My Favorite Things: Go-To Graphic Novels for Kids

It happens all the time. A child comes up to me and asks for a very specific title, and I discover that while my library owns that title, it is currently checked out. I hate to leave a child disappointed and without a book, so I always want to put something else in their hands. When we don't have the book a child wants, here are my top ten graphic novels that many kids enjoy:

1. Binky the Space Cat by Ashley Spires. These adorable books are easily readable by even the youngest readers, and Binky is pretty funny.
2. The Lunch Lady series by Jarrett Krosoczka . There are enough books in this series to keep most elementary school kids happy for a long time, and the familiar school setting makes these books accessible to all readers. 
3. Graphic adaptations of the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan. This is a great series to recommend to kids who have read the novel versions of these stories or who like their graphic novel storylines to be a bit more involved.
4. Yotsuba&! by Kiyohiku Asuma. I am not usually a fan of manga, but I could not put this one down once I read it. The stories are cute and simple and avoid many of the red flags that turn parents and teachers off of graphic novels. 
5. Chi's Sweet Home by Kanata Konami. This one is also very cute. Chi is adorable, and his cat adventures are fun to follow. There are also quite a few books in this series already, so it's a good one to recommend to a kid who needs several books in line to keep them happy.
6. The Wizard of Oz adaptations by Eric Shanower. Like the Percy Jackson books, this is a great series for a kid who is familiar with Baum's original work or who wants a story that's more involved and complicated.
7. Cardboard by Doug TenNapel. I love all of Doug TenNapel's work, but Cardboard is a great stand-alone book for kids who like things that are a bit weird or who haven't found just the right book yet. 
8. Graphic adaptations of Geronimo Stilton and Thea Stilton by Geronimo Stilton. Some kids have caught up with all of the currently published Stilton stories, and the graphic novels are a good thing for them to work through while they wait for the next installment. 
9. Non-fiction mythology books by George O'Connor. These are an excellent read-alike for the Rick Riordan stories, and most kids I've talked to who may not even be graphic novel fans devour these books because of the mythology angle. 
10. Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales by Nathan Hale. These books give accurate historical information in a kid-friendly readable format. They are very popular at my library, and as the librarian I am glad that I have first dibs on them so I can read them, too!