Growing up isn’t always easy — they call it growing pains for a reason. As your child enters middle school, they’ll go through the changes of adolescence, where they discover their own identity and forge their own path in the world. These experiences come with their own unique struggles, and reading books with relatable characters can help provide some solace.
For example, helping your child transition to a new school can be made easier through coming-of-age books, which can encourage self-discovery, get them excited about the new experiences they will have, and build up their confidence during the early years of middle school.
Graphic novels are a particularly great choice for middle schoolers because they hold children’s attentions with illustrations while introducing them to new literary concepts. Your child will love immersing themselves in captivating stories through a detailed visual medium that also sharpens their vocabulary (graphic novels are known to use higher vocabulary than chapter books).
In the hilarious graphic memoir series Definitely Nat: Nat Enough, readers meet Natalie, who is navigating middle school and all of its baggage. Between making friends, trying to fit in with the popular clique, and dealing with first crushes, Natalie learns to listen to her own voice.
Meanwhile, The Baby-Sitters Club Graphix boxed set tells the story of the iconic fab five in graphic novel format. This series follows Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia, Stacey, and Dawn as they learn about the responsibilities and the changing dynamics of relationships that come with young adult life. Many of their experiences can be translated into real-life situations for teenage girls.
Older readers will love the best-selling Heartstopper graphic novel series, which details what it’s like to grow up and fall in love as a queer person. Charlie and Nick meet through a chance encounter when they sit beside each other in class.
As their friendship grows, Nick and Charlie become best friends and develop feelings for each other. The series follows Nick and Charlie’s high school journey, as their friendship evolves into a love relationship that has its own challenges and triumphs through the years.
Shop the best coming-of-age graphic novels below! You can find all books and activities at The Scholastic Store, where you can get free shipping on book-only orders over $25.
