Graphic Novels on Audio

Mystery meets ghost story meets graphic novel in an audio tour de force that blends genres and formats while fully exploring the unique characteristics of each. Seventeen-year-old Denise and her family are trying to renovate their ramshackle New Orleans home, but the house--and the increasingly nasty ghosts that live within it--seems determined to thwart their plans. Narrator... Read More

This full-cast audio adaptation of Alison Bechdel’s classic comic strip about the messy lives of a group of queer women in the 1980s is absolutely flawless. Jane Lynch grounds the production as the narrator; her witty and dramatic performance sets the tone for each episode. Carrie Brownstein gives a knockout performance as Mo, a self-righteous but well-intentioned lesbian who... Read More

An ensemble of narrators brings the bustle of a Renaissance fair, the vagaries of middle school, and the tribulations of a homeschooling family vividly to life. For 11-year-old Imogene Vega, the start of sixth grade and the opening of the Renaissance fair where her family works converge. Imogene is anxious about heading into a public school setting and eager to learn about the... Read More

GraphicAudio does what seems impossible, perfectly translating a comic book into an audiobook listeners can almost see. The full-cast performance gives life to Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, and the rest of the Archie crew, imbuing them with personality and style. The all-American Betty Cooper sounds as perky and perfect as expected. Veronica comes off just as she did in the... Read More

The GraphicAudio cast perfectly renders the world of Archie Comics with a deeper dive into the relationships between Archie and each of his two loves, Betty and Veronica. When Veronica's father, Hiram Lodge, runs for mayor of Riverdale, Archie is drawn further into his orbit. Alejandro Ruiz, who plays Archie's best buddy, Jughead, is particularly good as the character tries... Read More

Author Shannon Hale narrates as a full cast enacts the drama of her sixth-grade year in this adaptation of the middle volume of her graphic memoir trilogy. Portraying young Shannon, Mia Jenness evokes excitement, uncertainty, and hurt--painfully and exquisitely--as she picks her way through a friendship minefield. Her circle of friends is not so fully individuated, with the... Read More

The GraphicAudio crew is at their finest performing this creepy story of Frank Johnson, an African-American magician in 1931 Chicago who is trying to work off a two-century debt to Satan to reclaim his soul. It's a quick listen, performed with the requisite sound effects as the narrators pull out all stops in becoming a cast of bizarre characters in this moody adventure based... Read More

Left for dead, with only snatches of memory, Calexa moves into a suburban cemetery crypt--the only place she feels safe while unraveling the mystery of her attempted murder. From the gentle pattering of rain on freshly dug soil to the blaring sirens of police cars, no sound is missing from this shadowy opening to a graveyard trilogy. Youthful Emlyn McFarland portrays Calexa... Read More

Listeners will delight in being back with their friends from NEW KID and hearing about the ups and downs of eighth grade from multiple points of view. Jordan is excited but nervous to be back in school, and Jesus Del Orden’s bright voice matches Jordan’s sweet and observant personality. Drew, compellingly portrayed by Nile Bullock, has an easy time connecting with Jordan, but... Read More

A full cast of talented narrators taps into the darkly magical atmosphere of Bardugo’s graphic novel prequel to the Shadow and Bone trilogy. Primary narrator Ben Barnes depicts the villainous Darkling when he was known as Eryk, a young teen who hungered for companionship and stability. Eryk and his mother find refuge in a remote mountain village, where they are safe as long as... Read More

A full cast performs Cece Bell's graphic memoir for kids. After losing her hearing during a childhood illness, Cece starts school with special earphones that are attached to a large box around her neck. With her box, she navigates making friends and working hard in her classes. The cast performs the dialogue among the many characters, giving each one a unique voice. The sound... Read More

Mac Barnett and illustrator Shawn Harris narrate their audiobook with abandon, further embellishing their quirky writing. Listeners meet the Moon Queen, who is poisoned by soup, giving her protector, the First Cat, the challenge of finding an antidote in 24 hours. Barnett and Harris excel at creating their own sound effects, adding fitting music that will evoke nostalgic... Read More

A full cast transports listeners straight to the school lunchroom for two silly, sound effects-laden, cartoon-like adventures. Lunch Lady, played by Kate Flannery, is secretly a spy, and she fights crime with the help of gadgets such as cannoli-oculars and a banana boomerang. Cary Hite brings playful energy as the story's unnamed narrator--and occasionally breaks into the... Read More

Maia Kobabe is the clear star of the show in this audio adaptation of eir 2014 graphic memoir. In a voice that’s reflective, inviting, and refreshingly frank, e guides listeners through eir personal journey of gender discovery. A full cast helps bring the visual elements to life, voicing Kobabe’s family, friends, colleagues, classmates, and others. Music and sound effects help... Read More

A full cast of more than 40 performers brings this powerful graphic novel memoir vividly to life. When he was 3, Jarrett’s grandparents removed him from his heroin-addicted mother’s custody and raised him in their noisy, loving home, encouraging his artistic talent. With music, sound effects, and affecting performances, listeners feel like they are at the dinner table with him... Read More

