Manga & Graphic Novels ALL YA Collections Need (IMO)

If you work with teens, then you are likely already familiar with the popularity of novels in graphic format. However if you are not a GN or manga reader yourself, trying to figure out which series to buy can be challenging.  The amount of material available is staggering.

Below are my suggestions for GNs and manga series that all public library YA Collections should have available.  In addition to the series listed below, providing a variety of Marvel and DC comics should increase circulation and pull in many of your reluctant readers.

The Arrival by Shaun Tan	A timeless story of an immigrant trying to find his place in a new society. (Highly recommend all of Tan's graphic novels.)	Status: Complete Volumes: 1 Genre: Fantasy
Black Butler by Yana Toboso	Twelve-year-old Ciel Phantomhive has made a demonic pact with Sebastian Michaelis; Sebastion helps Ciel complete all his tasks, incuding avenging his parents, and Sebastion gets to consume Ciel's soul.	Status: Ongoing Volumes: 17 Genre: Gothic/Mystery
Beauty Pop by Kiyoko Arai	Follows the misadventures of teen hairstylest Kiri and her problems with 'The Scissors Project', a group of teen boys determined to become the best makeover team in Japan.	Status: Complete Volumes: 10 Genre: Comedy
Bleach by Tite Kubo	When Ichigo Kurosaki obtains the powers of a Soul Reaper, his new powers coherce him into defending humans from evil spirits and guideing the spirits of the dead to their final rest.	Status: Ongoing Volumes: 61 Genre: Action
Bone by Jeff Smith	The Bone comics follow the adventures of the three Bone cousins who are having to find a new place in the world after Phoney Bone's failed mayoral campaign.	Status: Complete Volumes: 9 Genre: Comedy/Adventure
Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel by Joss Whedon & Others	There are many graphic novels set in the Buffyverse following the Scooby Gang's further adventures. Especially recommend Buffy Season 8 and Angel Season 6 comics.	Status: Ongoing Volumes: Depends Genre: Fantasy/Adventure
Ender's Game by Multiple Authors	Graphic novelization of Orson Scott Card's famous Ender series.	Status: Finished Volumes: 11 Genre: Science Fiction
Fables by Bill Willingham	Familiar figures from legend and fairytale have spent centuries exiled from their home world and must now find a way to return.	Status: Ongoing Volumes: 20 Genre: Fantasy/ Adventure
Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa	Brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric use their skills at alchemy as they search for the Philosopher's Stone.	Status: Complete Volumes: 27 Genre: Fantasy/Adventure
Hana Kimi by Hisaya Nakajo	Mizuki Ashiya disguises herself as a boy in order to enroll in the all-boys school that her crush attends.	Status: Complete Volumes: 23 Genre: Romance/Comedy
Hikaru no Go by Yumi Hotta	Hikaru's life is forever changed when he unwittingly releases the spirit of an ancient Go Master from an old go board he finds in his grandfather's attic.	Status: Complete Volumes: 23 Genre: Comedy
InuYasha by Rumiko Takahashi	Fifteen-year-old Kagome falls down a well at her family's shrine and ends up back in the Sengoku period. There she meets an half-demon, InuYasha, and together they must gather the shattered pieces of the Jewel of Four Souls.	Status: Complete Volumes: 56 Genre: Fantasy Epic
Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya	Tohru Honda is an orphaned girl living in a tent whose life is turned upside down when she discovers that thirteen members of the powerful Sohma family are cursed.	Status: Complete Volumes: 23 Genre: Comedy
Maus: My Father Bleeds History by Art Spiegelman	This graphic novel recounts the experiences of Spiegelman's father as a Jew during World War II.	Status: Complete Volumes: 2 Genre: Biography
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children: The Graphic Novel by Ransom Riggs Art by Cassandra Jean	After his grandfather's sudden death, Jacob Portman is determined to discover the truth about the the tall tales his grandfather wove.	Status: Uncertain Volumes: 1 Genre: Fiction
Mr. Stuffins by Johanna Stokes, Andrew Cosby, & Axel Medellin Machain	When a Teddy-Ruxbin-like toy is accidentally uploaded with super spy software hilarity and chaos ensue.	Status: Complete Volumes: 1 Genre: Adventure
Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto	Naruto is an adolescent ninja in search of recognition, dreaming of becoming his village's Hokage (head ninja). This quest is complicated by the fact that the the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox was sealed into Naruto as a baby.	Status: Ongoing Volumes: 66 Genre: Fantasy/Adventure
Nightschool by Svetlana Chmakova	A normal high school transforms each evening to the Nightschool; where demons get their diplomas. Mystery abounds when Alex's sister, the new school keeper, mysteriously disappears.	Status: Complete Volumes: 4 Genre: Fantasy
One Piece by Eiichiro Oda	This series follows the screwball adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his pirate crew.	Status: Ongoing Volumes: 72 Genre: Comedy/Adventure
Pinocchio: Vampire Slayer by Van Jensen & Dusty Higgins	Pinocchio is on a mission to destroy all vampires after Geppetto is killed by bloodsuckers.	Status: Ongoing Volumes: 3 Genre: Fantasy
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon by Naoko Takeuchi	A team of magical girls whose power is linked to celestial bodies must protect the world from the forces of darkness.	Status: Compete Volumes: 18 Genre: Fantasy/Romance
Rosario + Vampire by Akihisa Ikeda	This manga follows a regular teenage boy who accidentally is enrolled for monsters and demons.	Status: Complete Volumes: 10 Genre: Comedy/Romance
Skip Beat! by Yoshiki Nakamura	Kyoko decides to get revenge on the aspiring pop star who broke her heart by beating him at the fame game.	Status: Complete Volumes: 33 Genre: Comedy/Romance
Vampire Knight by Matsuri Hino	Yuki, the adopted daughter of Cross Academy's Headmaster, is tasked with keeping the human and vampire students separate. But doing her duty becomes difficult with secrets from her past arise.	Status: Complete Volumes: 19 Genre: Fantasy/Gothic
Zombie Loan by Peach-Pit	Michiru Kita is cursed with the ability to determine the arrival of a person's death. Her life changes drastically when two boys in her class show up with black rings around their necks - proof that they are dead.	Status: Complete Volumes: 13 Genre: Horror/Action

