33 anticipated elementary and middle grade graphic novels for winter 2023

What’s in store for young readers in 2023 as the world moves towards normalcy after three years of uncertainty? Many of the books that appear in this list of anticipated elementary and middle grade graphic novels for winter 2023 continue to expand upon issues of culture and identity while also negotiating the tightrope of emotions between families and friends. 

Tracey Baptiste and Shauna J. Grant revisit an iconic moment in American Civil Rights history with their new graphic memoir of Rosa Parks and Claudette Colvin. Ukrainian-Nigerian-Canadian hockey player Akim Aliu and NFL star-turned-activist Colin Kaepernick remind readers to never stop dreaming and never compromise as they look back on the their meteoric rise to professional athletes from racism and adversity. The characters in the fictional stories by Matt Tavares, Franco Aureliani, K. O’Neill, Megan Wagner Lloyd and debut graphic novelists Meggie Ramm and Wes Molebach also rise above exceptional circumstances to triumph in love and friendship. 

But that’s not to say that 2023 is all about serious issues. Judd Winick, Dav Pilkey, and Stephan Shaskan kick off the first quarter of 2023 with new books in their bestselling  franchises. Samuel Sattin adapts Tomm Moore’s 2014 fantasy epic into a visual feast for the eyes. And what’s not to like about Shannon Hale’s and LeUyen Pham’s adorable kitty-corn adventures?

Let’s dive into the 33 anticipated elementary and middle-grade graphic novels for winter 2023!

JANUARY

Captain America: The Ghost Army

Writer: Alan Gratz
Artist: Brent Schoonover
Publisher: Graphix
Release Date: Dec. 14 (Comics Shops) / Jan. 3 (Bookstores)
List Price: $22.99 Hardcover / $14.99 Paperback

In this thrilling historical adventure set during World War II, Steve Rogers (AKA Captain America) and his young sidekick, Bucky Barnes, encounter threat like none they’ve ever seen — a Ghost Army. The dead of this war and wars past are coming back to life, impervious to bullets, flames, or anything else the Allies can throw at them. The armies rise from the ground in the night and seem to disappear without a trace.

How can Cap and Buck fight something that’s already dead? And just what does the mysterious Baron Mordo—sitting in his castle atop nearby Wundagore Mountain—have to do with this?

Award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling author Alan Gratz merges the worlds of historical fiction and super hero comics in this one-of-a-kind graphic novel that is sure to be met with major enthusiasm from fans of all ages.

History Comics: Rosa Parks & Claudette Colvin: Civil Rights

Writer: Tracey Baptiste
Artist: Shauna J. Grant
Publisher: First Second
Release Date: Dec. 28 (Comics Shops) / Jan. 3 (Bookstores)
List Price: $19.99 Hardcover / $12.99 Paperback

A Black woman who refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus sparked a bus boycott and became part of one of the most iconic moments in American history. Yet, few know that Rosa Parks had actively worked toward social justice her whole life. And even fewer know that the seeds of the statewide bus boycott were first planted by a teenager named Claudette Colvin, who was arrested on similar charges months earlier. Rosa Parks and Claudette Colvin inspired a nation, showing how positive change can start with a single defiant act. Their actions have become the stuff of legend, but there is so much more to their lives, their stories, and the movement they began.

Officer Clawsome: Lobster Cop

Writer: Brian “Smitty” Smith
Artist: Chris Giarrusso
Publisher: HarperAlley
Release Date: Dec. 28 (Comics Shops) / Jan. 3 (Bookstores)
List Price: $12.99 Hardcover

Crime doesn’t pay in Caper Cove with Officer Clawsome and his partner, Stariana, on the case. Just ask the notorious Catburglarfish—she’ll confirm.

But when the beloved bakery Kelpy’s Kelpcakes goes missing and rumors begin swirling about shark sightings for the first time in a hundred years, the duo is about to find themselves claw-deep in a mystery for the ages.

Will this dynamic duo save the day yet again, or have the citizens of Caper Cove eaten their last Kelpcake…for good?

Pizza and Taco: Rock Out!

