New Middle Grade Graphic Novels for Summer and Fall

I adored this graphic novel, which tells the story of Mei, a queer Chinese 13-year-old who works in the kitchen with her father in a logging camp. It is 1885 and Mei has a lot to deal with, including the locals’ anti-Asian racism, her burgeoning romantic feelings for her best friend, Bee, and figuring out where she belongs and feels good. Mei’s dad is the camp cook, and she helps out in the kitchen. She’s also the camp’s storyteller and spends a lot of her free time telling tales to the camp’s younger kids — especially about Po Pan Yin/Auntie Po, a Chinese version of Paul Bunyan. This is a heartfelt example of realistic fiction, and it really transports the reader to the time and place in a way that felt constantly engaging.

This will be appealing for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Jerry Craft (i.e. most kids who read realistic-style graphic novels), as it touches on Mercado’s experience growing up in a Mexican-Jewish family in Texas. Hudi had a lung condition when he was younger and had surgery that caused him to put on quite a bit of weight. According to his doctors, Hudi needs to lose some of that weight, and so his parents push him to find a sport that he enjoys playing. Chunky, his imaginary mascot, keeps him going when things are tough. This is a story that kids will find lovable and relatable.

Split into vignettes, this graphic novel is delightfully weird. I related to the cranky chicken more than I would like (don’t worry, I’m working on it with my therapist), but damn if our grumpy little hero isn’t cute as all get out. It will be a hilarious read for all younguns, but maybe especially meaningful for prickly kids to see those bad moods don’t mean you won’t find friends. I’d be happy to read more of Cranky Chicken and Speedy the Worm’s best-feathered friend adventures, especially because the art is adorable and will keep readers enthralled.

I loved Chanani’s Pashmina, and this is a wonderful follow-up. The jukebox of the title isn’t just a retro music machine, but also a time-travelling apparatus. After Shaheen’s dad disappears one day, she and her cousin Naz go on a wibbly-wobbly journey to find him. Being a huge music history nerd myself, I love the way that the plot explores how music can influence historic events.

Pizazz is a charming character — despite her superhero abilities, she’s clumsy, socially awkward, and a little too easily irritated. In her first outing, Pizazz struggles to fit in at her new, non-superhero-filled school. She’s embarrassed about wearing the same outfit all the time (her costume) and especially about her cape. In the second book, she’s no longer the newest superhero kid in school. Initially, Pizazz is jazzed to show the new student around but then the two super-kids are pitted against each other by the popular girls, and so they got off to a terrible start. The changes in typography and vibrant illustrations will make this a fun book for reluctant readers to dive into, and the hybrid of the graphic novel and chapter book styles will appeal to all levels.