This lively audio adaptation of Huda Fahmy’s hilarious graphic novel will delight listeners. Huda’s having a crisis. Her family’s just moved from a small town to Dearborn, Michigan, and suddenly her identity can no longer be “the hijabi girl” because she’s not the only one anymore. Fahmy’s wry narration captures the humor and the many ups and downs of her freshman year in a new... Read More

This audiobook is a moving testament to the difficulties faced by African refugees in search of a better life. Ebo follows his brother, who has left their Ghanaian village in hopes of immigrating to Europe. He meets both helpful and brutal people during harrowing months of travel. The story employs multiple devices to mirror its dark atmosphere and the "word bubbles" of its... Read More

Five very different students misidentified as “Mexicanos” find commonality in a superb audio adaptation of this graphic novel. While the full cast and production are all outstanding, the narrators portraying the diverse students give especially animated performances, conveying unique personalities and moving flawlessly between English and Spanish. Andrés Hinspeter-Seda is the... Read More

A full cast of skilled narrators brings this engaging graphic novel to life on audio. Sheena Kamal portrays Maggie, a shy RPG-loving girl entering sixth grade. Listeners hear her anxiety about the new year—and a mysterious monster outside her school. Narrator Almarie Guerra guides listeners through the story, smoothly describing the visual cues for listeners. A lively cast,... Read More

Jordan is full of anxiety at the start of seventh grade, and this full-cast audiobook production of Craft’s graphic novel gives a peek into his life. Loving parents played by Robin Miles and Guy Lockard encourage Jordan to give his new private school a try, and as Jordan gets caught in a whirlwind of new classmates, listeners hear young voices bouncing off the walls. Jordan,... Read More

Bringing a graphic novel to audio is a challenge, for obvious reasons. The full cast here gives it their all. Rebecca Soler projects just the right attitude—perky when she’s excited or glum when she’s bored—for Nimona, the shape-shifting girl with an enthusiastic appetite and aptitude for mayhem. Jonathan Davis and Marc Thompson are well matched as archenemies Blackheart and... Read More

A full cast dramatizes this story of three Taiwanese kids who are left alone in the U.S. after a vacation while their loving parents return home to support them from afar. Author-illustrator Betty Tang opens this adaptation of her graphic novel by explaining that the English-language dialogue spoken by 10-year-old Feng-Li and her family is halting and heavily accented to... Read More

Full of the best kind of punk-rock energy, narrator Almarie Guerra and a full cast take listeners on a rollicking ride around the roller derby track. This much loved graphic novel comes to life with bright voices and sound effects, including tumbles, bottles of hair dye, and lots of roller skates. Guerra’s slightly nasal voice suits tough yet insecure Astrid, the... Read More

This full-cast production is the first installment in a dynamic, new graphic novel series. Lauren Fortgang portrays Jenn, an only child, who is upset about moving from New York City to the country, uncertain about her mother's boyfriend, and not excited about cleaning up after chickens. Her reluctance deepens with the caustic comments of her potential stepfather and the... Read More

Jarrett J. Krosoczka’s second memoir, following HEY, KIDDO, recounts his experiences as a teen counselor at a camp for terminally ill children. Originally a graphic memoir, it becomes a powerful cinematic audio because of the coordination of more than 50 narrators, carefully selected music, and sound effects that enhance the action. Krosoczka portrays himself as an adult;... Read More

This graphic novel memoir makes a successful transition to audio because of its talented ensemble cast. It opens in Boston in 1986. Four-year-old Liz Prince is mid-temper-tantrum because she's been asked to wear a dress. Her fit is more evocative and dramatic because of the concern expressed by her loving parents. Excellent timing and a sense of connection among cast members... Read More

Ringing school bells and squeaking sneakers augment a full cast as they dramatize the events of the author's seventh-grade year in small-town Texas. It's dominated by the cheer-squad tryout, but typical middle-school concerns--changing bodies and changing friendships--emerge, as well as issues particular to Christina's identity as the only Thai American student in her school.... Read More

A full cast brings this middle-grade graphic novel to life. Maureen and Francine are Black twin sisters who are forever being mistaken for each other. When they start middle school, outgoing Francine, voiced with confidence by Grace Capeless, decides to run for class president. The story is told from Maureen’s point of view, and Ahnya O’Riordan’s youthful voice captures her... Read More

Opening with the film-like sounds of a gathering storm at sea and a group of captive African women staging a desperate battle for their freedom, this combined memoir/audio play/graphic novel bursts with energy, inspiration, and little-known historical facts throughout. Based on Rebecca Hall’s pioneering research into women-led slave revolts, the story becomes personal when... Read More

Skillful soundscaping and a full cast heighten the atmosphere and emotion in this audiobook, inspired by the childhood of coauthor Omar Mohamed. The story follows young Omar, a Somali boy living in a Kenyan refugee camp, where he cares for his brother, studies hard, and tries to balance his hope of resettlement against grim reality. Narrator Faysal Ahmed is thoroughly... Read More