March Book List: Great Graphic Novels

It’s a fact: graphic novels help kids fall in love with reading. A survey of young readers suggests that comic readers are likelier to 1. Enjoy reading, 2. Read every day, and 3. Feel confident as a reader. Those are results we can get behind! Our March book list features graphic novels that’ll make you fall in love with reading.

For Early Readers

Bog Myrtle

Written & illustrated by Sid Sharp

Annick Press, 2024

IL: Ages 6-11 RL: Grades 1-2

Two sisters, one stubbornly cheerful (Beatrice) and one relentlessly grumpy (Magnolia), live in a drafty old house with a family of helpful spiders. When Beatrice is gifted magic yarn from a giant forest spider obsessed with sustainability named Bog Myrtle, she and the spiders set to work knitting up a perfectly warm sweater.

But greedy Magnolia sees only the opportunity for profit, and quickly converts the old house into a magic sweater factory. The exhausted spiders are driven to strike, and Bog Myrtle is not pleased.

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Fantastic Lou: Little Comics from Real Life

Written and illustrated by Qin Leng

Tundra Books

IL: Ages 5-9 RL: Grades: 2-3

Meet Lou. Lou is many things: clever, creative, competitive, thoughtful, funny... and, most of all, FANTASTIC! He meets life's ups and downs with courage, curiosity and a plucky openheartedness. He enjoys his own thoughts and solo company but is always ready to dance, wrestle, wriggle, somersault and karate chop his way into his parents' day (or night).

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What if Marty Doesn’t Like My Party?

Written and illustrated by Katie Arthur

Owlkids Books, 2025

IL: Ages 5-8 RL: Grades 1-2 

Henry’s birthday party is approaching, and the most exciting part is that Marty, the coolest kid in Henry’s class, is coming! Everybody wants Marty at their party. But as Henry lies awake one night, his head spins with anxious thoughts. What if Marty doesn’t have fun? What if she doesn’t like his dog, or his apartment, or his Grandma’s confetti cake? From the top bunk, Henry’s big sister, Sam, gently puts a positive spin on each of Henry’s worries.

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Willa and Wade and the Way-Up-There

(Willa and Wade, Book 1)

Written by Judith Henderson

Illustrated by Sara Sarhangpour

Kids Can Press, 2024

IL: Ages 5-7 RL: Grades 1-2

Best friends Willa and Wade really want to fly. Sure, Willa's an ostrich and Wade's a penguin. But there must be something they can think of that will get them off the ground! The two thorough thinkers try different ways—from pirouettes to pogo sticks—to catch some air. But while they do a lot of trying, it doesn't lead to any flying! Will the friends ever find a way to reach their lofty goal?

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For Middle Readers

Alterations

Written and illustrated by Ray Xu

Union Square Kids

IL: Ages 8-12 RL: Grades 3-4

Kevin Lee is having a really bad week. Although he lives in a crowded Toronto apartment above the family’s alterations and dry-cleaning store, he mostly goes unnoticed. School isn’t exactly an oasis either—being one of the few Asian kids makes for some unwelcome attention. But when Kevin’s class plans a trip to Thrill Planet, a spectacular theme park, will he finally have a chance to turn his life around, or will it just be another day for Kevin Lee?

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Boy vs. Shark

Written and illustrated by Paul Gilligan

Tundra Books, 2024

IL: 10 and up RL: Grades 5-6

In the summer of 1975, 10-year-old Paul Gilligan doesn't have a whole lot to worry about other than keeping his comic books untarnished, getting tennis balls off roofs and keeping up with the increasingly bold stunts of his best friend, David. And then Jaws comes to town.

Suddenly everyone is obsessing over this movie about a shark ripping people to pieces. And if you haven't seen it, not only are you missing out, you're also kind of a wimp. Needless to say, Jaws leaves young Paul a cowering mess, and underlines the growing gap between him and David as well as the distance between where he stands and the world's expectations of a boy's "manliness."

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Gamerville

Written and illustrated by Johnnie Christmas

HarperAlley, 2024

IL: Ages 8-12 RL: Grades 3-4

Max Lightning is howling at the moon—he’s finally qualified for Gamerville, a championship where players compete to be top dog in the multiplayer video game Lone Wolf of Calamity Bay. But his dreams of domination are doomed when his parents send him to Camp Reset. Gone are the long nights of downing energy drinks and getting copious amounts of screen time. They've been replaced with fresh air and group activities under the hot sun—a shock to the system for a lone wolf like Max. Can Max escape Camp Reset and level up at Gamerville, or has he finally played his last match?

