Way back in 2019 I wrote this guide recommending some comics for kids. Every now and then I'd go back and update it by expanding titles I finally read or outright removing titles that weren't comics in the first place. Well things have happened in my life and suddenly I am way more savvy when it comes to comics for kids, so here's a bunch more.
Last time I made a quick disclaimer saying I hadn't actually read every single book featured. That won't be the same this time. Mainly because I've read significantly more kids comics in the past three months than I had three years prior. Also, I won't be dividing things into categories this time because I don't feel like it. They're not alphabetized either. Cheers.
Scales & Scoundrels by Sebastian Girner, Galaad, and Jeff Powell
Without a doubt one of my favorite comics, Scales & Scoundrels features a colorful cast of characters adventuring across a massive fantasy world. There's bandits, dwarves, princes, dungeons, and perhaps even a dragon.
Dungeon Critters by Natalie Riess and Sara Goetter
Another dungeon crawling comic, this one set in a world where everyone is a talking animal! More comedic than anything, this one still has plenty of action between the laughs. Surprisingly not a lot of dungeons though.
All's Faire in Middle School by Victoria Jamieson
Another one for fantasy fans, this one is set in modern day and follows the adventures of a girl raised at a renaissance faire stepping out into the modern world for middle school. There are a lot of "being twelve is hard" graphic novels these days, but the ren faire setting really makes this one stand out.
Stargazing by Jen Wang
A story about two girls who couldn't be more different. I like how the two main characters both come from Chinese families, yet both families are still almost nothing alike. Also, because of spoilers, is a great tool for kids a little nervous about being in the hospital for extended periods of time.
Click by Kayla Miller and Katherine Efird
This one's for the theater kids and fans of the performing arts, or the outgoing kid who doesn't know where they belong.
Bad Sister by Charise Mericle Harper and Rory Lucey
There's also a lot of autobiographical memoir comics these days. This one is about a girl who becomes a big sister and isn't having any of it. It's a slice of life story about getting into trouble and realizing you're kind of a jerk. Great for siblings.
The Cardboard Kingdom by Chad Sell, Jay Fuller, David DeMeo, Katie Schenkel, Kris Moore, Molly Muldoon, Vid Alliger, Manuel Betancourt, Michael Cole, Cloud Jacobs, and Barbara Perez Marquez
One artist brings nine writers together to tell the story of a neighborhood of kids who create a massive, imaginative world with nothing but cardboard. Great for crafty kids and nostalgic adults alike.
Making Friends by Kristen Gudsnuk
This series of three (so far) books has a simple premise: What if you found a sketchbook that brought everything you drew to life? But if there's one thing Kristen Gudsnuk could do it's take a simple idea like that and create a wonderfully unique story. You'll spend hours just reading all of the little gags hidden in the background.
This series of three (so far) books has a simple premise: What if you found a sketchbook that brought everything you drew to life? But if there's one thing Kristen Gudsnuk could do it's take a simple idea like that and create a wonderfully unique story. You'll spend hours just reading all of the little gags hidden in the background.
Miss Quinces by Kat Fajardo
Readers follow Sue on a summer trip to Honduras where all she wants to do is make comics. Her mother, however, has other plans: a lavish quinceañera that is anything but Sue. Perfect for "you just don't get me" kids and their "I don't understand you" parents.
Readers follow Sue on a summer trip to Honduras where all she wants to do is make comics. Her mother, however, has other plans: a lavish quinceañera that is anything but Sue. Perfect for "you just don't get me" kids and their "I don't understand you" parents.
The Legend of Brightblade by Ethan M. Aldridge
A magical adventure series for anyone who prefers to paly a bard. There's not a lot of dancing in this one but the songs are beautifully portrayed in a book made entirely in watercolors.
The Witch Boy by Molly Knox Ostertag
In Aster's magical family, the women become witches and the men become shapeshifters. But Aster is more interested in spells and incantations than turning into a savage animal. The themes are not so subtly trans so it's a great story for queer kids or anyone looking for a new fantasy series to get into.
In Aster's magical family, the women become witches and the men become shapeshifters. But Aster is more interested in spells and incantations than turning into a savage animal. The themes are not so subtly trans so it's a great story for queer kids or anyone looking for a new fantasy series to get into.
Lumberjackula by Mat Heagerty and Sam Owen
This is another "where do I fit in?" books... about a kid who is half-vampire and half-lumberjack in a society that is split evenly between the two populations. It is very weird and very good and somehow, despite being a comic, has pretty good dance numbers.
