will receive his true inheritance.  To find the treasure the order seeks, Séverin assembles an extraordinary team.  But what they find could change history.  Read Briana’s review.

The Poison Throne by Celine Kiernan

Fifteen-year-old Wynter Moorehawke has returned to the palace where she grew up like a sister to the two princes, the bastard son Razi and his younger brother, the heir Alberon. But things have changed. The cats no longer talk, the ghosts are not friends, Alberon is missing, and the king is torturing subjects. The king desires Razi to take the throne, but Razi knows his brother must be the one to rule. Now Wynter must choose: her king or the true heir.  A compelling adult fantasy whose morally-dubious characters somehow manage to still be sympathetic. Read Krysta’s review.

The Emperor’s Soul by Brandon Sanderson

Shai is a Forger–one of the best. But the arbiters who rule the empire believer her art is nothing more than a trick, or, at the worst, a heresy. But now, as the result of an assassination attempt, the emperor sleeps in a coma and when he wakes, an enemy faction will no doubt declare him unfit to rule. So the arbiters need Shai. They need her to do the impossible. They need her to refashion a soul for the emperor.  A fantasy novella that features a complex protagonist and a carefully detailed world.  Read Briana’s review.

Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson

As the youngest daughter, Siri has always been considered unimportant. But then her father sends her to marry the dreaded king of Hallandren in her sister Vivenna’s place. With a neglected education, Siri has no clue how to act in her new role as the wife of a god-king who could kill her at any moment. Feeling useless herself, Vivenna sets out to rescue Siri. But both princesses are about to find themselves embroiled in political conspiracies that may prove to be too much for them to handle.  A rich fantasy featuring court intrigue, a simmering rebellion, and morally complex characters.  Read Krysta’s review.

Ship of Smoke and Steel by Django Wexler

When the emperor discovers that eighteen-year-old ward boss Isoka can access the Well of Combat, he gives her an impossible mission: steal the ghost ship Solitan.  Isoka’s sister’s life is forfeit if she fails.  But she beings to realize that Solitan may be harboring secrets.  Read Briana’s review.

If You Like The Maze Runner, Then Read…

Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

Outnumbered and with inferior technology, the human race has won two wars against the aliens they call the buggers. They fear the Third Invasion, however, and will not trust to luck to save them again. Instead, they scour the Earth for the child who can lead them to victory. Ender Wiggin possesses the qualities necessary to make him a formidable general. To that end, the government places him in Battle School to train him for the upcoming war. The race, however, is running out of time and Ender may not be ready to fight when the war comes.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

In a futuristic Chicago, all citizens choose one of five Factions at the age of sixteen: Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Dauntless, or Erudite. Their faction becomes their family. Beatrice “Tris” Prior has grown up in Abnegation, learning to forget herself and serve others. But on the day of her choosing, she picks Dauntless. Now, she must survive her initiation, convincing herself and others that this is where she belongs.

Scythe by Neal Shusterman

Humanity now lives in a utopia where hunger, disease, and death can no longer touch them. To keep the population under control, they created the Scythes, individuals who “glean” a certain number of individuals each year. The Scythes must adhere to the highest code of morality, gleaning only when necessary and avoiding bias. But when Citra and Rowan are taken on as apprentice Scythes, they begin to see that corruption is eating the Scythes from within.

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

After the Second Civil War, the U.S. chose to protect life until a person reaches the age of 13.  Between the ages of 13-18, however, a teenager can legally be Unwound–killed for their body parts so that they can go on “living” by helping others.  Connor’s parents consider him a troublemaker, so when he learns that they plan to Unwind him, he goes on the run.  He just needs to stay hidden for a few more years.  Along with two other teens, Rita and Lev, he just might have a chance.

Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson

Ten years ago Calamity appeared in the sky and gave men superpowers. Called Epics, they quickly used their powers to claim dominion over the Earth. Dave watched an Epic named Steelheart kill his father. And now he will do anything to end Steelheart’s rule. His plan: to join the Reckoners, a group of ordinary men and women who dare to fight back. Because he thinks he can give them the one thing they need. A clue to Steelheart’s weakness

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If You Like Harry Potter, Then Read… (Part Two)

Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger

Twelve-year-old Sophie Foster’s life changes forever the day a boy appears and reveals that she’s an elf and that she can learn to control her Telepathetic abilities if she leaves her world behind to train at a magical academy. But even as Sophie delights in the wonders of her new world, she worries about her past. Why was she sent to live with humans? Why is she capable of things no other elf can do? And why does she seem to remember things she’s never learned at all?

The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson

In Joel’s world, students train as Rithmatists–people who can make chalk drawings come alive to fight the wild chalklings that threaten their society. Joel would do anything to be a Rithmatist himself, but because he was not chosen during the initiation ceremony, he spends his days studying Rithmatic theory and old Rithmatist duels. Then Rithmatist students begin disappearing and Joel finds himself assisting the professor determined to find the perpetrator. But with no Rithmatic powers himself, how can Joel hope to win a fight drawn in 2D?

Dragon’s Green by Scarlett Thomas

Effie Truelove is not sure magic really exists until her grandfather ends up in the hospital. Then, suddenly, he is bequeathing his library to her as well as an assortment of magical objects. But her father sells the books to a man Effie is not sure she can trust. And thus she finds herself on an adventure to reclaim her inheritance and the truth about her birthright.

Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend

All her life Morrigan Crow has believed herself cursed and destined to die on her eleventh birthday.  But then a man called Jupiter North appears and runs away with her to a magical citiy known as Nevermoor.  There she is selected to compete for a spot in the Wundrous Society.  But failure means death.

100 Cupboards by N. D. Wilson

Sent to live with his aunt and uncle in Kansas, Henry York is surprised to find that the cupboards in his attic bedroom seem to lead to different worlds!  But when he and his cousin unleash an ancient evil, they must find a way to fix their mistakes before it is too late.

You can find our first list of suggestions here.

If You Like Anne of Green Gables, Then Read…

Maud by Melanie Fishbane

Fourteen-year-old Lucy Maud Montgomery dreams of attending college and becoming a writer, but her grandfather does not believe in higher education for women. Worse, when she finally goes out west to be with her father again, her new stepmother treats her as nothing more than a nanny. Will Maud ever find a way to follow her dreams? Or will she grow old feeling that her world has grown increasingly smaller?

Emily of Deep Valley by Maud Hart Lovelace

Emily Webster longs to go to college with all of her friends, but has to stay home to care for her grandfather. As she watches her former crowd move on without her, she begins to lose interest in life and to struggle with finding her place in the world. Only when she stops feeling sorry for herself and decides to take control of her future does she realize that her home of Deep Valley has a lot to offer. Emily decides to keep up her studies and to help her immigrant neighbors transition into their new life. Her new sense of identity also brings her her first encounter with love. A companion to the Betsy-Tacy books.

The Alpine Path: The Story of My Career by L. M. Montgomery

L. M. Montgomery’s autobiography depicts her as a kindred spirit with Anne and Emily as she pursues her writing career.

Emily of New Moon by L. M. Montgomery

With her father dead, Emily Byrd Starr has been taken in by her mother’s people, Aunts Elizabeth and Laura, and Cousin Jimmy, whom she’s never met before. Aunt Elizabeth, however, seems very harsh. But as the days go by, Emily learns to love her home at New Moon and to make friends from the artistic Teddy Kent to the wild Ilse Burnley. And all the while she’s perfecting her craft of poetry as she prepares to be a writer.

“The Highway Man” by Alfred Noyes

This narrative poem first published in 1906 tells the story of a highwayman who meets his lover in the moonlight, but is betrayed by a jealous ostler.  The cadence and repetition make it a memorable selection, especially for our girl Anne to recite.

A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter

Elnora Comstock longs to get an education and to play the violin.  Her mother, however, treats her harshly at home and does everything possible to keep Elnora from following her dreams.  Determined to pay her way through school anyway, Elnora begins collecting and selling butterflies from Limberlost Swamp.

“The Lady of Shalott” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Who can forget Anne’s mishap in the lake while playing the Lady of Shalott?  Experience the full romance of story by reading the original ballad.

