16 Graphic Novel Adaptations
Graphic novels can be contentious at times because so many people look down on them as “not serious reading.” In fact, studies have shown that you use more parts of your brain when reading graphic novels, than when you’re reading a typical novel. Not only is your brain decoding words, but it’s also decoding illustrations as well. Graphic novels also make a great gateway into longer-form narratives. This is a great introduction for kids who may be a little more reluctant to pick up that 300+ page novel.
In recent years, graphic novel adaptations have been coming out from publishers right and left. It’s really interesting to see! And while I don’t know if an already popular series like Geronimo Stilton or Wings of Fire needs to become even more popular… if it gets more kids reading, I’m all about it!
Book List
Below, I’ve shared a wide variety of titles that have been adapted into graphic novels. Some are classic novels with a new lease on life in the graphic novel format. Others, like The Baby-Sitters Club, I loved as a kid and I’m glad a new generation has found these stories. And many also have movie or TV adaptations, like Enola Holmes or The Golden Compass which is just another avenue to the story.
Our graphic novel collection in my library (specifically kids content) is one of the most popular sections in our library. In fact, we created special signage so the kids could find the aisle easily. (We had to move the collection to be able to expand it.) I personally don’t read a ton of graphic novels. But like I said, if they engage kids to become readers, I’m all for it!
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16 Graphic Novel Adaptations
Anne Frank’s Diary by Anne Frank, adapted by Ari Folman, illustrated by David Polonsky
A timeless story rediscovered by each new generation, The Diary of a Young Girl stands without peer. This graphic edition remains faithful to the original, while the stunning illustrations interpret and add layers of visual meaning and immediacy to this classic work of Holocaust literature.
For both young readers and adults The Diary continues to capture the remarkable spirit of Anne Frank, who for a time survived the worst horror the modern world has seen—and who remained triumphantly and heartbreakingly human throughout her ordeal.
Includes extensive quotations directly from the definitive edition; adapted by Ari Folman, illustrated by David Polonsky, and authorized by the Anne Frank Foundation in Basel.
Anne of West Philly by Lucy Maud Montgomery, adapted by Ivy Noelle Weir, illustrated by Myisha Haynes
When Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert decide to foster a teenage girl for the first time, their lives are changed forever. Their redheaded foster daughter, Anne Shirley, is in search of an exciting life and has decided that West Philly is where she’s going to find it. Armed with a big personality and unstoppable creativity, Anne takes her new home by storm as she joins the robotics club, makes new friends in Diana and Gilbert, experiences first love, and turns the ordinary into the extraordinary. But as Anne starts to get comfortable, she discovers one thing she wasn’t looking for: a family.
The Baby-Sitters Club: Kristy’s Great Idea by Ann M. Martin, adapted by Raina Telgemeier
Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia, and Stacey are best friends and founding members of The Baby-sitters Club. Whatever comes up — cranky toddlers, huge dogs, scary neighbors, prank calls — you can count on them to save the day. Baby-sitting isn’t always easy, and neither is dealing with strict parents, new families, fashion emergencies, and mysterious secrets. But no matter what, the BSC have what they need most: friendship.
Enola Holmes by Nancy Springer, adapted Serena Blasco
14-year-old Enola Holmes wakes on her birthday to discover that her mother has disappeared from the family’s country manor, leaving only a collection of flowers and a coded message book. With Sherlock and Mycroft determined to ship her off to a boarding school, Enola escapes, displaying a cleverness that even impresses the elder Holmes. But nothing prepares her for what lies ahead…
Book One in the series includes three thrilling mysteries: The Case of the Missing Marquess, The Case of the Left-Handed Lady, and The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets. At the back of the book, readers can explore a portfolio of pages from Enola’s secret notebook!
