Graphic Novels for 6th Graders

Full cast audio for fans of HOOPS about Alex who wants to play in her school’s boys baseball team and discovers she can, thanks to Title IX ruling. Loved hearing all the cast voices and Alex’s mom is a trucker which is great rep while her dad is stay at home. One non-binary character with pronouns they/them. Plenty of sound effects in audiobook makes this feel like a movie in your ears.

I had very low expectations of this book but ended up being charmed by it! In the vein of Telgemeier’s SMILE and SISTERS, Frakes introduces readers to anxious overthinker, Norah who’s desperate for a means of self-expression and blonde hair as she enters middle school. Her prison warden parents bicker constantly and her contrarian little sister is a bit sick of being the black sheep to Norah’s good kid. But a bad dye job is only the beginning of Norah’s challenges. Soon, her parents get new jobs and have to live separately for a short while, leaving Norah with her rarely-home dad and all the challenges of 6th grade life to manage alone. This is a slice-of-life graphic novel all about how Norah finds her voice, gains a deeper appreciation for her family, and discovers her hair as a vehicle for experimentation and expression. It is funny, touching, and oh so relatable, especially for kids struggling to find their voice in a home with a loud (but not abusive) parent. Really good for grades 5+

Rosie’s dad wants her to play racquetball even though she says she wants no part and has no interest. He used to love it when he was a kid and he pushes Rosie to improve by constantly critiquing her game. But Rosie has a bad attitude about the sport because of the pressure he puts on her. Blair is a new student with a warm family who are all into racquetball and Rosie wants her to compete in her behalf. But as Rosie hangs out with Blair’s family away from her father’s harsh supervision, she realizes what it means to play for fun. Match Point is a delightful graphic novel about racquetball, female friendship, and the value of true sportsmanship. 

Fox Point’s Own Gemma Hopper follows 7th grader Gemma Hopper whose mother has left their family. Gemma lives with her dad, older brother Teddy, and their twin younger brothers. While their dad works overtime to fend for the family materially, Gemma is saddled with caring for the home and her twin siblings while also serving as a ball machine/practice partner for her brother, who’s a baseball prodigy of sorts. Understandably, she’s tired and frustrated sometimes. Her schoolwork is also proving a bit challenging. This school year, her teacher has asked their class to create a family tree project, which Gemma is not thrilled about because of her mother. One day, while practicing with Teddy, she strikes him out with two impressive pitches, capturing the attention of some scouts from a competitive baseball team. All of a sudden, Gemma now also has star potential. Can both siblings find a way to work together? And can Gemma get through the family tree project? Fox Point’s Own Gemma Hopper is an engaging graphic novel about family (absent mothers), baseball, and sibling relationships.

When Ash’s mom ships him off to the island to spend the summer with his dad, he’s forced to do community service at a dog shelter where he gets to know different dog breeds and personalities — as do readers. Varner includes a note about a different dog breed at the start of each chapter as Ash makes new friends, becomes an asset to the shelter, and gets closer to his dad and stepmom and sibling, he experiences a life-changing summer. Heads up for the death of one dog (not on the page!). I can see animal lovers ADORING this one!

Stepping Stones is the first in the PeaPod Farm graphic novel series by Lucy Knisley. It features young Jen, whose mother moves her from the city to a farm to live with her mother’s new boyfriend, Walter and help him care for his farm. At the farm, Jen is saddled with chores like caring for chickens and selling at the farmer’s market. Her mother’s boyfriend, Walter is infuriating and dismissive of Jen’s feelings. Things get worse when Walter’s daughters Andy and Reese come to the farm on weekends. The girls are alright, but Andy seems to be a know-it-all while Reese won’t stop whining. Can Jen make a life at Peapod Farm? Stepping Stones is an engaging, wholesome, true-to-life middle grade graphic novel about dealing with life changes.

Marcus and Izzie are two new 8th graders paired for swing dancing at gym class. But when their performance fails, the gym teacher tells them they must perform together at the school’s talent show to get a passing gym grade. Izzie is a fashion-forward goth, while Marcus is a people-pleaser stuck playing soccer even though it makes him miserable. He wants to please his parents, his soccer star brother, and his frenemy Ted. As Marcus and Izzie get closer, Marcus will have to learn to stand up for himself and for Izzie, even as Izzie decides she will be the lead for the talent show performance. This is a fun and relatable graphic novel that upturns gender roles and explores a character getting out of a toxic friendship and another one opening herself up to new friendships. I read it in one sitting and really enjoyed it.

FUN! Eliot is a middle schooler with a brilliant superhero comic idea but insufficient drawing skills to bring his ideas to life. Enter Pam, a fellow classmate who is a talented artist. The two begin collaborating on the comic but run into common partnership woes that threaten to destroy their collaboration. I loved this story. Mark Crilley is TALENTED. At first, I didn’t know what to expect, but the whole story is told to readers from Eliot’s perspective as he draws on notepads and then we see his and Pam’s conversations via note scraps passed in class, and we also see their comic series and read the fan mail they receive. It feels immersive, funny, and interactive, and I think middle schoolers will love this. Such a fantastic win!

Marisol loves her colorful island home. Cuba is vibrant with flowers and food and people…but things are changing. The home Marisol loves is no longer safe—and then it’s no longer her home at all. Her parents are sending her to the United States. Alone. Nothing about Marisol’s new life in cold, gray Brooklyn feels like home—not the language, school, or even her foster parents. But Marisol starts to realize that home isn’t always a place. And finding her way can be as simple as staying true to herself.

