33 Children’s and YA Graphic Novels for Winter 2021

A new year has come upon us. Along with it comes a treasure trove of new books for young and old. From swashbuckling fantasies to sword and sorcery magic, from reimagined histories of caped crusaders to the real life superheroes who risked life and limb to resist a maniacal despot, our list of YA graphic novels for Winter 2021 has something for every temperament and taste.

Judd Winick (Hilo), Dav Pilkey (Dogman) and Brenna Thummler (Sheets) return with new books from their best-selling franchises. Sam Maggs and Kendra Wells take us on a high seas voyage that test the limits of how far we would go to protect the ones we love. Lilah Sturges and Meaghan Carter create a coming-of-age all-girl fantasy that addresses the issue of gender fluidity. Rachel Marie-Crane Williams offers her take on an environmental giant. Megan Wagner Lloyd taps into her experiences with allergies to tell a sweet and heartfelt story of belonging. Jordan Quinn and Felix Gumpaw launch a new series of books geared towards the youngest of readers.

Let’s dive into the 33 children’s and YA graphic novels for Winter 2021!

JANUARY

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Oh My Gods!

Writers: Stephanie Cooke, Insha Fitzpatrick
Artist: Juliana Moon
Publisher: Etch/HMH Books for Young Readers
Release Date: Jan. 6 (Comics Shops) / Jan. 5 (Bookstores)
List Price: $12.99

Karen is just an average thirteen-year-old from New Jersey who loves to play video games with her friends and watch movies with her mom. But when she moves to Greece to live with her eccentric, mysterious father, Zed, suddenly everything she thought about herself—about life—is up in the air. Starting a new school can be difficult, but starting school at Mt. Olympus Junior High, where students are gods and goddesses, just might take the cake. Especially when fellow classmates start getting turned to stone. Greek mythology . . . a little less myth, a little more eek! And if Karen’s classmates are immortal beings, who does that make her?

House of El Book One: The Shadow Threat

Writer: Claudia Gray
Artist: Eric Zawadzki
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: Jan. 5 (Comic Shops/Bookstores)
List Price: $16.99

Zahn is one of Krypton’s elites: wealthy, privileged, a future leader. Sera is one of Krypton’s soldiers: strong, dedicated, fearless. Their rule-bound society has ordained that their paths should never cross. But groundquakes are shaking the planet’s surface. Rebellious uprisings are shaking the populace. Krypton’s top scientists–Jor-El and Lara–conduct a secret experiment that is meant to reform their planet from the cellular level up. Zahn and Sera must join forces to investigate the hidden dangers truly threatening Krypton. In the process, they form a bond that will endure past the end of the world…

Last Dance

Cartoonist: Hanna Schroy
Publisher: Iron Circus Comics
Release Date: Jan. 6 (Comics Shops) / Jan. 12 (Bookstores)
List Price: $12.00

Miriam has trained her whole life to fulfill her dreams and it’s finally paid off now that she’s the prima ballerina of the Lulli Dance Company, but she’s been keeping a secret from them. The years of sprains, fractures, and bruises have taken their toll and a catastrophic ankle injury now means one terrible thing: she has to give it all up forever. Distraught beyond consolation, Miriam runs from the studio and discovers a secret room she’s never seen before. Inside she finds a pair of gleaming white and gold slippers and a mysterious voice whispering to her in the dark. If she tries on the slippers, it says, she’ll regain the strength to raise en pointe. It speaks the truth! Soon, Miriam is back, but each achievement means danger for everyone around her and negotiation with the spirit who claims it wants just one little harmless thing in return . . . to join the ballerinas and dance, just like her.

