Comics and manga are for everyone, but a single book club can’t serve every potential reader. A book club for younger readers is unlikely to satisfy teen or adult interests, while genre-specific book clubs can potentially appeal to readers of overlapping ages. Alternatively, community reads are typically intended to engage readers of all ages and interests.
The titles you select will depend on who your book club is intended to serve, and can vary greatly by genre, art style, and complexity. We’ve created reader’s guides for some of our favorite comics and manga, including discussion questions and a notable review for each one, to help you get started.
This month, we’re spotlighting Navigating With You (Mad Cave) and Pretty Deadly Vol. 1: The Shrike (Image Comics) for older teens and adult readers.
Navigating With You (Mad Cave)
Navigating With You is a nuanced story-within-a-story featuring diverse and layered characters whose depth and relatable experiences offer many angles for discussion.
While this story-within-a-story pivots to sci-fi, it is replete with parallels to the girls’ own story. Through their authentic discussions about manga and their pasts, their budding feelings grow for each other as they confront their insecurities… This healing slice-of-life graphic novel lights a bright path for LGBTQIA+ romance plots by including characters with intersectional experiences. A must-have for all collections. —School Library Journal
Pretty Deadly Vol. 1: The Shrike (Image Comics)
Examine the portrayal of female roles and exploration of life and death with this origin tale of the daughter of Death himself, as she rides through the old West exacting brutal vengeance upon the heads of sinners.
The book requires at least two readings: the first just to learn who everyone is, the second to understand what’s going on. It’s ambitious and challenging (two qualities that are not often valued, but that probably should be), under a facade of violence and sacrifice. Rios’s art is lush and detailed, and is more than capable of keeping up with the far-reaching story. —Publishers Weekly
Start Your Own Comics & Manga Book Club
Starting a comic or manga book club at your library or school might seem like a daunting task, especially if you’re not personally familiar with the medium, so we’ve put together a free resource, Hosting Comics & Manga Book Clubs, designed to ensure you and your readers have the best experience possible.
- Prepare: What you’ll need to do before scheduling your first book club event.
- Promote: How to get the word out about your book club event.
- Participate: How to ensure your book club members have a great experience.
Read All The Comics!
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Learn more at comicsplusapp.com and sign up for a free demo account.
We curate high-interest, immersive digital content that helps schools and libraries expand and diversify their collections—without breaking their materials budgets.