When Patty Went to College by Jean Webster

Jean Webster’s first novel follows the escapades of Patty Wyatt, a senior at an all-girls college.  Popular with her peers and fond of pranks, Patty ultimately must learn how to balance her love of fun with a sense of responsibility.

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglas Wiggin

Rebecca Randall arrives to live with her aunts Miranda and Jane in Riverboro, expecting that they will “be the making of her”. Someone, after all, needs to gain an education so that her mother can lift the mortgage from their farm and raise the six other children. But Aunt Miranda is severe and strict, and completely unready to cope with the imaginative child who has just landed on her doorstep. Can Rebecca bring light and life back to the Riverboro house?

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If You Like Jo March, Then Read…

Behind a Mask: The Unknown Thrillers of Louisa may Alcott

Once upon at time, Louisa May Alcott wrote thrillers much like her heroine Jo March.  This collection includes four such stories: “Pauline’s Passion and Punishment,” “The Mysterious Key,” “The Abbot’s Ghost,” and “Behind a Mask.”

The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge

Faith Sunderly knows that her family is clouded by scandal. Why else would they remove to the remote island of Vane?  However, Faith cannot believe that her father’s important scientific discoveries are all frauds, as the newspapers allege.  Driven by her interest in natural science, as well as her conflicted feelings about Darwin’s newest theories, Faith will try to discover the truth behind her father’s work–and mysterious death.  But Faith lives in a man’s world and not everyone appreciates her scientific bent.

The Betsy-Tacy series by Maud Hart Lovelace

Lovelace’s semi-autobiographical series features the adventures of Betsy Ray, who grows from a girl who loves to tell stories to a flirtatious teen and, finally, a married woman.  Betsy aspires to become a writer.

The Anne of Green Gables series by L. M. Montgomery

When the Cuthberts ask to adopt an orphan boy to help on the farm, they hardly expect eleven-year-old Anne Shirley to arrive instead.  Dreamy and vivacious, Anne soon captures the hearts of the Cuthberts and all of Avonlea.  The series follows her from a young girl to a woman married with children.  It also features her adventures in publishing her writing.

The Emily of New Moon trilogy by L. M. Montgomery

Perhaps Montgomery’s most autobiographical series, the Emily of New Moon trilogy follows Emily Starr, who dreams of becoming a writer.  As she grows, she first faces the challenge of writing against her guardians’ wishes.  And later she must decide if she is willing to sacrifice romance for her career.

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglas Wiggin

Rebecca Randall arrives to live with her aunts Miranda and Jane in Riverboro, expecting that they will “be the making of her.” Someone, after all, needs to gain an education so that her mother can lift the mortgage from their farm and raise the six other children.  As she struggles to get along with her strict aunt, Rebecca finds herself enjoying school and dreaming of a career as a writer.

If You Like Little Women, Then Read…

Jack and Jill by Louisa May Alcott

Bedridden after a sledding accident, friends Jack Minot and Janey (Jill) Pecq must learn how to find happiness even when it seems healing may be far away–if possible at all.  Along the way, they get up to some old-fashioned fun, creating tableaux, collecting May flowers, and more.

Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott

When Rose Campbell arrives on the “Aunt-hill,” she is far from well.  Her uncle Alec, however, soon takes charge and his prescriptions for exercise and outdoor activity soon have her engaging happily in the pastimes of her seven cousins–all boys.

Invincible Louisa by Cornelia Meigs

A biography of Louisa May Alcott first published in 1933, the book begins with Alcott’s birth in Germantown, PA and follows her through her life in her father’s transcendentalist community, her decision to nurse soldiers during the Civil War, and eventual publication of her children’s stories.  Winner of the Newbery Medal.

Littler Women by Laura Schaefer

Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy March receive a modern makeover in this retelling of Louisa May Alcott’s classic. They attend school dances, go to sleepovers, and have jobs babysitting. As they grow up, they hope to make their father, on active duty overseas as part of the National Guard, proud upon his return.

