Our list of kids graphic novels for summer 2025 is shaping up to be an exciting mix of fresh takes on beloved characters and powerful new voices in storytelling. Jeffrey Brown’s offbeat take on Hulk as a teacher is sure to delight young Marvel fans, while Brian “Smitty” Smith and Marz Jr.’s Transformers series brings action-packed adventures to middle-grade readers.
Representation is thriving, with stories that highlight diverse perspectives and historical narratives. Angela Wang and Youa Vang’s story about one man’s quest for American citizenship during a time of anti-Chinese sentiment offers a compelling historical perspective on resilience and identity. Daniel Nayeri’s upcoming graphic novel follows a brother and sister navigating the threat of Nazi spies after a devastating loss, while Angela Hsieh’s latest work takes middle-grade readers on a fantastical journey in search of magical creatures and her ah-ma, exploring deep connections between people and their environments.
Speaking of human relationships with the environment, new books by Daka Hermon and Madeleine Finlay offer concrete lessons on weather and the cosmos. Kat Fajardo goes summer camping with friends, and Frances Hardinge teams with Emily Gravett in a story about perseverance and community.
Finally, Amar Shah, Elise Gravel and Yinfan Huang reflect on growing up in the 90s, while Cassidy Wasserman, Whitney Gardner, and Gwen Tarpley offer feel-good stories and tales of self-discovery. With that, let’s explore the kids graphic novels for summer 2025!
JJ, Clyde and the Banned Book
Created By: Haley Land
Publisher: Chin Music Press
Release Date: May 20 (Bookstores)
List Price: $19.95 Hardcover
Recommended for Ages: 7-10
JJ and Clyde are best friends. They both like swimming and basketball and eating cherries and seeing who can spit the pits the farthest. They also like reading The Calming Adventures of Arthur and Gerard. But when the boys find that the school board has banned those books, calling them a “dangerous influence,” JJ and Clyde decide to take action.
Lu and Ren’s Guide to Geozoology
Created By: Angela Hsieh
Publisher: Quill Tree Books
Release Date: May 27 (Bookstores)
List Price: $24.99 Hardcover / $15.99 Paperback
Recommended for Ages: 8-12
Lu dreams of being a great adventurer, just like her ah-ma, who is a world-renowned geozoologist. Ah-ma has traveled far and wide, researching unique animals like dreamy cloud-jellies, enormous sunfish, and playful mossgoats. There’s nothing Lu loves more than reading Ah-ma’s letters about her quests, even if she and her mom struggle to understand the Cylian language Ah-ma writes in. But when Ah-ma’s letters suddenly stop, Lu becomes worried. So when a nearby town needs a geozoologist, Lu decides to go on the journey to find Ah-ma. She charts a course with the help of Ren, an old friend turned new travel buddy. As they follow in Ah-ma’s footsteps, Lu begins to discover the complex relationships between geofauna—and between people. What stories has Ah-ma never told her? And what’s Ren hiding from her?
Yellow Singing Sail: A Memoir of an Only Child in China
Created By: Yinfan Huang
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Release Date: Jun. 4 (Comics Shops) / Jun. 3 (Bookstores)
List Price: $16.99 Paperback
Recommended for Ages: 11-14
In her early years, Yinfan lives in the small Chinese county of Xintian, surrounded by family members. But when they move for her father’s new job to the city of Guangzhou, her life changes dramatically. Not only does Yinfan need to adjust to a new dialect, but she also has to comply with many new rules at home and in school, and deal with her loneliness. Yinfan yearns to make a good friend, and she does her best to try and fit in. That is, until a girl in her class helps her realize she likes herself just the way she is.
This graphic memoir from author and illustrator Yinfan Huang offers a heartwarming look at a girl’s struggle to forge her own identity in her quest for friendship. Full of fascinating details about life as a child and adolescent in 1990s China, it offers a timely message about how the challenges of growing up are universal.
Little Mouse Saves the Day
Created By: Jeff Smith
Publisher: TOON Books
Release Date: Jun. 3 (Bookstores)
List Price: $13.99 Hardcover / $7.99 Paperback
Recommended for Ages: 3+
There’s lots to do before Little Mouse is ready to go visit the barn. Will he master all the intricacies of getting dressed, from snaps and buttons to Velcro and tail holes? Eisner Award-winning cartoonist Jeff Smith and his determined Little Mouse reveal all the smallest pleasures of this daily task.
Deeply Dave
Created By: Michael Grover
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co.
Release Date: Jun. 11 (Comics Shops) / Jun. 10 (Bookstores)
List Price: $14.99 Hardcover
Recommended for Ages: 8-12
For fans of Adventure Time, Deeply Dave is a madcap, hilarious adventure graphic novel about a young deep sea diver who heroically plunges into the abyss to save his astronaut mom from the monsters that lurk below. Immerse yourself in this unique reading experience, where you flip the pages up and read downward as you descend into the ocean’s depths!
Dave’s mom is missing…and he’s going after her. She’s lost somewhere at the bottom of the ocean, stranded in the wreckage of her sunken spaceship. Only Dave can save her from the alien monsters and bizarre sea creatures that lurk in the depths. So Dave is going deeper…and deeper…and deeper…and deeper…and deeper…and deeper…and deeper…
and deeper…
On Guard!: A Marshall Middle School Graphic Novel
Created By: Cassidy Wasserman
Publisher: Random House Graphic
Release Date: Jun. 11 (Comics Shops) / Jun. 10 (Bookstores)
List Price: $21.99 Hardcover / $13.99 Paperback
Recommended for Ages: 8-12
Grace isn’t ready for a new school year. Her best friend Ava dropped her at the end of last year, the dust is still settling from her parents’ messy divorce, and things are not going well between Grace and her mom. Mothers and daughters are always so close in movies. But that’s never been Grace and her mom. So now Grace has no friends, no hobbies (band was Ava’s thing), and home feels even more complicated than school. There’s not a single place Grace can just relax. Until, she sees the school’s fencing club practicing. They look so sure of themselves. So steady. It may not solve everything…but could this be a place Grace can finally belong and be herself?