Chef Yasmina and the Potato Panic

Cartoonist: Wauter Mannaert
Publisher: First Second
Release Date: Jan. 27 (Comics Shops) / Jan. 26 (Bookstores)
List Price: $14.99

Yasmina isn’t like the other kids in her city. Maybe it’s the big chef hat she wears. Or the fact that she stuffs her dad’s lunchbox full of spring rolls instead of peanut butter and jelly. She might be an oddball, but no one can deny that Yasmina has a flair for food. All she needs to whip up a gourmet meal is a recipe from her cookbook and fresh vegetable form the community garden. But everything changes when the garden is bulldozed and replaced with a strange new crop of potatoes. Her neighbors can’t get enough of these spuds! And after just one bite their behavior changes―they slobber, chase cats, and howl at the moon. What’s the secret ingredient in these potatoes that has everyone acting like a bunch of crazed canines? Yasmina needs to find a cure, and fast!

FEBRUARY

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Brightly Woven: The Graphic Novel

Writers: Alexandra Bracken, Leigh Dragoon
Artist: Kit Seaton
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Release Date: Feb. 3 (Comics Shops) / Feb. 2 (Bookstores)
List Price: $12.99

Extraordinary things just don’t happen to fourteen-year-old Sydelle Mirabil, a talented weaver who dreams about life outside of her tiny village. But that all changes when a mysterious young wizard named Wayland North appears and asks for Sydelle’s help. He’s got a shocking secret that could stop a war between kingdoms-if he can reach the capital with the news in time. North needs a navigator who can mend his magical cloaks, and Sydelle is perfect for the job. As Sydelle and North race against the clock to deliver their message, they must contend with unusually wild weather and a dark wizard who will do anything to stop them. But the sudden earthquakes and freak snowstorms may not be a coincidence. As Sydelle discovers more about North’s past and her own strange abilities, she realizes that the fate of the kingdom may rest in her fingertips.

Hilo Book 7: Gina—The Girl Who Broke the World

Cartoonist: Judd Winick
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Release Date: Feb. 3 (Comics Shops) / Feb. 2 (Bookstores)
List Price: $13.99

Hundreds of years ago, MAGIC disappeared from Earth. At least…UNTIL NOW. Because suddenly, giant magical beings are appearing and only GINA can see them. Not to mention, Gina can somehow do magic herself. Magic is powerful. But it can also be DANGEROUS. With DJ and HILO’s help, can Gina figure out how to protect the magical beings from the creatures who are after them? AND how to use her magic to become who she was always meant to be? And can she do it WITHOUT putting the entire PLANET in JEAPARDY?! Find out in Hilo 7–a laugh-out-loud, action packed adventure filled with epic battles! friendship! annoying older brothers! annoying older sisters! good guys! bad guys! inappriate jokes! mangoes! magic! and much, much more!

Pup Detectives: The First Case

Writer: Felix Gumpaw
Artists: Glass House Graphics
Publisher: Little Simon
Release Date: Feb. 2
List Price: $9.99

Puppy PI Rider Woofson thought he was the only detective at Pawston Elementary, but while bringing down a pencil theft ring, he finds out that there are other super sleuths at school. Fortunately (or not!) there’s plenty of pet-ty crime happening at Pawston, so Rider joins forces with the other puppy PIs to form the PI Pack—the best (and only!) detective group at school. Their first case is high stakes because it hits every student in the belly…a lunchtime bandit is stealing the best food from the cafeteria! Will the Pup Detectives bring the noodle nabber to justice, or will the hungry students of Pawston be left to endure Soup Surprise for lunch every day?

Dragon Kingdom of Wrenly: The Coldfire Curse

Writer: Jordan Quinn
Artists: Glass House Graphics
Publisher: Little Simon
Release Date: Feb. 2
List Price: $9.99

As the pampered pet dragon of the Prince of Wrenly, Ruskin has never known life beyond the walls of the palace. Until the day a young dragon from Crestwood comes to the palace to plead for help. An evil curse has been unleashed in Crestwood and threatens to destroy all of Wrenly. Ruskin has a choice to make: stay safe at home in the palace, or try to help save his kingdom. For Ruskin, there is no choice. He knows he has to try and help if he can. What Ruskin and his new dragon friends don’t yet realize is that the curse was awoken for one reason only—to put Ruskin in harm’s way. The mission to reverse the curse is far more dangerous than anyone realizes…in fact, it’s seemingly impossible. Why is Ruskin the target of these shadowy forces? And how far is Ruskin willing to go to save his kingdom?