Geronimo Stilton: The Discovery of America by Geronimo Stilton
The popular children’s story appears in graphic novel form for the first time in the U.S., with stories never seen in America. Geronimo Stilton is a talking mouse who lives in New Mouse City on Mouse Island with his friends and relatives. He works at The Rodent’s Gazette, the most famous newspaper in New Mouse City. In this series of comics, Geronimo Stilton travels through time in order to defend history from his arch nemeses, the Pirate Cats. These devious felines plan to travel back in time in order to change history to make them supreme rulers of Mouse Island! In his first time-traveling adventure, Geronimo and co. join Christopher Columbus on his voyage from Italy to America in 1492 in order to stop the Pirate cats and save all of the mice on Mouse Island.
The Giver by Lois Lowry, adapted by P. Craig Russell
In this new graphic novel edition, readers experience the haunting story of twelve-year-old Jonas and his seemingly ideal, if colorless, world of conformity and contentment through the brilliant art of P. Craig Russell that truly brings The Giver to life.
Witness Jonas’s assignment as the Receiver of Memory, watch as he begins to understand the dark secrets behind his fragile community, and follow the explosion of color into his world like never before.
The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman, adapted by Stéphane Melchior, illustrated by Clément Oubrerie
Lyra Belacqua is content to run wild among the scholars of Jordan College, with her dæmon familiar always by her side. But the arrival of her fearsome uncle, Lord Asriel, draws her to the heart of a terrible struggle—a struggle born of Gobblers and stolen children, and a mysterious substance known as Dust. As she hurtles toward danger in the cold far North, Lyra never suspects the shocking truth: she alone is destined to win—or to lose—this more-than-mortal battle.
The stunning full-color art offers both new and returning readers a chance to experience the story of Lyra, an ordinary girl with an extraordinary role to play in the fates of multiple worlds, in an entirely new way.
Goosebumps: Slappy’s Tales of Horror by R. L. Stine, adapted by Dave Roman, Jamie Tolagson, Gabriel Hernandez, and Ted Naifeh
The talented Dave Roman creates the horrifying drawings for “The Night of the Living Dummy,” the origin story about that most evil of all ventriloquist dummies, Slappy!
In “A Shocker on Shock Street,” Jamie Tolagson captures the chilling tale of a brother and sister doing their dream job: testing rides in a movie studio theme park, where the special effects are REALLY special.
With his shadowy illustrations, Gabriel Hernandez creates the perfect atmosphere in “The Werewolf of Fever Swamp,” a spooky story about a boy and his dog who go sniffing around in a lonely swamp . . . and wish they hadn’t.
Ted Naifeh is at his creepy best in “Ghost Beach,” a scary ghost story about a brother and sister who investigate a local legend and discover a terrible secret about their family.
The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien, adapted by Charles Dixon, illustrated by David Wenzel
When Thorin Oakenshield and his band of dwarves embark upon a dangerous quest to reclaim the hoard of gold stolen from them by the evil dragon Smaug, Gandalf the wizard suggests an unlikely accomplice: Bilbo Baggins, an unassuming Hobbit dwelling in peaceful Hobbiton.
Along the way, the company faces trolls, goblins, giant spiders, and worse. But as they journey from the wonders of Rivendell to the terrors of Mirkwood and beyond, Bilbo will find that there is more to him than anyone—himself included—ever dreamed. Unexpected qualities of courage and cunning, and a love of adventure, propel Bilbo toward his great destiny . . . a destiny that waits in the dark caverns beneath the Misty Mountains, where a twisted creature known as Gollum jealously guards a precious magic ring.
I Survived: The Sinking of the Titanic, 1912 by Lauren Tarshis, adapted by Georgia Ball, illustrated by Haus Studio
George Calder must be the luckiest kid alive – he and his little sister, Phoebe, are sailing with their aunt on the Titanic, the greatest ship ever built! George can’t resist exploring every inch of the incredible boat, even if it gets him into trouble.
But one night while George is off exploring, a terrible boom shakes the entire boat. Soon the impossible is happening: The Titanic is sinking.
George has always gotten out of trouble before. Can he survive this nightmare?
Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy by Louisa May Alcott, adapted by Rey Terciero, illustrated by Bre Indigo
Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy are having a really tough year: with their father serving in the military overseas, they must work overtime to make ends meet…and each girl is struggling in her own way. Whether it’s school woes, health issues, boy troubles, or simply feeling lost, the March sisters all need the same thing: support from each other. Only by coming together–and sharing lots of laughs and tears–will these four young women find the courage to discover who they truly are as individuals…and as a family.
Meg is the eldest March, and she has a taste for the finer things in life. She dreams of marrying rich, enjoying fabulous clothes and parties, and leaving her five-floor walk-up apartment behind.
Jo pushes her siblings to be true to themselves, yet feels like no one will accept her for who she truly is. Her passion for writing gives her an outlet to feel worthy in the eyes of her friends and family.
Beth is the shy sister with a voice begging to be heard. But with a guitar in hand, she finds a courage that inspires her siblings to seize the day and not take life for granted.
Amy may be the baby of the family, but she has the biggest personality. Though she loves to fight with her sisters, her tough exterior protects a vulnerable heart that worries about her family’s future.
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, adapted by Mariah Marsden, illustrated by Hanna Luechtefeld
Ten-year-old Mary Lennox arrives at a secluded estate on the Yorkshire moors with a scowl and a chip on her shoulder. First, there’s Martha Sowerby: the too-cheery maid with bothersome questions who seems out of place in the dreary manor. Then there’s the elusive Uncle Craven, Mary’s only remaining family—whom she’s not permitted to see. And finally, there are the mysteries that seem to haunt the run-down place: rumors of a lost garden with a tragic past, and a midnight wail that echoes across the moors at night.
As Mary begins to explore this new world alongside her ragtag companions—a cocky robin redbreast, a sour-faced gardener, and a boy who can talk to animals—she learns that even the loneliest of hearts can grow roots in rocky soil.
Given new life as a graphic novel in illustrator Hanna Luechtefeld’s whimsical style, The Secret Garden is more enchanting and relevant than ever before. At the back of the book, readers can learn about the life of Frances Hodgson Burnett and the history of British colonialism that contextualizes the original novel.
Spy School by Stuart Gibbs, illustrated by Anjan Sarkar
Ben Ripley may only be in middle school, but he’s already pegged his dream job: CIA or bust. Unfortunately for him, his personality doesn’t exactly scream “secret agent.” In fact, Ben is so awkward, he can barely get to school and back without a mishap. Because of his innate nerdiness, Ben is not surprised when he is recruited for a magnet school with a focus on science—but he’s entirely shocked to discover that the school is actually a front for a junior CIA academy. Could the CIA really want him?
Actually, no. There’s been a case of mistaken identity—but that doesn’t stop Ben from trying to morph into a supercool undercover agent, the kind that always gets the girl. And through a series of hilarious misadventures, Ben realizes he might actually be a halfway decent spy…if he can survive all the attempts being made on his life! With action-packed, eye-catching art, join Ben Ripley as he survives his first year at the Academy of Espionage.
Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy by Tui T. Sutherland, illustrated by Mike Holmes
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.
The Witches by Roald Dahl, illustrated by Pénélope Bagieu
Witches are real, and they are very, very dangerous. They wear ordinary clothes and have ordinary jobs, living in ordinary towns all across the world — and there’s nothing they despise more than children. When an eight-year-old boy and his grandmother come face-to-face with the Grand High Witch herself, they may be the only ones who can stop the witches’ latest plot to stamp out every last child in the country!This full-color graphic novel edition of Roald Dahl’s The Witches, adapted and illustrated by Eisner Award winner Pénélope Bagieu, is the first-ever Dahl story to appear in this format. Graphic novel readers and Roald Dahl fans alike will relish this dynamic new take on a uniquely funny tale.
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle, adapted by Hope Larson
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. In the graphic novel, 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 delighting old fans and winning over new ones, this graphic novel adaptation is a must-read.
