10 Amazing Graphic Novels for Kids recommended by Lincoln Peirce

Please welcome my guest blogger today, none other than the author/illustrator of the insanely popular Big Nate series, Lincoln Peirce. My son, now 12 years old, is a huge fan and we credit Lincoln Peirce with getting my son to love reading. We are wowed by Epic Big Nate, an expansive, slipcased collector’s edition that includes:

• Diary of a Wimpy Kid author Jeff Kinney’s exclusive interview with creator Lincoln Peirce
• an insider’s View into the World of cartooning
• Peirce’s favorite strips of all time along with his exclusive commentary
• a ton of cartoons are presented chronologically

With more than 14 million books sold, Big Nate is a BIG deal. Kids 8 – 12, as well older kids with nostalgia for the beloved strip, will go nuts for this book, making it an EPIC gift idea. My son would wholeheartedly agree!

I’m giving away a SIGNED copy of Epic Big Nate to one lucky winner. Please fill out the Rafflecopter at the bottom to enter.

10 Amazing Graphic Novels for Kids by Lincoln Peirce

10. Little Robot by Ben Hatke

A lovely tribute to girl power, friendship, and creativity, Little Robot is a great book for younger kids who might be unfamiliar with graphic novels.  The illustrations are open and welcoming, the story is easy to follow, and the characters are endearing.  There are a lot of books nowadays about robots, but this is the best of them. [graphic novel, ages 6 – 9]

9. The Complete Calvin & Hobbes by Bill Watterson

Kids nowadays might not be aware that before there was a Wimpy Kid or a Bart Simpson, there was Bill Watterson’s iconic comic strip featuring an imaginative boy and his stuffed tiger.  If you’ve got a young reader who likes humor, I can guarantee that any Calvin & Hobbes treasury is funnier than whatever he or she is currently reading.  A blast for parents to enjoy, too. [graphic novel, ages 7 and up]

8. El Deafo by Cece Bell

You will not find a better book about growing up than this one, but it is much more than a coming-of-age graphic novel/memoir.  It’s also an exploration of isolation and belonging and a can-do tale of a determined young girl who turns a perceived disability into a superpower.  Plus, all the characters are rabbits and there are countless moments of hilarity.  Pretty irresistible. [graphic novel, ages 8 – 12]

7. Lucy & Andy Neanderthal by Jeffrey Brown

A stone-age adventure with plenty of educational content.  Lucy and Andy might be cave dwellers, but their adventures have a distinctly modern feel.  Readers will be having so much fun reading about cave paintings and wooly mammoths, that they won’t realize just how much they’re learning in the process.  A fun book for kids and parents to read together. [graphic novel, ages 8 – 12]

6. The Unsinkable Walker Bean by Aaron Renier

This rollicking, swashbuckling adventure tale is a throwback to earlier adventures like Tintin or Carl Barks’s Uncle Scrooge stories. The title character, a mild-mannered tinkerer, is unexpectedly thrown into a world of cutthroat pirates and deadly sea witches.  Aaron Renier’s assured narrative sense and kid-friendly illustrations make this a highly enjoyable read.  [graphic novel, ages 8 – 12]

5. The Toon Treasury of Classic Children’s Comics edited by Art Spiegelman and Francoise Mouly

For kids who enjoy their stories in small doses, this collection of classic comic book adventures is a great fit.  The selections have been carefully chosen and will intrigue any young reader with even a passing interest in comics. [graphic novel, ages 8 and up]

4. Lost Trail: Nine Days Alone In The Wilderness by Donn Fendler with Lynn Plourde, illustrated by Ben Bishop

Many Mainers are familiar with Donn Fendler’s Lost On A Mountain In Maine.  Lost Trail is the graphic novel version of that beloved classic and tells the story of 12-year-old Donn’s trip to Mt. Katahdin, where he was separated from his climbing companions and survived nine harrowing days in the Maine woods.  A gripping adventure, and — even better! — a true story. [graphic novel, ages 9 – 12]

3. A Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel by Madeleine L’Engle, adapted & illustrated by Hope Larson

Madeleine L’Engle’s 1963 original is indisputably a classic but might be challenging for some kids to navigate.  This graphic novel adaptation makes the story more accessible for younger readers, and the characters come to life in a wholly original and cinematic way.  I still think kids should read the original novel, but until they do, this version is the perfect introduction to one of the all-time great stories for children. [graphic novel, ages 10 and up]

2. Annie Sullivan and the Trials of Helen Keller by Joseph Lambert

In this inspiring and very moving book, Joseph Lambert expertly employs the language of comics to tell the story of two remarkable women:  Helen Keller, a blind and deaf girl who would become one of the most famous people in the world; and Annie Sullivan, her fiery and devoted teacher.  Young readers will be astonished by the barriers both women had to overcome. [graphic novel, ages 10 and up]

1. Tintin by Hergé

I have yet to meet a cartoonist who wasn’t inspired in some way by Hergé’s Tintin books.  The stories are grand, featuring exotic locations, colorful characters, and an assortment of hair-raising chases and narrow escapes.  Might be a bit text-heavy for some kids, but the elegant illustrations have a way of winning over even the most reluctant reader. [graphic novel, ages 10 and up]

Epic Big Nate GIVEAWAY!

Please enter the Rafflecopter below to win a SIGNED copy of Epic Big Nate. Due to the high cost of shipping, I can only mail to the U.S. or AFO.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lincoln Peirce is a cartoonist and writer. His comic strip, “Big Nate,” currently appears in over 400 newspapers, including the Washington Post, the Boston Globe, and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. In January of 2016, the strip celebrated 25 years in print. He also writes and illustrates a best-selling series of Big Nate chapter books for young readers. He and his wife Jessica live in the great little city of Portland, Maine and have two children.

p.s. Related posts:

Book Lists of Graphic Novels for Kids and Teens

Great New Graphic Novels for Kids (2019)

Graphic Novels for Ages 7 and Up

My Favorite Graphic Novels for Girls Ages 6 and Up

10 Amazing Graphic Novels for Kids

19 Graphic Novels for Mighty Girls

More Great Graphic Novels for Kids

Great New Graphic Novels & Notebook Novels

10 Great Graphic Novels for 3rd Grade

ABCs of Graphic Novels (A-E)/Preschool

ABCs of Graphic Novels (F-J)

ABCs of Graphic Novels (K-O)

ABCs of Graphic Novels (P-T)

ABCs of Graphic Novels (U-Z), Young Adult

Best Graphic Novels (The Eisner Awards)

16 Great Diversity Graphic Novels for Kids and Teens

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My books:

 Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World

• Junior Library Guild Gold selection
• Selected as one of 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023 by dPICTUS and featured at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair
• Starred review from School Library Journal
• Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
• 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
• Green Earth Book Award longlist
• Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids

 Amazon / Barefoot Books / Signed or Inscribed by Me

Amazon / Scholastic / Signed or Inscribed by Me