Staff Picks
Graphic Novel Adaptations
- Thomas M.
- Monday, December 20, 2021
Collection
How does an artist take the descriptions and inner lives of prose characters and translate them into pictures and poses against backgrounds? This list represents a wide range of stylistic adaptations of prose stories and poems, including manga versions of several classics. Visual elements and speech bubbles can also help developing readers comfortably navigate the text. These graphic novels are great for fresh takes on old favorites as well as gateways for new readers to get hooked.
Fairy Tale Comics
[Classic Tales Told by Extraordinary Cartoonists
Published in 2013
From favorites like Puss in Boots and Goldilocks to obscure gems like The Boy Who Drew Cats, this volume has something to offer every reader. Seventeen fairy tales are wonderfully adapted and illustrated in comics format by such noted artists as Raina Telgemeier, Brett Helquist, Cherise Harper, and others.
The Graphic Canon of Children's Literature
The World's Great Kids' Lit As Comics and Visuals
Published in 2014
The original three-volume anthology The Graphic Canon presented the world's classic literature -- from ancient times to the late twentieth century -- as eye-popping comics, illustrations, and other visual forms. In this follow-up, young people's literature through the ages is given new life for an adult audience by contemporary comic artists and illustrators. Fairy tales, fables, fantastical adventures, young adult novels, swashbuckling yarns, your favorite stories from childhood and your teenage years -- they're all here, in all their original complexity and strangeness, before they were censored or sanitized.
The Graphic Canon, Vol. 01
From the Epic of Gilgamesh to Shakespeare to Dangerous Liaisons
Published in 2012
The Graphic Canon. Vol. 02
From "Kubla Khan" to the Brontë Sisters to The Picture of Dorian Gray
Published in 2012
Speak
The Graphic Novel
Published in 2018
"Speak up for yourself -- we want to know what you have to say." From the first moment of her freshman year at Merryweather High, Melinda knows this is a big fat lie, part of the nonsense of high school. She is friendless -- an outcast -- because she busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops, so now nobody will talk to her, let alone listen to her.
Beautiful Creatures
The Manga
Published in 2013
In a graphic novel adaptation of the book, sixteen-year-old Ethan is powerfully drawn to Lena, a new classmate with whom he shares a psychic connection and whose family hides a dark secret that may be revealed on her sixteenth birthday.
Great Expectations
Published in 2017
Pip's life was stricken with tragedy as a small boy, being orphaned with the loss of his mother, father and siblings. Pip forms a relationship with the odd Miss Havisham and her lovely adopted daughter Estella. An anonymous benefactor whisks Pip away from the life he once knew and the people he cared for to one of class and high society. When his beloved Estella enters his life once more, after many years apart, she denies him the affections he longs for. Pip has life-altering experiences throughout this story that will keep the listeners intrigued until the end.
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Published in 2017
Mark Twain's classic tale of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn tells of a young boy's adventures on the Mississippi River and life in the antebellum South.
Emma
Published in 2015
A manga adaptation of the classic literary novel by Jane Austen about a well-meaning, but bumbling young matchmaker.
The Scarlet Letter
Published in 2015
A powerful tale of forbidden love, shame, and revenge comes to life in Manga Classics: The Scarlet Letter. Faithfully adapted by Crystal Chan from the original novel, this new edition features stunning artwork by SunNeko Lee (Manga Classics: Les Miserables) which will give old and new readers alike a fresh insight into the Nathaniel Hawthorne's tragic saga of Puritan America.
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
Published in 2014
"Seymour Chwast, an icon of the graphic design world, has delighted audiences with his adaptations of The Divine Comedy, The Canterbury Tales, and The Odyssey, but it is in Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court that he has found his match. Inspired by Twain's comic irreverence for the Knights of the Round Table, Chwast's illustrations showcase his humor at its finest. He brings us a brilliant imagining of the beloved hero, Hank Morgan, as well as the full cast of Camelot characters, from Merlin to Lancelot to the king himself. With a bold and colorful design and no shortage of witty surprises, this is Mark Twain as you've never seen him before"-- Provided by publisher.