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Squire & Knight: Wayward Travelers

(Squire & Knight, Vol. 2)

Written and illustrated by Scott Chantler

First Second, 2024

IL: Ages 8-12 RL: Grades 3-4

Squire and Sir Kelton have promised to get Cade to the school of wizardry. Strangely though, the path they’ve taken has brought them into a bewildering, misty forest, rife with fearsome gnolls and a boisterous rival knight. To get them out, Squire tries every trick in the book, but books don't hold all the answers. Can he muster up his confidence, remember his duties, and find a way to escape the forest?

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For Teen Readers

Age 16

Written and illustrated by Rosena Fung

Annick Press, 2024

IL: Ages 12 and up RL: Grades 7-8

A powerful coming-of-age graphic novel about how mothers and daughters pass down—and rebel against—standards of size, gender, race, beauty, and worth.

Guangdong, 1954: Sixteen-year-old Mei Laan longs for a future of freedom, and her beauty may be the key to getting it. Can an arranged marriage in Hong Kong be the answer to all her problems?

Hong Kong, 1972: Sixteen-year-old Lydia wants nothing more than to dance and to gain approval from her mother, who is largely absent and sharply critical, especially about the way she looks. Maybe her way to happiness is starting over in Toronto?

Toronto, 2000: Sixteen-year-old Roz is grappling with who she wants to be in the world. The only thing she is certain of is that if she were thinner, things would be better. How can she start living her life, instead of just photographing it?

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Indiginerds: Tales from Modern Indigenous Life

Edited by Alina Pete

Iron Circus Comics, 2024

IL: Ages 12 and up RL: Grades 7-8

First Nations culture is living, vibrant, and evolving, and generations of Indigenous kids have grown up with pop culture creeping inexorably into our lives. From gaming to social media, pirate radio to garage bands, Star Trek to D&D, and missed connections at the pow wow, Indigenous culture is so much more than how it’s usually portrayed. INDIGNERDS is here to celebrate those stories!

Featuring an all-Indigenous creative team, INDIGNERDS is an exhilarating anthology collecting 11 stories about Indigenous people balancing traditional ways of knowing with modern pop culture.

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Pillow Talk

Written by Stephanie Cooke

Illustrated by Mel Valentine Vargas

IL: Ages 14 and up RL: Grades 9-10

Grace Mendes a.k.a. Cinderhella is a fierce competitor in the PFF, a pillow fight federation that’s part roller derby, part professional wrestling. But in this fresh, coming-of-age YA graphic novel, Grace needs to learn to overcome her biggest enemy: herself.

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When the Lake Burns

Written and illustrated by Geneviève Bigué

Translated by Luke Langille

EMANATA, 2024

IL: Ages 12 and up RL: Grades 7-8

A very rare natural phenomenon is causing quite a stir in Riviere-aux-Corbeaux: Lake Kijikone has caught fire and grown into a veritable inferno. When the disaster occurs, an old local legend re-emerges, and a group of local teens decide to find out if the stories are true. Deep in the woods, one of the teens shares a secret so shocking that the group splits up—and the real nightmare begins.

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For Non-Fiction Readers

Super Small: Miniature Marvels of the Natural World

Written by Tiffany Stone

Illustrated by Ashley Spires

Greystone Kids, 2023

IL: Ages 4-8 RL: Grades 2-3

The minute oribatid mite can lift more than 1,000 times its own weight. A tiny type of salamander (called an axolotl) can regrow body parts. And the almost microscopic tardigrade? It can survive practically anywhere, even in outer space! Acclaimed author Tiffany Stone combines comic panels and poems to share incredible facts about our world's miniature marvels, while illustrator Ashley Spires' zany cartoon-style illustrations make these itty-bitty superheroes (and supervillains) pop from the page.

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Uprooted: A Memoir About What Happens When Your Family Moves Back

Written and illustrated by Ruth Chan

Roaring Brook Press, 2024

IL: Ages 8-12 Grades: 3-4

Ruth Chan loves her hometown in Toronto, hanging out with her best friends for life, and snacking on ketchup flavoured potato chips, which are the best. What Ruth doesn’t love is having to move to Hong Kong after her dad gets a new job there.
Her mom is excited to reunite with her family, but it’s not the same for Ruth. In Hong Kong, her classes are harder, her Cantonese isn’t good enough, and her parents are never around. Ruth feels lonely and completely uprooted.

But as Ruth’s dad tells stories about her family, about how they relied on their strength, courage, and each other to survive the most difficult times, Ruth realizes that she, too, can be strong. Gradually, she puts down roots, knowing that home will always be where her heart is.

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Lost at Windy River: A True Story of Survival

Written by Trina Rathgeber

Illustrated by Alina Pete and Jillian Dolan

Orca Book Publishers, 2024

IL: Ages 9-12 RL: Grades 4-5

In 1944, 13-year-old Ilse Schweder got lost in a snowstorm while checking her family's trapline in northern Canada. This is the harrowing story of how a young Indigenous girl defies the odds and endures nine days alone in the unforgiving barrens. Ilse faces many challenges, including freezing temperatures, wild animals, snow blindness and frostbite. With no food or supplies, she relies on Traditional Indigenous Knowledge passed down from her family. Ilse uses her connection to the land and animals, wilderness skills and resilience to find her way home.