Yelp! Yeti! Chaos in Kathmandu
Writer: Sneha Pradhan
Artist: Promina Shrestha
Publisher: Flying Eye Books
Release Date: Jun. 18 (Comics Shops) / Jun. 17 (Bookstores)
List Price: $22.99 Hardcover / $12.99 Paperback
Recommended for Ages: 5-9
Dev and his pet cat, Tuna, are ready for a summer of sleepovers, endless games of cricket and sweet mangos, until they discover a Yeti loose in Kathmandu. It ransacks the kitchen, creates messes around the house and eats all the snacks – but Dev gets the blame! With his parents threatening to send him away for the summer, will Dev and Tuna be able to prove his innocence… and catch a Yeti along the way?
Cosmo Park
Writer: Madeleine Finlay
Artist: Tom Dearie
Publisher: Flying Eye Books
Release Date: Jun. 18 (Comics Shops) / Jun. 17 (Bookstores)
List Price: $25.99 Hardcover / $15.99 Paperback
Recommended for Ages: 7-11
The Universal Nature Park is a place of wonder and scientific adventure, but watch out – there are mysterious and nefarious plots afoot, and it’s not all fun and learning when the Universe is at stake…
Hop on a hover-buggy to the centre of the Milky Way and catch a ride around the Universal Nature Park to learn some amazing facts about our galactic neighbourhood. Maybe you’ll spot some tricksy black holes trying to escape their enclosure, or perhaps you’ll get caught in a meteorite storm (don’t forget your comet-repellent umbrella!), and make sure you wrap up warm for the freezing end of the Universe! This colourful comic informs and explains some of the key tenets of cosmology in an engaging and accessible way, following a narrative and packing in fascinating facts and concepts along the way. Kids will emerge from this world with new-found knowledge about the nature of our Universe, and a thirst to learn and explore on their own.
The Lost Sunday
Created By: Ileana Surducan
Publisher: Oni Press
Release Date: Jun. 18 (Comics Shops) / Jun. 17 (Bookstores)
List Price: $14.99 Hardcover
Recommended for Ages: 8-12
Nina lives in a dusty town, haunted by the six angry wolves of the week—Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Each day brings never-ending chores and drudgery. Legend speaks of a seventh day to rest—Sunday—but everybody knows an evil witch stole it and keeps it locked away. When Nina finally says enough is enough, she sets out on an ambitious quest for rest, but will she be able to vanquish the witch and bring back the lost Sunday?
Inspired by old folklore and fairy tales, this story shines a magical light on a present-day problem: burnout and the importance of leisure. A great read for kids and adults alike!
The League of Littles
Writer: Casey Lyall
Artist: Sara Faber
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Release Date: Jun. 18 (Comics Shops) / Jun. 17 (Bookstores)
List Price: $24.99 Hardcover / $15.99 Paperback
Recommended for Ages: 8-11
From an ordinary school, in an ordinary town, a distress signal is sent. Help me, League of Littles, you’re my only hope! The League of Littles is an international organization that protects and supports the needs of youngest siblings—and trainees Lexi, Mo, and Eli are finally ready for their first mission. Another student at their elementary school has lost her big sister’s hamster, Chester, after she borrowed him for show and tell without permission. Gabi needs the L.O.L.’s help to find Chester before the Band of Bigs (protecting and supporting the needs of—you guessed it—oldest siblings) find out that Chester is missing.
This hilarious young middle grade graphic novel combines humor, action, friendship, school, pets—and of course, sibling relationships. It is perfect for newly independent readers and fans of Babymouse, Lunch Lady, and the Bad Guys.
Free Piano (Not Haunted)
Created By: Whitney Gardner
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Release Date: Jul. 2 (Comics Shops) / Jul. 1 (Bookstores)
List Price: $23.99 Hardcover / $13.99 Paperback
Recommended for Ages: 10+
The piano is free, but fame has a price. On the sleepy streets of Cascade Cove, lonely Margot knows that when she stumbles across a discarded synthesizer with a “not haunted” sign, she’s discovered the key to realizing her dreams. Determined to become a real songwriter and earn her absent father’s admiration, Margot dives headfirst into trying to gain followers and fans online. But her musical journey takes an unexpected turn when she realizes the (not haunted) piano is very much…haunted. Enter Vision, teen pop sensation of 1979 whose untimely demise left her spirit intertwined with the keys of her synthesizer. Though Margot and Vision couldn’t be more different, the girls form an unlikely bond fueled by their shared passion for music. But as Margot’s obsession with fame and recognition grows, she may come dangerously close to losing what she loves about music…and herself.
Superman’s Good Guy Gang
Created By: Rob Justus
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: Jul. 1 (Comics Shops) / Jul. 1 (Bookstores)
List Price: $12.99 Hardcover
Recommended for Ages: 5-7
Eight-year-old Clark Clark Kent is pretty super: super fast, super strong, and super cool! But being so super can also be super lonely, until he meets fellow super powered kids, Kendra Saunders and Guy Gardner a.k.a. Hawkgirl and Green Lantern! Together, they’ll form a club where other supers can be themselves, test their powers, grow together, and maybe earn some good guy points along the way.
This super powered buddy comedy from the creator behind Death and Sparkles, Rob Justus, will launch DC’s early readers initiative timed to the Superman movie in July 2025. Fans will be thrilled to see characters from the film featured in this charming story for readers aged 5-7. Future books in the series will include Mr. Terrific, Batman, and Wonder Woman as the Good Guy Gang grows!
