Feelgood graphic novels

[Anna]

I'd love to read more inclusive, feel-good MG/YA graphic novels. Which authors should I check out? Creators like Noelle Stevenson, Jen Wang, Katie O'Neill and Molly Ostertag?

Something like these lovely things:

Nimona
The Prince and the Dressmaker
The Tea Dragon Society & Aquicorn Cove
The Witch Boy series

I already have Lumberjanes on my TBR, but are there standalones or other series I should know about?

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

How YA/MG and does it have to be SFF related?

Tripping Over You is sooooo cute and it starts when the boys are in high school.

Check, Please!: #Hockey, Vol. 1 is freshman year of college, but again, incredibly sweet and funny. It's a bit more crass, but nothing graphic.

[Anna]

Doesn't have to be SFF, but obviously that's always better! Adult is fine, too, as long as it's truly feel-good loveliness.

I forgot to mention that I'd like it to be something that's been printed, because I don't love reading webcomics on any of my devices. As digital as I am, graphic works are something I prefer to read in print. That doesn't mean that webcomic suggestions aren't welcome, just that I'm less likely to actually read them.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

A fair caveat! These are both available in print, though not widely. Come to the US, I shall load you down with adorable graphic novels!

[Anna]

That is a good enough reason to enter the US! :D

[Trike]

Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal and The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Vol. 1: Squirrel Power come to mind. Also Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, Vol. 1: BFF.

Any of the Atomic Robo books. Genuinely laugh-out-loud funny at times. Especially whenever Dr. Dinosaur shows up. Atomic Robo and the Fightin' Scientists of Tesladyne.

The Griff: A Graphic Novel by Christopher Moore is a good one. So is Takio.

I don’t know that it’s full of the warm and fuzzies, but the high-concept, wordless The Park Bench is definitely worth checking out.

[Anna]

Trike wrote: "Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal and The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Vol. 1: Squirrel Power come to mind. Also Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, Vol. 1: BFF."

These three are already on my radar, though possibly not on my GR TBR, but I'll check out the others, thanks!

[Lesley]

I highly recommend American Born Chinese, which does have a fantasy element. He’s also done some other Chinese history/folklore like Boxers & Saints, but I don’t know that I would call those “feel good.” I also really liked Little White Duck : A Childhood in China, but again probably doesn’t fall into the feel good category. As Chinese American myself, I related to all of these books.

I’ve also enjoyed Anya's Ghost and The Gigantic Beard That Was Evil, which are definitely inclusive and fantasy based.

[Anna]

I didn't know ABC has fantasy elements! And I thought Anya's Ghost would be too scary :D But I'll take a second look at both, and also the others. I remember hearing someone talk about the beard one. Thanks!

[Lesley]

Yes I actually want to qualify my earlier comment and say that the fantasy part is central to the plot of ABC, which weaves in the folklore story of the Monkey King. I can definitely see how AG could be scary (there’s bones, skeletons and spirit possession), so maybe more YA than MG, but it does end on a positive, teachable moment.

[Anna]

I read the ABC blurb and added it to my TBR, although I still need to read some version of the original Monkey King story. AG and Beard are now also on my TBR, and Duck, but for a different reading mood.

[Cheryl]

Ooh, my new favorite thread!
The only three that came to mind for me you already have on your list, so I'll just lurk & mine, tyvm.

[Ariana]

Cheryl wrote: "Ooh, my new favorite thread!
The only three that came to mind for me you already have on your list, so I'll just lurk & mine, tyvm."

Same! (On all counts)

[Anna]

Sometimes you just need a lovely MG level happiness bomb in your life ^_^

[Cheryl]

Well, not a novel, but I love Heart and Brain: An Awkward Yeti Collection and the sequels. They both try so hard to help Lars have a good life! More for adults, because some of the references will go over some kids' heads, but clean/no yuck factor.

Then there's In Real Life which has some sad bits, and some intelligent negative reviews, but is sweet and really well-intentioned.

Friends have recommended Hildafolk, but I can't vouch for it as I couldn't 'get' it.

And just because I think it belongs on every list of graphic novels that are about matters of the heart and spirit, let's not forget the episodic memoir Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened.

[Cheryl]

Oh, not SF, but super popular are Sisters and others by Raina Telgemeier. Just slice of life MG really. Well, Drama is extra sweet, and for readers just a little bit older.

Oh hey, you know what's really good is the graphic adaptation of The Last Unicorn. I never appreciated that classic story until I read the sequential art edition.

