There is one trend in YA lit that has been gaining momentum that I’m 100% here for — that’s graphic novel adaptations. Many authors are taking their YA hits and giving them new life by teaming up with artists and turning their work into artistic masterpieces. This is a fabulous idea for several reasons. 1-Fans get to revisit the novel in a new format, enjoying these old favorites all over again. 2-The new graphic version will reintroduce the book to readers who may have missed it upon its first release. 3-Readers who may not be into reading a longer novel can now enjoy the story in a shorter, more visually appealing format. 4-Graphic novels are just awesome. Here are a few of my favorites as well as a forthcoming adaptation:
I’m a sucker for southern gothic and the Beautiful Creatures series is just that! This series is perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare and Stephenie Meyer or anyone who loved True Blood. This series was soooo popular when it debuted in 2009. Readers were feeling lost after the end of the Twilight series and found Beautiful Creatures to satisfy their craving. So, how smart was it for the authors to team up with graphic artist Cassandra Jean to recreate the story in manga style. The stark black and white illustrations are a perfect match to the dark setting of the book. In addition to old fans getting to relive the story, now manga fans are introduced to it too. Win-win! Bonus: Beautiful Creatures was also made into a movie so there are even more ways for you to engage with this tale.
Monster, by Walter Dean Myers, is a young adult classic. It is assigned in classrooms as required reading and has been read in many a teen book club. Honestly, I haven’t met anyone who doesn’t like this book. That is because is resonates with so many teens who feel powerless beneath “the system.” The original novel was published in 1999 and has been around for quite awhile. Sadly, Walter Dean Myers passed away in 2014, leaving behind a legacy of African American children’s and YA literature. What better way to honor him that to re-imagine one of his most famous works into graphic novel form? The graphic novel adaption focuses solely on the trial, leaving out the main character’s filming of the story, which gives a more straight-forward approach to the book. This provides a great opportunity for readers to compare and contrast the two.
Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson, was also published in 1999 (that must have been a good year for YA books!) and is widely assigned in schools. It is the story of a young teenage girl who is sexually assaulted by an upperclassman at a party. When the #MeToo movement started gaining momentum, this story had more relevance than ever. It was the perfect opportunity to recreate this famous book in a graphic novel format. Emily Carroll, illustrator of Through the Woods and other horror comics, masterfully portrays the brutal, gripping tone of the story. This one’s a tough one, readers, but so very important.
Jason Reynolds is arguably one of the best YA authors alive today. And, he’s an activist and an advocate and I admire him so so much. His book Long Way Down was one of my top 5 favorite books of 2017. The story takes place over the course of 60 seconds, as fifteen-year-old Will rides from his seventh floor apartment to the first. In his waistband is a gun and he has set his intention on seeking revenge for the murder of his brother. But during those 60 seconds, he is stopped at each floor and the elevator door opens to a ghost connected to his dead brother, each one providing a piece of the bigger story in an effort to stop Will from getting off the elevator. The graphic novel adaptation is set to release in October and I CANNOT WAIT. Add it to your TBR list now!
