Tune in from anywhere to hear all about these amazing middle grade graphic novels! We're so excited to be hosting SARA AMINI, author of Mixed Feelings, SEQUOIA BLANKENSHIP and ROB THOMPSON, author and illustrator of Feo the Chupacabra, and DANI JONES, author-illustrator of My Sister, the Freak. From alien invasions to not-so-mythical monsters to the complicated world of middle school, these are terrific tales about the trials and triumphs of growing up. Join us to meet the minds behind them!

What could go wrong on the first day of sixth grade?

A: You wake up with leg hair out of nowhere. B: You have zero classes with your BFF and watch her run off with her new (annoying) friend. C: You struggle to decide which school club to join because being mixed race makes you feel like you don't belong anywhere.

In this semi-autobiographical story, Sara's got mixed feelings about middle school. But when she joins drama club, she discovers a community where she can be anything she wants -- including herself. Has Sara finally found a place to fit in? Or will she instead find herself buried under her growing leg hair and off-stage drama?

Feo the Chupacabra written by SEQUOIA BLANKENSHIP and illustrated by ROB THOMPSON

This heartfelt debut graphic novel from two seasoned Pixar animators is a funny, fast-paced adventure about the power of friendship and the importance of believing in yourself.

When the tiny Mexican town of Cabrito Viejo is in danger of being bought out by a nefarious film studio, Feo, the mythical and feisty chupacabra, teams up with Camila, a plucky mechanic (and local monster enthusiast) to hatch a plan.

Inspired by her father’s monster movie collection, the pair head to Hollywood to convince famed screenwriter Doctor Acula to put Feo’s name up in lights. But Feo isn’t exactly the terrifying fiend that local legends make him out to be.

Can the unlikely duo really save the village by making the chupacabra Hollywood’s next great monster?

The Odyssey: A Graphic Novel: Deluxe Edition by GARETH HINDS

Fresh from his triumphs in the Trojan War, Odysseus, king of Ithaca, wants nothing more than to return home to his family. Instead, he offends the sea god, Poseidon, who dooms him to years of shipwreck and wandering. Battling man-eating monsters, violent storms, and the supernatural seductions of sirens and sorceresses, Odysseus will need all his strength and cunning—and a little help from Mount Olympus—to make his way home and seize his kingdom from the schemers who seek to wed his queen and usurp his throne. Gareth Hinds masterfully reinterprets a story of heroism, adventure, and high action that has been told and retold for more than 2,500 years—though never quite like this.

Mary Seaver lives in her own world. It’s not her fault if sometimes her enthusiasm creates chaos. To Mary, that’s what being 10 years old and a huge science fiction fan is all about. Allison “Al” Seaver is Mary’s older sister—and she’s everything that Mary is not: cool, calm, collected, and super popular.

So it makes sense that when aliens invade their hometown of Pleasant Valley, Mary’s trying to warn everyone about the end of the world while Al’s just hoping it will all go away before the spring dance. But when a secret emerges from their family’s past, Mary and Al find themselves turning to their most unlikely ally: each other.

Thursday, June 11th at 6pm EST via Crowdcast!

Great Graphic Novels for Middle Grade!