Five Little Peppers and How They Grew by Margaret Sidney

Polly, Ben, Joel, Davie, and Phronsie Pepper live with their mother, who can barely make ends meet. Still, the five continue to have good times, what with Ben and Polly conspiring to come up with clever ways to entertain the little ones or to give them a memorable Christmas. Things really start to look up, however, when Phronsie runs away and meets young Jasper King, a young rich boy who knows all too well that money cannot buy happiness and longs to join the good time at the Little Brown House.

Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy: A Modern Retelling of Little Women by Rey Terceiero and Bre Indigo

This graphic novel reimagines the March family as living in modern-day New York City.  As their father serves overseas, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy encounter life with all the strength they can muster.  The story shines with its depiction of sisterly relationships.  It also has a pronounced emphasis on values of diversity, inclusion, and feminism.

The Cottage at Bantry Bay by Hilda Van Stockum

Though they have little money, the O’Sullivan children get up to plenty of adventures.  Michael and Brigid sell a donkey in town while twins Liam and Francie find themselves lost after following the English army.  First published in 1938.

If You Like The Secret Garden, Then Read…

Emily of New Moon by L. M. Montgomery

With her father dead, Emily Byrd Starr has been taken in by her mother’s people, Aunts Elizabeth and Laura, and Cousin Jimmy, whom she’s never met before. Aunt Elizabeth, however, seems very harsh. But as the days go by, Emily learns to love her home at New Moon and to make friends from the artistic Teddy Kent to the wild Ilse Burnley. And all the while she’s perfecting her craft of poetry as she prepares to be a writer.

Heidi by Johanna Spyri

At five years of age, Heidi finds herself dragged up into the Swiss mountains by her aunt to live with her forbidding grandfather.  Contrary to all expectations, however, Heidi loves her new home and her new family. She goes daily to frolic with the goats on the mountainside and revels in the beauty of nature all around her. Then one day her aunt returns, determined to place Heidi in the house of a wealthy family who want a companion for their ailing daughter. Will Heidi ever find her way home?

A Girl of the LImberlost by Gene STratton-Porter

Elnora Comstock dreams of going to college, but her mother thwarts her attempts to receive and education and to practice playing the violin.  To put herself through school, Elnora begins to catch moths in Limberlost Swamp.  A companion novel to Freckles.

Movie Shoes (THe Painted Garden) by Noel Streatfeild

When the Winter children are invited to visit their aunt in California, Tim, a pianist, and Rachel, a ballerina, begin to dream big.  But it their plan sister Jane who lands the lead role in a movie production of The Secret Garden.  Part of the Shoes books, but originally titled The Painted Garden.

Return to the Secret Garden by Holly Webb

When Emmie Hatton is evacuated from a London orphanage, she finds herself at Misselthwaite Manor.  There she hears the mysterious cries of a boy in the night and discovers the diary of a girl named Mary.  Armed with Mary’s memories, Emmie is determined to find the secret garden herself.

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If You Like Percy Jackson, Then Read…

Loki’s Wolves by K. L. Armstrong

In the town of Blackwell, most inhabitants are descended from the Norse gods Thor and Loki.  Still, Matt Thorsen never expected that Ragnarok would come in his day–or that a bunch of kids would be the ones who had to stop it.

Atlantis Rising by T. A. Barron

T. A. Barron explores the roots of Atlantis’s legendary greatness in this book dedicated to celebrating the rise of the island rather than chronicling its fall.  In his version, a thief named Promi joins forces with Atlanta, a girl with natural magic, in order to decipher a prophecy that seems to indicate the end of all magic.  The gods, however, have separated themselves from mortals and no hope seems left for those who would save the land from ruin.

Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi

Dared by her classmates, twelve-year-old Aru Shah lights a cursed lamp and releases an ancient evil.  Now she has nine days to find her reincarnated siblings, collect their weapons, and defeat the Sleeper before he ends the world.

The Serpent’s Secret by Sayantani DasGupta

Kiran’s parents have always told her that she is an Indian princess.  But she never believed them until her twelfth birthday, when her parents disappear and a rakkhosh demon chases her out of her house.  Aided by two princes, Kiran flees to the magical Kingdom Beyond.  But the clock is ticking.  Can Kiran save her parents before they are eaten by demons?

