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After my 11-year-old niece raved about Nimona (2015), I had to read the teen graphic novel so we could discuss it. What a story!

Are the villains really bad and are the heroes really good? That's what author Noelle Stevenson asks in this morality tale. On the surface, villain Lord Blackheart is fighting the kingdom's Institute. His nemesis and former best friend Sir Goldenloin defends the kingdom.

Nimona, a gutsy young girl and shapeshifter, offers her skills to Blackheart as his apprentice.Chaos and hilarity ensue. Quirky and engaging, with dark comedy and endearing relationships, Nimona will grab the attention of even the most reluctant reader. It's a story enhanced by the artwork.

Nimona is available to read immediately on Hoopla. You can even listen to a full cast recording.

A Silent Voice (2015) is a Japanese manga that follows the story of Shoya, a rambunctious kid who always gets into trouble with his friends. When Shoko, a deaf girl, transfers to his school he becomes obsessed with her in all the wrong ways, teasing and bullying her at any chance he gets. Eventually things get so bad that Shoko transfers schools and the bullying transfers towards him now. Years pass and Shoya and Shoko run into each other by pure chance. Now Shoya wants to find a way to make amends for his past deeds, while dealing with his own insecurities.

Check out the complete series by Yoshitoki Oima today.

From the first page of these compelling graphic memoirs, you'll be hooked. Congressman John Lewis shares his life story, from growing up on a farm in Alabama to the infamous march in Selma on Bloody Sunday. His personal journey provides an inside look at the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. With familiar faces (Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X) and lesser known figures who made incredible contributions, Lewis presents a gripping history lesson.

The black and white artwork by award winning artist Nate Powell enhances the words and emotions of Lewis' story and the nonviolent resistance movement. The words and the art complement each other immensely.There is so much to discuss—it makes a great book club pick.

Read March: Book One (2013), March: Book Two (2015), and March: Book Three (2016). Check out the graphic memoirs immediately from Hoopla. For more titles on timely issues, check out our lists: Antiracism for Adults, Social Justic & Systemic Racism, and Black Voices: Memoirs, Essays, & Poetry.

Gene Luen Yang is a comic author and writer who has written award-winning graphic novels as well as for the most iconic comic book character Superman. In Dragon Hoops (2020), Yang follows his local high school basketball team, telling their stories and comparing their athletic feats to those of the comic heroes who inspired him when he was young. Yang proves that it is the story of the hero that matters most, not the fancy cape or superpowers.

This is a great read for readers who enjoyed Ghost by Jason Reynolds, American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang, or Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson.

You can also read Dragon Hoops on Overdrive today. 

This is a charming story of city girl Jen whose family leaves the big city for the country and farm life. If farm life was not bad enough for a city girl, Jen also has two new stepsisters who live in her room every weekend. Stepping Stones (2020) centers on Jen and her sisters' life on the farm and their time spent at the farmer's market. Jen and her new sisters learn about the hard work it takes to run a farm and to be part of a family that sticks together. Overall, Lucy Knisley's story is uplifting and will appeal to readers of books like Smile and Roller Girl. 

In Nancy by Olivia Jaimes (2019), look at a collection of current Nancy newspaper comic strips. In 2018, Olivia Jaimes became the first woman to write and illustrate the classic comic strip. Nancy, a precocious eight year old, starred in the newspaper comic strip starting in 1938. Written and drawn by Ernie Bushmiller until his death in 1982, various writers and artists have continued the strip.

Jaimes, using a clever and minimalistic style, brings a fresh approach to Nancy and brought her into the 21st century, including cell phones and a robotics class. Nancy, her friend Sluggo, and Aunt Fritzi continue to be entertaining at school, home, and play. I had not seen the comic strip in years, so reading the book brought back memories of laughing at the simple strip. Nancy appeals to a broad audience.

This memoir is a moving, sad, but also hopeful story of a family affected by loss and addiction. Hey Kiddo: How I Lost my Mother, Found my Father, and Dealt with Family Addiction (2018) tells a story of how families can come in all shapes and sizes, messy and ugly, but also loving and forgiving. Throughout, Jarrett J. Krosoczka found hope and a sense of love and support. Others will feel less alone in their own struggles.
The audiobook is amazing! Using music and sound effects, this very personal audiobook is narrated by the author with family members and friends voicing the rest of the characters. In the author's notes, he gives us more insight into his family and childhood. Listen to the audiobook on Hoopla today.

The author uses mixed media art with actual letters included in with his drawings. The burnt orange undertones and pineapple wallpaper are a beautiful part of the story as the author explains in notes on his art.This powerful and unforgettable graphic novel is heartbreaking yet uplifting.

Hey Kiddo is a memoir not to be missed. Read the ebook on Overdrive.

Hey Kiddo is a National Book Award Finalist, a 2021 Abraham Lincoln Award Nominee (Abe), and a Top Ten Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults.

Just finished playing a Legend of Zelda game and are longing for more? If so, this is the perfect book for you. The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia (2013) is jam packed with pictures, lore, and information regarding the various Zelda titles. It goes in depth into how some of the environments were created and how it impacts the greater Zelda universe.

If nothing else, the book is just a joy to look at for its art style alone and design choices. Read it instantly on Hoopla today.