Top 10 Graphic Novels

In honor of the upcoming Graphic Novel Readathon, I decided to make a list of my 10 favorite graphic novels. This list was not as difficult to make as I thought it would be, as I had room for most of my favorites. Although the list is a "top ten," the books are not strictly in order of how much I like them. The first three definitely deserve their place at the top, but other than that, I love them all.

So, without further ado:

1. Rapunzel's Revenge / Calamity Jack, by Shannon, Dean and Nathan Hale
These are my absolute favorite graphic novels. As I say in my review, these are the books I will turn to again and again. I'll never tire of them, and I recommend them to young and old alike.

2. Bone, by Jeff Smith
A fantastic and epic tale. I have read this at least four times in the last three years, and I love it more every time. It's quite long, but the length simply adds to how much I enjoy it.

3. Amulet, by Kazu Kibuishi
One of my favorite graphic novel series. I look forward to the release of each volume (there are 5 so far) and the story continues to get better with each one.

4. The Invention of Hugo Cabret, by Brian Selznick
The Invention of Hugo Cabret is not strictly a graphic novel, but it is absolutely amazing, and I am counting it in this list because the images are just as important as the text. A fantastic read.

5. Robot Dreams, by Sara Varon
A sweet and simple story with a powerful message. I loved this book, and cannot wait to revisit it.

6. Anya's Ghost, by Vera Brosgol
Subtle and enjoyable, Anya's Ghost is a great read for all ages. The illustrations are excellent, and the story is entrancing.

7. Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword / Hereville: How Mirka Met a Meteorite, by Barry Deustch
A great story about "Yet another troll-fighting 11-year-old Orthodox Jewish girl." Deutsch makes the most of the graphic novel format, and teaches the readers a bit too in this lovely coming-of-age tale.

8. Smile, by Raina Telgemeier
A fantastic coming-of-age story with great illustrations, a strong voice, relatable protagonist, and engaging story. I'd happily hand this to any middle school girl.

9. Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales, by Nathan Hale
A fun and fact-filled historical series for middle graders. I loved them and am eagerly awaiting the next volume.

10. The Adventures of Tintin, by Hergé
I haven't yet read all 24 volumes of the Tintin series, but I've loved those I have read. They have a timeless quality and are pure fun. I am excited both to reread my old favorites and to discover the rest of the books.

And there you have it: my ten favorite graphic novels! I could go on and on and on with honorary mentions, but suffice it to say that there are many excellent graphic novels that didn't make it onto this list. I hope to revist them as well during the readathon.

I find it interesting that all of the books on this list are middle grade graphic novel. It's not as if GNs for older readers don't exist - they do, and I've read them - but I prefer my GNs for the younger set. I get more out of the story if I am not cringing from R-rated content. Plus, middle grade graphic novels are awesome, so there's nothing more to say.

Don't forget to sign up for the Graphic Novel readathon, going on right here at Pica Reads, on January 3-6! Read some of the books on this list, or come up with your own list of favorites!

Mini-Review: Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword

by Barry Deutsch
Series: Hereville #1
Hardcover, 144 pages
Published November 1st 2010 by Amulet Books
Age Recommendation: Middle Grade

Summary (from Goodreads):
Spunky, strong-willed eleven-year-old Mirka Herschberg isn’t interested in knitting lessons from her stepmother, or how-to-find-a-husband advice from her sister, or you-better-not warnings from her brother. There’s only one thing she does want: to fight dragons!

Granted, no dragons have been breathing fire around Hereville, the Orthodox Jewish community where Mirka lives, but that doesn’t stop the plucky girl from honing her skills. She fearlessly stands up to local bullies. She battles a very large, very menacing pig. And she boldly accepts a challenge from a mysterious witch, a challenge that could bring Mirka her heart’s desire: a dragon-slaying sword! All she has to do is find—and outwit—the giant troll who’s got it!

A delightful mix of fantasy, adventure, cultural traditions, and preteen commotion, Hereville will captivate middle-school readers with its exciting visuals and entertaining new heroine.

As creative and unusual middle grade graphic novels go, Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword is an excellent standout. Mirka's story is engaging and different, and readers will be delighted to see her come into her own. The plot is well-written and the illustrations are fantastic. I was especially glad to see that the story was self-contained in a single volume (I have read far too many graphic novels where none of the loose ends are wrapped up for several volumes), and even within the somewhat restrictive graphic novel format, Deutsch was able to show Mirka's growth as a character and connect her journey to itself in a larger way.

The story is very different from everything else I have read in the genre, mostly set apart by Mirka's unique community and family. Everyone in Hereville is orthodox Jewish (as referenced by the awesome subtitle "Yet another troll-fighting 11-year-old Orthodox Jewish girl"), and the graphic novel format is excellent at showing the reader around this fictionalized community that still adheres to very real traditions.

Overall Thoughts: The story was very clever, with great characters, an interesting plot, and engaging illustrations. I would happily hand this to a middle schooler (girl or boy) looking for a good graphic novel. I'd never heard of it outside of the one author interview I found, and it definitely deserves a larger audience. I recommend giving Mirka a try.

I found this trailer on the author's website, and I liked that it gave an example of the illustrations. Enjoy!