Karmopolis (Book 1): The Land of Cars
Created By: Nick Bertozzi
Publisher: Top Shelf Productions
Release Date: Jul. 2 (Comics Shops) / Jul. 1 (Bookstores)
List Price: $14.99 Paperback
Recommended for Ages: 9-12
Karmopolis is a world made up of super-highways and super-vehicles! Drivers zip from their wheeled houses to the moving super-mall without ever touching the ground, while the few mysterious Walkers skulk within the highway median. Two young Drivers, Pooja and her brother Om, are out shopping when they accidentally find a beautiful gem. After two angry men demand that they hand it over, a head-spinning adventure begins—Pooja and Om race across Karmopolis in search of the meaning of the gem, with the two creeps hot on their tailpipe.
Award-winning cartoonist Nick Bertozzi (Lewis & Clark; Shackleton: Antarctic Odyssey) combines old-fashioned comic book thrills with futuristic frenzy and super-cool diagrams in the endlessly imaginative Karmopolis: The Land of Cars.
Marvel’s Storm: Disaster Alert! (National Geographic Kids Readers, Level 1)
Created By: Daka Hermon
Publisher: National Geographic Kids
Release Date: Jul. 1 (Bookstores)
List Price: $15.99 Hardcover / $5.99 Paperback
Recommended for Ages: 4-6
When lightning cracks and thunder rumbles, there is no need to fear! Marvel’s superhero Storm is near!
Pairing comic book illustrations with incredible photos and nonfiction text, this leveled reader invites kids to learn about a high-interest subject alongside some of their favorite characters. Sure to excite and educate, it’s filled with striking images and fascinating facts that will blow readers away!
Featuring lively text carefully vetted by expert educators, National Geographic Kids Readers have something for kids at every reading level—from pre-readers who are just getting started to fluent Level 3 readers. National Geographic’s Level 1 Readers are perfect for kids who are starting to read, and for reluctant readers. Each book also includes a hands-on activity at the end to reinforce the content of the book.
Weird and Wonderful Ways to Save the Planet: Medical Mucus, Poo Power and Beetles for Breakfast
Writer: Madeleine Finlay
Artist: Jisu Choi
Publisher: Flying Eye Books
Release Date: Jul. 1 (Bookstores)
List Price: $19.99 Hardcover
Recommended for Ages: 9-12
Fancy biting into a beetle burger? Or heating your home with poo? How about using plants to light your bedroom? We all know that climate change is having a huge impact on our planet – but what we don’t all know are some of the genius – but sometimes strange – ways scientists are working to find practical and imaginative answers to this and other Earth-altering problems. From the breakfast table to the bathtub, on a day at school or in the park or at the farm, see how some of these bizarre and brainy inventions could fit into everyday life.
Chibi Usagi: Attack of the Heebie Chibis
Created By: Stan Sakai
Publisher: Dark Horse Books
Release Date: Jul. 2 (Comics Shops) / Jul. 1 (Bookstores)
List Price: $14.99 Paperback
Recommended for Ages: 8-10
Chibi Usagi and his adorable, childlike friends must fight the evil Salamander King to save a village of innocents! Stan Sakai’s enduring rabbit samurai is reimagined as a “chibi world” character in these adorable collaborations with Julie Sakai and colorist Emi Fujii! Enter a world of cute characters and captivating adventures with Chibi Usagi and friends! Join along as Chibi Tomoe, Chibi Gen, and even the terrifying Jei face new challenges with familiar themes in this expanded collection that includes the original graphic novel Chibi Usagi: Attack of the Heebie Chibis, plus the comic-length Chibi Usagi: Attack of the Teenie Titans, with short stories “Chibi Usagi and the Big Bad Jei,” “Chibi Usagi and the Goblin of Adachi Plain,” and “Chibi Tomoe and the Zo Ninja!”
This special expanded edition also collects Stan Sakai’s color Chibi Usagi pinups that ran as Usagi Yojimbo comic book back covers, with a bonus pinup section collecting rare images and fun pages from the whole Chibi Usagi team!
Miss Camper
Created By: Kat Fajardo
Publisher: Graphix
Release Date: Jul. 2 (Comics Shops) / Jul. 1 (Bookstores)
List Price: $24.99 Hardcover / $14.99 Paperback
Recommended for Ages: 8-12
Sue is heading to Camp Willow this summer! She’s looking forward to hiking, archery, and making comics in the fresh air. She’s especially excited about LARPing (live-action role-playing) and can’t wait for the freedom of being away from home. But she won’t be far from family because her big sister, Carmen, is a camp counselor and her little sister, Ester, is a fellow camper and won’t give her any space! All Sue wants is to make memories with her friends, but they’re assigned to only a few of the same activities. To make matters even worse, her best friend, Sam, has a best camp friend named Marisol? And Sue’s good friend Izzy has a crush on Sue?! This summer isn’t at all going as planned!
Into the Bewilderness: A Graphic Novel
Created By: Gus Gordon
Publisher: HarperAlley
Release Date: Jul. 9 (Comics Shops) / Jul. 8 (Bookstores)
List Price: $24.99 Hardcover / $15.99 Paperback
Recommended for Ages: 8-12
In the Bewilderness, life is good.
Best friends Luis (the large furry one) and Pablo (the small furry one) spend their days wandering through nature, playing songs on the guitar, and eating Slow Joe McNally’s pinecone porridge with their neighbors. When dreamer Luis receives an unexpected invitation to attend a performance of The Weary Mermaid in the big, bustling city, he finds it hard to ignore the allure of the bright lights. Luckily, he doesn’t have to go it alone—and it’s a good thing, because it’s a long journey through the Bewilderness, and Luis has many questions. Will they meet laser-eyed gargoyles, zombie chickens, or tyrannical cow rulers? Will they get there on time? Why is quicksand so slow if it’s called quicksand? Thankfully, with his grumpy but loyal best friend by his side, they’ll soon find out. . . Or will they?