Please note: These titles cover a wide range of reader maturity and some titles may not be appropriate for tweens or young teens. Use your own discretion and the parameters of your collection.

When adding these titles, I recommend reinforcing the tops and bottoms of spines with J-LAR or similar tape. This will add at least a dozen more circulations to an item, which is desirable as these titles tend to be expensive and easily damaged.  Along those lines - make an effort to leave volume numbers on spines viewable (this helps you AND the customer who is looking for a specific volume).

Review: The Clockwork Girl by Sean O'Reilly & Kevin Hanna

He had to make me different...

Different is why I can be here

with you. Right now.

In a far away land, two rival scientists try to create the ultimate invention - one by melding different organisms together, the other using pure machinery.  The results are the Clockwork Girl and the Wolfboy who develop a friendship that defies logic.

The Clockwork Girl was originally published as a limited run comic series between 2007 and 2008. All five volumes of the series are combined in a full-color,  hardcover edition that includes an introduction by the creators.  The colors are rich and the lines are clear; each character is given individual detail.  There are some minor inconsistencies between the cover art and the characters within the graphic novel (Tesla's nose is different) but readers are unlikely to be bothered.

The plot of forbidden friendship is not original and the reader will likely be able to see how the story will end. However, this graphic novel is not about the destination but rather the journey to friendship. The weakest area of this graphic novel is the dialogue between characters.  There is almost no character development and dialogue seems to be an afterthought.  Given the richness of the illustration, perhaps the creators would have been better served to make this a story told solely with pictures.  Younger readers will enjoy this graphic novel, but those looking for a deeper story should give it a pass.

Book Source: Local Library
Reviewer: Rebecca

Recommended Ages: 10+
Recommended for Readers of:

Review: Pinocchio, Vampire Slayer Volume 3: Of Wood and Blood, Part 1

Just my luck,

I get stuck on a deserted island

with a humorless ghost.

Of Wood and Blood, Part 1 finds Pinocchio with his trusty, spectral counterpart, Cricket, washed ashore a seemingly deserted island after their ship is sunk during a storm. Looks are deceiving as Pinocchio is quickly reunited with the living puppets Harlequin, Punch and Columbina and confronted with an army of vampires eager to bite his newly-human self. While fending of a horde -- or is it a swarm? a murder? -- of the undead, Pinocchio and his cohorts must escape the island and rescue Carlotta.

