20 Best Graphic Novels for Teenagers

If you have been searching for the best graphic novels for teenagers, allow me to introduce to you the latest novels.

Generally, finding the best graphic novels for teenagers is a bit more difficult than finding one for tweens. Most teenagers are interested in young adult graphic novels since they are easy to find.

But it’s more appropriate for teenagers to read graphic novels specifically for their age. If you have been looking for that perfect graphics novel for your teen and haven’t found one yet, what we have on our list might interest you.

We have listed the best twenty graphic novels for teenagers in this guide. You can check them out and select the ones your kid will find interesting. Or if you are a teenager searching for a graphic novel for yourself, check out our list.

We have included the latest graphic novels I believe you will be interested to read.

What are Graphic Novels?

Graphic novels are books that consist of comics. They can be fiction, non-fiction, history, fantasy or more.

Just like comic books, graphic novels also use sequential art to describe a story. The difference between a comic book and a graphic novel is that graphic novels are stand-alone stories with complex plots.

Types of Graphic Novels for Teenagers

Generally, there are several genres and sub-genres of graphic novels. There are countless ways to categorize different graphic novels.

Here are different types of graphic novels for teenagers.

Manga

Manga is the Japanese word for “comic”. It’s also used in Japan to refer to comics and cartooning. But in the United States, Manga is used to describe Japanese-style comics.

Japanese anime is huge around the world. The appropriate way to read Manga is from top to bottom and right to left. This pattern is the traditional Japanese reading pattern.

Superhero Story

Superhero graphic novels have transformed the most popular form of comics into epic adventures. We all know that superhero comics are dominated by the likes of Marvel, DC, and Darkhorse.

Personal Narrative

When we are talking about personal narrative, it involves autobiographical stories of an author’s experience. What they have experienced, and observed are illustrated in the stories.

Non-Fiction

Non-fiction is similar to personal narrative because they are written from the author’s personal experience.

Read Also: Top 30 Free Online Courses for Teenagers

20 Best Graphic Novels for Teenagers

Here are the best and latest twenty graphic novels for teenagers. These graphic novels were published recently as last year or two.

#1. Anne Frank’s Diary

Anne Frank’s Dairy tells the story of a young girl who faced the horrors of World War II. The Dairy of a Young Girl is a story that both adults and teenagers find interesting.

The remarkable spirit of a young Dutch-Jewish girl named Anne Frank who chronicled her family’s two years in hiding during the German occupation of her country.

#2. Isla to Island

Isla to island is one of the latest graphic novels for teenagers. The author of the book Alexis Castellanos takes a different approach to his 1960 story.

This novel tells the story of a young girl who grew up in Cuba during the Cuban Revolution. A young Cuban girl named Marisol decides to leave her country during the Cuban Revolution and moves to New York.

Marisol was unable to understand English at the time. So she only speaks Spanish. The young Cuban girl doesn’t want to leave her family or Cuban home behind.

Seeing the violence escalate, Marisol’s parents decide to send their daughter to the United States. She will be safe in the United States, thousands of miles away from the violence in her home country.

A Catholic family took Marisol in on her arrival to the United States. The family she finds in the United States are kind, and patient and understands what it is like during such a difficult situation.

The peaceful community with colourful flowers Marisol used to know was gone. However, arriving in the United States, Marisol discovered a library and the New York botanical gardens.

Marisol quickly adapted to her new environment. She finds peace after experiencing so much conflict in her home country. In the end, Marisol reunites with her family.

#3. Go With the Flow

Go with the Flow is an interesting novel that tells the story of four young girls Abby, Brit, Christine, and Sasha.

The young girls are complaining about their high school because there aren’t enough tampons or pads and no adults listen to them. The administration at Hazelton high school is more concerned about football than female health.

The young girls are tired of the negligence at Hazelton high and decide to confront the administration for a change.

#4. Displacement 

Here is an interesting novel just like The Diary of a Young Girl. It tells the story of a girl named Kiku who somehow travels back in time to witness the U.S. relocating Japanese-American during World War II.

Kiku can only remember a few things about her family’s history. He had no idea that her late grandmother was a famous violinist.

She finds herself displace in time when she visited her grandmother in San Francisco. Kiku witnessed how Japanese-Americans were relocated to barebones camps by the U.S.

Displacement is one of the best graphic novels for teenagers. It shows the mistakes made in the past and how those mistakes could have been repeated.

#5. The Oracle Code

The Oracle Code tell the story of Barbara Gordon. Barbara Gordon is paralyzed from the waist down as a result of a gunshot wound. She must undergo physical and mental rehabilitation at Arkham Centre for independence.

Because of her condition, Barbara Gordon must adopt a new normal, but she keeps hearing strange sounds at night. Is Barbara hearing these sounds because of her trauma? Or is there something else going on with her?

#6. Pumpkinheads

Pumpkinhead is one of the popular graphic novels for teenagers. It tells the story of Deja and Josie who love to spend every fall working in the Succotash Hut in Omaha, Nebraska.

Deja and Josie are the best seasonal friends. It’s the two friends’ last fall in the patch before they head off to school.

Deja wants Josie to talk to his crush. The two friends talk about their friendship and how they wanted it to be more. They should be more than just seasonal friends.

#7. Salt Magic

Salt Magic is one of the interesting graphic novels for teenagers and tweens. The novel tells the story of Vonceil who wanted something more than spend all day on her family’s Oklahoma farm.