Pia heads out on a desert sightseeing road trip on which one of the stops is a popular lake, which many believe has magical properties. Pia has a secret: she’s hoping that the lake will bring back her younger brother, who died in a drowning accident several months ago. Along the way, she gets to know the odd group traveling together, including a candy-distributing grandma, a reluctant tween traveler, a couple with ever-bickering kids, and an elderly couple hoping for a health miracle. I liked the camaraderie of the travelers and the flashbacks in every chapter that show us Pia’s life before and just after the accident. I love that the plot is sad but not too heavy (great for the fans of sad, touching books like Coyote Sunrise). It’s also super short and goes by really quickly.

Tyler got into solving Rubik’s cubes after his father’s death and now has made it to the National competition. We follow him and four other contestants (an elderly record holder, a 17-year-old arrogant champion, twin contestants, and a prodigy who isn’t what he seems) as they prepare for and compete in the finals. This is a unique SHORT illustrated prose-graphic novel that takes readers behind the scenes of a cubing contest while delving into important themes like grief, integrity, modesty, popularity, and individual identity. There’s an element of mystery, and I read this in one sitting, eager to see how the contest turned out and also learn more about each contestant. It’s truly different from anything I’ve read, and I think kids who love cubing, contests, and graphic novels will enjoy this one.

This is a poignant graphic memoir about Kathy McCleod, who is half-Thai and half-American. Caught between cultures, Kathy constantly feels out of place as she lives in Thailand but loves American food and spends summers in Maine. During one summer trip, her parents send her to summer camp, where she faces ignorant questions about life in Thailand and struggles to make friends. Slowly, Kathy begins to realize that families look different, and she can find belonging even if hers doesn’t look like other peoples’. I loved this slice-of-life graphic memoir, and I think it will be especially meaningful for third-culture kids, biracial kids, or readers who struggle with belonging because of a mixed heritage and upbringing.

What if all you wanted for the summer was to go to camp with your best friends and draw comics in peace — BUT your parents thought it was better to go to Honduras, where they’re from, instead? That’s Sue’s dilemma in Miss Quinces. And then, on top of that, she finds out that her family is throwing her a surprise Quincenera against her wish. Will Sue survive the summer? Miss Quinces is an engaging, immersive graphic novel about identity, Latin-American culture, a love for art, and family.

Pan is a middle schooler at a Catholic school when he starts struggling with intrusive thoughts and overwhelming urges to perform compulsions in order to quell these feelings. Unsure of the source of these feelings, Pan worries that he’s possessed or losing his mind. As time passes, his obsessions and compulsions change, but the puzzle remains: why does he have these thoughts? This graphic memoir follows Pan as he figures out this mental health puzzle while navigating life as a tween and then teen, bullies, the impact of his OCD on his friendships, and how easily kids can hide their mental health struggles. This is a great pick for fans of Page’s Button Pusher. However, Pan doesn’t dive too deeply into the science behind OCD but focuses more on the emotional turmoil and will resonate with kids dealing with anxiety or OCD specifically. Ends with a call to share about any mental health challenges.

13-year-old Mia feels like her social circle is changing faster than she can keep up with. Her best friend Addy is now friends with a not-nice popular girl whom they were both united in not liking. Happily, one of her good friends, Tariq announces that he’s moving to her town. But when Tariq arrives, he looks different: cool haircut, contacts, and he plays sports too now? Soon, Kinsey, Tariq, Mia, and another kid, Evan, get thrown into a science lab group together, and their first project is building a snake robot. I really liked this one. This is another slice-of-life graphic novel, but the friendship miscommunications add a necessary level of tension and suspense. I also loved the friendship between these kids and the fact that everything stays platonic. This is one of those rare times where I think the Telgemeier comparison is actually spot on.

There are SUPER CUTE illustrations in this relatable, semi-autobiographical, slice-of-life story of a girl who moves from Romania to Canada. She also gets her period just as they move and has terrible cramps, and she’s struggling in a French immersion school as they live in Montreal. There’s plenty of period talk, discussions about using cups instead of pads/tampons, learning to track periods, and tips for cramps. There’s also lots of boy/crush drama. Hand to kids who loved The Love Report.

Still adjusting to a move from Florida to Milwaukee, Aliya is excited to start playing basketball at her new Islamic school, but the girls’ team is well known for losing all their games. With a new coach and renewed team spirit, the girls find something better than high scores in this soaring, sporty graphic novel.

Sisters Gigi and Lucy haven’t seen eye to eye since their father died. Their mother is worn out by her grief and her demanding job and doesn’t have the capacity to deal with their constant bickering. Now Lucy is a new 6th grader at the school where Gigi is the 8th grade Queen Bee and on Lucy’s first day, the girls get into an altercation that ends with Lucy challenging her sister (and school fencing champion) to a duel. What follows are chapters alternating between each girl’s first-person narration as they go between the past and present, exploring their relationship and where it went wrong and planning their fencing duel. There’s sports, friendship, sisterhood, family, grief, and even a grandparent relationship in this story, lending it some major kid and adult appeal! 

13-year-old Japanese-American Amy is stuck visiting her grandmother in Japan when Pearl Harbor is bombed and soon recruited as a spy for Japan, feeling desperately torn in her loyalties to both countries. The images in this stunning, short graphic novel are so powerful, and the sparse text lends more punch to the story.

Read this in one breathless gulp! A breathtaking graphic novel about two kids escaping North Korea. Myunghee and Yunho’s paths intersect the day before they both escape the communist regime and converge again in China, where Yunho’s mother takes Myunghee in on their arduous, perilous escape plan. My heart was in my throat throughout their journey, and I LOVED the gorgeous illustrations in this graphic novel. Interestingly, this one has fewer speech bubbles and more descriptive text that makes it feel more like a highly illustrated novel than a traditional graphic novel. Stirring, frightening, and a glimpse into a largely unseen territory of the world make this a punchy survival tale for fans of The Blackbird Girls and The Lost Year.