Thedosia and the Serpents of Chaos by R. L. Lafevers

Eleven-year-old Theodosia Throckmorton practically lives in London’s Museum of Legends and Antiquities in which her father works as curator. Only she, however, can detect the ancient curses that linger on the artifacts her mother brings back from Egypt, and only she knows the rituals that will render the curses innocuous. Unfortunately, when her mother returns with the legendary amulet known as the Heart of Egypt, Theodosia learns that it bears a curse so extraordinary that it will cause the destruction of the entire British Empire unless returned to its resting place.

The Colossus Rises by Peter Lerangis

Jack has one month to live unless he can find seven loculi imbued with magical powers.  Unfortunately, the loculi are hidden in the Seven Wonders of the ancient world.

Mark of the Thief by Jennifer A. Nielsen

When Julius Caesar’s treasure is found in a mine outside Rome, the race to claim his bulla, believed to be imbued with powers from the gods, begins. Nic, a slave in the mines, is sent to retrieve it, and finds himself the unwitting recipient of new magical powers. Now wanted by every political figure in Rome, Nic will have to learn how to navigate a world of intrigue if he is to save the empire from rebellion, rescue his sister from slavery, and preserve his own life.

The Flame of Olympus by Kate O’Hearn

Emily is living in Manhattan, far from any magic, until the day Pegasus falls from the sky.  Then suddenly she finds herself allied with the goddess Diana and embroiled in a war between the gods and a warrior race.

The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series by Michael Scott

Fifteen-year-old twins Sophie and Josh Newman find themselves embroiled in a centuries-long battle between alchemist Nicholas Flamel and his foe Dr. John Dee.  Flamel and his wife need a book called known as the Codex in order to continue making the elixir of life or they will both die–Dee, however, plans to use the Codex to destroy the world.  The Alchemyst is the first of six books in the series.

The Dragon’s Tooth by N. D. Wilson

Antigone and Cyrus Smith live in a dilapidated hotel with their older brother Daniel. No one ever checks in, until the night a strange man requests a specific room. By morning, the man has died, the hotel has burned to the ground, and Daniel has disappeared. Informed that the only way to save their brother is to join a mysterious order of explorers, Antigone and Cyrus find themselves racing against time to find the order and swear their loyalty.

If You Like Graphic Novels, Then Read…

If You Like, Then Read is a feature where we offer reading suggestions based on books you already like, scheduled once a month. If you have more suggestions, feel free to tell us in the comments! You can check out the rest of these lists here.

March by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, Nate Powell

Congressman John Lewis shares his life story, beginning in book one with his youth in Alabama and his activity with the Nashville Student Movement as they protested segregation through lunch counter sit-ins.

Persepolis Marjane Satrapi

Marjane Satrapi chronicles her life in Iran during the Iranian Revolution, from the age of six to the age of fourteen.  The daughter of Marxists, she speaks out loudly against oppression and finds small ways to show her rebellion.  Translated by Mattias Ripa.

El Deafo by Cece Bell

Cece worries how the kids at her new school will react to her hearing aid.  Will she be able to make any friends at all?  But then she discovers that, with the Phonic Ear, she can hear her teacher anywhere in the school–even the bathroom!  Does this mean she has superpowers?

Page by Paige by Laura Lee Gulledge

When Paige’s family moves from Virginia to New York City, she has trouble feeling like she belongs.  Can her secret sketchbook help her find a way to be comfortable expressing herself?

Nat Turner by Kyle Baker

Baker’s wordless graphic novel is supplemented with excerpts from Nat Turner’s confessions to tell the story of the 1831 slave uprising in Southampton County, Virgina.

Maus by Art Spiegelman

Spiegelman tells the story of his parents’ experiences in Europe during WWII, from their attempts to evade deportation to their time in the concentration camps. Interspersed is the story of his own experience trying to come to terms with his parents’ stories.

Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson, et al.

Sixteen-year-old Kamala Khan loves superheroes, but she never expected to become one herself.  Now that she has the ability to change appearance, however, will she find herself trapped in others’ expectations or will she find the strength to be herself?