The Odyssey
Published in 2012
Presents a visual interpretation of Homer's classic that utilizes a black, white, and blue interior design infused with the artist's sly humor.
The Mortal Instruments
The Graphic Novel. Vol. 01
Published in 2017
Suddenly able to see demons and the Shadowhunters who are dedicated to returning them to their own dimension, fifteen-year-old Clary Fray is drawn into this bizarre world when her mother disappears and Clary herself is almost killed by a monster.
Between Shades of Gray
Published in 2021
Just in time for the 10th anniversary of ?Between Shades of Gray , Ruta Sepetys's award-winning debut novel, and inspiration for the major motion picture? Ashes in the Snow , is now a gorgeous graphic novel! From #1 ?New York Times ?and international bestselling author and Carnegie Medal winner of? Salt to the Sea ?comes a story of loss and of fear?and ultimately of survival?in a brand-new four-color format. "Few books are beautifully written, fewer still are important; this novel is both." ?The Washington Post A? New York Times? notable book An international bestseller A Carnegie Medal nominee A William C. Morris Award finalist A Golden Kite Award winner June, 1941. A knock comes at the door and the life of fifteen-year-old Lina Vilkas changes forever. She's arrested by the Soviet secret police and deported from Lithuania to Siberia with her mother and younger brother. The conditions are horrific and Lina must fight for her life and for the lives of those around her, including the boy that she loves. Risking everything, she secretly passes along clues in the form of drawings, hoping they will reach her father's prison camp. But will her messages, and her courage, be enough to reunite her family? Will they be enough to keep her alive? A moving and haunting novel perfect for readers of? The Book Thief , now available as a stunning graphic novel.
Between Shades of Gray
The Graphic Novel
Published in 2021
In 1941, fifteen-year-old Lina, her mother, and brother are pulled from their Lithuanian home by Soviet guards and sent to Siberia, where her father is sentenced to death in a prison camp while she fights for her life, vowing to honor her family and the thousands like hers by burying her story in a jar on Lithuanian soil. Based on the author's family, includes a historical note.
Octavia E. Butler's Kindred
A Graphic Novel Adaptation
Published in 2017
Octavia E. Butler's bestselling literary science-fiction masterpiece, Kindred, now in graphic novel format. More than 35 years after its release, Kindred continues to draw in new readers with its deep exploration of the violence and loss of humanity caused by slavery in the United States, and its complex and lasting impact on the present day. Adapted by celebrated academics and comics artists Damian Duffy and John Jennings, this graphic novel powerfully renders Butler's mysterious and moving story, which spans racial and gender divides in the antebellum South through the 20th century. Butler's most celebrated, critically acclaimed work tells the story of Dana, a young black woman who is suddenly and inexplicably transported from her home in 1970s California to the pre-Civil War South.
Tom's Midnight Garden
A Graphic Adaptation of the Philippa Pearce Classic
Published in 2018
Tom finds himself in the midst of a strange adventure involving a garden that appears only at night and a girl from another time.
The Great Gatsby
The Graphic Novel
Published in 2020
Jay Gatsby had once loved beautiful, spoiled Daisy Buchanan, then lost her to a rich boy. Now, mysteriously wealthy, he is ready to risk everything to woo her back. This is the definitive, textually accurate edition of a classic of twentieth-century literature, The Great Gatsby. The story of the fabulously wealthy Jay Gatsby and his love for the beautiful Daisy Buchanan has been acclaimed by generations of readers; however the first edition contained a number of errors resulting from Fitzgerald's extensive revisions and a rushed production schedule.
To Kill a Mockingbird
A Graphic Novel
Published in 2018
The explosion of racial hate in an Alabama town is viewed by a little girl whose father defends a black man accused of rape.