I Am Not Okay
Created By: David DeGrand
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Release Date: Jul. 8 (Bookstores)
List Price: $12.99 Hardcover / $8.99 Paperback
Recommended for Ages: 7-11
All the woodland creatures of Happy Forest (where even trees and flowers smile) go to Fluff Nugget, a fluffy, round critter of indeterminate species, when they need cheering up–he just sings them the “Goodbye Grumpy Grumps” song and they feel happy again! But when this happens too much…like, WAY too much…it starts to wear on Fluff Nugget, until he feels grumpier than anyone. After he lets loose a cry of “I AM NOT OK!” Fluff Nugget and his woodland friends must figure out a better way to boost the mood. Will the Happy Forest ever be the same again?
Narwhal vs. Kindergarten
Created By: Vanessa Roeder
Publisher: Dial Books
Release Date: Jul. 8 (Bookstores)
List Price: $18.99 Hardcover
Recommended for Ages: 3-7
A gentle tale from the beloved creator of The Box Turtle about a narwhal whose horn keeps getting in the way during his first week of school, until his new friends help him find just the right accommodations
Hugo has a problem. A big, tall problem. One that refuses to go away, no matter how many hats (or donuts) he puts on his head to try and hide it. His horn is a barrier to the bus and a calamity in the classroom, and nothing Hugo tries seems make it better. But with the help of his friends and a rousing, inclusive baseball game, Hugo learns that everyone needs something a little different to succeed and that working together is no trouble at all.
Transformers: Worst Bot Ever: Meet Ballpoint
Writer: Brian “Smitty” Smith
Artist: Marz Jr.
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: Jul. 9 (Comics Shops) / Jul. 22 (Bookstores)
List Price: $12.99 Paperback
Recommended for Ages: 9-12
The Decepticons are known for being bad…but Ballpoint is truly the worst –the biggest failure of them all. After the latest attempt to take down the Autobots goes horribly wrong, he’s kicked out of the Decepticons, for good! Will Ballpoint be able to prove his worth by defeating the Autobots all by himself? Or will he keep failing and find that being the “best” is More than Meets the Eye?
Brian “Smitty” Smith (Pea, Bee, and Jay) and Marz Jr. introduce middle-grade readers (ages 8-12) to the misadventures of the bot who is mightier than the sword in TRANSFORMERS: WORST BOT EVER: MEET BALLPOINT.
Jazzy the Witch in Broom Doom
Created By: Jessixa Bagley
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Release Date: Jul. 16 (Comics Shops) / Jul. 15 (Bookstores)
List Price: $14.99 Hardcover
Recommended for Ages: 8-12
n her town full of witches, Jazzy’s always been a little bit different. She’s not excited about magic. She forgets the steps to spells. And even though her parents run the town’s broom shop, she doesn’t want to fly.
Then, one day, she discovers what she was born to do: cycling! Now she just has to find a way to get a bicycle…and learn how to ride it. But will her new passion come between her and her best friend—and possibly get her in big trouble?
What Happened to the Naked Mole Rat?: A Graphic Novel
Created By: Akeem S. Roberts
Publisher: Kokila
Release Date: Jul. 15 (Bookstores)
List Price: $19.99 Hardcover / $9.99 Paperback
Recommended for Ages: 6-8
Mr. Pebbles is dead, and everyone thinks it’s Carter’s fault! When Carter’s third-grade class accuses him of killing the class pet, a naked mole rat named Mr. Pebbles who shivers a lot and smells a little funny, can Carter clear his name . . . with the help of Mr. Pebbles’s ghost?
From Memen to Mori
Created By: Shinsuke Yoshitake
Writer: Ajani Oloye (Translator)
Publisher: JY
Release Date: Jul. 9 (Comics Shops) / Jul. 22 (Bookstores)
List Price: $20.00 Hardcover
Recommended for Ages: 6-12
Meet Memen, the calm and collected older sister, and Mori, the curious younger brother. When Mori asks big questions like, “What is the meaning of life?,” how does big sis Memen respond? Through humorous and tender moments, the two siblings teach that sometimes, the answer to life is less complex than we think.
The Glitch: A Graphic Novel
Created By: Michael Rex
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Release Date: Jul. 23 (Comics Shops) / Jul 22 (Bookstores)
List Price: $24.99 Hardcover / $14.99 Paperback
Recommended for Ages: 8-12
Everyone knows about Fred and his mission to make the world a kinder place. In fact, the feel-good robot has never met a person he couldn’t convince to play nice . . . until now. When Fred discovers the Tomorrow Sphere, a secret community that has survived the apocalypse in luxury—blankets! Medicine! Unlimited ice cream!—he’s delighted that people in need can soon be helped. But despite all Fred’s pleading, the Tomorrow Sphere leader absolutely, definitely, and totally refuses to share. This ultimate act of selfishness shocks Fred and causes him to glitch out and turn mean. If they won’t share, he’ll have to make them! With war looming and his friends in despair, it’s up to Fred to fix his nasty glitch . . . or ruin all the goodness he’s created in the world.
