Tween Comic Club is a place for comic lovers ages 9-14 to discuss what they are reading each month. Here is the latest list of the books we’ve been talking about and that our tween readers recommend! Follow the links to check out a copy for yourself. And don’t forget to join a Tween Comic Club meeting if you would like to learn how you can submit your own recommendations to our feature! We typically meet on the third Tuesday of each month. Find our next meeting on the events calendar.
Just Roll With It by Veronica Agarwal and Lee Durfey-Lavoie
Maggie worries about starting middle school, and relies on her 20-sided die in order to tell her what to do. But though she seems to get off to a good start by making a new friend, she soon begins to worry that an animal on the school lawn is really a dragon! This coming-of-age story featuring a protagonist who has OCD will appeal to readers who love books like Raina Telgemeier’s Smile or Shannon Hale’s Real Friends.
The Doctor says: “Just Roll with It is about a girl named Maggie trying to make friends in her first year of middle school. But then, there are rumors of a dragon on the school grounds and she’s having trouble finding an after school club. And what will happen if she rolls the wrong number on her 20-sided die?”
Scooby Apocalypse: Volume 1, by Jim Lee, Kieth Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis
When zombies take over, there is only one hope left for humanity– a group of meddling kids and a dog named Scooby-Doo!
Skylan says: “When Scooby-Doo and the gang realize there’s a zombie apocalypse at hand…everything is at risk! This was really a good comic with lots of cliffhangers and tons of humor! Perfect for Scooby fans!”
Goodbye, Stacey, Goodbye by Ann M. Martin & Gabriela Epstein
Stacey is moving back to New York City and her friends must figure out not only how to say goodbye, but also how to fill her spot in the Baby-Sitters Club. Book 11 in the Babysitters-Club Graphic Novel series.
Zoe says: “Goodbye, Stacey, Goodby was a good, but sad book. The humor was great as always and made me feel like I was in the book. It was a quick read that helped me kill time and it helped me acknowledge the things that make me happy. I hope there are more books in the library that make me feel like that.”
Supers by Frédéric Maupomé
Matt, Lily, and Benji come from another planet. For now, however, they are hiding on Earth and trying to blend in at school. But they possess superpowers that could help others. Should the siblings risk discovery by using those powers?
Ms. Faith says: “YES! I loved this graphic novel. The illustrations were awesome. The story was full of adventure, family drama, friendship/school drama, super hero action, and page-turning thrills that kept me reading until the very end…which definitely ended with no conclusion. Guess I’ll have to keep reading this series, if I can find them…”
The Hidden Witch by Molly Ostertag
Aster has broken family tradition by choosing to train as a witch, instead of as a shapeshifter like the other boys. But he has more to worry him than his training. His non-magical friend Charlie is trying to escape a curse. Can Aster and Charlie find the source of the curse before it’s too late?
Mr. Jude says: “After the events of the first book, Witch Boy, Aster finally begins his training in spellcrafting, but finds it difficult being years behind everyone else in his class. His grandmother also seeks help from Aster to undo the curse that corrupted his uncle. Meanwhile, Aster’s friend Charlie meets a new girl in her school who has an unhealthy use of magic that grows stronger and more dangerous. Molly Ostertag does an incredible job doing both writing and art that is comforting yet beautiful in this sequel about what it means to be a comfort to those who have trauma and trouble adjusting.”
Stuntboy, in the Meantime by Jason Reynolds and Raúl the Third
Portico Reeves is secretly a superhero–the kind who keeps all the other heroes, like his parents and his friends, safe. But his parents have been fighting a lot lately–and that gives Portico the Frets. Portico will need to call upon all his superpowers, and his new calming techniques, if he is going to save his parents. An illustrated novel.
Ms. Krysta says: “Stuntboy, in the Meantime vividly brings Portico’s world to life–a world where reality and fantasy seem to intersect as Portico uses episodes from his favorite superhero show to understand what is happening around him. Recently, his parents have started fighting over who gets to take what to their new apartments, but Portico is not ready to admit that his parents are separating. Instead, he keeps trying to save them by using his own superpowers–usually some sort of humorous distraction. The book ends unresolved, but holds out hope that Portico will be able to accept the changes in his life. A must-read for fans of Jason Reynolds.”