How to Talk to Girls at Parties
Published in 2016
Neil Gaiman! Fb̀io Moon! Gabriel B!̀Two teenage boys are in for a tremendous shock when they crash a party where the girls are far more than they appear! From Neil Gaiman-one of the most celebrated authors of our time-and award-winning artists Fb̀io Moon and Gabriel B,̀ this sumptuous graphic novel is not to be missed! Moon and B ̀adapt the Gaiman story they were born to draw!
How to Talk to Girls at Parties
Published in 2016
"Enn is a fifteen-year-old boy who just doesn't understand girls, while his friend Vic seems to have them all figured out. Both teenagers are in for the shock of their young lives, however, when they crash a local party only to discover that the girls there are far, far more than they appear!"-- Provided by publisher.
Turtle in Paradise
Published in 2021
A graphic novel adaptation of the beloved, bestselling Newbery Honor-winning novel. Eleven-year-old Turtle is smart and tough and has seen enough of the world not to expect a Hollywood ending. After all, it's 1935 and money?and sometimes even dreams?is scarce. So when Turtle's mother gets a job housekeeping for a lady who doesn't like kids, Turtle heads off to Florida to live with relatives. Florida's like nothing Turtle's ever seen before, though. It's full of ragtag boy cousins, family secrets to unravel . . . and even a little bit of fun. Before she knows what's happened, Turtle finds herself coming out of her shell. And as she does, her world opens up in the most unexpected ways. Inspired by family stories, three-time Newbery Honor winner Jennifer L. Holm blends family lore with America's past in this charming gem of a novel, now adapted into graphic novel form by rising star Savanna Ganucheau.
The Jungle
Published in 2019
"A compelling graphic novel adaptation of Upton Sinclair's seminal protest novel that brings to life the harsh conditions and exploited existences of immigrants in Chicago's meatpacking industry in the early twentieth century"-- Provided by publisher.
Jo
An Adaptation of Little Women (sort Of)
Published in 2020
"With the start of eighth grade, Jo March decides it's time to get serious about her writing and joins the school newspaper. But even with her new friend Freddie cheering her on, becoming a hard-hitting journalist is a lot harder than Jo imagined. That's not all that's tough. Jo and her sisters--Meg, Beth, and Amy--are getting used to a new normal at home, with their dad deployed overseas and their mom, a nurse, working overtime. What does it take to figure out who you are? Jo March is about to find out."--Provided by publisher.
Beowulf
Published in 2007
This exhilarating graphic-novel edition of an ancient classic honors the spirit of the original as it attracts modern readers. The epic tale of the great warrior Beowulf has thrilled readers through the ages -- and now it is reinvented for a new generation with Gareth Hinds's masterful illustrations. Grendel's black blood runs thick as Beowulf defeats the monster and his hideous mother, while somber hues overcast the hero's final, fatal battle against a raging dragon. Speeches filled with courage and sadness, lightning-paced contests of muscle and will, and funeral boats burning on the fjords are all rendered in glorious and gruesome detail. Told for more than a thousand years, Beowulf's heroic saga finds a true home in this graphic-novel edition.
King Lear
A Play by William Shakespeare
Published in 2009
When an old and jaded king sets out to divide his realm among his three daughters, demanding proof of their devotion in words, he instead divides his family. So begins a bitter struggle that eats away at the kingdom-- and the old man's sanity-- in this timeless tale of pride and defiance.
The Odyssey
A Graphic Novel
Published in 2010
Retells, in graphic novel format, Homer's epic tale of Odysseus, the ancient Greek hero who encounters witches and other obstacles on his journey home after fighting in the Trojan War.
The Iliad
Published in 2019
Retells, in graphic novel format, Homer's epic tale of the Iliad, recounting the last year of the Trojan War between the city of Troy and the Achaeans, an alliance of Greek city-states, as they try to reclaim Helen, the wife of the king of Sparta, from aTrojan prince.