Stitch Head: The Graphic Novel
Writer: Guy Bass
Artist: Pete Willimason
Publisher: Ten Speed Books
Release Date: Jul. 23 (Comics Shops) / Jul. 22 (Bookstores)
List Price: $14.99 Hardcover
Recommended for Ages: 8-12
Stitch Head was the first creation to be born– and the first to be forgotten. He’s the adorably monstrous creation of Professor Erasmus Erasmus, a man who has breathed life into over three hundred creatures with all manner of fangs, tails, and eyes. But as good as Erasmus is at giving life, he’s equally bad at taking care of it. And so the duty falls to Stitch Head to ensure his siblings don’t tear Castle Grotteskew apart. Despite having a handle on the threats within the castle, however, no one is prepared for the conniving Mr. F– the ringleader of a traveling circus of wonders and oddities– to show up at Grotteskew’s front door. He offers Stitch Head a new chance at family– one that will make him known by the whole world and forgotten by no one. The terms of Mr. F’s deal may be glowing, but there’s something dark lurking behind his eyes. As Stitch Head will learn, not every monster is a meanie…and some seemingly normal folk can be the nastiest beasts of all!
Schoolbot 9000: A Graphic Novel
Created By: Sam Hepburn
Publisher: Dial Books
Release Date: Jul. 22 (Bookstores)
List Price: $24.99 Hardcover / $14.99 Paperback
Recommended for Ages: 9-12
James Gordon is already annoyed by the robots in his life—the drones that look like bugs, the dogbots at the park, his HomeBot babysitter, and now? He’s just found out that Schoolbots are replacing all of his favorite middle school teachers. James’s teachers have always cared about his feelings and supported his art, but with the news that artificial intelligence is replacing them, James’s life feels like it’s full spiraling into chaos. All the Schoolbots care about is improving students’ test scores and efficiency, and they’ve had some seriously unnerving glitches. James is determined to fight back but is going to need some help from a very unlikely ally in order to keep these robot teachers from taking over his school.
Masks: A Graphic Novel
Writers: Margaret Rae & Brian Nathanson
Artists: Beck Kubrick & Thomas Philipson
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Release Date: Jul. 30 (Comics Shops) / Jul. 29 (Bookstores)
List Price: $22.99 Hardcover / $14.99 Paperback
Recommended for Ages: 10-12
Poe was only a little monster when the hunters came for her parents. If it weren’t for one of the hunters taking pity on her, she knows she’d have met the same fate, too. Ten years later, Poe lives with her two “siblings”—more monster kids in hiding—Rice and Shelley. Under her protective eye, Poe makes sure that the siblings have everything they need, but Rice and Shelley want more out of life than running away. So when their most recent home is slated to be demolished by a real estate group, the monster kids venture out to find their place, and end up getting whisked away to a Halloween party that changes their lives.
Debut creator Margaret Rae and Brian Nathanson (author of The Many Deaths of Barnaby James) are experts in the spooky, haunting craft. They’ve woven a story full of heart, humor, and hope—one that examines the masks in which we all live. With quirky, stunning illustrations by Beck Kubrick and colorist Tom Philipson, Masks is the quintessential graphic novel about accepting who you are, masks and all.
Perfect for fans of ND Stevenson’s Nimona, Brenna Thummler’s Sheets, with kid-friendly elements of The Witcher and a little bit of Peter Pan.
Aw, Nuts!
Writer: Max Beaudry
Artist: David Perry
Publisher: Papercutz
Release Date: Jul. 29 (Bookstores)
List Price: $14.99 Hardcover / $9.99 Paperback
Recommended for Ages: 6-9
Get your just desserts with this pun-tastic buddy comedy, featuring Peanut and Jelly! Every morsel falls into place within the Foodtopia Pyramid. Well-peeled fancy folks reign from the toppings, average doughs make up the filling, and at the bottom, the odd-foods-out form the crumbs. This is where we find Peanut and Jelly. They may be lowly employees at the Crumb Dump for now, but these ride-or-fries are determined to rise to the coveted upper crust. But when they accidentally unleash a Crumb Feeder into the city, their plans look shakier than an uneven souffle!
This tale has steaks, artichoke heart, and is ripe with comedy!
All Are Welcome: A Cat’s Café
Created By: Gwen Tarpley
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Release Date: Jul. 29 (Bookstores)
List Price: $22.99 Hardcover / $12.99 Paperback
Recommended for Ages: 8-12
According to the School Library Journal, Cat Cafe “makes you feel good because it’s a place where you are accepted, no matter who you are or how you feel.”
The comic book equivalent of a cozy blanket, Cat’s Café takes you by the hand and carefully guides you away from all the darkness in life. Freeing the warm and floofies within, Cat’s Café offers a world that understands you. In this new comic collection for middle grade readers, fans will find new levels cuteness, heartwarming moments, and learn more about their favorite characters. Along with the familiar stories of mental health and friendship that Cat’s Café is known for, author Gwen Tarpley also uses characters like Rabbit to share her most authentic self with the world. So, grab your favorite mug and brew, and sip, laugh, and cheer as you curl up with the newest installment of Cat’s Café.
Archives of the Unexplained: Area 51
Writer: Steve Foxe
Artist: Fran Bueno
Publisher: First Second
Release Date: Aug. 6 (Comics Shops) / Aug. 5 (Bookstores)
List Price: $21.99 Hardcover / $13.99 Paperback
Recommended for Ages: 8-12
Creepy is having a comeback! Open the Archives of the Unexplained as we delve into unearthly real-life stories, explore the unknown, and examine the elusive facts of history’s many mysteries. Each book in this series takes one or two high-interest and relatively focused events and presents a lively, thorough, but open-ended examination of what occurred.
When TJ attends his uncle’s funeral he expects to be bored. But when he escapes into his uncle’s office and discovers a secret door to a basement, his uncle’s classified documents open up a whole world of unidentified aircraft, strange gray men, and alien conspiracies he knew nothing about. What will TJ learn from these hidden files? Or will the mysterious men in black who appeared at the funeral get to him first?