Cartoonist: Stephen Shaskan
Publisher: Random House Graphic
Release Date: Jan. 4 (Comics Shops) / Jan. 3 (Bookstores)
List Price: $9.99 Hardcover

Pizza and Taco love music! They make lists, and they have tryouts to get more band members. They think they have all the ingredients to rock the scene. But maybe this garage band should stay in the garage!!

Spidey and His Amazing Friends: Let’s Swing, Spidey Team!: My First Comic Reader

Writer: Steve Behling
Artist: Marvel Press Artist
Publisher: Marvel Press
Release Date: Jan. 3
List Price: $5.99 Paperback

My First Comics is an easy-to-read comic book that introduces young fans to graphic novels with simple text, accessible layouts, and clear storylines about Spidey and his amazing friends. Kids get to learn the basics of “comics grammar” while exploring themes of teamwork, adventure, and friendship.

Lost Legends of Nothing

Writers: Alejandra Green, Fanny Rodriguez
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: Jan. 17
List Price: $22.99 Hardcover / $13.99 Paperback

Welcome back to Nothing! After the battle with Stryx, Nathan is lost and alone (again). But this time, he has friends to find and a quest to continue! At least no one is chasing him . . . well, except for that ancient evil spirit trying to destroy Nothing. Oh, and the war started (great!).

Once reunited, Nathan, Haven, Sina, and Bardou must continue their journey to the Edge. Nathan has visions of Lerina that intensify as they travel, and the group discovers the clues to save Nothing may reside in the lost legends of the past. Unexpected allies appear but new enemies lurk everywhere, and the most powerful foe is attacking Haven’s spirit from within.

If Nathan and his band of friends weren’t already feeling the pressure, they must prevent two realms from tearing Nothing apart, defeat Stryx, and not die in the process (no biggie). Otherwise, volken, faes, and all magic could vanish from Nothing . . . forever.

Bomb: The Race to Build — And Steal — the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon

Writer: Steve Sheinkin
Artist: Nick Bertozzi
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Release Date: Jan. 24
List Price: $22.99 Hardcover / $17.99 Paperback

In December of 1938, a chemist in a German laboratory made a shocking discovery: When placed next to radioactive material, a Uranium atom split in two. That simple discovery launched a scientific race that spanned three continents.

In Great Britain and the United States, Soviet spies worked their way into the scientific community; in Norway, a commando force slipped behind enemy lines to attack German heavy-water manufacturing; and deep in the desert, one brilliant group of scientists was hidden away at a remote site at Los Alamos. This is the story of the plotting, the risk-taking, the deceit, and genius that created the world’s most formidable weapon. This is the story of the atomic bomb.

FEBRUARY

Housecat Trouble: Lost and Found

Cartoonist: Mason Dickerson
Publisher: Random House Graphic
Release Date: Feb. 1 (Comics Shops) / Jan. 31 (Bookstores)
List Price: $13.99 Hardcover

Buster has been around the block–literally!

After an adventure outside his home to help his owner, Buster now finds himself in the position of helping a lost little cat. Buster, Nova, and Chauncey take to the streets to find the cat’s owner. But this strange stray turns out to be a ghost, and a reunion with its owner is going to be a lot harder than they thought! Will Buster and his friends have what it takes to reunite this lost cat and its owner?

Akim Aliu: Dreamer

Writer: Akim Aliu, Greg Anderson Elysée
Artist: Karen De la Vega, Marcus Williams
Publisher: Graphix
Release Date: Feb. 8 (Comics Shops) / Feb. 7 (Bookstores)
List Price: $24.99 Hardcover / $14.99 Paperback

Akim Aliu — also known as “Dreamer” — is a Ukrainian-Nigerian-Canadian professional hockey player whose career took him all around the world and who experienced systemic racism at every turn. Dreamer tells Akim’s incredible story, from being the only Black child in his Ukrainian community, to his family struggling to make ends meet while living in Toronto, to confronting the racist violence he often experienced both on and off the ice. This is a gut-wrenching and riveting graphic novel memoir that reminds us to never stop dreaming, and is sure to inspire young readers everywhere.

