Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2023

Graphic novels are insanely popular at our library! So much so, that we’ve had to move them multiple times as the collection continues to grow. So, taking my inspiration from that, I’m sharing my most anticipated books releasing in the first half of 2023, graphic novel style! These ten middle grade graphic novels are being released this year and span genres from fantasy to memoir and everything in between. Some are well-known authors, while others are new-to-me authors that I can’t wait to check out. If you’ve got a graphic novel fan at home, definitely share this list.

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Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2023

Lost Legends of Nothing

by Alejandra Green and Fanny Rodriguez

Publication Date: January 17, 2023

Amazon

Welcome back to Nothing! After the battle with Stryx, Nathan is lost and alone (again). But this time, he has friends to find and a quest to continue! At least no one is chasing him . . . well, except for that ancient evil spirit trying to destroy Nothing. Oh, and the war started (great!).

Once reunited, Nathan, Haven, Sina, and Bardou must continue their journey to the Edge. Nathan has visions of Lerina that intensify as they travel, and the group discovers the clues to save Nothing may reside in the lost legends of the past. Unexpected allies appear but new enemies lurk everywhere, and the most powerful foe is attacking Haven’s spirit from within.

If Nathan and his band of friends weren’t already feeling the pressure, they must prevent two realms from tearing Nothing apart, defeat Stryx, and not die in the process (no biggie). Otherwise, volken, faes, and all magic could vanish from Nothing . . . forever.

Captain America: The Ghost Army

by Alan Gratz, illustrated by Brett Schoonover

Publication Date: January 23, 2023

Amazon

In this thrilling historical adventure set during World War II, Steve Rogers (AKA Captain America) and his young sidekick, Bucky Barnes, encounter threat like none they’ve ever seen — a Ghost Army. The dead of this war and wars past are coming back to life, impervious to bullets, flames, or anything else the Allies can throw at them. The armies rise from the ground in the night and seem to disappear without a trace.

How can Cap and Buck fight something that’s already dead? And just what does the mysterious Baron Mordo―sitting in his castle atop nearby Wundagore Mountain―have to do with this?

Bomb

by Steve Sheinkin and Nick Bertozzi

Publication Date: January 24, 2023

Amazon

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.

A First Time for Everything

by Dan Santat

Publication Date: February 28, 2023

Amazon

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.

Song of the Sea

by Samuel Sattin and Tomm Moore

Publication Date: March 7, 2023

Amazon

Many years after the disappearance of their mother, siblings Ben and Saoirse are still drowning in grief, as is their lighthouse-keeper father. Ben blames his little sister for the loss of their mother, and despite being six years old, Saoirse has yet to speak. When the kids discover that Saoirse is a selkie and the magical world that their mother told stories about is real, they dive into an adventure to keep the spirit world from disappearing forever. Based on the award-winning film Song of the Sea, this graphic novel is a wonder of magical storytelling and visual splendor that is destined to become a classic.

Squished

by Megan Wagner Lloyd and Michelle Mee Nutter

Publication Date: March 7, 2023

Amazon

Eleven-year-old Avery Lee loves living in Hickory Valley, Maryland. She loves her neighborhood, school, and the end-of-summer fair she always goes to with her two best friends. But she’s tired of feeling squished by her six siblings! They’re noisy and chaotic and the younger kids love her a little too much. All Avery wants is her own room — her own space to be alone and make art. So she’s furious when Theo, her grumpy older brother, gets his own room instead, and her wild baby brother, Max, moves into the room she already shares with her clinging sister Pearl! Avery hatches a plan to finally get her own room, all while trying to get Max to sleep at night, navigating changes in her friendships, and working on an art entry for the fair. And when Avery finds out that her family might move across the country, things get even more complicated.

Hoops

by Matt Tavares

Publication Date: March 14, 2023

Amazon

It is 1975 in Indiana, and the Wilkins Regional High School girls’ basketball team is in their rookie season. Despite being undefeated, they practice at night in the elementary school and play to empty bleachers. Unlike the boys’ team, the Lady Bears have no buses to deliver them to away games and no uniforms, much less a laundry service. They make their own uniforms out of T-shirts and electrical tape. And with help from a committed female coach, they push through to improbable victory after improbable victory. Illustrated in full color, this story about the ongoing battle of women striving for equality in sports rings with honesty, bravery, and heart.

Parachute Kids

by Betty C. Tang

Publication Date: April 4, 2023

Amazon

Feng-Li can’t wait to discover America with her family! But after an action-packed vacation, her parents deliver shocking news: They are returning to Taiwan and leaving Feng-Li and her older siblings in California on their own.

Suddenly, the three kids must fend for themselves in a strange new world―and get along. Starting a new school, learning a new language, and trying to make new friends while managing a household is hard enough, but Bro and Sis’s constant bickering makes everything worse. Thankfully, there are some hilarious moments to balance the stress and loneliness. But as tensions escalate―and all three kids get tangled in a web of bad choices―can Feng-Li keep her family together?

School Trip

by Jerry Craft

Publication Date: April 4, 2023

Amazon

Jordan, Drew, Liam, Maury, and their friends from Riverdale Academy Day School are heading out on a school trip to Paris. As an aspiring artist himself, Jordan can’t wait to see all the amazing art in the famous City of Lights.

But when their trusted faculty guides are replaced at the last minute, the school trip takes an unexpected—and hilarious—turn. Especially when trying to find their way around a foreign city ends up being almost as tricky as navigating the same friendships, fears, and differences that they struggle with at home.

Will Jordan and his friends embrace being exposed to a new language, unfamiliar food, and a different culture? Or will they all end up feeling like the “new kid”?

Four Eyes

by Rex Ogle and Dave Valeza

Publication Date: May 2, 2023

Amazon

Sixth grade isn’t as great as Rex thought it would be. He’s the only kid who hasn’t had a growth spurt, and the bullies won’t let him forget it. His closest friend is unreliable, at best. And there’s a cute girl in his class who he can’t stop thinking about. With so much going on, everything is a blur — including Rex’s vision! So when he discovers that he needs glasses, and his family can only afford the ugliest pair in the store, any hope Rex had of fitting in goes completely out of focus.

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.