As with the previous Pinocchio, Vampire Slayer volumes, Of Wood and Blood offers plenty of chills, thrills and giggles.  Repartee between characters is snappy, entertaining and offers a much-needed levity to an otherwise dark tale.  Vampires, the hidden menace, are amassing around the world; waiting for the signal to strike and enslave the human race (a.k.a. food) forever.

Pinocchio's character has developed well for a graphic novel character and I look forward to his continued maturation in forthcoming volumes. Carlotta was rather one-dimensional in this volume, but the reader also doesn't get to see very much of her now that she is separated from the rest of the group.  Cricket was probably the most entertaining character of the novel, will far less lecturing and far more quippy one-liners and comebacks.

Readers are given a glimpse into the back-story of how the wood that the living puppets were carved from become 'alive'. This original twist on Pinocchio's origins is woven in with elements of Vlad the Impaler and vampire lore - which makes for an original origin story.

Note: While this title can be read out of order, readers will appreciate this volume more if read in order.

Book Source: Local Library

Reviewed by: Rebecca

Recommended Ages: 14+ mild language, violence and some suggestive dialogue

Recommended for Readers of:

8 Oldies But Goodies: Graphic Novels & Manga for Modern Teens

There are few things in this world as frustrating as waiting for the next volume of a current comic or manga to release.  It's like being cut off from finishing a book in the middle of a chapter and often requires a wait of a month or more.  Teens love graphic novels (for obvious reasons) but often have a hard time waiting patiently for the next volume to make it onto library shelves.

Since there's not much more annoying than a whiny teenager, I've created a list of older ("classic") graphic novels that are completely finished (or have at least 10 volumes) to keep your teens happy while they wait.  Enjoy!

Title

	Title: The Arrival Series: n/a Author: Shaun Tan Volumes: 1 Status: Completed Where to Get It: Available at many book and comic retailers Recommended Ages: All Synopsis:  This graphic novel reads like a silent film following the experiences of a traveler who arrives and makes his way in a new, unfamiliar place.  *One of the most poignant and beautiful graphic novels I've read.
	Title: The Grand Quest a.k.a. Fire & Flight Series: ElfQuest Authors: Wendy & Richard Pini Volumes: 18+ Status: Completed (The Final Quest is ongoing as a web comic) Where to Get It: Out of print, but can view series  for free here. Recommended Ages: 16+ for sensuality, adult situations & some nudity Synopsis: After betrayal leaves the Wolfriders stranded in a foreign land, Cutter must ensure the survival of his tribe while they search for a new home.  But this journey leads to an adventure the elves could never have imagined.
	Title: Legends in Exile Series: Fables Author: Bill Willingham Volumes: 18+ Status: Ongoing Where to Get It: Published through Vertigo (an imprint of DC Comics). Available at many book and comic retailers. Recommended Ages: 16+ for sensuality, adult situations & some nudity Synopsis: Characters from folklore have been driven from their homeland and are settled in the community of Fabletown in the busy metropolis of New York City.  Willingham has re-imagined familiar characters and created a multi-layered, dynamic series with a truly epic scope.
	Title: Hikaru no Go, Volume 1 Series: Hikaru no Go Author: Yumi Hotta Volumes: 23 Status: Completed Where to Get It: Can be found in many book and comic retailers. Recommended Ages: 10+ mild language Synopsis: Middle school student Hikaru discovers an ancient Go board in his grandfather's attic, only to find that it is haunted by the spirit of a long-dead Go Master. Now the ghost won't leave Hikaru alone until he learns to play Go!
	Title: Hana Kimi, Volume 1 (a.k.a Hanazakari no Kimitachi e) Series: Hana Kimi Author: Hisaya Nakajo Volumes: 23 Status: Completed Where to Get It: Published in the US by Viz Media. New 3-in-1 editions available. Recommended Ages: 15+ gender-bending, romance, mild sensuality Synopsis: Mizuki Ashiya has such a crush on Japanese track star Izumi Sano that she decides to move to Japan, disguise herself as a boy, and enroll in Sano's all-boys boarding school.  Much gender confusion and hilarity ensues.
	Title: Mars, Volume 1 Series: Mars Author: Fuyumi Soryo Volumes: 15 Status: Completed Where to Get It: Out of Print. Can be found online at sites such as MangaReader or individual sellers on Amazon. Recommended Ages: 16+ sexual abuse, rape, romance, adult situations Synopsis: Bad boy Rey and gentle, artistic Kira are worlds apart in personalities, but may just be perfect for each other. When Rey rescues Kira from the hands of her sleazy art teacher, Kira finds the courage to ask Rey to model for her. However, as their relationship blooms, the jealousy of an upperclassman and dark secrets from Kira's past come back to haunt them.
	Title: Mr. Stuffins Series: n/a Authors: Andrew Cosby & Johanna Stokes Volumes: 1 Status: Completed Where to Get It: Multiple book and comic retailers Recommended Ages: 12+ mild language, spy action, violence Synopsis: An A.I. spy personality ends up loaded into a Teddy-Ruxpin-like stuffed animal who, when powered up, believes he has a mission to complete that is critical to national security. *Make sure to read the tweets at the end!
	Title: Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Volume 1 Series: Sailor Moon Authors: Naoko Takeuchi Volumes: 12 (as of this post 8 volumes available) Status: Ongoing Where to Get It: Kodansha Comics is re-releasing the Sailor Moon manga as a 12-volume set in celebration of Sailor Moon's 20th anniversary. Recommended Ages: 12+ Synopsis: Usagi Tsugino and her friends may seem like your average high school students, but they each have a secret identity as supernatural protectors of Earth!

