20 Early Graphic Novels for Younger Readers Ages 5-9

Pocketon is a cute animal town, and a new cat, Taro, has just moved in. Peaches, Pogi, and Mago are best friends and are immediately curious about Taro, who is a bit introverted and withdrawn. But when Taro leaves a book behind, Peaches finds an in to invite her over and start a friendship. This beginner graphic novel is incredibly cute and explores the idea of befriending people, even though, on the surface, you may seem to have few common interests. It’s also written in a dyslexia-friendly font that makes it easy to read. Ages 6+

Besties Pizza and Taco love each other, but when the question “Who’s the Best?” invokes differing responses from the friends, it’s time for a contest! This is a silly early graphic novel with funny characters. The text is sparse and easy to read. Hand to pizza and taco lovers. Ages 5+

Did anyone else watch Dexter’s Laboratory as a kid? I always wished I had a secret lab of my own. I don’t know what the kids are watching these days, but which science-loving kid doesn’t love a bit of wish fulfillment? This new young graphic novel is Dexter’s Laboratory meets saving the planet. It’s all about Nova, a young self-assured science-loving child of research scientists, motivated to create a plastic-devouring creature after seeing plastic dumps in the ocean. But what happens when her new creation, Chomp, starts eating everything in sight–including her city? This was fun, bright, and science-y! It’s perfect for younger readers who love wacky science, humor, a smart female protagonist, and easy-to-read young graphic novels. Ages 7+

I LOVED this young graphic novel about three groups of kids (the bigs, the guild of middles and onlys, and the league of littles). Although the story focuses on the league of little’s first mission, we quickly see how the bigs and middle play into the plot. The League of Littles set out to help a lastborn who loses her older sister’s hamster, but they run into some unexpected complications. Can they make the rescue? This story is so out there, but it’s also a lot of fun and perfect for the lower middle-grade group who like realistic graphics with a touch of humor and adventure. The illustrations are gorgeous and make this story all the more engaging to read. There’s also the spy element, complete with individual case files, similar to those found in the City Spies books. I’ll definitely be following this series closely! Ages 7+

A book featuring three twigs and a stump might seem odd, but this hilarious graphic novel is the perfect transition for young readers who are ready for early chapter books.  Children ages 6-8 will love the wacky adventures of Red, Noodle, Ziggy, and Stump as they explore the forest.  The illustrations are vibrant, playful, and full of energy, bringing to life the humor and charm of these fun, one-of-a-kind characters. Ages 6+

I LOVED this forthcoming young graphic novel by the author of the Stella Diaz series. This is the perfect illustrated graphic-prose series for fans of Dory Fantasmagory and Ryan Hart in grades 2-4, starring a precocious, funny female protagonist who gets a whiff of the dark side of social media in her first adventure. The formatting of this one is simply gorgeous, featuring graphic panels and short prose sections enlivened by full-color illustrations. It also has cute Spanish vocabulary tips, a mom who’s a bookstore owner, and is set in the same world as Stella Diaz (Gabby looks up to Stella, who’s now a middle schooler). Ages 7+

This new series stars Fairy and her friend, a detective named Mouse, who work together to change the course of famous fairy tales, beginning with Cinderella. When Fairy gets sick of reading about Cinderella’s mistreatment, she begs Mouse to intervene and help Cinderella get her happily ever after, but it turns out that Cinderella is already on track to change her story in this wacky fairy tale relling. Ages 7+

Cloud Puppy is part pup, part cloud, and very into her favorite comic book. So when she gets the chance to meet the author at a comic convention, she and her best friend decide to dress up as their favorite character, but the conversation ends in their first fight. Can Cloud Puppy find a way to make it right? This is a very cute graphic novel, good for kids who are into comic book fandom and cosplaying. Ages 7+

Truffles is the old, stuck-in-his-ways cat surprised by the addition of a new puppy, Poppy, to their family. Poppy is exuberant, whereas Truffles is grumpy, and she has an obsessive desire to be a detective, even though she’s not very good at it. When Truffles has had enough, he makes a plan to send Poppy away, but will he succeed? This is an absolute charmer of a book, featuring bold, easy-to-read text and a story that will captivate young readers while eliciting plenty of giggles. Ages 6+

Monti is a mole who lives in Pocketville. He adores his routine and his quiet life. But the arrival of a newcomer threatens to shake all that up — especially because the townsfolk are prejudiced against having anyone new upset the balance of their town. Will Monti be welcoming? And what will happen if he is? I loved this sweet graphic novel about embracing change and making new friends and I know kids will, too. Ages 7+

Like Dory Fantasmagory, Babymouse is a highly imaginative character with plenty of sass and a serious funny bone. She just wants to get into the friend circle of the most popular girl in her class, but she quickly learns that it comes at a steep cost and may not even be what she wants in the first place. This one is hilarious and hard to put down. Ages 6+

The Hunger Heroes are a group of super food ingredients (Toots the Bean, Chip Ninja, Tammy the Tomato, and Leonard, a wedge of cheddar cheese), saving kids everywhere from hunger. In this first book, they’re out to rescue a kid who has missed breakfast and has a test before lunch — although his teacher despises crumbs and kids eating in class. With a fun, graphic-prose hybrid setup, this book features engaging illustrations, an entertaining plot, and humorous characters who occasionally explain the meanings of complex words. Plus, it’s just a treat for foodie readers. Ages 6+

These stories about unlikely besties are always such a hit for new readers. This one is super short but sweet — reminiscent of Bear and Bird’s adventures but in graphic novel format as Owl and Penguin help each other through ice-cream spills, a flying disaster, and learning to play in the rain. Ages 5+

Doug, Abby, and Josh are the BUG SCOUTS! Doug and Abby love everything about being Bug Scouts while Josh is a grump and doesn’t like anything (except the snacks). The Bug Scouts begin to work on earning the “foraging” bug badge, which they can only get if they successfully find an edible plant. Together, they head into the woods in search for adventure and something to eat. But will they be able to avoid the poisonous plants and manage to not get eaten by a clever frog?! This graphic novel is a riot! Ages 6+

Geraldine Pu looks forward to lunch at school every day. She loves her lunchbox and everything her Amah packs for her lunch, until a kid named Nico starts poking fun at her lunches. Soon, Geraldine starts to avoid eating lunch at school, even asking Amah to pack her a sandwich instead. But when another kid gets mocked for bringing a stinky dish to school, Geraldine finds her voice. This is a graphic novel-style book designed to help early readers understand the format and enjoy the reading, and I loved this story! Ages 6+

If your kids aren’t quite old enough for the Baby-Sitters’ Club graphic novels, put them on to the Baby-Sitters Little Sister series! This first book stars Karen who is convinced that her next door neighbor is a witch, but is proven wrong in the most delightful and heartwarming way. Ages 7+

If you have a young mystery lover, this clever, charming mystery graphic novel is a great selection. It’s super short with a solid mystery plot. There are some challenging words so this might be better for slightly older readers. Ages 7+

I’m a HUGE fan of the Cupcake Diaries books, so I was thrilled when they got a graphic novel adaptation. These books are short, all about baking and friendship, and overall, so cute! Ages 7+

This ADORABLE graphic novel about a wiener dog, a cat, and a guinea pig on an adventure is funny and easy to read. Perfect for those new readers who love animals, humor, and graphic novels. Ages 5+