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.
Beasts and Beauty: Dangerous Tales by Soman Chainani
Bestselling author Soman Chainani retells twelve fairy tales for a contemporary audience. Experience dark, twisted versions of old favorites like “Bluebeard,” “Sleeping Beauty,” “Cinderella,” and more. A prose novel.
The Doctor says: “Beasts and Beauty is a really good book if you like fairy tale retellings and/or disturbing, scary fiction. With twelve stories based on ‘Sleeping Beauty,’ ‘The Little Mermaid’, ‘Snow White,’ and more, this is a must for fans of the original Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Anderson versions of the stories. The book is also beautifully illustrated with pictures resembling stained glass-inspired watercolors.”
Manu by Kelly Fernandez
Manu has trouble controlling her magic, and her classmates at the academy whisper that she is a demon. Then, Manu is cursed, and faced with the possibility of losing her powers altogether. So she summons an evil spirit to restore them. In the process, Manu loses control completely, placing the academy and the local town in danger. Now, it’s up to Manu’s friend Josefina to help Manu find herself before it’s too late.
Ms. Krysta says: “Manu is an entertaining story that will appeal to readers fond of graphic novels focused on witchcraft and supernatural elements. Though the story is simple, it packs a lot of heart with its focus on acceptance, family, friendship, and first crushes. Recommended for fans of Lilla, the Accidental Witch and The Okay Witch.
Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales: Cold War Correspondent by Nathan Hale
The eleventh installment in the popular Nathan Hale Tales series follows war correspondent Marguerite Higgins as she chronicles the start of the Korean War in 1950. Ordered to leave the country, Higgins appealed and received permission to stay. Her front line reporting would ultimately result in her receiving (along with five others) the 1951 Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting.
Ms. Krysta says: “Nathan Hale brings another little-known part of history to life in the eleventh installment of his popular Hazardous Tales series. This one is narrated by Marguerite Higgins herself as she describes writing headlines from the frontlines, while also facing obstacles thrown in her path by those unwilling to work with a female reporter. Readers will learn a lot about the start of the Korean War from Higgins’ perspective–but they will be so entertained, they might not even realize it.”
Elle(s), Vol. 1: The New Girl by Kid Toussaint
Elle is the new kid at school. Her secret? She has a number of personalities and she’s brought them all with her. Will her friends still be her friends if they find out?
Creative Sky says: “Elle is the new girl at her high school, and quickly makes new friends. But then she starts having mood swings…AGAIN! Changing from Elle to impulsive Elle…to carefree Elle…to timid Elle… to Elle not talking at all! Can she stop the constant mood swings while her friends stand by her side?”
Tidesong by Wendy Xu
Sophie longs to attend the Royal Academy of Magic–a school known for molding powerful and important witches. However, first she is invited to live with her grandmother and her aunt to learn how to control their family’s weather magic. But Sophie is full of doubts about her abilities and, in a fit of anger and frustration, she endangers her life and entangles her magic with that of a sea dragon. The dragon is now stuck in the shape of a human. Can Sophie figure out how to disentangle her magic before an international dragon/human incident erupts?
Ms. Krysta says: “Tidesong by Wendy Xu is a sweet graphic novel that feels like a Studio Ghibli film in book form. Young witch Sophie moves in with her grandmother and her aunt to learn the family magic, but inadvertently summons a dragon while practicing. To solve her problem, she must face her own insecurities and learn to trust in others, as well as in herself. Perfect for fans of the Tea Dragon trilogy by K. O’Neill.”