Review: 'Eighth Grade Bites: A Graphic Novel' by Heather Brewer

Vladimir Tod is just trying to get by as a normal teenager who doesn't suffer from any vampiric inclinations.  He keeps his head down, eats peanut butter and blood jelly sandwiches and hangs with his best (and only) friend, Henry.  But there's a problem - Vlad actually does have Nosferatu-like tendencies; he inherited them from his father who really was a vampire.  When a new teacher who seems more than passingly familiar with the supernatural comes to town, Vlad's very existence is threatened.

This graphic novel is based on Brewer's best selling The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod novels which spawned a companion series, The Slayer Chronicles. As with most graphic novel adaptations of full-length novels, I was disappointed by Eighth Grade Bites: A Graphic Novel; it felt shallow and rather empty and lacked the introspection and individuality of the text novel.  Tony Lee, who adapted the text to graphic novel format, has stripped the characters and story-lines down to bare bones while the illustrator, Julia Land, seems to have phoned in her drawings.

The entire graphic novel is flat and somewhat confusing since many of the characters are drawn in such a similar way.  The plot, what's left of it, is jumbled and I suspect that people who have not read the novel will be very confused at the end of the graphic novel.  While I highly recommend Heather Brewer's novels, I cannot say the same for the graphic adaptation.

Book Source: Local Library
Reviewer: Rebecca

Recommended Ages: 12+
Recommended for Readers of:

Review: 'Friends with Boys' by Faith Erin Hicks

Maggie has spent all of her academic life being homeschooled by her mother, but is now starting public high school and is more than a little worried.  Her three older brothers will be there to keep an eye on her, but she'll face the trials of freshman year alone.  Well, alone that is except for the ghost that has started haunting her!

Hicks has created a compelling, emotional graphic novel sure to touch a chord with many readers.  Maggie is headstrong and independant with a quirky sense of humor.  Her relationship with her father and brothers feels real and each of the characters in the story is given a depth of character not often found in the graphic novel world.  The art is clean and shading well-done.  My only criticsism is that the paranormal aspect seems a bit unnessessary.  While this seems to be a stand-alone graphic novel, I would love to see more of Maggie's high school adventures and plan to keep an eye out for Hicks's forthcoming work.

Book Source: Local Library
Reviewer: Rebecca

Recommended Ages: 12+ Mild swearing, bullying, fighting

Recommended for Readers of:

Review: 'La Corda d'Oro, Volume 1' by Yuki Kure

Every few years Seisou Academy holds an in house music contest involving the best of the musically gifted students. Kahoki is an average student in the General Education department with no musical inclination. But when Kahoki spies an elusive fairy on campus it grants her a magic violin. Now Kahoki has been placed in the competition and she has no idea what to do!

