The Eternal Smile
by Gene Luen Yang & Derek Kirk Kim
YAF Yang, G.
Three different graphic stories are bound into one, asking these overarching questions: what’s reality, what’s fantasy and what’s your identity? Each story is illustrated very differently, and the distinct artwork helps convey the message of the individual story. I read these stories quickly, wanting to see how each one ended. Then I reread them to understand at a deeper level. That’s a sign of a good graphic novel! - Archie Burke
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
YAF Ryan, C.
The Forest of Hands and Teeth is a story about a teenage girl named Mary. Mary lives in a post-apocalypse time, where zombies, who they call “the Unconsecrated,” roam free. The only protection Mary’s village has is a fence surrounding it, which keeps the Unconsecrated out and the villagers in. Nobody knows what the outside holds, but Mary dreams of it as her mother tells her, from stories passed down from generation to generation. Fate hands Mary the chance to see what lies beyond the Forest of Hands and Teeth. - Alexys Reynoso, as part of the Summer Reading Program
50 Young Adult Fiction