Fae and the Moon

Writer: Franco Aureliani
Artist: Catherine Satrun, Sarah Satrun
Publisher: Yellow Jacket
Release Date: Feb. 8 (Comics Shops) / Feb. 7 (Bookstores)
List Price: $24.99 Hardcover / $14.99 Paperback

Fae, in mourning for her missing mother, sits night after night below the Moon that her mother so loved. Then one night she discovers she can pluck the Moon out of the star-filled sky! Back safe in her house, she holds it close, feeling comfort at last. But Fae loses the Moon, and finds that taking it has awakened ancient monsters–rats, dragons, and more, who hunt it for themselves. Will Fae be able to reclaim the Moon, find her own inner strength, and save the world from eternal darkness?

Nat for Nothing

Cartoonist: Maria Scrivan
Publisher: Graphix
Release Date: Feb. 8 (Comics Shops) / Feb. 7 (Bookstores)
List Price: $24.99 Hardcover / $12.99 Paperback

It’s a best friend battle!

Natalie is having a rough start to the school year. Each student has been asked to join an extracurricular activity, and Nat’s two best friends have no trouble finding activities that interest them. Flo tries her hand at puppetry, and Zoe makes the volleyball team… with Nat’s ex-BFF, Lily! So now Zoe and Lily are always together, and Nat’s over it! Nat’s feeling betrayed, and she still hasn’t found a club to join. But when Nat meets a new student who’s having the same difficulty choosing a club, they decide to create one together. Could this be the solution to her problems?

Bash! Vol 1

Writer: Rudy Gobert
Artist: Vince Serrano
Publisher: Titan
Release Date: Feb. 15 (Comics Shops) / Feb. 14 (Bookstores)
List Price: $17.99 Paperback

Throughout the universe, there’s one sport that everyone’s a fan of: BASH! A brutal, high-octane version of basketball: its players are rockstars, legends, gods, and for young Rudy, a poor kid from Nevilia, his only dream is to be one of them.

Rudy’s got talent, but talent is nothing without practice and so he sets out to become the best BASH player in the galaxy, always training, always reaching for jut one more dunk.

And while Rudy is starting to get noticed by the teams and the talent scouts, other, more sinister forces have started to creep out from the shadows, jealous of this rising young star.

Investigators: Agents of S.U.I.T.

Writer: John Patrick Green, Christopher Hastings
Artist: Pat Lewis
Publisher: First Second
Release Date: Feb. 22 (Comics Shops) / Feb. 21 (Bookstores)
List Price: $10.99 Hardcover

At S.U.I.T. headquarters, Cilantro the Chameleon finally gets what she’s been waiting for: a field assignment. Only…it’s literally out in the middle of a field, and her orders are so vague, she can hardly tell what she’s supposed to be investigating. But as she begins to uncover a sheep-led worker’s rights revolt and an alien invasion conspiracy—not to mention a spooky haunting at the abandoned S.U.I.T. field outpost—Cilantro steps into her own V.E.S.T. as a valued member of the S.U.I.T. team. From InvestiGators mastermind John Patrick Green, the world of S.U.I.T. has never been more fun!

Scurry

Cartoonist: Mac Smith
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: Feb. 15 (Comics Shops) / Feb. 21 (Bookstores)
List Price: $14.99 Paperback

A group of house mice struggle to survive a long and strange winter. The humans are gone, the sun is rarely seen, and a cold, dark rain befouls everything it touches. The mice, long dependent on humans for food, stubbornly cling to their old ways, looting the nearby abandoned houses for any scraps they can find. Once, there was plenty to eat, but now the scavengers return empty-handed, or not at all. Food is scarce, but danger is everywhere. Poison and traps wait for the unwary in dark cupboards, and a gang of feral cats relentlessly chase the mice whenever the rodents leave the safety of their nest. Now there are even rumors a hawk has come to join the hunt. As supplies run low and many mice fall ill, desperation creeps in. With the colony at a breaking point, rumors of a wrecked truck filled with food give them hope, but it lies far beyond the forest, where even the cats won’t go. Included in Scurry, is a two-page READER’S GUIDE. The full TEACHER’S GUIDE can be found on SkyboundComet.com.

