8 New YA Graphic Novels Hitting Shelves July-September 2023
There’s nothing like summer reading, and I especially love lazy days where I can lay in my hammock for hours and just plow through a stack of books. This is in fact my favorite way to consume graphic novels because it seems like I can never read just one — I get sucked in by gorgeous art and fast-paced storytelling. There’s something supremely satisfying about being able to marathon my graphic novel reading like this, and it brings me back to when I was a kid in summer time and I would read seven to 10 books each week because I had literally nothing else to do. Ah, those were the days.
If you want some more graphic novels to recapture that summer reading magic, then don’t worry! From July to September, we have some excellent new graphic novels hitting shelves. There are some really exciting new debuts, and a re-release of a 10-year-old YA comic series from Holly Black I had actually forgotten about, plus a new graphic novel adaptation of a lauded YA novel that is about to turn 10 years old. And of course, there’s a lot of great queer rep in these selections, because comics continue to be very queer, which I always appreciate! So grab a cold drink, find a comfy spot, and get ready to immerse yourself in all of these great new YA graphic novels!
Frontera by Julio Anta and Jacoby Salcedo (July 18)
Mateo is making the dangerous journey across the Sonoran Desert into the U.S., but he’s caught by Border Patrol. He’s able to escape but finds himself lost, without water. In order to survive, he’ll have to trust a ghost he isn’t sure he believes in…but as they continue their journey, it becomes clear this ghost is no mere hallucination, and survival isn’t guaranteed.
Firebird by Sunmi (July 18)
Caroline is a straight-laced sophomore and academic overachiever, and Kimberly is a charismatic senior who makes friends with everyone. When Caroline starts to tutor Kimberly, their new friendship sparks something inside them both that will lead to them both confronting what they truly want, and who they want to be.
Stars in Their Eyes by Jessica Walton and Aśka (August 1)
When Maisie heads to her first ever con, she’s excited to meet her hero, an actress who plays an action star who is also a lower leg amputee like Maisie. Along the way, Maisie meets Ollie, who is kind and funny and just as nerdy as Maisy…and it’s not long before Maisy is feeling things for them she’s never felt before.
The Good Neighbors by Holly Black and Ted Naifeh (August 1)
This is a re-release bind-up edition of The Good Neighbors trilogy, and it follows Rue, whose life has taken a turn since her mother disappeared and everyone, especially the cops, thinks that her father is responsible. But what no one knows is that Rue is half-fae, and her mother has been whisked back to the faerie world after her father broke a promise. Now with her dad in jail, it’s up to Rue to save her mother before it’s too late.
The Pirate and the Porcelain Girl by Emily Riesbeck, NJ Barna, and Lucas Gattoni (August 8)
When Ferra’s desperate wish to win back her girlfriend has her turning into porcelain, she enlists the help of disgraced orc pirate Brig to whisk her across the seas to her ex’s homeland. The waters are rough, and the two girls find themselves clashing at every turn…but when the danger requires them to become allies, they find that their first impressions of each other might be totally off.
The Hills of Estrella Roja by Ashley Robin Franklin (August 29)
Kat has a podcast of supernatural sightings and tales, so when she’s tipped off about Estrella Roja, she decides to use her spring break to investigate. Mari is headed to Estrella Roja for her abuela’s funeral, and she agrees to help Kat in her investigation…but it’s not long before they uncover something darker than they expect.
The Infinity Particle by Wendy Xu (August 29)
When Clementine moves from Earth to Mars for an internship with the pioneer in AI technology, she’s thrilled about her once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But when she meets Dr. Lim’s AI assistant, Kye, she’s surprised by the chemistry between them. The more Clem gets to know Kye, the angrier her mentor gets at Kye for wanting to have independence, leaving Clem to grapple with some pretty big questions about autonomy and what makes us human.
Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina and Mel Valentine Vargas (September 5)
Priddy has just started a new school and is trying to figure out the ropes when she hears that Yaqui Delgado — a girl she doesn’t even know — wants to kick her ass. At first, Priddy doesn’t know if she should take things seriously, but then the harassment becomes unbearable and soon she’s doing whatever it takes to avoid Yaqui. This is an adaptation of the novel of the same name.
Want more great graphic novel recommendations? See what was new in April-June!
As always, you can find a full list of new releases in the magical New Release Index, carefully curated by your favorite Book Riot editors, organized by genre and release date.
