FCPS- Black Eyed Susan Program: Graphic Novels HS Nominees

Big Jim and the White Boy by David F. Walker; Marcus Kwame Anderson A thrilling graphic novel reimagining of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn that follows Jim, an enslaved man on a journey towards freedom, and his sidekick, Huck, in the antebellum South-from the team behind the Eisner Award-winning The Black Panther Party. WINNER OF THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION'S ALEX AWARD . A BEST GRAPHIC NOVEL OF THE YEAR- The Washington Post, School Library Journal, Library Journal "A brilliant remix of history, politics, satire, and passion filtered through the comics medium by two masters of storytelling."-John Jennings, Hugo Award-winning comics creator Commonly regarded as one of the great American novels, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has captured the hearts and imaginations of readers since 1885. But since its publication, critics have rightfully condemned Mark Twain's troubling portrayal of Black Americans as stereotypes and caricatures, with contemporary fans searching for a modern update to this iconic tale. Big Jim and the White Boy is a radical retelling of this American classic, centering the experiences of Jim, an enslaved Black man in search of his kidnapped wife and children, along with his cheeky sidekick, Huckleberry Finn. Jim and Huck's high-stakes adventures take them on an epic voyage across the antebellum South and Midwest, through Confederate war camps and runaway safe houses, into Old West standoffs, and on the road as covert Underground Railroad agents. Intertwined into the story of Jim and Huck are the stories of Jim's descendants in the 1930s, 1980s, and 2020s, making this a multigenerational family epic as well as an adventure story. Big Jim and the White Boy takes readers on a journey through Jim and Huck's past, present, and future, delving into their incredible friendship and years of adventures-a bond that transcends the gruesome racism of the Civil War era. With compelling artwork and riveting storytelling, David F. Walker and Marcus Kwame Anderson push the boundaries of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in this incredible graphic novel, exploring the triumphs and tribulations of Jim and his family, and finally giving his due as a hero of American literature.

Bunt! by Ngozi Ukazu; Mad Rupert (Illustrator) A Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year Molly Bauer's first year of college is not the picture-perfect piece of art she'd always envisioned. On day one at PICA, Molly discovers that--through some horrible twist of fate--her full-ride scholarship has vanished! But the ancient texts (PICA's dusty financial aid documents) reveal a loophole. If Molly and 9 other art students win a single game of softball, they'll receive a massive athletic scholarship. Can Molly's crew of ragtag artists succeed in softball without dropping the ball? The author of the New York Times best-selling Check, Please series, Ngozi Ukazu, returns with debut artist Madeline Rupert to bring an energetic young adult story about authenticity, old vs. new, and college failure. It also poses the question: "Is art school worth it?"

The Deep Dark: a Graphic Novel by Molly Knox Ostertag From Molly Knox Ostertag, writer-illustrator of the New York Times and ABA Indie bestselling The Witch Boy trilogy and The Girl from the Sea, comes a darkly beautiful story of identity, family, love, loss, and magic. Everyone has secrets. Mags's has teeth. Magdalena Herrera is about to graduate high school, but she already feels like an adult with serious responsibilities: caring for her ailing grandmother; working a part-time job; clandestine makeouts with a girl who has a boyfriend. And then there's her secret, which pulls her into the basement each night, drains her of energy, and leaves her bleeding. A secret that could hurt and even kill if it ever got out -- like it did once before. So Mags keeps her head down, isolated in her small desert community. That is, until her childhood friend Nessa comes back to town, bringing vivid memories of the past, an intoxicating glimpse of the future, and a secret of her own. Mags won't get attached, of course. She's always been strong enough to survive without anyone's help. But when the darkness starts to close in on them both, Mags will have to drag her secret into the daylight, and choose between risking everything . . . or having nothing left to lose.

Hockey Girl Loves Drama Boy by Faith Erin Hicks New York Times bestseller Faith Erin Hicks is back with Hockey Girl Loves Drama Boy, a young adult graphic novel romance about a hotheaded hockey player who asks for temper management lessons from the cool, calm boy in drama club. It should have been a night of triumph for Alix's hockey team. But her mean teammate Lindsay decided to start up with her usual rude comments and today Alix, who usually tries to control her anger, let it finally run free. Alix lashes out and before she knows it, her coach is dragging her off Lindsay, and the invitation to the Canada National Women's U18 Team's summer camp is on the line. She needs to learn how to control this anger, and she is sure Ezra, the popular and poised theater kid from her grade is the answer. So she asks for his help. But as they hang out and start get closer, Alix learns that there is more to Ezra than the cool front he puts on. And that maybe this friendship could become something more....

The Infinity Particle by Wendy Xu (Illustrator) In this gorgeous graphic novel by Wendy Xu, co-creator of the award-winning Mooncakes, a young inventor falls for a lifelike AI and confronts questions of freedom and autonomy. Clementine Chang moves from Earth to Mars for a new start and is lucky enough to land her dream job with Dr. Marcella Lin, an Artificial Intelligence pioneer. On her first day of work, Clem meets Dr. Lin's assistant, a humanoid AI named Kye. Clem is no stranger to robots--she built herself a cute moth-shaped companion named SENA. Still, there's something about Kye that feels almost too human. When Clem and Kye begin to collaborate, their chemistry sets off sparks. The only downside? Dr. Lin is enraged by Kye's growing independence and won't allow him more freedom. Plus, their relationship throws into question everything Clem thought she knew about AI. After all, if Kye is sentient enough to have feelings, shouldn't he be able to control his own actions? Where is the line between AI and human? As her past and Kye's future weigh down on her, Clem becomes determined to help him break free--even if it means risking everything she came to Mars for.

