Graphic novels for kids – a different route to discover the pleasure of reading
Bookseller, Deborah from Kenilworth Books shares a selection of graphic novels for kids that offer a different route into discovering the pleasure of reading. Graphic Novels not only motivate children to read, they help your child to develop the skills they need to read and comprehend even more challenging works of literature later on. From hilarious capers to nail-biting thrillers and superhero adventures to touching tales, there is something here for everyone. Graphic novels are suitable for readers aged 5 upwards.
Graphic Novels for ages 5 – 7
Pablo and Splash – Sheena Dempsey
Pablo and Splash are two penguins who live in Antarctica. Pablo loves the ice, the krill and the cold. But Splash yearns for a holiday. When they tumble into a scientist’s lab and accidentally zoom off in her Time Bender machine, they end up in the Cretaceous period! No water slides or mocktails for Splash – just avoiding hungry dinosaurs. And then some dinos damage the Time Bender. How will Pablo and Splash get back to their lovely icy home?
Agent Moose – Mo O’Hara & Jess Bradley
Meet Anonymoose – the best (worst) secret agent in the Big Forest. Along with Owlfred, his slightly more intelligent sidekick, this giant master of disguise has dedicated himself to solving all of Woodland HQ’s mysteries! But this mystery is even more important than normal. Anonymoose’s rival, Camo Chameleon, is being given a trophy for being the first agent to solve 100 cases – an honour that Anonymoose just barely missed out on! – and Anonymoose is sure that something fishy is going on. The clock’s ticking and it’s up to Anonymoose and Owlfred to find Terrace the Missing Turtle before Camo steals Anonymoose’s title of the Best Secret Agent in the Woods!
Max and Chaffy: Welcome to Animal Island! – Jamie Smart
Max has just moved to Animal Island and it’s full of new friends: Orlando, Crumbs, Moose, Pedalo and a very special creature called a CHAFFY. Chaffy is lost! So, it’s down to Max to find where Chaffy belongs, and YOU can help! A heart-warming, interactive adventure story, full of friendship and joy, from bestselling author/illustrator Jamie Smart!
Press Start! Game On, Super Rabbit Boy! – Thomas Flintham
Press Start! is a series of books aimed at readers who are ready for their first chapter books or those who feel overwhelmed by longer chapter books. ‘Game On, Super Rabbit Boy’ is set in the game of Super Rabbit Boy Land, a platform game that is activated when the boy in the story presses start. For this book, Super Rabbit Boy has to save Singing Dog who has been captured by the game’s main enemy, King Viking. Once he starts the rescue, he is faced with the challenge of successfully completing six levels of increasing difficulty with only limited lives. As the game progresses, failure occurs and Super Rabbit Boy has to learn from his errors as he restarts a level. He has to remember what he has learned, apply his new knowledge, overcome his fears and go for the win.
Graphic Novels for ages 8 -11
Cactus Kid: The Battle for Star Rock Mountain – Emmanuel Guerrero
Cactus Kid is determined to become the world’s most powerful wizard and prove to his dad that he’s not a baby anymore. Having perfected his starter potion and mastered beginner fire spells, Cactus Kid is now ready to take it to the next level. According to the Manual Magic Spell Book, the addition of stardust from a star rock will boost his potion, so he heads to Star Rock Mountain in the Never-ending Desert to search for the special ingredient.
Famous Five Graphic Novel: Five on a Treasure Island : Book 1 – Enid Blyton
This superb new edition will capture the imagination of readers of any age. It’s Julian, Dick and Anne’s first visit to Kirrin to meet their cousin George – never call her Georgina! – and her loyal dog Timmy. Exploring together, they discover the location of some ancient family treasure marked on a hidden map. They must work quickly to find it as they are not the only ones searching for it.
El Deafo – Cece Bell
El Deafo is a funny, deeply honest graphic novel memoir for middle graders. It chronicles the author’s hearing loss at a young age and her subsequent experiences with a powerful and very awkward hearing aid called the Phonic Ear. It gives her the ability to hear–sometimes things she shouldn’t–but also isolates her from her classmates.
Hilda and the Stone Forest – Luke Pearson
Hilda’s mum has grounded her, fed up with Hilda making up stories to cover up her real activities: battling strange sea demons, exploring the forest, flying through the night on enormous magical birds. But when she persuades her brother Tontu to help her slip through a magic portal in the wall of her bedroom to see the troll fires up on the hill, Mum accidentally gets sucked through too, and Mum and Hilda end up somewhere they didn’t expect.
Click here to for more children’s book recommendations from Kenilworth Books
