10 Incredible Graphic Novels Coming Out in 2023
Graphic novels are a book form that sneaked up on me. I think the first one I read for review here (which blew me away) was ESTRANGED: THE CHANGELING KING by Ethan Aldridge. Once I feasted my eyes on that incredible story, I knew there was no going back. Since then, I’ve built a list of graphic novel writers and artists whose work is too good to be missed. Here are the ones with books coming out this year.
Notably absent is Tim Probert, whose third book in the Lightfall series I’m eagerly anticipating. I haven’t seen any release news on it yet, but I’m hoping it’ll be out in 2024.
10 Amazing Graphic Novels to Read This Year
Moth Keeper by K. O’Neill
What You Need to Know: Beautiful, fantasy-filled illustrations. A story of friendship, magic, hope, and community. By the author of the Tea Dragon series.
Published: March 7, 2023 | Ages: 10 to 14.
Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty, Michael Moreci, and Braeden Sherrell
What You Need to Know: Missing children, a girl secretly living in a mansion basement, a mysterious man in a black cloak only she can stop. The graphic novel version of the bestselling middle-grade adventure.
Published: April 4, 2023 | Ages: 8 to 12.
Squire & Knight by Scott Chantler
Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | My Review
What You Need to Know: I think the author said he pitched this as “T.H. White plays Dungeons and Dragons with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.” Which is brilliant and pretty accurate! I loved the characters and attention to detail in the panels.
Published: May 9, 2023 | Ages: 8 to 12.
Constellations by Kate Glasheen
Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | My Review
What You Need to Know: When a drunken accident lands Claire in rehab, they reluctantly begin to learn about addiction and recovery. A tender, vulnerable journey of identity and acceptance. This is another one that made me cry!
Published: May 23, 2023 | Ages: 14 up.
Deephaven by Ethan Aldridge
What You Need to Know: Words I like about this graphic novel description: gothic middle grade, nonbinary main character, boarding school with secrets. By the author of the ESTRANGED duology and LEGEND OF BRIGHTBLADE, and also my favorite graphic novel author.
Published: September 5, 2023 | Ages: 10 to 14.
Wingborn (Wingbearer #2) by Marjorie Liu and Grace Kum
What You Need to Know: The Wingbearer series continues, delivering new adventures of this gorgeous, emotive fantasy. The first book in the series is a favorite in my house.
Published: November 21, 2023 | Ages: 8 to 12.
Heartstopper: Volume Five by Alice Oseman
What You Need to Know: The fifth installment of Nick and Charlie’s love story. With Nick heading to university next year, are things about to change? A sweet story of love and friendship.
Published: December 12, 2023 | Ages: 14 up.
What are your favorite graphic novels?
If you are a graphic novel reader, leave a comment telling me about your favorite author. Have you read any of the books on this list? What graphic novels are you most looking forward to this year? Leave a comment and let me know!
Marvelous Middle-Grade Mondays
Check out other blogs posting about middle-grade books today on Marvelous Middle Grade Mondays at Always in the Middle with Greg Pattridge.
I don’t read a lot of graphic novels but I’m adding some of these to my list! Thank you for sharing!
Oh yay! I’m so glad you found some that interest you. I hope you enjoy them. 🙂
My students love graphic novels. I have read some- but for me they are not a go to genre. I do love that people love them and eat them up- because that is awesome. I am most curious about The Moth Keeper and Work in Progress- both books I have been hearing great things about. Thanks for sharing this list with us!
You’re welcome! My nephews love them, too. ???? I’m glad there are some on the list that interest you– I hope you get a chance to read them or share them with your students. I really enjoyed both of them.
I’ve seen reviews for a few of these titles so I appreciate the comprehensive selection you presented here. Yes, I have The Moth Keeper on my future read list thanks to seeing it here and reading Max’s review. Thanks for including your post on today’s MMGM.
Thanks! I’m glad it was helpful. I hope you enjoy The Moth Keeper when you get to it. 🙂 Happy MMGM!
I don’t read a lot of graphic novels, but I am putting Work in Progress and Squire and Knight on my list. They both look really good. Thanks for the recommendations.
I’m so glad you found a couple that sound good. I hope you enjoy them. 🙂
What a great list of graphic novels to seek out! (And I’m going to look for the Estranged novels, too.) I love graphic novels but tend to forget about them when I’m looking for new reads (possibly because I read almost exclusively on my phone nowadays: too convenient plus I can make the font really large for my old eyes). So it’s great to be reminded and have an excuse to visit the very good graphic novel section of my local library.
I really like Zita the Space Girl, and everything else by Ben Hatke; the Amulet series; The Nameless City series by Faith Erin Hicks; and the Hilda series by Luke Pearson. Also Shannon Hale has some great graphic novels. Oh, and Dav Pilkey’s graphic novels are hilarious: love them!
Thank you so much! I like reading graphic novels on my phone or tablet, too. I like the feature where you can zoom into each panel one at a time. Helps me absorb the story better, I think. I’m on book 3 of the Amulet series, I think, but I’ll definitely check out the others you mentioned. I think I’ve read something by Dav Pilkey, but I can’t remember off the top of my head. 🙂 Anyway– thank you again for your recs.
This post was WAY too exciting for me, as a pretty massive graphic novel fan!
I actually just wholeheartedly recommended The Moth Keeper today for MMGM, and I saw another blogger today (Linda Baie at teacherdance.org) who praised A Work in Progress, so that’s on my TBR list.
Deephaven, The Infinity Particle, and Constellations also made it onto my TBR—so this was a very fruitful post!
Thanks so much for the thoughtful picks, Kasey—it was delightful to read them!
Yay! I’m so glad you got a lot out of the post. Yes– I saw The Moth Keeper on your post, too. I added the other book you recommended to my reading list. I’d say it’s been a great MMGM day for both of us! Haha. 🙂