It seems like both the quantity and quality of graphic novels and graphic nonfiction just keeps increasing every year. This is great news for readers but it can feel a bit overwhelming when trying to find your next great graphic read. Luckily, our librarians read hundred of titles this year did a fantastic job sorting through the wealth of 2021 offerings. Here are some of our favorites:
If you are looking for warm fuzzies:
Our Dining Table by Ori Mita
Salaryman Yutaka loves to cook (and is no slouch in the kitchen), but unhappy childhood memories prevent him from sharing meals with anyone but himself. When he meets charming young Tane and his much older brother, Minoru, Yutaka finds that sharing meals is not only a wonderful experience, but can lead to much more than just friendship.
The Thud by Mikaël Ross
When his mother suffers a stroke, Noel is at a complete loss. With no other family and unable to live independently, Noel becomes the newest resident at Neuerkerode, a village predominantly run and inhabited by people with developmental disabilities. Translated from the original German, this fictional story set in a real location follows Noel from his initial loss to gradual acceptance to ultimately thriving in his new life. Continue reading “Staff Faves 2021: Graphic Novels”
This autobiographical manga, which was published after it gained a cult-following on the Internet as a web comic, tells the story of a twenty-something woman’s struggles with her identity and social interaction. Although the story hinges on the narrator’s first experience of lesbian intimacy with an escort at the age of 28, it really explores the rest of her life in much more detail – such as her struggles with social anxiety, depression, eating disorders, her relationship to her parents (who are constantly disappointed in her), and how all these things coalesced into her finally coming to terms with her identity as a lesbian late in her twenties. While the content is certainly heavy, especially for readers who may have experience with self harm or eating 
This is a gorgeous tail about humanity, religion, and… cathood… that takes place in 1930s Algeria and is imbued with a healthy dose of magical realism. The protagonist is a cat belonging to the daughter of a rabbi, who accidentally acquires the power of speech after eating a parrot. Now able to communicate with humans, the cat asks the rabbi for an education and to begin practicing Judaism, sparking a theological debate about whether or not a cat can be Jewish. This novel is beautifully illustrated, with bright colors, warm landscapes, and lively, dynamic characters (both human and non-human alike). The story deftly explores themes of what it means to have a religion, what it means to have a friend, and what it means to coexist in relationship with others. 
Shelf Talk 