Macbeth
A Play by William Shakespeare
Published in 2015
"Macbeth, a general in the king's army, is returning from battle when he comes upon three witches who tell him that one day he'll be king. At first Macbeth dismisses their predictions, but an evil seed takes root in his mind, and soon he is convinced andimpatient. At the urging of his wife, he resolves to take the throne by the most direct path: a dagger in the heart of King Duncan. But 'blood will have blood,' and when others grow suspicious of his sudden rise to power, is Macbeth prepared to commit more murder to keep the crown?"-- Front flap.
The Most Excellent and Lamentable Tragedy of Romeo & Juliet
A Play by William Shakespeare
Published in 2013
"She's a Capulet. He's a Montague. But when Romeo and Juliet first meet, they don't know they're from rival families-- and when they find out, they don't care. Their love is honest and raw and allconsuming. But it's also dangerous. How much will they have to sacrifice before they can be together? In a masterful adaptation faithful to Shakespeare's original text, Gareth Hinds transports readers to the sun-washed streets and market squares of Shakespeare's Verona, vividly bringing the classic play to life on the printed page."-- Provided by publisher.
Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery"
The Authorized Graphic Adaptation
Published in 2016
"The classic short story--now in full color. Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" continues to thrill and unsettle readers nearly seven decades after it was first published. By turns puzzling and harrowing, it raises troubling questions about conformity, tradition, and the specter of ritualized violence that haunts even the most bucolic, peaceful village. This graphic adaptation, published in time for Jackson's centennial, allows readers to experience "The Lottery" as never before, or discover it anew. The visual artist--and Jackson's grandson--Miles Hyman has crafted an eerie vision of the hamlet where the tale unfolds, its inhabitants, and the unforgettable ritual they set into motion. His four-color, meticulously detailed panels create a noirish atmosphere that adds a new dimension of dread to the original tale. Perfectly timed to the current resurgence of interest in Jackson and her work, Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery": A Graphic Adaptation masterfully reimagines her iconic story with a striking visual narrative"-- Provided by publisher.
The Stories of Edgar Allan Poe
Published in 2017
A collection of some of Poe's best-known stories, best read in a dimly-lit room with the curtains drawn! A murderer's guilt haunts him in A tell-tale heart. The story of a brilliant revenge (The cask of Amontillado). The fall of the house of Usher shares its dark and ancient secrets. The horrors of the plague are revealed in The Masque of the red death. A lover descends into madness in The raven.
Sense and Sensibility
Published in 2017
Set in Southwest England in the late 1800s, Sense and Sensibility follows the lives of the Dashwood sisters Elinor and Marianne. When inheritance money from their father does not fall their way, the sisters and their mother must move in with distant relatives. Settling in at Barton Park, the Dashwood sisters discover a new life, filled with new acquaintances and different suitors. From these new encounters, their lives are forever changed through a series of love, romance, and heartbreaks. Ultimately the sisters must choose between sense and sensibility while uncovering secrets about their potential suitors and the wealth-inspired motives the society holds.
Pride and Prejudice
Manga Classics
Published in 2014
Beloved by millions the world over, Pride & Prejudice is delightfully transformed in this bold, new manga adaptation. All of the joy, heartache, and romance of Jane Austens original, perfectly illuminated by the sumptuous art of manga-ka Po Tse, and faithfully adapted by Stacy E. King.
Borders
Published in 2022
A boy and his mother refuse to identify themselves as American or Canadian at the border and become caught in the limbo between nations when they claim their citizenship as Blackfoot.