Girl Haven

Writer: Lilah Sturges
Artist: Meaghan Carter
Publisher: Oni Press
Release Date: Feb. 10 (Comics Shops) / Feb. 9 (Bookstores)
List Price: $14.99

Three years ago, Ash’s mom left home and never returned, leaving behind a husband and child and a shed full of mystical curiosities related to the all-girl fantasy world she’d created as a child—Koretris. One day Ash invites a new group of friends from Pride Club over, and they try one of the spells to enter Koretris. To their amazement, they’re all transported to a magical realm filled with human-sized talking animals who are fiercely protective of their world and are ready to fight to protect it. But if Koretris is real, why is Ash there? Everyone has always called Ash a boy—shouldn’t the spell have kept Ash out? And what does it mean if it let Ash in?

Tell No Tales: Pirates of the Southern Seas

Writer: Sam Maggs
Artist: Kendra Wells
Publisher: Amulet Books
Release Date: Feb. 10 (Comics Shops) / Feb. 9 (Bookstores)
List Price: $12.99

Anne Bonny had it all—her own ship, a pirate crew, and a fearsome reputation—but a new enemy has her on the run and it’ll take all of Anne’s courage to stay afloat. The night before a major heist, Anne has an unsettling dream, and come morning, the robbery is thwarted by Woodes Rogers, a zealot who has sworn to eliminate piracy. With no plan to escape, Anne must persuade her crew to seek the meaning of her dream—or perish. Full of sass, solidarity, and swordplay, Tell No Tales is a graphic novel about belonging, belief, and how far we’re willing to go to protect the ones we love.

Pepper Page Saves the Universe! (The Inifinite Adventures of Supernova)

Writer: Landry Q. Walker
Artist: Eric Jones
Publisher: First Second
Release Date: Feb. 17 (Comics Shops) / Feb. 16 (Bookstores)
List Price: $22.99

The year is 2421. Awkward and shy, Pepper buries herself in the universe of the classic fictional superhero Supernova to avoid dealing with the perils of the 9th grade. But then fate intervenes when Pepper encounters a strange cat named Mister McKittens and stumbles into a volatile science experiment run by a sinister substitute teacher named Doctor Killian. Pepper is flung into another dimension, bringing her face to face with an order of cosmic beings who declare her to be the steward of their great power, champion of harmony in the universe, protector of worlds present and past. Now, in the 21st Century, Pepper finds that she herself is the real Supernova. But as Pepper soon learns, escapist fantasy and reality are two very different things.

Freiheit!: The White Rose Graphic Novel

Cartoonist: Andrea Grosso Ciponte
Publisher: Plough Publishing House
Release Date: Feb. 17 (Comics Shops) / Feb. 16 (Bookstores)
List Price: $24.00

The dramatic true story of a handful of students who resisted the Nazis and paid with their lives, now in a stunning graphic novel. With an entire nation blindly following an evil leader, where did a handful of students find the courage to resist? The university students who formed the White Rose, an undercover resistance movement in Nazi Germany, knew that doing so could cost them their lives. But some things are worth dying for.

Jo & Rus

Cartoonist: Audra Winslow
Publisher: KaBOOM!
Release Date: Feb. 10 (Comics Shops) / Feb. 16 (Bookstores)
List Price: $12.99

At first, Jo and Rus don’t realize how much they have in common – she’s a middle schooler who’s constantly bullied and he’s a high schooler in a rock band. But when a mysterious one-eyed cat brings the two of them together, they quickly learn they’re both outcasts trying to figure out what they really want from life in a world where the odds are stacked against them. It’s only by becoming friends they discover who they are, who they want to be and what it takes for every one of us to find our own happiness! Cartoonist Audra Winslow presents an all-new story about rolling with the punches when life doesn’t go your way and when you have to stand your ground, no matter the cost.