A surprisingly enjoyable manga given that it is based on a video game. Kahoki is likeable and comes across as an average girl dealing with extraordinary circumstances. Secondary characters could use a bit more development, but that is likely to happen as the story progresses. I look forward to the continued adventures of Kahoki and her magic violin.

Book Source: Local Library

Reviewer: Rebecca

Recommended Ages: 12+

Recommended for Readers of:

Hana Kimi by Misaya Nakajo	Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya	Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg	Beauty Pop by Kiyoko Arai

Review: 'MeruPuri' by Matsuri Hino

High School freshman Airi Hoshina has her life goals all set - meet a wonderful boy, get married by 20, have a wonderful, ordinary family. However, when she meets a prince from another dimension, her well-ordered life turns to chaos.

While MeruPuri is fun and light-hearted, there is more than fluff to this manga. Airi is an engaging heroine and Aram is both intriguing and amusing as the hero. The plot is fast-paced but easy to follow and even the secondary characters are well developed. The artwork is amazing! I’m just sad this manga is only four volumes long. A wonderful fantasy rom-com.

Book Source: Local Library
Reviewer: Rebecca

Recommended Ages: 14+ Some sensuality, romantic love

Recommended for Readers of:

Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey	Mars, Volume 1 by Fuyumi Soryo	Hana-Kimi, Volume 1 Misaya Nakajo	Vampire Knight, Volume 1 by Matsuri Hino

Review: 'Her Majesty's Dog, Volume 1' by Mick Takeuchi

Amane Kamori has a secret that may get her killed.  She is a medium who can control anyone with word magic. Hyoue is the guardian demon whose sole purpose is to protect Amane. Now that Amane and Hyoue have left their village to attend school, can she keep her secret? Can Hyoue keep her safe?

This manga intrigues me and I am curious to see where it will lead. Amane is a somewhat oblivious teenage girl who lacks some of the most basic in teen social interaction but who can control spirits and people.  (She seems to be uneasy with her power and only uses it  when given no other choice.)   Hyoue is temperamental and rash with the habit of kissing Amane in public.  These kisses serve the dual purpose of embarrassing Amane and allowing Hyoue to feed from her life force. While the continuing plot seems a little unfocused, the drawings and character development are enough to keep me reading.  This manga will appeal to older teens looking for a darker romantic read.

Book Source: Local Library
Reviewer: Rebecca

Recommended Ages: 16+ Mature content, violence, sensuality

Recommended for Readers of:

Zombie-Loan by Peach-Pit	City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare	The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter	Nightschool by Svetlana Chmakova

Review: 'After School Charisma, Volume 1' by Kumiko Suekane

The premise if this particular manga involves a school for clones of famous historical figures attended by a lone "regular" human, the son of the director, who begins to question the true purpose of the school.  And the humanity of his classmates.


Character development is intriguing and the figures chosen to be represented in the clones are both multicultural and unusual. Who'd have thought that Joan of Arc and Hitler might attend school with Marie Curie and Florence Nightingale? A compelling mix of mystery and questioning of fate make this an interesting read that should hook manga readers looking for a bit more depth to their stories.  Recommended for public libraries and high school libraries.


Book Source: Local Library
Reviewer: Rebecca


Recommended Ages: 16+ Sensuality, Adult Situations, Violence


Recommended for Readers of:

Black Bird by Kanoko Sakurakoji	Black Butler by Yana Toboso	Zombie-Loan by Peach-Pit	Chobits by Clamp

Review: 'Mr. Stuffins' by Johanna Stokes, Andrew Cosby

When a normal little boy buys a toy containing a top secret disc is world will never be the same. Now agents are after him and all that stands between him and capture is one teddy bear.

James Bond meets Teddy Ruxpin in this action-packed graphic novel.  Mr. Stuffins stars with a bang and sprints to the conclusion with lots of fights and teddy daring-do along the way.  The art is easy on the eyes and beautifully colored.  This novel should be a hit with the middle school crowed, though some parents may be concerned about Mr. Stuffins language.  This graphic novel is pure fun!

Book Source: Local Library
Reviewer: Rebecca

Recommended Ages: 13+ Action violence, mild profanity

Recommended for Readers of:

Oddkins by Dean R. Koontz		Scorpia by Anthony Horowitz	SilverFin by Charles Higson