The Life-changing Manga of Tidying Up
A Magical Story
Published in 2017
"From the #1 New York Times best-selling author and lifestyle/cleaning guru Marie Kondo, this graphic novelization brings Kondo's life-changing tidying method to life with the fun, quirky story of a woman who transforms her home, work, and love life using Kondo's advice and inspiration. Marie Kondo presents the fictional story of Chiaki, a young woman in Tokyo who struggles with a cluttered apartment, messy love life, and lack of direction. After receiving a complaint from her attractive next-door neighbor about the sad state of her balcony, Chiaki gets Kondo to take her on as a client. Through a series of entertaining and insightful lessons, Kondo helps Chiaki get her home--and life--in order. This insightful, illustrated case study is perfect for people looking for a fun introduction to the KonMari Method of tidying up, as well as tried-and-true fans of Marie Kondo eager for a new way to think about what sparks joy. Featuring illustrations by award-winning manga artist Yuko Uramoto, this book also makes a great read for manga and graphic novel lovers of all ages"-- Provided by publisher.
Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time
The Graphic Novel
Published in 2012
A graphic novel adaptation of the classic tale in which Meg Murry and her friends become involved with unearthly strangers and a search for Meg's father, who has disappeared while engaged in secret work for the government.
A Wrinkle in Time, The Graphic Novel
Published in 2012
The world already knows Meg and Charles Wallace Murry, Calvin O'Keefe, and the three Mrs?Who, Whatsit, and Which?the memorable and wonderful characters who fight off a dark force and save our universe in the Newbery award-winning classic A Wrinkle in Time . But in 50 years of publication, the book has never been illustrated. Now, Hope Larson takes the classic story to a new level with her vividly imagined interpretations of tessering and favorite characters like the Happy Medium and Aunt Beast. Perfect for old fans and winning over new ones, this graphic novel adaptation is a must-read. This graphic novel is best read on a tablet device.
The Secret Garden
A Graphic Novel
Published in 2021
Orphan Mary Lennox arrives at Misselthwaite Manor, sour and miserable. With the help of a clever robin and her new friend Dickon, Mary discovers a neglected garden and a lonely boy named Colin. Together the children bring life to the garden and joy to one another.
Slaughterhouse-five, or the Children's Crusade
A Duty-dance with Death, a Graphic Novel Adaptation
Published in 2020
"The first-ever graphic novel adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five, an American classic, is one of the world's great anti-war books. An American classic and one of the world's seminal antiwar books, Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five is faithfully presented in graphic novel form for the first time from Eisner Award-winning writer Ryan North (How to Invent Everything: A Survival Guide for the Stranded Time Traveler) and Eisner Award-nominated artist Albert Monteys (Universe!). Listen: Billy Pilgrim has...read Kilgore Trout... opened a successful optometry business... built a loving family... witnessed the firebombing of Dresden... traveled to the planet Tralfamadore... met Kurt Vonnegut... come unstuck in time. Billy Pilgrim's journey is at once a farcical look at the horror and tragedy of war where children are placed on the frontlines and die (so it goes), and a moving examination of what it means to be fallibly human."--Provided by publisher.
Animal Farm
The Graphic Novel
Published in 2019
"A beautiful graphic adaptation of George Orwell's timeless and timely allegorical novel"-- Provided by publisher.
Anne Frank's Diary
The Graphic Adaptation
Published in 2018
"The only graphic biography of Anne Frank's diary that has been authorized by the Anne Frank Foundation and that uses text from the diary--it will introduce a new generation of young readers to this classic of Holocaust literature. This adaptation of AnneFrank's Diary of a Young Girl into a graphic version for a young readership, maintains the integrity and power of the original work. With stunning, expressive illustrations and ample direct quotation from the diary, this edition will expand the readership for this important and lasting work of history and literature"-- Provided by publisher.
Long Way Down
Published in 2020
Jason Reynolds's Newbery Honor, Printz Honor, and Coretta Scott King Honor?winning, #1 New York Times bestselling novel Long Way Down is now a gripping, galvanizing graphic novel, with haunting artwork by Danica Novgorodoff. Will's older brother, Shawn, has been shot. Dead. Will feels a sadness so great, he can't explain it. But in his neighborhood, there are THE RULES: No. 1: Crying. Don't. No matter what. No. 2: Snitching Don't. No matter what. No. 3: Revenge Do. No matter what. But bullets miss. You can get the wrong guy. And there's always someone else who knows to follow the rules...
