Summer Reading for NCCS Upper School Students 2023: Graphic Novels

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. Grade 5-8

A young journalist is determined to uncover a secret that threatens her town. Ruth Keller is brash and precocious; she argues with her dentist, her parents, and her teachers. So, when she discovers a strange black slime in the man-made lake of her suburban neighborhood, she decides to investigate. Fortified by the encouragement of those around her, Ruth seeks the truth at all costs, even if it means taking on the rich local country club owner, who she believes is responsible for the pollution. Between the teasing of former friends, and a sudden viral spotlight, Ruth discovers how difficult it is for a journalist to take a stand for what's right in the face of critique and controversy. From writer Kate Reed Petty and illustrator Andrea Bell, comes a story about corruption, pollution, and freedom of the press, and the young journalist at the center of it all. Grade 4-7

Tells the story of 10-year-old Elvie and her crucial mission to save humanity from extinction after a sun shift has changed life on earth as we know it. Grade 5-8

Twelve-year-old Vonceil Taggart, willing to risk everything to set things right, leaves her family's Oklahoma farm in 1919 seeking the salt witch who cast a spell that turned their spring to saltwater. Grade 5-8

Welcome to Bolingbroke. It's a small town just like any other, or so eighth graders Val and Lanie think. They're the best of best friends- they love the same comics, they watch the same shows, and they re always there for each other. Which is important when you're queer, like Lanie, or on the spectrum, like Val, and just don't seem to fit in anywhere. When a school project about their hometown's supernatural history leads to a for-real ghost sighting, Val and Lanie realize Bolingbroke might not be as boring as they'd always thought. But after a run-in with the resident middle school queen bee (who also happens to be Lanie's former friend), they decide to take things to the next level and accidentally summon the Ojja-Wojja, a demonic presence connected to a slew of mysterious tragedies throughout Bolingbroke's sordid history. Grade 5-8

laire is a young girl, tough-minded and independent. She isn’t afraid to explore her world, which is how she encounters the old hermit Lontar. The crazy old coot is inspired by a supernatural revelation he had many years ago. He believes that if he leaves a cave where he has lived for many years, the world will be invaded by dragons. It is his conviction that he must remain in self-imposed exile until the emergence of a true hero, someone who is capable of leading humanity in the fight against these terrible creatures. Treated as if he were crazy by the local villagers, he relies on Claire to provide for his needs. However, Claire has not yet realized that Lontar believes that she is the fulfillment of the ancient prophecy! Grade 5-10

Navigate through monsters, mysteries, and the will of the gods with two young extraordinary adventurers in fifteenth-century Mesoamerica as they search for a missing father. Donajâi is a fearless Zapotec girl who, even though she's only fifteen, is heralded as a hero by her village. In Codex Black, Donajâi sets out on an adventure-accompanied by the god that lives inside of her poncho-to find her missing father. Along the way, she meets a 17-year-old winged Mexica warrior named Itzcacalotl, and over time their temporary partnership blooms into an incredible friendship. The search brings the young pair closer to danger and deeper into mystery than either could have predicted. What exactly was Donajâi's father involved with? And how did a simple search for a missing relative lead Donajâi and Itzcacalotl into a fight with a terrifying bat monster to defend an entire village? Grade 7-12

When a machine boy falls to earth, his heart is awoken for the first time. As he learns to be human, he struggles to override his own programming and become a hero, from rising stars Tri Vuong and Irma Kniivila. It's a bird, it's a plane, it's... Machine Boy! When Machine Boy falls from the sky into the domed city of Mega 416, he leaves a wake of destruction in his path... until Karate Grandpa is able to turn on his heart. Now, Machine Boy wants nothing more than to become a hero! Whether he is fighting giant bugs in the school's basement, rescuing cats from trees, or making the perfect spaghetti sauce, Machine Boy is always looking for the best way to help others. But when his heart begins to interact dangerously with other debris from space, Machine Boy wonders if he can be a power for good after all. Rising stars Tri Vuong and Irma Kniivila create a funny and engaging all-ages adventure that asks-can you override your own programming? Grade 4-7