Insomniacs after School, Vol. 1 by Makoto Ojiro Two sleepless teenagers find kinship as they escape to their school's astronomy observatory. Dark rumors about what befell the members of the astronomy club keep people away from the school observatory, and that's what makes it the perfect sanctuary for Nakami and Magari to get some much-needed rest. Unfortunately, the school faculty can't allow its unsanctioned use. But if there were a new astronomy club, maybe these two insomniacs could have a place to call home! Dark rumors about what befell the members of the astronomy club keep people away from the school observatory, and that's what makes it the perfect sanctuary for Nakami and Magari to get some much-needed rest. Unfortunately, the school faculty can't allow its unsanctioned use. But if there were a new astronomy club, maybe these two in

Karate Prom by Kyle Starks A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year A New York Public Library Best Book of the Year Don "TheDragonWilson" Jones is the finest fighter Benjamin Harrison High School has ever produced. But when he enters the ring against Lincoln High's Sam Steadman, it's love at first knockout. Unfortunately, Sam has a jerky ex-boyfriend...and Don has a seriously terrifying ex-girlfriend. Like, "global crime cartel" terrifying. From prom to the after-party to graduation, Don and Sam--and an increasingly eclectic cast of supporting oddballs--will have to fight their way through a gauntlet of opponents, all in the name of love (and punching). Did we mention the punching?

Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang; LeUyen Pham (Illustrator) An NPR Best Book of the Year A Kirkus Best Book of the Year A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year A Booklist Best Book of the Year A Shelf Awareness Best Book of the Year A Horn Book Best Book of the Year A New York Public Library Best Book of the Year Graphic novel superstars Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham join forces in this heartwarming rom-com about fate, family, and falling in love. She was destined for heartbreak. Then fate handed her love. Val is ready to give up on love. It's led to nothing but secrets and heartbreak, and she's pretty sure she's cursed--no one in her family, for generations, has ever had any luck with love. But then a chance encounter with a pair of cute lion dancers sparks something in Val. Is it real love? Could this be her chance to break the family curse? Or is she destined to live with a broken heart forever?

Nothing Special, Volume One by Katie Cook Two not-so-human teenagers and a friendly ghost radish face the fantasy adventure of a lifetime in this captivating graphic novel, featuring exclusive behind-the-scenes material, from the inimitable Katie Cook. "Smart, sweet, and totally original, Nothing Special is sure to captivate."-Sarah Andersen, New York Times bestselling author of Fangs, Sarah Scribbles, and Cryptid Club In the grand scheme of the worlds at large, Callie thinks she's nothing special. Sure, she's friends with the ghost of a radish and her dad owns a magical antique shop-but she's spent her life in the human world. Her dad won't let her join him on his collection trips in the magical realm "for her own protection," so she's only caught glimpses of that world through the gates of the town where her father's store is. On her seventeenth birthday, Callie goes home with her friend Declan to find her home in disarray and her dad missing. Signs of a struggle point to the portal to the magical realm and when there are signs, you follow them. Now it's up to Callie, Declan, and Radish to band together and bring him home. As they face creatures good and bad, and all sorts of adventure, Callie and Declan may just find out that they are both special in their own ways after all. The first season of mayhem, magic, vegetables, and adventure from Katie Cook's beloved Webtoon, Nothing Special, is collected in this gorgeous graphic novel, which also features exclusive behind-the-scenes content.

The Worst Ronin by Maggie Tokuda-Hall; Faith Schaffer (Illustrator) When an unlikely pair of female samurai join forces, what begins as your run-of-the-mill quest for glory and revenge evolves into something much more complicated. Turns out fighting actual demons doesn't mean you're not running from your own internal ones. Nimona meets Attack on Titan in this edgy, unexpectedly hilarious, genre-defying young adult graphic novel. Being a samurai isn't easy. Sixteen-year-old Chihiro Ito knows that more than anyone. Her father is renowned among the samurai, but the only thing Chihiro is known for is spending way too much time on her phone obsessing over Tatsuo Nakano, Chihiro's idol and the first woman to be accepted into Kesi Academy, a prestigious samurai school. So, when Chihiro's father is conscripted for service and the opportunity arises to work with Tatsuo in his stead, Chihiro jumps at the chance to prove that she's worthy of a spot at Kesi Academy and the samurai title. Their mission: kill the yamauba demon terrorizing a village. With a legendary samurai like Tatsuo by her side, Chihiro is convinced victory is inevitable. But Tatsuo isn't at all like the hero Chihiro imagined. Foulmouthed, quick tempered, and a terrible drunk, Tatsuo completely turned her back on the samurai way and is now a ronin working for hire as a means of escaping the grief that haunts her. Forced to work together, the two are thrust on a treacherous journey filled with epic battles and twisted conspiracies as they must put aside their differences to save the village and face the demons of the past.