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The Rez Doctor

Written by Gitz Crazyboy

Illustrated by Veronika Barinova, Azby Whitecalf, and Toben Racicot

IL: Ages 12 and up RL: Grades 7-8

Young Ryan Fox gets good grades, but he’s not sure what he wants to be when he grows up. It isn’t until he meets a Blackfoot doctor during a school assembly that he starts to dream big.

However, becoming a doctor isn’t easy. University takes Ryan away from his family and the Siksikaitsitapi community, and without their support, he begins to struggle. Faced with more stress than he’s ever experienced, he turns to partying. Distracted from his responsibilities, his grades start to slip. His bills pile up. Getting into med school feels impossible. And now his beloved uncle is in jail. Can Ryan regain his footing to walk the path he saw so clearly as a boy?

Creator's Corner: Leonarda Carranza

Leonarda Carranza was born in San Salvador, El Salvador and currently resides in Brampton, Ontario, Treaty 19 part of the Treaty Lands and Territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, Haudenosaunee, and Wendat Nations. She holds a PhD in Social Justice Education from the University of Toronto. Her picture book Abuelita and Me/Abuelita y yo (illustrated by Rafael Mayani) is the winner of a 2022 International Latino Book Award and a Kirkus Best Book of the Year. Her most recent picture book, Fighting Words is illustrated by Erika Medina.

We caught up with Leonarda to ask her about what drives her to write for children and how reading can promote conversations about justice and inclusion.

You hold a PhD in Social Justice Education from the University of Toronto. How did your academic career lead you to writing for children?

I always wanted to write, but when I started university, I was more interested in understanding why there is so much injustice in the world. So, I ended up studying Social Justice Education and deep down I think I trusted that I would someday find my way back to writing. During the time that I was working on my PhD I thought a lot about what would happen to my research and academic writing. Who would get access to it? Who would read it? Who would benefit from it?

Early on, it became important to me that my research didn’t just stay in academia. So, I started working on making my academic writing accessible to a wider audience. I started taking creative writing courses as a way of moving away from a strictly academic writing style and in the process found my writing voice and got to the heart of the stories that I wanted to tell. My debut picture book, Abuelita and Me, is the culmination of years and years of research on race and racism, and I’m so proud of this story.

Abuelita and Me was published in both English and Spanish and won a gold medal at the 2022 International Latino Book Awards. How does it feel to know the book is finding an international audience of young readers?

It feels incredible. A part of me is just so thrilled that the story is out there and reaching people. Sometimes, I receive messages from people. They write to me to tell me how much the book means to them. I feel so honoured. It means the world to me that so many people feel the story authentically represents their experience.

When I was young, whenever we talked about racism in school it was brought up as something historical, something that was not taking place now. Racism was not something that we talked about in our everyday experiences. You couldn’t even say the word without making everyone uncomfortable. One of my hopes for the book was that it would create opportunities to have these conversations with young readers about race and racism early on in their schooling. And it feels like a gift that it’s happened, and that I’ve played a small role in making conversation about injustice and racism a little easier. 

Your upcoming picture book, The Friendship Blanket, is loosely based on your own childhood experiences of moving to Canada and being teased at school. What do you hope young readers will take away from the story?

I recently shared an advanced reading copy of The Friendship Blanket with my sister, and she was in tears while reading it. “I’m so sorry this happened to you,” she said.

Migration is hard. Leaving family, friends, community and culture behind is hard. I hope young readers who have experienced that loss feel represented in the story. I hope they feel less alone. And I hope that people who haven’t had to experience that loss feel a lot of love and empathy for newcomers and immigrants. I hope that they reach out to them with a little more kindness and care and realize the power of friendship; because friendship can mean so much to someone who has recently lost so much.

You’ll be touring for the upcoming Canadian Children’s Book Week, reading from your books, and talking with young readers about anger, racism, and microaggressions. What are you looking forward to most about touring for Book Week?

I’m looking forward to the questions and discussions. Young readers always have the most interesting thoughts. I’m excited to find out what they take away from the stories. When I was little, books like this didn’t exist. So, most of all, I’m looking forward to the opportunity to share these stories with them.

Leonarda Carranza will be touring as part of Canadian Children's Book Week 2025. Keep up to date with her latest projects by following @carranzaleonarda on Instagram. 

Illustrator's Studio: Alina Pete

Alina Pete is a nehiyaw (Cree) artist and writer from Little Pine First Nation in western Saskatchewan. They grew up urban, but spent summers wandering the Qu'Appelle valley with their cousin from Cowessess First Nation. Alina is best known for their Aurora award-winning webcomic, Weregeek (weregeek.com), but they also write short stories, poems and RPG supplements, and their work has been featured in several comic anthologies, including Moonshot volumes 2 and 3. Alina lives in Surrey with their partner and three very silly parrots who enjoy sitting on their shoulder as they write.