Tells the story of 10-year-old Elvie and her crucial mission to save humanity from extinction after a sun shift has changed life on earth as we know it. Grade 5-8

A ... graphic novel adaptation of the award-winning nonfiction book ... In December of 1938, a chemist in a German laboratory made a shocking discovery: When placed next to radioactive material, a Uranium atom split in two. That simple discovery launched a scientific race that spanned three continents. In Great Britain and the United States, Soviet spies worked their way into the scientific community; in Norway, a commando force slipped behind enemy lines to attack German heavy-water manufacturing; and deep in the desert, one brilliant group of scientists was hidden away at a remote site at Los Alamos. This is the story of the plotting, the risk-taking, the deceit, and genius that created the world's most formidable weapon. This is the story of the atomic bomb. Grade 5-8

A middle grade graphic memoir based on bestselling author and Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat's awkward middle school years and the trip to Europe that changed his life. Dan's always been a good kid. The kind of kid who listens to his teachers, helps his mom with grocery shopping, and stays out of trouble. But being a good kid doesn't stop him from being bullied and feeling like he's invisible, which is why Dan has low expectations when his parents send him on a class trip to Europe. At first, he's right. He's stuck with the same girls from his middle school who love to make fun of him, and he doesn't know why his teacher insisted he come on this trip. But as he travels through France, Germany, Switzerland, and England, a series of first experiences begin to change him--first Fanta, first fondue, first time stealing a bike from German punk rockers... and first love. Funny, heartwarming, and poignant, A First Time for Everything is a feel-good coming-of-age memoir based on New York Times bestselling author and Caldecott Medal winner Dan Santat's awkward middle school years. It celebrates a time that is universally challenging for many of us, but also life-changing as well. Grade 6-8

The story of the two brave women who stood up against segregation, setting in motion the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Grade 4-8

A graphic novel/prose hybrid which tells the story of a young Japanese American man who leaves his family in the Manzanar internment camp to fight in the European theater during World War II, and of his ten-year-old sister who, frustrated over her brother risking his life for the government that imprisoned them, decides to stop talking until he returns. Grade 5-8

What was the first message sent over the internet? How much water does a single person use every day? How was the electric light invented? For every utility people use each day, there's a hidden history below the surface - a story of intrigue, drama, humor, and inequity. This graphic novel provides a guided tour through the science of the past - and how the decisions people made while inventing and constructing early technology still affect the way people use it today. Full of art, maps, and diagrams, Hidden Systems is a thoughtful, humorous exploration of the history of science, and what needs to be done now to change the future Grade 7-12

Tells the story of 10-year-old Elvie and her crucial mission to save humanity from extinction after a sun shift has changed life on earth as we know it. Grade 5-8

What do you do when your body doesn't match the ideal shape as dictated by society? What do you wear when sweats seem to be the only clothes that fit you? How do you deal with the constant, overwhelming waves of criticism about your appearance from yourself and others? A love letter to anyone striving to embrace their size, this wonderfully illustrated, uplifting comic essay by a plus-size author chronicles her own journey with body positivity, what inspired her to change her mindset, and how she learned to love herself as she is. Grade 6-12

A middle grade graphic memoir based on bestselling author and Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat's awkward middle school years and the trip to Europe that changed his life. Dan's always been a good kid. The kind of kid who listens to his teachers, helps his mom with grocery shopping, and stays out of trouble. But being a good kid doesn't stop him from being bullied and feeling like he's invisible, which is why Dan has low expectations when his parents send him on a class trip to Europe. At first, he's right. He's stuck with the same girls from his middle school who love to make fun of him, and he doesn't know why his teacher insisted he come on this trip. But as he travels through France, Germany, Switzerland, and England, a series of first experiences begin to change him--first Fanta, first fondue, first time stealing a bike from German punk rockers... and first love. Funny, heartwarming, and poignant, A First Time for Everything is a feel-good coming-of-age memoir based on New York Times bestselling author and Caldecott Medal winner Dan Santat's awkward middle school years. It celebrates a time that is universally challenging for many of us, but also life-changing as well. Grade 6-8

