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 A Smart and Courageous Child (Tokyopop) and Gender Studies: The Confessions of an Accidental Outlaw (Rosarium) for older teens and adult readers.
A Smart and Courageous Child (Tokyopop)
This is a strange and emotionally complex story about parenting that will leave readers excited to share their own takes with each other.
“Ultimately, A Smart & Courageous Child is a contemplation of what it means to be a parent, and also what it means to care for children. It delves into a core anxiety, particularly for women, in a way that not very many books do. Is bringing a child into the world the right thing, in dark times? How can we protect those children? Is that even possible?” —Manga Librarian
Gender Studies: The Confessions of an Accidental Outlaw (Rosarium)
Explore the intersection of race, gender, and representation via graphic memoir, as well as the nuances that are often overlooked in everyday expectations and interactions.
“Newcomers to the artist’s oeuvre will feel welcomed by this endearing work, which affirms how far the understanding of gender identities and experiences has come since Mance’s coming-of-age in the 1970s. It’s a celebration of queerness that will resonate with fans of Lawrence Lindell’s Blackward.” —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!
“An absolute game changer.” School Library Journal
With Comics Plus, schools and libraries can offer readers unlimited access to thousands of digital comics, manga, and picture books from popular publishers like ABDO, Andrews McMeel, Capstone, Cherry Lake, Dark Horse, Europe Comics, Fantagraphics, IDW, Image Comics, Kodansha, Lerner, Mad Cave, Manga Classics, Oni Press, Papercutz, Tokyopop, TOON Books, UDON Entertainment, Yen Press, and dozens more.
No holds, wait lists, or monthly borrowing limits—all at a price that won’t break your materials budget.
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.
