Cover Story: Accessible, quick reads, and graphic novels

Here are our librarians' picks of the best teen reads in the accessible, quick reads, and graphic novels genre.

Cross My Heart and Never Lie

Nora Dåsnes

Written in a diary format with colourful illustrations, this is a quick read about a young girl wanting to fit in, fall in love, and play the saxophone. In this graphic novel, translated from Norwegian, Tuva is caught between her two best friends as she starts a new school year: does she want to get a boyfriend like Linnéa, or stay playing in the woods with Bao? A lovely read about friendship, growing up and being who you are.

9780008653750 Farshore: 2024

Northern Soul

Phil Earle

Marv is in love; one glance at his new neighbour Carly, and his world has been turned upside-down. After an evening of listening to love songs and begging the universe for help, he is astounded to be visited by the King of Soul himself, Otis Redding. Otis offers to guide this love-struck teen in the ways of wooing, with advice straight from the 1960s and a suspiciously northern accent... What follows is a hilarious and charming tale of first loves, first kisses, and first heartbreaks all in less than one-hundred pages.

9781800902039 Barrington Stoke: 2024

The Big Ask

Simon James Green

The “it” couple of the school have broken up, leaving Alfie Parker wondering if he could ask newly single (and long-term crush) Harvey Ledger to be his prom date. But Harvey is straight and would never be interested in a self-proclaimed “tragic” guy like Alfie… right?! This funny and heartfelt read from the brilliant Simon James Green is short, accessible and perfect for fans of Alice Oseman and Rainbow Rowell.

9781800902428 Barrington Stoke: 2024

Island of Whispers

Frances Hardinge

The mist makes the dead linger on the island of Merlank, and ghosts can kill. Milo’s father is the Ferryman; tasked to take the dead safely on their way, travelling by sea to free their spirits. When he’s left with no choice, Milo must take over the role and journey through the seas alone, pursued by two magicians and a lord set on revenge.  A beautifully illustrated life-affirming tale about loss that combines elements of fairy tales, fantasy, and ghost stories.

9781529088083 Two Hoots: 2024

Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir

Pedro Martin

As a Mexican American, Pedro sometimes feels like he doesn’t fit in anywhere, and as one of nine siblings his voice can be a little lost in the crowd. This graphic novel/memoir follows a road trip taken with his family from the US to Mexico, to pick up his Abuelito - a crimefighting grandfather and alleged participant in the Mexican revolution. With everyone packed into a Winnebago, this epic journey is full of hilarious moments, delightful characters, and gives a heartfelt insight into Pedro and his family.

9781916558069 Guppy Books: 2023

A Taste of Darkness

Various authors

A haunted doll, a deadly house party, creatures in the woods, teenage vampires, and demons from the underworld; the thirteen short stories that haunt these pages are guaranteed to send shivers down your spine. These atmospheric tales have enough twists and turns to keep even the most hardened horror fans guessing, and with renowned YA authors such as Louie Stowell and Kat Dunn contributing their eerie imaginings, we would advise against reading this collection before bedtime… Due to some gory moments, this is recommended for readers aged 13+.

9780702329173 Scholastic: 2023

EchoStar is Always Listening

Melinda Salisbury

Ruby is struggling at school, so when her best friend tells her about Echostar, an app that helps you to cheat in lessons and exams, she decides to try it out.  At first the app seems great, almost like a friend, but when it starts ‘helping her out’ by playing increasingly nasty pranks on her classmates, Ruby begins to wonder if Echostar really has her best interests at heart. Especially when it refuses to be deleted… A fast-paced, modern thriller that will have you side-eyeing your smartphone.

9781800902701 Barrington Stoke: 2024

100 Tales from the Tokyo Ghost Cafe

Julian Sedgwick and Chie Kutsuwada

Our two authors, Julian and Chie, are travelling to Fear Mountain; home to spirits and strange apparitions, to help a young boy named Akira find his home. Short stories and manga are combined in this novel-with-a-difference as our protagonists encounter a variety of yokai monsters and famous ghosts including a ghost cat and a phantom skateboarder. Part cozy, part creepy, this second collaboration after 2021’s Tsunami Girl is sure to appeal to fans of manga and ghost stories alike.

9781913101886 Guppy Books: 2024