Skull Cat (Book One): Skull Cat And The Curious Castle

Cartoonist: Norman Shurtliff
Publisher: Top Shelf Productions
Release Date: Feb. 22 (Comics Shops) / Feb. 21 (Bookstores)
List Price: $14.99 Paperback

Even though the castle is an eerie place, full of dark secrets, Scully is excited to start his new job and prove himself to be a great gardener. But wait a minute… what happened to all his co-workers? Were they devoured by bloodthirsty vampires? Spooked by a love-struck ghost? Pranked by a comic-reading goblin? Enchanted by a sleepy sorcerer? Will Scully have to become the hero and uncover the truth behind Le Dark Chateau? He never signed up for this!!

Middle-grade readers who love fantasy and spooky adventure will treasure Norman Shurtliff’s debut graphic novel like a magical gem.

MARCH

A First Time for Everything

Cartoonist: Dan Santat
Publisher: First Second
Release Date: Mar. 1 (Comics Shops) / Feb. 28 (Bookstores)
List Price: $22.99 Hardcover / $14.99 Paperback

Dan’s always been a good kid. The kind of kid who listens to his teachers, helps his mom with grocery shopping, and stays out of trouble. But being a good kid doesn’t stop him from being bullied and feeling like he’s invisible, which is why Dan has low expectations when his parents send him on a class trip to Europe.

At first, he’s right. He’s stuck with the same girls from his middle school who love to make fun of him, and he doesn’t know why his teacher insisted he come on this trip. But as he travels through France, Germany, Switzerland, and England, a series of first experiences begin to change him—first Fanta, first fondue, first time stealing a bike from German punk rockers… and first love.

Funny, heartwarming, and poignant, A First Time for Everything is a feel-good coming-of-age memoir based on New York Times bestselling author and Caldecott Medal winner Dan Santat’s awkward middle school years. It celebrates a time that is universally challenging for many of us, but also life-changing as well.

Hilo 9: Gina and the Last City on Earth

Cartoonist: Judd Winick
Publisher: Random House Graphic
Release Date: Mar. 1 (Comics Shops) / Feb. 28 (Bookstores)
List Price: $13.99 Hardcover

Sometimes the world needs to be saved and there’s only one person brave enough to do it. This time . . . that person is Gina. With the help of D.J., Hilo, one warrior cat, one warrior cat’s annoying little brother, one flying Bearacat, lots of magic, lots of action, lots of laughs, and a whole world that believes in her, Gina is ready to save the world once and for all!

Prepare for a Hilo with more twists, more turns, more monsters, and more shocking surprises than ever before–because sometimes we all need to be reminded who we’ve always been.

PrestonPlayz: The Mystery of the Super Spooky Secret House

Writer: PrestonPlayz
Artist: Dave Bardin
Publisher: HarperAlley

Release Date: Mar. 1 (Comics Shops) / Feb. 28 (Bookstores)
List Price: $23.99 Hardcover

When Wadsworth’s Family Wonderland comes to town, Preston, Bri, Grumpus, and Shivers are thrilled to check out all the rides! But when the four friends show up for the fun, they realize that the carnival has seen better days. The rides are rickety and the whole place seems to be falling apart. Just before the crew heads back home, Kat Lavender dares Preston to spend the night in the incredibly terrifying, absolutely haunting Spooky House.

To prove he’s not afraid, Preston accepts. But once Preston and his friends enter the house, the doors magically lock, a shivering breeze rolls in, and a voice emerges from everywhere. “Escape by morning—or you will NEVER leave!” 

The Odds: Run, Odds, Run

Cartoonist: Matt Stanton
Publisher: HarperAlley
Release Date:  Feb. 28
List Price: $21.99 Hardcover / $13.99 Paperback

A woman in a fancy suit has shown up unexpectedly and unannounced at Kip’s apartment, and she’s asking questions Kip doesn’t want to answer about all odd characters who’ve escaped her imagination.

The Odds have no choice but to go on the run!

But running away isn’t as simple as should be—not when Lance the rabbit and Ninja-Nina are dueling, Racer’s trying to drive everywhere but straight ahead, Booster the rooster wants to leave, and Unicorn and the family cat just can’t seem to get along. Kip is hiding secrets from her dad, Diana the dinosaur keeps scaring Kip, and the Woman in the Suit seems to know their every move.