When Ebner returned from World War I, Vonceil is concerned about her brother’s state of mental health. Her brother grew up quickly from the war and suffered both physical and mental scars.

A witch in white places a curse on the farm’s only source of water after she realizes that Ebner is married.

Vonceil has to save her family’s farm, so she heads out to a magical land in search of a solution.

#8. Fence Volume 1

If you like stories with unusual characters, the fencing guys are what you will call arrogant and wealthy faggots.

Nicholas Cox was abandoned by his father who is a former fencing champion. Nick’s dad left him for his legitimate son who is stronger in fencing. Because of this, Nick wanted to become the next fencing champion.

He won a fencing scholarship to go study at a prestigious school. But that was not what he wanted. Nick was judged by his coach for his poor technique in fencing. Remember, Nick has no formal training in fencing like the others.

Nick is not that bad at fencing. He is quick and left-handed which is an advantage for him. All he wanted was to be perfect in fencing and wants to defeat Seiji Katayama.

#9. Almost American Girl 

Growing up and being raised by a single mum in Seoul, Korea was not easy. However, it created a strong bond between the two.

One day, Robin and her mum came to America on vacation. They were visiting friends in Huntsville, Alabama. To her surprise, the visit became a permanent relocation to the United States.

When Robin heard her mum was getting married, she was confused. As time progresses, Robin’s life change. Robin attends a new school and she struggles to keep up because she doesn’t understand the language.

Robin was later enrolled in a local comic drawing class. At last, she finds something she loves doing.

#10. American Born Chinese

This is one of the most interesting graphic novels for teenagers. The novel tells the story of three unrelated characters.

Jin Wang moves in with his family to a new neighbourhood. He will soon realize that he is not the only Chinese-American student at his new school.

The powerful Monkey King and a character named Chin-Kee are in the picture.

#11. Astronauts: Women on the Final Frontier

The space race began in the mid-1950s and it was a competition between the United States and the Soviet Union to land the first man on the moon.

The United States may have been the first nation on earth to get a man on the moon, but it was the Soviet space program that made the first woman to walk in space. Her name was Valentina Tereshkova.

Years later, NASA was sending women to space.

#12. Wonder Woman Tempest Tossed

This novel tells the story of Princess Dianna of Themyscira. Our Wonder Woman in DC’s Justice League.

Princess Dianna believes that her 16th birthday will be the beginning of the challenge of joining the warrior tribe of the Amazon. But the princess’s birthday is disrupted when rafts carrying refugees break through the barrier separating her island from the outside world.

When the Princess of Themyscira decides to help the outsiders, she is swept away by the storm. Alone and isolated from everything she has ever known, Dianna becomes a refugee in an unknown land.

#13. All Together Now

All Together Now tell the story of Bina and her friends Enzo and Darcy. Bina is a middle-schooler who enjoys every moment of playing in her new band.

Bina’s friends Darcy and Enzo started dating and this left her in a bad state. Things got worse when Austin starts having a crush on Bina. Austin was Bina’s best friend and she sees the whole situation as weird.

#14. My Last Summer with Cass

My Last Summer with Cass is one of the best graphic novels for teenagers. It’s about a girl named Megan and her friend Cass.

The two have been joined at the brush for a long time. Megan and Cass spend time together at a lakeside cabin during summer. They enjoy every moment during summer, creating art together.

But Cass will later move to New York. Megan found out that her friend has changed. Cass has tattoos and every artist in the city knows her.

#15. Dragon Hoops

When it comes to comic book stories, Gene understands every detail. However, Gene is not active in sports. When he was a kid, his friends called him “Stick”.

Gene wanted to play basketball as any normal kid would. But he lost interest in the game long ago.

#16. Nimona

Nimona tells the story of an ambitious, impulsive, and unpredictable shapeshifter.

A sidekick of Lord Blackheart must work together to prove that the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics are not the heroes. The public must know about their deeds and Sir Ambrosius is not what he presents himself as.

#17. Batman Nightwalker

We are familiar with the Batman story, the famous cape crusader of DC. Bruce Wayne was a fine young man before he became Batman.

However, Bruce was considered a reckless boy in his childhood. He was willing to break the rules for a girl.

The Nightwalkers are causing mayhem in the city of Gotham and they have included Batman on their list.

Young master Wayne is turning 18 and inheriting his family wealth. He had what everyone in Gotham would wish for.

#18. Through the Woods

This is more of a horror story as it involves entering a world where bad dreams have the potential to get you killed. Or turn your skin into a vessel for worm-like babies.

If you are interested in spooky novels, perhaps you should check out “Through the Wood”.

#19. They Call Us Enemy

This is one of the best graphic novels for teenagers by George Takei et al.

Here is another World War II concentration camp story. It’s a story that talks about being imprisoned in America’s World War II concentration camp.

#20. Squire

The Squire tells the story of Aiza who want to become a Knight. Aiza must become a Knight because that is his only chance of becoming a full citizen in the Bayt-Sajji Empire.

She also becomes a member of the Ornu people. In the end, Aiza realizes that the Bayt-Sajji Empire Military doesn’t have her community’s interest at heart.

Conclusion

Graphic novels are similar to comic books but different. We have shown you the types of graphic novels and what Japanese-style comics are called.

Now that you know the best graphic novels for teenagers and tweens, you can always find novels that interest you.