Welcome to Bolingbroke. It's a small town just like any other, or so eighth graders Val and Lanie think. They're the best of best friends- they love the same comics, they watch the same shows, and they re always there for each other. Which is important when you're queer, like Lanie, or on the spectrum, like Val, and just don't seem to fit in anywhere. When a school project about their hometown's supernatural history leads to a for-real ghost sighting, Val and Lanie realize Bolingbroke might not be as boring as they'd always thought. But after a run-in with the resident middle school queen bee (who also happens to be Lanie's former friend), they decide to take things to the next level and accidentally summon the Ojja-Wojja, a demonic presence connected to a slew of mysterious tragedies throughout Bolingbroke's sordid history. Grade 5-8

Welcome to Bolingbroke. It's a small town just like any other, or so eighth graders Val and Lanie think. They're the best of best friends- they love the same comics, they watch the same shows, and they re always there for each other. Which is important when you're queer, like Lanie, or on the spectrum, like Val, and just don't seem to fit in anywhere. When a school project about their hometown's supernatural history leads to a for-real ghost sighting, Val and Lanie realize Bolingbroke might not be as boring as they'd always thought. But after a run-in with the resident middle school queen bee (who also happens to be Lanie's former friend), they decide to take things to the next level and accidentally summon the Ojja-Wojja, a demonic presence connected to a slew of mysterious tragedies throughout Bolingbroke's sordid history. Grade 5-8

After a mortifying rejection, Sahoko Wakaume has sworn off beautiful boys. But a chance meeting puts her in the sights of gorgeous J-pop star Kouta Kirigaya of the group Like Legend. Sahoko will need all her cynicism to defend herself against Kouta's tenderhearted and affectionate attacks to win her heart! Sahoko tells off the nation's top idol, Kouta, in her family's restaurant for assuming that she's his fan. Instead of being cowed by his mistake, Kouta comes in the following day with albums and VIP tickets to Like Legend's next concert. Can Sahoko withstand his shining onslaught to charm her? Grade 7-12 (Graphic Novel)

A twisty, spellbinding adventure about a girl and her dog who want to save the world.

When a machine boy falls to earth, his heart is awoken for the first time. As he learns to be human, he struggles to override his own programming and become a hero, from rising stars Tri Vuong and Irma Kniivila. It's a bird, it's a plane, it's... Machine Boy! When Machine Boy falls from the sky into the domed city of Mega 416, he leaves a wake of destruction in his path... until Karate Grandpa is able to turn on his heart. Now, Machine Boy wants nothing more than to become a hero! Whether he is fighting giant bugs in the school's basement, rescuing cats from trees, or making the perfect spaghetti sauce, Machine Boy is always looking for the best way to help others. But when his heart begins to interact dangerously with other debris from space, Machine Boy wonders if he can be a power for good after all. Rising stars Tri Vuong and Irma Kniivila create a funny and engaging all-ages adventure that asks-can you override your own programming? Grade 4-7

Kit's excited to prove her worth as a Moth-Keeper, a protector of the lunar moths that allow the Night-Lily flower to bloom once a year, but she quickly finds that life as a Moth-Keeper isn't what she imagined it would be. Grade 4-8 (Lexile: 710)

Everything changed for the imperial court's most beloved consort-in-training, Kou Reirin, when she switched bodies with the devious Shu Keigetsu. But now the secret of their swap is out...to none other than Reirin's head court lady, Tousetsu! It's not long before even Prince Gyoumei and guard captain Shin-u have started puzzling out the answer to their many questions. Could this spell the end of Reirin's thrilling new life as she knows it? Grade 7-12