It’s a hilarious and touching graphic novel from all-star author Matt Stanton about finding friendships and the challenges of growing up.

MARCH 

Colin Kaepernick: Change the Game

Writer: Colin Kaepernick, Eve L. Ewing
Artist: Orlando Caicedo
Publisher: Graphix
Release Date: Mar. 8 (Comics Shops) / Mar. 7 (Bookstores)
List Price: $24.99 Hardcover / $14.99 Paperback

An inspiring graphic memoir of taking the road less traveled from celebrated athlete and activist Colin Kaepernick.

High school star athlete Colin Kaepernick is at a crossroads in life. Heavily scouted by colleges and MLB as a baseball pitcher, he has a bright future ahead of him as a highly touted prospect. Everyone from his parents to his teachers and coaches are in agreement on his future. Colin feels differently.

Colin isn’t excited about baseball. In the words of five-time all-star MLB player Adam Jones, “Baseball is a white man’s game.” Colin looks up to athletes like Allen Iverson: talented, hyper-competitive, unapologetically Black, and dominating their sport while staying true to themself. College football looks a lot more fun than sleeping on hotel room floors in the minor leagues of baseball. But Colin doesn’t have a single offer to play football. Yet.

This touching graphic memoir explores the story of how a young change maker learned to find himself and never compromise. How the right decision is very rarely the easy one, but taking the road less traveled can make all the difference in the world.

Song of the Sea

Created By: Tomm Moore
Cartoonist: Samuel Sattin
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date:  Mar. 7
List Price: $24.99 Hardcover / $14.99 Paperback

Many years after the disappearance of their mother, siblings Ben and Saoirse are still drowning in grief, as is their lighthouse-keeper father. Ben blames his little sister for the loss of their mother, and despite being six years old, Saoirse has yet to speak. When the kids discover that Saoirse is a selkie and the magical world that their mother told stories about is real, they dive into an adventure to keep the spirit world from disappearing forever. Based on the award-winning film Song of the Sea, this graphic novel is a wonder of magical storytelling and visual splendor that is destined to become a classic.

Includes an 18-page bonus story written and illustrated by film creator Tomm Moore and a Gaelic glossary.

Squished: A Graphic Novel

Writer: Megan Wagner Lloyd
Artist: Michelle Mee Nutter
Publisher: Graphix
Release Date: Mar. 8 (Comics Shops) / Mar. 7 (Bookstores)
List Price: $24.99 Hardcover / $12.99 Paperback

Eleven-year-old Avery Lee loves living in Hickory Valley, Maryland. She loves her neighborhood, school, and the end-of-summer fair she always goes to with her two best friends. But she’s tired of feeling squished by her six siblings! They’re noisy and chaotic and the younger kids love her a little too much. All Avery wants is her own room — her own space to be alone and make art. So she’s furious when Theo, her grumpy older brother, gets his own room instead, and her wild baby brother, Max, moves into the room she already shares with her clinging sister Pearl! Avery hatches a plan to finally get her own room, all while trying to get Max to sleep at night, navigating changes in her friendships, and working on an art entry for the fair. And when Avery finds out that her family might move across the country, things get even more complicated.

Megan Wagner Lloyd and Michelle Mee Nutter have once again teamed up to tell a funny, heartfelt, and charming story of family, friendship, and growing up.

The Moth Keeper

Cartoonist: K. O’Neill
Publisher: Random House Graphic
Release Date: Mar. 8 (Comics Shops) / Mar. 7 (Bookstores)
List Price: $21.99 Hardcover / $13.99 Paperback

Anya is finally a Moth Keeper, the protector of the lunar moths that allow the Night-Lily flower to bloom once a year. Her village needs the flower to continue thriving and Anya is excited to prove her worth and show her thanks to her friends with her actions, but what happens when being a Moth Keeper isn’t exactly what Anya thought it would be?

Night after night, it is lonely in the desert, with only one lantern for light. Still, Anya is eager to prove her worth, to show her thanks to her friends and her village. But is it worth the cost? And yet something isn’t right. When Anya glimpses the one thing that could destroy what she’s meant to protect, her village and the lunar moths are left to deal with the consequences.