History Comics: The Wild Mustang: Horses of the American West

Writer: Chris Duffy
Artist: Falynn Koch
Publisher: First Second
Release Date: Feb. 24 (Comics Shops) / Feb. 23 (Bookstores)
List Price: $12.99

Turn back the clock with History Comics, First Second’s new nonfiction graphic novel series! In this volume, learn how wild mustangs were first introduced to America and how they still roam free today. On the North American plains, wild mustangs have roamed for generations . . . shaping human history and struggling to survive it. For the Spanish, they were a tool of conquest. For Native Americans, they brought on a new way of life where horsemanship and horse-trading were central. And for the entire world, wild mustangs became a renowned wonder of the American West. There are still thousands of mustangs in the wild today, but they struggle to survive in an ever-changing landscape and their future is by no means guaranteed.

Nubia: Real One

Writer: L.L. McKinney
Artist: Robyn Smith
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: Feb. 23 (Comic Shops/Bookstores)
List Price: $16.99

Nubia has always been a little bit…different. As a baby she showcased Amazonian-like strength by pushing over a tree to rescue her neighbor’s cat. But despite her having similar abilities, the world has no problem telling her that she’s no Wonder Woman. And even if she were, they wouldn’t want her. Every time she comes to the rescue, she’s reminded of how people see her: as a threat. Her moms do their best to keep her safe, but Nubia can’t deny the fire within her, even if she’s a little awkward about it sometimes. Even if it means people assume the worst. When Nubia’s best friend, Quisha, is threatened by a boy who thinks he owns the town, Nubia will risk it all–her safety, her home, and her crush on that cute kid in English class–to become the hero society tells her she isn’t. Based on the real experiences of cartoonist Élodie Durand, Parenthesis is a gripping testament of struggle, fragility, acceptance, and transformation which was deservedly awarded the Revelation Prize of the Angoulême International Comics Festival.

NoBody Likes You, Greta Grump

Cartoonist: Cathy Malkasian
Publisher: Fantagraphics
Release Date: Feb. 10 (Comics Shops) / Feb. 23 (Bookstores)
List Price: $16.99

Greta is a handful. She rips the heads off her dolls, lashes out at the other kids at her school, and tries her weary parents’ patience. But with the help of a dapper tortoise named NoBody, Greta softens her grumpy ways. Having learned her lesson, Greta must now team up with her new friend Gabby and their shelled companion to solve a strange mystery: Why have the kindhearted denizens of Friendlytown suddenly become so mean? And what can they do to make Friendlytown friendly again? In NoBody Loves You, Greta Grump Eisner Award-nominated cartoonist Cathy Malkasian conjures a fully-realized fantasy world cast with an array of colorful characters including tech whiz cats, ornery gopher librarians, and gangs of squirrels in matching sweater vests. Equal parts high-flying adventure and deeply felt allegory, this middle grade graphic novel is all heart.

I’m A Wild Seed

Cartoonist: Sharon Lee De La Cruz
Publisher: Street Noise Books
Release Date:  Feb. 23 (Bookstores)
List Price: $12.99

In this delightfully compelling full-color graphic memoir, the author shares her process of undoing the effects of a patriarchal, colonial society on her self-image, her sexuality, and her concept of freedom. Reflecting on the ways in which oppression was the cause for her late bloom into queerness, we are invited to discover people and things in the author’s life that helped shape and inform her LGBTQ identity. And we come to an understanding of her holistic definition of queerness.

