YALSA names 2018 Great Graphic Novels for Teens

CHICAGO – The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), has announced its 2018 Great Graphic Novels for Teens list.

The list of 115 titles, drawn from 190 official nominations, is presented annually at the ALA Midwinter Meeting. The books, recommended for those ages 12-18, meet the criteria of both good quality literature and appealing reading for teens. The full list can be viewed at www.ala.org/yalsa/great-graphic-novels.

In addition to the full list, the committee chose the following titles as its top ten:

• The Backstagers. By James Tynion IV. Illus. by Rian Sygh. 2017. BOOM! Studios. (9781608869930).
• Black Hammer, Volume 1: Secret Origins. By Jeff Lemire. Illus. by Dean Ormston. 2017. Dark Horse. (9781616557867).
• Brave. By Svetlana Chmakova. Illus. by the author. 2017. Yen Press. (9780316363189).
• I Am Alfonso Jones. By Tony Medina. Illus. by Stacey Robison and John Jennings. 2017. Tu Books. (9781620142639).
• Jonesy. By Sam Humprhies. Illus. by Caitlin Rose Boyle.
  • v.1. 2016. BOOM! Studios. (9781608868834).
  • v.2. BOOM! Studios. (9781608869992).
  • v.3. BOOM! Studios. (9781684150168).
• Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation. By Damian Duffy and Octavia E. Butler. Illus. by John Jennings. 2017. Abrams ComicArts. (9781419709470).
• Lighter than My Shadow. By Katie Green. Illus. by the author. 2017. Lion Forge. (9781941302415).
• My Brother’s Husband. By Gengoroh Tagame. Illus. by Gengoroh Tagame. 2017. Pantheon Books. (9781101871515).
• Pashmina. By Nidhi Chanani. Illus. by Nidhi Chanani. 2017. First Second. (9781626720879).
• Spill Zone. By Scott Westerfeld. Illus. by Alex Puvilland. 2017. First Second. (9781596439368).

"It is with great pleasure that our committee shares the 2018 list of Great Graphic Novels for Teens. This selection of 115 outstanding comics, graphic novels, and manga was curated by a passionate and knowledgeable group of teen advocate librarians and features a wonderfully diverse lineup," said Chair Alea Perez. "We worked hard to find and select titles that were socially responsible while offering entertainment, support, educational value, or all three to teens from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. It is our sincere hope that both teens and librarians find value and joy in pouring over these fantastic titles.”

Members of the Great Graphic Novels for Teens Committee are: Chair Alea Perez, Westmont Public Library, Westmont, IL; Alicia Abdul, Albany High School Library, Albany, NY; Silence R. Bourn, Seminole County Public Library, Lake Mary, FL; Kate Covintree, The Wheeler School, Providence, RI; Kim Keown Farnsworth, Sacramento Public Library, Sacramento, CA; Tina Lerno, Los Angeles Public Library, Los Angeles, CA; Annette Lesak, Francis W. Parker School, Chicago, IL; Amanda Melilli, UNLV - Teacher Development & Resources Library, Las Vegas, NV; Kali Newstrom Olson, The Blake School, Minneapolis, MN; Gail Tobin, Schaumburg Township District Library, Schaumburg, IL; Emily Williams, Metropolitan Library System, Oklahoma City, OK.

YALSA’s portfolio of book and media awards helps strengthen library services for and with teens by identifying quality, age appropriate resources for librarians and library workers to share with the teens in their communities. Learn more about YALSA’s other book and media lists here.

The mission of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) is to support library staff in alleviating the challenges teens face, and in putting all teens ‒ especially those with the greatest needs ‒ on the path to successful and fulfilling lives. For more information about YALSA or to access national guidelines and other resources go to www.ala.org/yalsa, or contact the YALSA office by phone, 800-545-2433, ext. 4390; or e-mail: yalsa@ala.org.