Bruce Wayne: Not Super

Writer: Stuart Gibbs
Artist: Berat Pekmezci
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: Mar. 14
List Price: $12.99 Paperback

It’s hard enough being in middle school, but it’s even worse when you’re the only kid at your school who doesn’t have super-powers. That’s the case for poor Bruce Wayne at the Gotham Preparatory School for the Really, Really, Really Gifted, where the struggles of being un-powered are made worse by the presence of so many exceptionally gifted students. He doesn’t stand a chance of winning a race against the future Flash, or a swim meet against the future Aquaman, and he always gets picked last for dodgeball. And when it comes to winning the attention of the most popular girls at school—Diana Prince and Selina Kyle–he figures he stands no chance at all.

Bruce does have a goal though: he wants to make a difference in the world. But how can he do that when he doesn’t have any powers? While the Future-Supers are currently content to simply use their gifts to glide through school and court popularity, Bruce struggles to figure out if he has any gifts at all — and if so, how to use them.  His challenge comes when he discovers fellow student Jack Napier and his hired bully Bane shaking down lesser-powered students for money, including that hapless kid Dick Grayson. Someone must stand up to them and somehow, it’s going to be Bruce!

Hidden Systems: Water, Electricity, the Internet, and the Secrets Behind the Systems We Use Every Day

Cartoonist: Dan Nott
Publisher: Random House Graphic
Release Date: Mar. 15 (Comics Shops) / Mar, 14 (Bookstores)
List Price: $23.99 Hardcover / $17.99 Paperback

What was the first message sent over the internet? How much water does a single person use every day? How was the electric light invented?

For every utility we use each day, there’s a hidden history–a story of intrigue, drama, humor, and inequity. This graphic novel provides a guided tour through the science of the past–and reveals how the decisions people made while inventing and constructing early technology still affect the way people use it today.

Full of art, maps, and diagrams, Hidden Systems is a thoughtful, humorous exploration of the history of science and what needs to be done now to change the future.

Hoops

Cartoonist: Matt Tavares
Publisher: Candlewick
Release Date: Mar. 15 (Comics Shops) / Mar. 14 (Bookstores)
List Price: $22.99 Hardcover / $12.99 Paperback

It is 1975 in Indiana, and the Wilkins Regional High School girls’ basketball team is in their rookie season. Despite being undefeated, they practice at night in the elementary school and play to empty bleachers. Unlike the boys’ team, the Lady Bears have no buses to deliver them to away games and no uniforms, much less a laundry service. They make their own uniforms out of T-shirts and electrical tape. And with help from a committed female coach, they push through to improbable victory after improbable victory. Illustrated in full color, this story about the ongoing battle of women striving for equality in sports rings with honesty, bravery, and heart.

Science Comics: The Periodic Table of Elements: Understanding the Building Blocks of Everything

Cartoonist: Jon Chad
Publisher: First Second
Release Date: Mar. 15 (Comics Shops) / Mar. 14 (Bookstores)
List Price: $21.99 Hardcover / $12.99 Paperback

A book of fun chemistry experiments has fallen into the wrong hands. Only Mel can use her knowledge of the periodic table to put an end to a maniacal madman’s evil schemes.

The periodic table helps us quickly understand the 118 elements, those tiny substances that make up everything in the world. By using the periodic table, we can recognize how these building blocks behave, find trends and patterns in the universe, and make predictions about elements that haven’t been discovered yet. Join us in learning about the periodic table, and maybe the next big discovery will be yours! 

Travis Daventhorpe For The Win!

Cartoonist: Wes Molebash
Publisher: First Second
Release Date: Mar. 22 (Comics Shops) / Mar. 21 (Bookstores)
List Price: $13.99 Hardcover

Travis Daventhorpe may be a genius, but he’s always struggled to make friends. After his attempt to befriend new kid Juniper Reyes results in an epic fail, Travis takes his sentient flying robot, Travbot, out for a ride. But when Travbot malfunctions, the two take a nosedive into the woods. There, they discover a legendary sword, a wizard from another dimension, and a mysterious prophecy: Travis Daventhorpe is destined to save the multiverse!