Archives of the Unexplained: Unwanted Guests
Writer: Steve Foxe
Artist: Naomi Franquiz
Publisher: First Second
Release Date: Aug. 6 (Comics Shops) / Aug. 5 (Bookstores)
List Price: $21.99 Hardcover / $13.99 Paperback
Recommended for Ages: 8-12
Creepy is having a comeback! Open the Archives of the Unexplained as we delve into unearthly real-life stories, explore the unknown, and examine the elusive facts of history’s many mysteries. Each book in this series takes one or two high-interest and relatively focused events and presents a lively, thorough, but open-ended examination of what occurred.
Minnie and Jackson’s new house has some stories to tell. As does Theo, the mysterious boy they meet in the park. Theo is full of unbelievable tales—the flying rocks and breaking glass of the Guyra Ghost house and the crimson-drenched floors of the Atlanta blood house. And what does this mysterious boy know about their new home? If only walls could talk.
The Fire-Breathing Duckling
Created By: Frank Cammuso
Publisher: TOON Books
Release Date: Aug. 6 (Comics Shops) / Aug. 5 (Bookstores)
List Price: $13.99 Hardcover
Recommended for Ages: 5-7
It’s the classic ugly duckling tale—but this time around, the little one turns out not to be a swan, but a dragon. And when their duckling siblings find themselves in trouble, it’s our little fire-breathing friend who saves the day. Whereas Hans Christian Andersen’s original is synonymous with inner beauty, Frank Cammuso’s loving update turns it into a parable of inner strength.
Froggy: A Pond Full of Pals!
Publisher: Flying Eye Books
Release Date: Aug. 6 (Comics Shops) / Aug. 5 (Bookstores)
List Price: $23.99 Hardcover / $12.99 Paperback
Recommended for Ages: 5-9
A small pond like any other lies in the forest, but dwelling in this pond is no ordinary Froggy. He’s a little bit of a klutz, and making friends with local wizards, falling foul of Mrs Possum whilst trying to steal her blueberries, and getting into scraps with Crayfish Craig are all in a day’s work for this slimy guy. Learning how to deal with big feelings, big magic spells, and big fish in the big world can be a lot for a little frog, but he’s not giving up any time soon.
Hulk Teach!
Created By: Jeffrey Brown
Publisher: Graphix
Release Date: Aug. 6 (Comics Shops) / Aug. 5 (Bookstores)
List Price: $22.99 Hardcover / $12.99 Paperback
Recommended for Ages: 8-12
A hilarious original series filled with comics, mischief, and misadventure starring the Hulk! From the mind of New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Jeffrey Brown. Bruce Banner, AKA the Hulk, is a genius scientist and super hero whose rage-outs have led him to damage way too much public property. After his latest meltdown, Tony Stark arranges a PR move to smooth things over. Hulk will perform community service — by teaching. Can Banner make it through the school year without destroying everything? And can middle school kids really learn anything when the HULK is their teacher?
This all-new middle grade graphic novel told with two-color artwork offers a laugh-out-loud take on middle school.
Wish I Was a Baller
Writer: Amar Shah
Artist: Rashad Doucet
Publisher: Graphix
Release Date: Aug. 6 (Comics Shops) / Aug. 5 (Bookstores)
List Price: $24.99 Hardcover / $14.99 Paperback
Recommended for Ages: 8-12
Amar Shah has some story to tell! In 1995, he was a fourteen-year-old aspiring sports journalist (and basketball superfan) angling to get into an Orlando Magic team practice. He did, and it took him on the ride of his life!
Wish I Was a Baller is a graphic memoir chronicling Amar’s real-life experiences as a fourteen-year-old sports journalist covering the golden era of the NBA, when he befriended Shaq and hung out with Michael Jordan and the Bulls―all while surviving the high school, dealing with crushes, and friendships being tainted by jealousy.
The Land of Unfinished Dreams
Writer: Marco Ventura
Artist: Marco Ferraris
Publisher: Top Shelf Productions
Release Date: Aug. 6 (Comics Shops) / Aug. 5 (Bookstores)
List Price: $19.99 Hardcover
Recommended for Ages: 9-12
Ned is a retired literature teacher without much excitement in his life, but when his grandkids come to visit, he loves to tell them bedtime stories. Every evening, the clumsy knight tries to save the princess in new and different ways, but they never reach the end of the story. On one fateful night, Ned is shocked to wake up inside his fantasy world—full of the characters from his stories, plus many more new friends and foes. And when a terrifying darkness rises, Ned will have to look within himself to confront a threat beyond his imagination.
Bursting with color and creativity, the first collaboration between Italian creators Marco Daeron Ventura and Marco Ferraris is a thrilling and poignant graphic novel about storytelling, family, growing old, and staying young.
Paw & Order: The Grilled Cheese Caper Vol. 1
Created By: Jason Platt
Publisher: Papercutz
Release Date: Aug. 5 (Bookstores)
List Price: $14.99 Hardcover / $9.99 Paperback
Recommended for Ages: 6-10
The annual Grilled Cheese Festival is ruined when someone steals all the sandwiches, and it’s up to Paw & Order detectives, Purrlock and Marlowe, to figure out who did it! Was it Jinny Giraffe, who was upset that the Grilled Cheese Festival kept her from putting on her Art Festival? Was it Coach Allan Alligator, who was banned from the festival the year before? OR was it Purrlock’s arch nemesis, Meowiearty, who was behind the dastardly deed? In Jason Platt’s funny and delightfully illustrated book, readers will have the opportunity to put their Paw & Order detective hat on and try to solve the crime alongside Purrlock and Marlowe!