Forever Home

Cartoonist: Jenna Ayoub
Publisher: KaBOOM!
Release Date: Feb. 17 (Comics Shops) / Feb. 23 (Bookstores)
List Price: $12.99

Willow’s nomadic childhood takes a surprising turn as her military parents bring her to the historic Hadleigh House, where her chances of finding her permanent home aren’t looking good when she meets some unexpected  occupants—GHOSTS

 

MARCH

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Women Discoverers: Top Women in Science

Writer: Marie Moinard
Artist: Christelle Pecout
Publisher: NBM Publishing
Release Date: Mar. 17 (Comics Shops) / Mar. 1 (Bookstores)
List Price: $19.99

From Ada Lovelace (computing) to Marie Curie (Physics and Chemistry), these exceptional women enabled the world to advance in all fields of science including space exploration (Mae Jemison), telecommunications (the actress also genius discoverer Hedy Lamarr), and Biology (Rosalind Franklin). An inspiration going counter to preconceived notions about women and science, presenting a diverse group from around the world.

Secrets of Camp Whatever Vol. 1

Cartoonist: Chris Grine
Publisher: Oni Press
Release Date: Mar. 3 (Comics Shops) / Mar. 2 (Bookstores)
List Price: $17.99

Eleven year-old Willow doesn’t want to go to her dad’s weird old summer camp any more than she wants her family to move to the weird old town where that camp is located. But her family—and fate itself—seem to have plans of their own. Soon Willow finds herself neck-deep in a confounding mystery involving stolen snacks, suspected vampires, and missing campers, all shrouded in the sinister fog that hides a generation of secrets at Camp …Whatever it’s called.

Allergic: A Graphic Novel

Writer: Megan Wagner Lloyd
Artist: Michelle Mee Nutter
Publisher: Graphix
Release Date: Mar. 3 (Comics Shops) / Mar. 2 (Bookstores)
List Price: $12.99

At home, Maggie is the odd one out. Her parents are preoccupied with the new baby they’re expecting, and her younger brothers are twins and always in their own world. Maggie thinks a new puppy is the answer, but when she goes to select one on her birthday, she breaks out in hives and rashes. She’s severely allergic to anything with fur! Can Maggie outsmart her allergies and find the perfect pet? With illustrations by Michelle Mee Nutter, Megan Wagner Lloyd draws on her own experiences with allergies to tell a heartfelt story of family, friendship, and finding a place to belong.

Lil’ Leo

Cartoonist: Hagio Moto
Publisher: Denpa Books
Release Date:  Mar. 2 (Bookstores)
List Price: $15.95

Two-year-old Leo is not your average house cat. One day he notices his young neighbor Tatsuru on his way to elementary school and he then decides to follow him and enroll himself! After finding his own backpack and school equipment, young Leo realizes that anything Tatsuru can do, he can do as well! And best of all, since he is a feline he can do it all with a style and flair all of his own. Leo can go to school! Leo can live on his own! Leo can find a part-time job or even be chef! Eventually Leo’s life is full of wonderful memories, but it could have taken a very different turn if not for those who loved him.

The Thud

Cartoonist: Mikael Ross
Publisher: Fantagraphics
Release Date: Mar. 17 (Comics Shops) / Mar. 9 (Bookstores)
List Price: $16.99

When Noel’s mother has a stroke, his world is turned upside down. Especially when a man comes, who tells Noel that he can’t stay in the only home he’s ever known. He has to move from his apartment and his city to some kind of care facility, in a town he’s never heard of. For the first time, Noel is on his own. Who can he trust? Who can he love? There is a village in Germany called Neuerkerode that is largely populated and run by people with developmental disabilities — the local restaurant, the local bar, the local supermarket. It’s a beautiful, even incredible place — and it’s where The Thud takes place. In 2016, cartoonist Mikael Ross began visiting Neuerkerode. Over the course of two years, Ross learned about the people who live there and listened to their stories. As Neuerkerode Protestant Foundation Director Rüdiger Becker has stated, Out of this has arisen a powerful piece of literature that depicts, with a rarely seen intensity and authenticity, the lives of people with intellectual disabilities. Told from Noel’s perspective with humor and empathy, The Thud offers a rare window into the life of a boy living with developmental disabilities. In doing so, Ross has crafted an enchanting story that helps us understand the often misunderstood. Full-color illustrations throughout.

