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.
The Curie Society by Heather Einhorn, et al
The Curie Society introduces readers to three brilliant young women–Simone, Maya, and Taj– ready to make their mark on the world. But then they are recruited by the secretive Curie Society, an organization dedicated to helping women in the sciences. The Society, however, is hiding something, and what they are not telling the new recruits could affect the future of the planet.
Ms. Krysta says: “The Curie Society is an engrossing read that pairs science with story, integrating fun facts about the world around us into a plot about saving the planet. Readers who enjoy fast-paced action stories will enjoy reading about the top-secret mission our young heroes embark on, complete with cool gadgets and some hand-to-hand combat. Perfect for readers who like to solve mysteries along with the protagonists.”
Becoming Brianna by Terri Libenson
Bri hates being the center of attention, so she has no idea why she agreed to her mom’s suggestion that she host a big event where she has to learn a new language and make a speech. Plus, she is fighting with her best friend Emmie, who thinks her new friend Zoe is being nice just to be invited to the party. Middle school can be challenging, but Bri has the strength and the support to make it through. Part of the Emmie & Friends series.
Ms. Krysta says: “Becoming Brianna is a relatable coming-of-age story featuring a middle-school girl navigating her changing relationships with her friends and family. After agreeing to celebrate her bat mitzvah to please her mom, Bri has to decide what the event means to her. Along the way, she finds her voice as she deals with conflict in her friend group and tries to make a celebration that will not only please everyone else, but also reflect her own identity. The notebook-style presentation of the book will appeal to fans of works like the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.”
Anti/Hero by Kate Karyus Quinn and Demitria Lunetta
Anti/Hero introduces two new characters to the DC universe! Piper Pájaro is a thirteen-year-old with super strength who wants to become a superhero. Her classmate Sloan Macbrute has a genius brain and is on her way to becoming a supervillain. When the two switch bodies, they have to learn to work together to defeat a supervillain known as the Bear.
Skylan B. says: “I love how one character is a superhero and one is a villain and that they have similar problems. Piper, who is a superhero, has parents who are in Antarctica. She misses them, but she manages to have a positive attitude throughout her life. Sloan, on the other hand (supervillain), has a mom who’s very sick, and so she works with her grandfather the Bear, who is a supervillain, too. I love how she’s loving to her mom, but manages to keep a cold, hard exterior– but then she slowly opens up to Piper. Great comic!”
Dungeon Critters by Natalie Riess and Sara Goetter
The Dungeon Critters are a group of animal companions with a thirst for D&D-stye adventure! When a botanical conspiracy among the nobility comes to light, the Dungeon Critters will have to brave haunted places as well as high-society balls if they are to complete their quest.
The Doctor says: “Dungeon Critters is a graphic novel about four friends named Rose, Juniper, Goro, and Chirp, and their adventure to find out the secret of an evil plant, and what the Baron and Duchess are planning with it. It’s a cute, sweet adventure story with lots of funny bits, too.”
Delicates by Brenna Thummler
Marjorie’s best friend Wendell is a ghost. But when Marjorie starts hanging out with the popular kids at school, she does not want them to know about Wendell, in case they think she is too weird. Eliza Duncan is a photographer out to capture a ghost on film, and the other kids bully her because of her supernatural obsession. Is Marjorie’s silence partly to blame for how the other kids treat Eliza? And is she willing to pay the cost to keep being friends with the cool kids? The sequel to Sheets.
Ms. Faith says: “Delicates reminds us that everyone has ghosts and there’s no shame in letting them out (pg. 287). This is a bittersweet book about loss, friendship, fitting in, and learning that it’s okay to stand out. It’s about ghosts that haunt (or not) and ghosts that live inside all of us. Most importantly, Delicates reminds us to speak up. Speak up for others, speak up for ourselves, and speak up against bullies. I couldn’t say it better than the author in her dedication: ‘For anyone who feels lost, hurt, or alone. You matter.’”