Sugar Shack
Created By: Lucy Knisley
Publisher: Random House Graphic
Release Date: Aug. 6 (Comics Shops) / Aug. 5 (Bookstores)
List Price: $21.99 Hardcover / $13.99 Paperback
Recommended for Ages: 8-12
Jen couldn’t be more excited to spend time on Peapod Farms with her step-sisters, Andy and Reese. For months, Jen has been so focused on trying to figure out how she fits into her new blended family that she hasn’t realized she’s found her place… that is until Reese calls her sister. Excited and content, Jen thought she had figured everything out,but now she’s not so sure. A rift emerges between the girls as Andy doubles down on being Reese’s ACTUAL sister, while Jen is just the STEP sister. With Andy’s attitude bringing a cold front to the farm it seems like it’s going to be a long winter. Maybe between Peapod Farm’s first snow and learning how to tap a tree for sugar, Jen and Andy both will have a chance to truly understand what it means to be family.
Welcome to the Forest: The Harvest Party
Created By: Katie Risor
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Release Date: Aug. 5 (Bookstores)
List Price: $11.99 Hardcover
Recommended for Ages: 6-8
Deep in the heart of the Forest lives a handful of monsters. The Forest is home to many creatures, big and small, like: boisterous Mossman, who is much kinder than he looks; cautious but cheerful Wallace; carefree, kind Grumpkin; and a sweet, mysterious entity named Shadow. The creatures prove that every day is an adventure as new discoveries draw them closer together.
In this book, readers will get a glimpse at the woodland creatures’ lives and discover three bite-sized stories, perfect for the autumnal harvest season. In Welcome to the Forest: The Harvest Party, Mossman and Wallace decorate pumpkins, Grumpkin meets a new friend, and the creatures celebrate fall with a lively Harvest Party.
Cottagecore and Studio Ghibli meet in this graphic novel by debut author and illustrator Katie Risor. Risor’s breathtaking gouache mixed-media illustrations shine throughout this graphic novel. It features a Dyslexia-friendly font and is perfect to share with emerging readers, English and Second Language (ESL) learners, and veteran graphic novel enthusiasts alike.
Nafu Wants Food
Created By: Subi Bosa
Publisher: Graphic Universe
Release Date: Aug. 5 (Bookstores)
List Price: $16.99 Paperback
Recommended for Ages: 5-8
Nafu is Mongo Village’s resident monster and protector, so the villagers give Nafu all the food Nafu wants. But after greedily gobbling up the last of it, Nafu heads into the desert in search of new and exciting things to eat. Instead, Nafu gets lost, their limbs fall off, and they start to shrink more and more each day. Can Nafu find their way home, or will someone make a meal out of Nafu?
Pokemon: The Search for Lapras
Created By: Simcha Whitehill
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: Aug. 6 (Comics Shops) / Aug. 5 (Bookstores)
List Price: $23.99 Hardcover / $10.99 Paperback
Recommended for Ages: 7-10
Set sail on two action-packed adventures! In Crash, Splash, Tea!,a mysterious Pokémon is making strange noises and leaving purple goo around the airship. Can Liko and Roy track it down? In Song Within the Mist, a singing Lapras is said to lead sailors through dangerous fog. But is the Lapras really as helpful as it seems? With tons of art on every page from the animated show streaming on Netflix, this graphic novel is the perfect format for Pokémon fans.
The Space Cat
Writer: Nnedi Okorafor
Artist: Tana Ford
Publisher: First Second
Release Date: Aug. 13 (Comics Shops) / Aug. 12 (Bookstores)
List Price: $22.99 Hardcover / $14.99 Paperback
Recommended for Ages: 8-12
Ah, yes, the luxurious life of a well-loved cat. It’s the best. And Periwinkle has it the cushiest. But there’s more to this pampered pet than meets the eye. He’s not just a house cat. He’s a space cat. By day, he’s showered with scritches, cuddles, and delicious chicken fillets. By night, he races through the cosmos in his custom-built spaceship. Between epic battles with squeaky toys and working on ways to improve his ship, Periwinkle is never bored. And when his humans decide to leave the United States and move to the small but bustling town of Kaleria, Nigeria, he’s excited to explore his new home—even after he learns that many Nigerians hate cats. After all, a born adventurer like Periwinkle doesn’t shy away from new experiences. But not everything in Kaleria is as it seems. Soon enough, Periwinkle finds himself on his most out-of-this-world adventure yet, right here on Earth.
Popcorn Bob Can’t Stop Popping
Writer: Maranke Rinck
Artist: Martijn van der Linden
Publisher: Levine Querido
Release Date: Aug. 12 (Bookstores)
List Price: $18.99 Hardcover
Recommended for Ages: 4-8
Everybody gets angry sometimes. Everybody gets annoyed. Everybody pops off now and then. And when you’re a popcorn kernel like Bob… maybe it happens more often than you’d like. From beloved duo Maranke Rinck and Martijn van der Linden comes Popcorn Bob Can’t Stop Popping, a laugh-out-loud exploration of emotional regulation.
Space Case
Writer: Stuart Gibbs
Artist: Ward Jenkins
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Release Date: Aug. 20 (Comics Shops) / Aug. 19 (Bookstores)
List Price: $24.99 Hardcover / $14.99 Paperback
Recommended for Ages: 8-12
For twelve-year-old Dashiell Gibson, living on the moon is a dream come true. Except for the low-gravity lunar toilets. And the food. And the part where his best friend lives about 250,000 miles away. And how there are almost no other kids up here, except for his kid sister and a couple of billionaire bullies. Oh, right, and the fact that a fellow lunarnaut just died—and only Dashiell knows that his death wasn’t an accident. Plenty of people on the moon base are hiding something, but which of them are capable of murder? It’s up to Dashiell to figure it out—before the killer strikes again.