Martian Ghost Centaur

Writer: Mat Heagerty
Artist: Steph Mided
Publisher: Oni Press
Release Date: Mar. 10 (Comics Shops) / Mar. 9 (Bookstores)
List Price: $19.99

The town of Southborough used to be a major tourism destination, drawing folks from all over in the hopes they’d spot the famous Sasquatch, reportedly seen in the town many times over the years. But it’s been ages since anyone’s spotted the ‘squatch, and tourism is starting to dry up. A tech company called Start-up.com (a start-up that helps people start their own start-ups) decides to begin buying up places all over town in order to build their techie headquarters, driving out all the local townspeople. Luckily, Southborough is also home to Louie O’Connor, firm believer in the Sasquatch’s existence and all-around, mega ’squatch fan. When Louie’s dads’ restaurant, Squatch Burger, starts to go under and fall prey to the techie start-up, Louie and her best friend Felix decide they’ll do whatever it takes to save the town from losing all the people and places that make it special. In hopes that convincing people the Sasquatch is real and to drive back tourism, Louie and Felix plan an elaborate hoax in hopes of saving the town from the dot-com takeover. But when Felix starts talking about leaving their hometown for college in LA, Louie will have to face some tough questions about herself, her future career, and her place in her beloved hometown.

Seen: Rachel Carson

Writer: Birdie Willis
Artist: Rii Abrego
Publisher: BOOM! Box
Release Date: Mar. 24 (Comics Shops) / Mar. 9 (Bookstores)
List Price: $5.99

Meet Rachel Carson, the woman who changed the way America fought against the environmental crisis through her bestselling books, ultimately spurring the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Birdie Willis & Rii Abrego present the true story of the marine biologist whose dedication, compassion and integrity gave a new generation of Americans hope for a brighter tomorrow.

The Leak

Writer: Kate Reed Petty
Artist: Andrea Bell
Publisher: First Second
Release Date: Mar. 17 (Comics Shops) / Mar. 16 (Bookstores)
List Price: $14.99

Ruth Keller is brash and precocious; she argues with her dentist, her parents, and her teachers. So, when she discovers a strange black slime in the man-made lake of her suburban neighborhood, she decides to investigate. Fortified by the encouragement of those around her, Ruth seeks the truth at all costs, even if it means taking on the rich local country club owner, who she believes is responsible for the pollution. Betwemer friends, and a sudden viral spotlight, Ruth discovers how difficult it is for a journalist to take a stand for what’s right in the facen the teasing of fore of critique and controversy. From writer Kate Reed Petty and illustrator Andrea Bell, comes a story about corruption, pollution, and freedom of the press, and the young journalist at the center of it all.

Delicates

Cartoonist: Brenna Thummler
Publisher: Oni Press
Release Date: Mar. 17 (Comics Shops) / Mar. 16 (Bookstores)
List Price: $14.99

Marjorie Glatt’s life hasn’t been the same ever since she discovered a group of ghosts hiding in her family’s laundromat. Wendell, who died young and now must wander Earth as a ghost with nothing more than a sheet for a body, soon became one of Marjorie’s only friends. But when Marjorie finally gets accepted by the popular kids at school, she begins to worry that if anyone learns about her secret ghost friends, she’ll be labeled as a freak who sees dead people. With Marjorie’s insistence on keeping Wendell’s ghost identity a secret from her new friends, Wendell begins to feel even more invisible than he already is. Eliza Duncan feels invisible too. She’s an avid photographer, and her zealous interest in finding and photographing ghosts gets her labeled as “different” by all the other kids in school. Constantly feeling on the outside, Eliza begins to feel like a ghost herself. Marjorie must soon come to terms with the price she pays to be accepted by the popular kids. Is it worth losing her friend, Wendell? Is she partially to blame for the bullying Eliza endures? Delicates tells a powerful story about what it means to fit in, and those left on the outside. It shows what it’s like to feel invisible, and the importance of feeling seen. Above all, it is a story of asking for help when all seems dark, and bringing help and light to those who need it most.

