Graphic Novels & Comics Round Table announces 2021 Best Graphic Novels for Adults Reading List titles

CHICAGO - ALA’s Graphic Novels & Comics Round Table (GNCRT) is thrilled to announce the 2021 Best Graphic Novels for Adults (BGNA) Reading List. This reading list highlights the best graphic novels for adults published in late 2020 and through 2021, and it aims to increase awareness of the graphic novel medium, raise voices of diverse comics creators, and aid library staff in the development of graphic novel collections. The 2021 BGNA Top Ten list features such titles as: "My Alcoholic Escape from Reality" by Nagata Kabi, "Invisible Differences" by Julie Dachez and Mademoiselle Caroline, and "Run: Book One" by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, L. Fury, and Nate Powell.

The Best Graphic Novels for Adults Reading List Selection Committee is made up of GNCRT members with a background in graphic novel selection and their use in adult programming and services. Jessica Jenner, wrapping up her second term as selection committee chair said, “The selected titles display themes and characters who face difficult challenges in life and rise above them, in a humbling and human way. As with the 2020 list, this year’s list highlights underrepresented voices and elevates the place of graphic novels for adults by exploring concepts and stories intended for mature audiences. I am proud of the work we produced this year, and I am looking forward to the inspirations the authors and artists will bring to the table.”

The complete 2021 Best Graphic Novels for Adults Reading List, including a Top Ten, is available online. GNCRT President Matthew Noe said of this year’s list, "The amount of work that goes into the selection of a best-of list is enormous, far more than most people imagine, and this year our committee had to do it while also navigating a comics scene radically disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite publishing delays and access troubles, our members read an incredible number of comics throughout the year, selecting the very best for this year's BGNA list. The breadth of the comics landscape is on display here. From reimagined superheroes and exciting book adaptations to emotionally complex memoirs and health narratives, there's never been a better time to be an adult comics reader!"

The Best Graphic Novels for Adults selection committee for 2021 is Jessica Jenner (Chair), Rachel Bild, Shelley E. Carr, Kristina Feeney, Chloe Horning, Kyla Hunt, Leah Ly, Tashia Miller, Jameson N. Rohrer, Stephanie Smith, and Edward Whatley.

The Best Graphic Novels for Adults committee would like to recognize and thank Midwest Tape for allowing all committee members free access to Hoopla® during this term of service.

Nominations for the 2022 Best Graphic Novel for Adults Reading List are now open!

Eligible graphic novels for the 2022 Best Graphic Novels for Adults will include all fiction and non-fiction titles published between Sept. 1, 2021 - Dec. 31, 2022, that appeal to adults age 19 or older. Nominations can be made by all members of the public, including committee members, library workers, educators, and comics fans through the online form on the GNCRT website.

Publishers and creators are welcome to submit copies of titles to the committee for review, though they are not eligible to nominate their own titles for consideration. For more information on how to submit review copies please contact GNCRT staff liaison, Tina Coleman at ccoleman@ala.org .

About the Graphic Novels and Comics Round Table

The Graphic Novels and Comics Round Table of the American Library Association is dedicated to supporting library staff in all aspects of engaging with graphic novels and comics, including collection development, programming, and advocacy. For more information connect with GNCRT on Facebook: ALA Graphic Novels & Comics Round Table; Twitter: @libcomix; Instagram: @libcomix; or the GNCRT ALA Connect page.

About ALA

Established in 1876, the American Library Association (ALA) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization created to provide leadership for the development, promotion, and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.