From debut author Wes Molebash comes this pun-filled, geeky, sci-fi adventure series. Join Travis as he dodges bullies, forges friendships, and perfects his science fair project…all while trying to fulfill his magical destiny!

Bea Wolf

Writer: Zach Weinersmith
Artist: Boulet
Publisher: First Second
Release Date: Feb. 22 (Comics Shops) / Mar. 23 (Bookstores)
List Price: $19.99 Hardcover

Listen! Hear a tale of mallow-munchers and warriors who answer candy’s clarion call!

Somewhere in a generic suburb stands Treeheart, a kid-forged sanctuary where generations of tireless tykes have spent their youths making merry, spilling soda, and staving off the shadow of adulthood. One day, these brave warriors find their fun cut short by their nefarious neighbor Grindle, who can no longer tolerate the sounds of mirth seeping into his joyless adult life.

As the guardian of gloom lays siege to Treeheart, scores of kids suddenly find themselves transformed into pimply teenagers and sullen adults! The survivors of the onslaught cry out for a savior—a warrior whose will is unbreakable and whose appetite for mischief is unbounded.

They call for Bea Wolf.

Astroneer: Countdown Vol. 1

Writer: Dave Dwonch
Artist: Xenia Pamfil
Publisher: Titan Comics
Release Date: Mar. 29 (Comics Shops) / Mar. 28 (Bookstores)
List Price: $13.99 Paperback

When bored young Astroneer Seven plucks a mysterious crystal from the planet Boreas he is catapulted across time and space!

But the intrepid young adventurer has got bigger problems — by taking the crystal the very fabric of the planet starts to unravel threatening to start a chain reaction that could destroy the entire universe!

Now, Seven and his ragtag crew of Astroneers must traverse the infinite to get the crystal back to Boreas before it’s too late! The countdown has begun… and it’ll take more than one plucky Astroneer to solve this astronomical problem!

Batcat

Cartoonist: Meggie Ramm
Publisher: Amulet
Release Date: Mar. 29 (Comics Shops) / Mar. 28 (Bookstores)
List Price: $13.99 Hardcover

Batcat loves being all alone in their home on Spooky Island. Up in their tree house, they pass the time playing video games and watching TV. But when Batcat suddenly finds themself haunted by an annoying, ice cream–stealing ghost, they visit the local Island Witch for a spell to remove their ghastly guest permanently!

With their Ghost-B-Gone spell in hand, Batcat travels across Spooky Island to gather ingredients—to the Cavernous Caves where the bats tell them they’re too round to be a bat, and to the Whispering Cemetery where the cats will help only if they commit to being a true cat. But Batcat is neither and that’s what makes them special, right? 

From up-and-coming author Meggie Ramm comes a sweet and fun story about accepting yourself when you’re perfectly in-between here and there.

Dog Man: Twenty Thousand Fleas Under the Sea

Cartoonist: Dav Pilkey
Publisher: Graphix
Release Date:  Mar. 29 (Comics Shops) / Mar. 28 (Bookstores)
List Price: $24.99 Hardcover

Piggy is back, and his newest plot is his most diabolical yet. Dog Man and the rest of your favorite characters must join together in this heroic and hilarious, ALL NEW adventure. WHAT new villains are on the horizon? WHERE are they all coming from? And WHO will step forward to save the city when scoundrels sabotage our Supa Buddies? Find out in DOG MAN #11 — there’s so much more than ever before — it’s EPIC!

Party Hearty Kitty-Corn

Writer: Shannon Hale
Artist: LeUyen Pham
Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers
Release Date:  Mar. 28
List Price: $18.99 Hardcover

Kitty has a grand idea.

“Let’s throw a kitty-corn party!”

But when newcomer Puppy messes up Kitty’s perfectly laid plans and steals Unicorn’s attention and affection, Kitty is NOT pleased. When jealousy takes hold, can Unicorn help Kitty see that nothing will ever threaten a friendship as strong as theirs?

The magical, bestselling team of Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham reunite for another heart-bursting story featuring an utterly adorable kitty-corn pair—plus Puppy, too! ARF!—reassuring readers that true friends never run out of love for each other.

Looking for more great reads? Check out The Beat’s list of anticipated graphic novels for winter 2023! 

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