My Last Summer With Cass

Cartoonist: Mark Crilley
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
Release Date: Mar. 17 (Comics Shops) / Mar. 16 (Bookstores)
List Price: $24.99

Megan and Cass have been joined at the brush for as long as they can remember. For years, while spending summers together at a lakeside cabin, they created art together, from sand to scribbles . . . to anything available. Then Cass moved away to New York. When Megan finally convinces her parents to let her spend a week in the city, too, it seems like Cass has completely changed. She has tattoos, every artist in the city knows her&;she even eats chicken feet! At least one thing has stayed the same: They still make their best art together. But when one girl betrays the other’s trust on the eve of what is supposed to be their greatest artistic feat yet, can their friendship survive? Can their art?

Exploring Gotham City (DC Comics)

Writer: Matthew Manning
Artist: Muti
Publisher: Insight Kids
Release Date: Feb. 17 (Comics Shops) / Mar. 16 (Bookstores)
List Price: $29.99

Discover the secrets of Gotham City with this large-scale interactive book, DC Comics: Exploring Gotham City. Explore Gotham City, home of the mysterious crime fighter the Batman! From the depths of the Batcave to Wayne Manor, Arkham Asylum, and beyond, these pages take you on a fully illustrated journey through the crime-riddled city. Inside you’ll learn all about Gotham City’s shadowy history, encounter infamous villains from The Joker to the Penguin, and find out what the Batman, Robin, and other heroes are doing to stop them.

Science Comics: The Digestive System: A Tour Through Your Guts

Writer: Jason Viola
Artist: Andy Ristaino
Publisher: First Second
Release Date: Mar. 24 (Comics Shops) / Mar. 23 (Bookstores)
List Price: $12.99

In Science Comics: The Digestive System, visit the inside of your mouth, stomach, liver, intestines, and other organs that make up the gastrointestinal tract! Your guide to the gut is a friendly bacterium who will take you on a journey beyond imagination. Uncover how food is transformed into nutrients! Explore strange and dangerous glands! Behold the wonders of saliva, mucus, and vomit! Writer Jason Viola and illustrator Andy Ristaino provide a trip to the toilet you will never forget!

Dog Man: Mothering Heights

Cartoonist: Dav Pilkey
Publisher: Graphix
Release Date: Mar. 24 (Comics Shops) / Mar. 23 (Bookstores)
List Price: $12.99

Dav Pilkey’s wildly popular Dog Man series appeals to readers of all ages and explores universally positive themes, including empathy, kindness, persistence, and the importance of doing good.

Gert and the Sacred Stones

Writer: Marco Rocchi
Artist: Francesca Carita
Translator: Jaime Richards
Publisher: Dark Horse Books
Release Date: Mar. 10 (Comics Shops) / Mar. 23 (Bookstores)
List Price: $14.99

Gert sets out to make sure no one else suffers what she has as a result of the war, but to do this she’ll have to do what is forbidden of young women like her: become a warrior. Unfazed, Gert sneaks into the initiation test, beginning an adventure that will prove to be about much more than revenge. Gert’s journey will teach her to accept hard truths, rethink the glorification of war and violence, and prove if she can be the unlikely hero to reimagine her people’s future. From the acclaimed Italian comics team of Marco Rocchi and Francesca Caritá comes an insightful story of conflict, reconciliation, and the unique power of young people to change their world for the better.

Maker Comics: Build A Robot

Writer: Colleen AF Venable
Artist: Kathryn Hudson
Publisher: First Second
Release Date: Mar. 31 (Comics Shops) / Mar. 30 (Bookstores)
List Price: $12.99

The family toaster is preparing to take over the world with an army of evil robots, but he needs your help to build them! Several obstacles lie in his path: your homework, a pesky little sister, and even a dastardly kitty cat. Just follow his instructions to build a series of robots, and world domination is within reach!