An out-of-this-world full-color graphic novel!
True Colors: Growing Up Weird in the ’90s
Created By: Elise Gravel
Writer: Montana Kane (Translator)
Publisher: Drawn & Quarterly
Release Date: Aug. 20 (Comics Shops) / Aug. 19 (Bookstores)
List Price: $18.95 Paperback
Recommended for Ages: 11-14
Tweeny-bopper Elise knows she’s different, but kind of just chalks it up to being a weirdo. And in the 90s, who isn’t? Other girls might be shifting their attention to boys, but Elise is putting the freeze on all that adult stuff to get lost in play with her besties and pour her energy into making her art. Besides, what’s the point in rushing when being a kid is such a blast?
In True Colors: Growing Up Weird in the 90s, Elise invites readers into the pages of her diary and takes them back to a radically different time before smartphones and home computers. It’s a world where fun means going to the mall and making mix tapes on cassette, and where imagination reigns supreme! It’s also a world where making new friends can be confusing, nerve-wracking, and utterly mind-boggling.
Creative and curious kids, anybody dealing with anything from not fitting in, to anxiety―or even an ADHD diagnosis―will see themselves in the pages. And through it all, Gravel shows the power of art and creativity to transform, as we see Elise turning her differences into her superpower in this funny and encouraging artistic origin story.
The Forest of a Thousand Eyes
Writer: Frances Hardinge
Artist: Emily Gravett
Publisher: Amulet Books
Release Date: Aug. 26 (Bookstores)
List Price: $19.99 Hardcover
Recommended for Ages: 10-14
One thing Feather knows to be true is that given the chance, the Forest will devour her home just like it’s devoured everything else in her world. Her small community lives in a section of the crumbling Wall that runs through and above the trees, doing everything they can to keep the Forest out. When a stranger tricks Feather and makes off with her people’s precious spyglass, she has no choice but to go after him, coming face-to-face with the Forest’s dangers—and to revelations beyond her wildest imagination.
In the same stunning format as Island of Whispers, this story about perseverance and community from Costa Book Award winner Frances Hardinge and acclaimed illustrator Emily Gravett is sure to become a new classic.
Dream On
Writer: Shannon Hale
Artist: Marcela Cespedes
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Release Date: Aug. 27 (Comics Shops) / Aug. 26 (Bookstores)
List Price: $22.99 Hardcover / $11.99 Paperback
Recommended for Ages: 8-12
Something is missing from Cassie’s life. Her parents don’t have much money, she has to share her bedroom (and bed!) with her sisters, and her family never seem to have time for her. To make matters worse, her best friend Vali is always busy with a new friend.
When Cassie gets a letter from a magazine sweepstakes with the words “YOU’RE THE WINNER” stamped on the front, she thinks it’s the answer to all her problems. She could buy new furniture to replace their shabby old sofa. Or maybe a car so her family doesn’t have to take two trips to go places. Or maybe she can make Vali her best friend forever by taking her on a fabulous vacation. The possibilities are endless, like an all-you-can-eat buffet! But will prizes really solve Cassie’s problems? And what will she lose if she doesn’t win anything at all?
With bright and charming illustrations by Marcela Cespedes and Lark Pien, Dream On is a joyful story filled with imagination, big dreams, and wonder. This book is perfect for readers who want to enjoy a gentle and accessible friendship story, as well as anyone looking for SEL themes about empathy, kindness, compassion, and forgiveness. This story also features children experiencing high sensitivity, big emotions, and feelings of sadness, making it a helpful tool to spark conversations and connections with young readers.
The Teacher of Nomad Land: A World War II Story
Created By: Daniel Nayeri
Publisher: Levine Querido
Release Date: Aug. 26 (Bookstores)
List Price: $18.99 Hardcover
Recommended for Ages: 8-12
1941. The German armies are storming across Europe. Iran is a neutral country occupied by British forces on one side, Soviet forces on another. Soldiers fill the teahouses of Isfahan. Nazi spies roam the alleyways.
Babak and his little sister have just lost their father. Now orphans, fearing they will be separated, the two devise a plan. Babak will take up his father’s old job as a teacher to the nomads. With a chalkboard strapped to Babak’s back, and a satchel full of textbooks, the siblings set off to find the nomad tribes as they make their yearly trek across the mountains. On the treacherous journey they meet a Jewish boy, hiding from a Nazi spy. And suddenly, they are all in a race for survival. Against the backdrop of World War II comes an epic adventure in the faraway places. Through the cacophony of soldiers, tanks, and planes, can young hearts of different creeds and nations learn to find a common language?
Master storyteller Daniel Nayeri keeps you on the edge of your seat, uncertain to the very end.
Worthy: The Brave and Capable Life of Joseph Pierce
Writer: Andrea Wang
Artist: Youa Vang
Publisher: Levine Querido
Release Date: Aug. 26 (Bookstores)
List Price: $19.99 Hardcover
Recommended for Ages: 4-8
Written by the author of the Caldecott and Newbery honor-winning picture book Watercress, and marking the impressive debut of illustrator Youa Vang, here is the true story of a man of indomitable spirit. In the mid-nineteenth century, an impoverished father from Canton, China, sold his young son to an American sea captain, Amos Peck. The boy, dubbed “Joe,” worked on the ship for months, not knowing if his fate was to do so forever. Or would he be sold again? When the ship returned to America, Captain Peck brought the young boy to his family, who raised him with the other children. Joe Pierce grew, gave distinguished service in the Union Army, married, had children and ultimately became an American citizen–all at a time when anti-Chinese prejudice was rampant.
If you enjoyed this list of kids graphic novels for summer 2025, check out The Beat’s list of anticipated YA and adult graphic novels for summer 2025!