[Anna]

Hildafolk is on my TBR, but the others are all new, thank you! I'll go through them later today when I have time.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Aw, I love Awkward Yeti and H&1/2!

I also like Sarah Andersen's work, the Sarah's Scribbles. I think you might find some laughs in there, Anna.

I didn't say anything about these three because while they're very good and cute they're episodic--I don't recall a strong narrative throughout? But they are very light and adorable.

[Cheryl]

Allison, you're right of course, they're not really novels with a narrative. But I can't let a thread like this go by without mentioning them! Also, Sarah Andersen is good. I think her character is a little too grumpy sometimes, but still fun.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Oh no, you're absolutely right to include them, Cheryl! They are feel good, for sure.

[Anna]

OK, a bunch more added to my TBR! I put the Last Unicorn GN on my library holds list, I haven't read the book yet, maybe I can be sneaky and read this instead, but then mark the (group) book read? :D

[Cheryl]

For a slightly younger audience, maybe 8-9 would be the focus age, consider the award-winning fantasy Tiger vs. Nightmare.

[Anna]

That looks adorable! I hope my library has it. I do read picture books on occasion, so it's not too young at all.

[Lesley]

I was just flipping through my library's Hoopla offerings and came across these: Sheets, Midnight Radio and Gender Queer: A Memoir. Has anyone read or would recommend them?

[Anna]

These aren't strictly graphic novels, but part of the story and dialogue is told in illustrations, and I absolute loved this! I already knew I'd enjoy it because it's Ursula Vernon/T. Kingfisher, but I wasn't expecting to adore it to bits <3 I forced myself to stop after book one, I'm saving these to enjoy one at a time when I need it. Highly recommended to all children, and all adults tired of the old fairy tales and typical retellings. If you've already read and liked T. Kingfisher, and don't mind reading children's books, you're going to adore these.

Harriet the Invincible
Of Mice and Magic
Ratpunzel
Giant Trouble
Whiskerella
Little Red Rodent Hood

(Works nicely on Kindle, too, even the illustrations!)

[Rachel]

What ages do you think MG is for?

[Anna]

I'm assuming you're not asking who can read MG (everyone), but what level I'm looking for? I said MG because I wanted feel-good stories without too high stakes. YA tends to be angsty, but YA and adult stories are also welcome if they're truly feel-good!

Or are you saying Hamster Princess is for kids younger than MG? I would've included children's, but I didn't want picture books for very young children, so I thought MG was closest to what I was looking for. So MG-adjacent?

edit: I think it would be more accurate to say anything between the older end of children's and younger end of YA.

And since in Finland YA books have sex, rape and murder, and books recommended to 3-6yo have kids dying in gruesome ways and aliens forcing people to commit suicide, it's probably fair to say that my inner age range detector is probably off by a mile!

[Rachel]

Honestly I was just trying to figure it out haha - Ive got no idea! I guess the next piece of information is not to read Finnish children’s books.
My kids are only in kindergarten so I don’t really know much in the kid universe

[Anna]

I tend to think it’s kids in elementary and middle school, but I doubt that’s the official range. Anyone who can read on their own, but isn’t a hormonal teen yet :D

[Melanie, the neutral party]

The prevailing trend seems to be if the character is the same age as the child reading the story. MG is chapter books, can have some illustrations but relies mostly on text, and doesn’t require the reader to infer without revealing the answer. This would be Grades 5-8.

[Anna]

Witchy by Ariel Slamet Ries was cute, and it's also a webcomic.

[Cheryl]

Anna wrote: "Witchy by Ariel Slamet Ries was cute, and it's also a webcomic."

Thanks!

[Anna]

And I *finally* got Mooncakes from the library! I've been in the holds queue since October! It was very much the feelgood YA thing I needed ^_^ There were some adorable creatures and it's always a good sign when I snap pictures of random pages and send them to people with heart-eyes emojis :D

[Raucous]

Anna wrote: "And I *finally* got Mooncakes from the library! ... it's always a good sign when I snap pictures of random pages and send them to people with heart-eyes emojis.."

That's a review that I can't ignore! I love the cover too (those eyes...). One of the local libraries has it so I've put in my request. Thanks.

[Anna]

I hope you like it Raucous!

[Anna]

Snapdragon by Kat Leyh was cute, fun, diverse and even though it had a tiny bit of sad and spooky, also very uplifting. Also cute animals!

[Cheryl]

thanks!