We caught up with Alina Pete to ask them about Alina drawing inspiration from popular culture and telling tales from modern Indigenous life

You’re the editor of Indiginerds: Tales from Modern Indigenous Life. What did you learn creating comics alongside so many talented Indigenous artists and storytellers?

God, I learned so much! The main thing I learned is that there’s no end to how creative we Indigenous folks are. When I first put out the call for submissions, I expected a fairly diverse group of stories, but I was blown away by what we got. Everything from building sustainable communities centered around podcasts/radio shows, to streamers teaching traditional language skills, to using pirate radio stations to organize protests… Indigenous folks have used every bit of technology that comes our way to build up and support our communities.

Another theme within the stories was the importance of seeing ourselves represented in media. Even when that representation has been poor or controversial, such as the tribal themes of the Tauren in World of Warcraft or the regrettable episode of Star Trek: The Next Generations, Dorvan V. Having a world where our kids can see themselves represented on screen or in books is vitally important!

Within the stories in Indiginerds, Indigenous youth cleverly blend tradition and pop culture—like using video games to teach language skills and building cultural spaces in virtual reality. How has pop culture inspired your work as an artist and storyteller?

Without pop culture, I never would have been a comic artist or a writer! I used to watch cartoons on VHS and would pause them throughout the show so I could try and draw the characters on screen. I also collected manga and a few different superhero comics, and would trace my favourite panels. That’s how I taught myself to draw.

I also was a voracious reader, and went through most of the sci-fi and fantasy section at my local library. This was really useful for my mom, who was a single Native mother putting herself through university at the time. So she’d bring me to the University library and set me up with some comics and drawing paper and I’d keep myself busy for hours at a time while she studied. We always went out for ice cream afterward, so Study Days were a great treat for me!

In Lost at Windy River: A True Story of Survival, you collaborated with colourist Jillian Dolan to illustrate an epic (and true) survival story set in Northern Canada. How did you prepare to illustrate the historical and cultural details included in the story?

I knew that we really wanted to get the details in this book as accurate as possible, because Ilse Schweder’s story had already been misrepresented in Farley Mowat’s book, People of the Deer. I believe that part of the reason Trina Rathgeber wrote this book was to tell her grandmother’s story more factually and accurately.

As we were first conceptualizing this book, Trina provided me with a huge collection of historical photos and documents. Some of them were newspaper articles about Ilse’s survival, and others were features about the trapper who found her, Ragnar Jonsson. In fact, the panel in the book that first introduces Ragnar is drawn directly from the news article about his life. I also heavily referenced the types of dog sleds that her family used at the time, as well as their winter clothing.

I did make a few modifications. I added a fringed red cape to Ilse’s outfit so that she would stand out amongst her brothers and sisters in the winter scenes, and so that she’d be easy to distinguish in some of the sweeping vistas she’s lost amidst. In reality, her outfit was the same worn by her siblings, a parka of caribou hide with a simple belt around the middle to hold her tools. I also changed the way she wrapped her face in a thick blanket so that we could see her expressions. But I tried to stick to the actual historical representations as much as possible. This includes the maps shown throughout the book, one of which was drawn by hand by Ilse’s father.

You’ll be touring for the upcoming Canadian Children’s Book Week, sharing stories from Indigenerds and Lost at Windy River, and talking to students about positive representation. What are you looking forward to about touring for Book Week?

I’m most looking forward to meeting the classes I’ll be speaking with! Being able to actually see your audience as you tell them a story is such a great experience, and one that authors rarely get. Plus, I’m really interested to chat with the older classes and hear what media teens are into these days. It’s always cool when one of my younger cousins mentions being really into music that I listened to when I was a kid, and I think that one of the upsides of TikTok is that music really spans generations now. And borders! I’ve been listening to a lot of cool new Indigenous metal bands from around the world thanks to TikTok!

I’m also very excited to see the Yukon. I’ve never been there, though I have travelled to the Northwest Territories. My grandmother was a counsellor there for several years when I was a kid, and I was lucky enough to be able to spend a whole summer with her in Rae, near Yellowknife. We went fishing, boating around the Great Bear Lake, and took lots of hikes. I think I still have a sketchbook full of landscapes and drawings of lichen that I drew while I was visiting. I miss the north, and it’ll be wonderful to see it again.

Alina Pete will be touring as part of Canadian Children's Book Week 2025. Keep up to date with her latest projects by following @alinapete_art on Instagram. 

Experts' Picks

Every month expert booksellers and librarians share their top picks for young readers. Check out what our experts are reading in March!