Long Way Down
The Graphic Novel
Published in 2020
"As fifteen-year-old Will sets out to avenge his brother Shawn's fatal shooting, seven ghosts who knew Shawn board the elevator and reveal truths Will needs to know."--Provided by publisher.
Juliet Takes a Breath
Published in 2020
For fans of Bloom and Spinning, critically-acclaimed writer Gabby Rivera (Marvel's America) adapts her bestselling novel alongside artist Celia Moscote in an unforgettable queer coming-of-age story exploring race, identity and what it means to be true to your amazing self. Even when the rest of the world doesn't understand. Juliet Milagros Palante is leaving the Bronx and headed to Portland, Oregon. She just came out to her family and isn't sure if her mom will ever speak to her again. But Juliet has a plan to figure out what it means to be Puerto Rican, lesbian and out. And that starts with the perfect mentor-Harlowe Brisbane, a feminist author who will surely help Juliet find her best self. There's just one problem - Harlowe's white, not from the Bronx and doesn't have the answers. Okay, maybe that's more than one problem, but Juliet never said it was a perfect plan.
Juliet Takes a Breath
Published in 2020
"Juliet, a self-identified queer, Bronx-born Puerto Rican-American, comes out to her family to disastrous results the night before flying to Portland to intern with her feminist author icon--whom Juliet soon realizes has a problematic definition of feminism that excludes women of color"-- Provided by publisher.
The Graveyard Book. Volume 2
Published in 2014
The second volume of a glorious two-volume, four-color graphic novel adaptation of Neil Gaiman's #1 New York Times bestselling and Newbery and Carnegie Medal-winning novel The Graveyard Book, adapted by P. Craig Russell and illustrated by an extraordinary team of renowned artists.Inventive, chilling, and filled with wonder, Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book reaches new heights in this stunning adaptation. Artists Kevin Nowlan, P. Craig Russell, Galen Showman, Scott Hampton, and David Lafuente lend their own signature styles to create an imaginatively diverse and yet cohesive interpretation of Neil Gaiman's luminous novel.Volume Two includes chapter six to the end of the book.
The Graveyard Book. Volume 1
Published in 2014
Nobody Owens is a normal boy, except that he has been raised by ghosts and other denizens of the graveyard.
The Graveyard Book. Volume 2
Published in 2014
Nobody "Bod" Owens, who lives in a graveyard and is being raised by ghosts, leaves the safety of the graveyard to attend school and investigate his family's murder.
The Dragonet Prophecy
Published in 2018
Not every dragonet wants a destiny... Clay has grown up under the mountain, chosen along with four other dragonets to fulfill a mysterious prophecy and end the war between the dragon tribes of Pyrrhia. He's not so sure about the prophecy part, but Clay can't imagine not living with the other dragonets; they're his best friends. So when one of the dragonets is threatened, all five spring into action. Together, they will choose freedom over fate, leave the mountain, and fulfill their destiny - on their own terms. The New York Times bestselling Wings of Fire series takes flight in this first graphic novel edition, adapted by the author with art by Mike Holmes.
Wings of Fire
The Graphic Novel. Book 1, The Dragonet Prophecy
Published in 2018
Determined to end a generations-long war among the seven dragon tribes, a secret movement called the Talons of Peace draws on a prophecy that calls for a great sacrifice, compelling five appointed dragonets to fulfill a painful destiny against their will.
The Breadwinner
A Graphic Novel
Published in 2018
Young Parvana lives with her family in one room of a bombed-out apartment building in Kabul, Afghanistan. Because Parvana's father has a foreign education, he is arrested by the Taliban. Women cannot appear in public unless covered head to toe, go to school, or work outside the home, so the family becomes increasingly desperate until Parvana conceives a plan.