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.
Young Justice, Vol. 2 : Lost in the Multiverse by Brian Michael Bendis, et al
The Young Justice team has been victorious on Gemworld! Now, all they have to do is get back home. But they’re lost in the multiverse and anything could happen!
Creative Sky says: “After defeating Lord Opal in Gemworld, the Young Justice team gets lost in the multiverse! They have a lot of trouble getting back home. I love how the first two universes are so cute, and there are back stories on the newest members. And watch out! There’s a new team member!”
Sunny Makes a Splash by Jennifer L. Holm
It’s summer and Sunny is ready for freedom! So when the opportunity comes to work at the pool snack stand, she eagerly accepts. Working at the pool turns out to be just like a real-life soap opera, with the summer flirtations and the drama of feeding a horde of hungry children. Could this just be the best summer yet?
Ms. Krysta says: “Book four in the Sunny series feels just like a slice of summer! Jennifer L. Holm brings the late 1970s setting to life in wonderful detail, from the dangerously high diving board to the media and fashions that were a part of tween culture. Sunny just wants to take it all in, even though her mom is not ready to let her go. A visit from Sunny’s grandfather adds to the humor, as Sunny’s mom tries to keep both of them in check, scolding them for staying out late and going out on dates. Fans of the series will not want to miss out on this latest installment!”
Salt Magic by Hope Larson & Rebecca Mock
Vonceil feels left behind by her older brother Elber when he returns from the war and marries his sweetheart, instead of spending time with her. So when a stylish and mysterious lady appears in their small town, looking for Elber, Vonceil thinks this is their chance to run away and have adventures. But Elber refuses to leave his wife, and the mysterious woman turns the family’s well to salt water as revenge. Now Vonceil will have to travel to the home of the salt witch and find a way to undo the spell before her entire family dies.
Ms. Krysta says: “Salt Magic is a moving tale about hope, loss, strength, sacrifice, and, of course, family. When her elder brother Elber causes a witch to curse her family’s well water, Vonceil sets out to discover the secrets of the witch and undo the spell. But magic does not come without a cost, and Vonceil will have to give up what she values most in order to protect the people she loves. An enchanting story that will stay with readers.”
Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson
Twelve-year-old Astrid has been best friends with Nicole forever. But when Astrid signs up for roller derby and Nicole signs up for dance classes, their friendship becomes strained. Is Astrid strong enough not only to compete in her first roller derby, but also to deal with changing friendships? A Newbery Honor winner.
Grace H. says: “Roller Girl is a good book that has great drawings and colors. It is an awesome story about learning how to balance friendships and your hobbies. Overall, Roller Girl is a great book.”
Guts by Raina Telgemeier
In this follow-up to Smile and Sisters, Raina wakes up one day with an upset stomach. Her mother thinks it will go away, but it doesn’t. Guts sensitively chronicles young Raina’s experience with anxiety as she tries to navigate middle school.
Zoe B. says: “Guts is a good and funny story. It made me feel like I was there experiencing it. The pictures were funny but heartfelt and made me laugh for a while.”
The Secret Garden on 81st Street by Ivy Noelle Weir & Amber Padilla
When her parents die in a tragic accident, Mary Lennox goes to live at her uncle Archie’s place in New York City. But he has no video games in the house and something weird is going on–Mary can hear people on the floor above her, said to be empty. Then Mary discovers her uncle’s rooftop garden, abandoned after the death of his husband. Mary wants to bring it back to life, but she will need the help of friends to do it.
Ms. Krysta says: “This contemporary retelling of The Secret Garden brings Mary to New York, where she not only discovers the culture of the city, but also learns to deal with the loss of her parents by talking to others and planting a garden. Written with sympathy and insight, this updated take on an old favorite will have readers interested in Mary’s story, and hopeful for her future, from the very first pages.”
The Books of Elsewhere: The Shadows by Jacqueline West
When eleven-year-old Olive and her parents move into an old Victorian mansion, Olive discovers that she can travel into the paintings! But a mysterious boy lives there, along with darker things. Can Olive save her house–and her family–from the shadows? A prose novel.
The Doctor says: “The Shadows is about a family who moves to a new house, where their daughter Olive finds a pair of glasses that lets her travel into the paintings that hang on the wall of the house… but in these painting realms, everything isn’t how it seems. The Shadows is a good book with a dramatic and exciting plot, and a huge plot twist towards the end. And there are talking cats. Enough said.”
