The books Southern indie booksellers are recommending to readers everywhere!

Comics & Graphic Novels

Squirrel Lock Holmes #1: The Pet Rock Mystery by Ashley Belote

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Squirrel Lock Holmes #1: The Pet Rock Mystery by Ashley Belote
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Oh, this is brilliant. The humor is delightfully absurd, there is earth science cleverly woven into the mystery, and I’d argue that there are great ELA tie-ins (common core writing standards for grades 2 and 3, maybe others). Plus there is a drawing guide and a search-and-find at the end for added value and inspiration. I love this so much!

Squirrel Lock Holmes #1: The Pet Rock Mystery by Ashley Belote, (List Price: $10.99, Random House Graphic, 9780593897829, March 2026)

Reviewed by Adah, Main Street Books in Davidson, NC

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Squirrel Lock Holmes #1: The Pet Rock Mystery by Ashley Belote

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Squirrel Lock Holmes #1: The Pet Rock Mystery by Ashley Belote
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This mystery is playful and engaging but it was the rock puns that really did it for me. They are timely and genuinely laugh out loud. Great for kids who love humor and mystery stories that don’t take themselves too seriously.

Squirrel Lock Holmes #1: The Pet Rock Mystery by Ashley Belote, (List Price: $10.99, Random House Graphic, 9780593897829, March 2026)

Reviewed by Jess, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, NC

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Squirrel Lock Holmes #1: The Pet Rock Mystery by Ashley Belote

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Squirrel Lock Holmes #1: The Pet Rock Mystery by Ashley Belote
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Ashley Belote has a tremendous gift for connecting with children of all ages through her incredible illustrations and simple messages. I particularly love her how-to lessons on drawing and problem-solving at the end of this short chapter book, perfect for emerging readers. Great length; it will give kids the confidence they can read longer books with ease, and the perfect mystery to keep parents engaged as a read-aloud. I hope this is a series!!!

Squirrel Lock Holmes #1: The Pet Rock Mystery by Ashley Belote, (List Price: $10.99, Random House Graphic, 9780593897829, March 2026)

Reviewed by Alissa, South Main Book Company in Salisbury, North Carolina

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The Nightingales by Emil Wilson

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The Nightingales by Emil Wilson
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A beautifully rendered coming-of-age story told through a high schooler’s sketchbook after her dad takes in a coworker with AIDs in the ’80s. This book is full of care and empathy; family strife but also understanding as Lou reflects on her parents’ backgrounds; and pops of humor, primarily from the dancing Pomeranian duo. The Nightingales will break your heart but heal it too.

The Nightingales by Emil Wilson, (List Price: $38, Avid Reader Press, Simon & Schuster, 9781668217771, August 2026)

Reviewed by Julie, Hub City Bookshop in Spartanburg, SC

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Sea Melt Lover by Yuki Kazami

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Sea Melt Lover by Yuki Kazami
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Incredibly beautiful art. I hope the tiger man got eaten by the Good Boy eels.

Sea Melt Lover by Yuki Kazami, (List Price: $15.99, Seven Seas, 9798897651412, June 2026)

Reviewed by Meagan, Righton Books in St Simons Island, GA

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Coming Out Perfect #1: A Graphic Novel by Richard Mercado

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Coming Out Perfect #1: A Graphic Novel by Richard Mercado
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I absolutely adored reading this book. The art style is cartoony and so expressive that it fits the story’s tone perfectly. There are so many relatable moments in this story as an LGBTQ person that touched my heart and made me feel seen, even as an adult. This book will help so many people feel understood in so many different ways. I cannot wait for the second book to come out as this story has captured my heart with these characters and themes of family, friends, acceptance, and Philippine culture.

Coming Out Perfect #1: A Graphic Novel by Richard Mercado, (List Price: $16.99, Graphix, 9781339001593, July 2026)

Reviewed by Chloe, E. Shaver, Booksellers in Savannah, Georgia

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School Bus Graveyard, Volume 1 by Red

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School Bus Graveyard, Volume 1 by Red
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I loved this cursed Savannah field trip!! Six main characters? No way they could all be interesting and given time to develop– but they are! Reclusive and independent Ashlyn is forced to bond quickly with her new high school classmates when they wake up each night in a shared nightmare world. With lively art and scary monsters, this Webtoon is wonderfully translated into graphic novel form. And very funny!

School Bus Graveyard, Volume 1 by Red, (List Price: $18.99, Ink Pop, 9798217122868, June 2026)

Reviewed by Ross, E. Shaver, Booksellers in Savannah, Georgia

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Forgive-Me-Not by Maria Costa

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Forgive-Me-Not by Maria Costa
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This was everything I hoped it to be and more! A perfect sapphic tale that reminded me of my days of getting into romance books as a teen, reading about changelings. This book was so cozy and sweet, but it definitely had some dark moments that really elevated the storyline. I absolutely LOVED the color palettes. Just wow. The color of blood in different panels was in such stark contrast to everything else and just worked so well. Forget-Me-Not was so snarky and sarcastic, but I feel like she just needed her space to be herself, and she found it with Aisling. Sobbing. 5 stars.

Forgive-Me-Not by Maria Costa, (List Price: $26.99, First Second, 9781250784162, April 2026)

Reviewed by Ellie, A Novel Romance LLC in Louisville, Kentucky

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The Reaper and The Waiting by January Sun

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The Reaper and The Waiting by January Sun
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Beautiful. From the art to the story , I was amazed by how much I was falling in love with the characters. It was tragic, heartwarming, and so freaking lovely. I was sucked in with how much Reaper and Waiting yearned for that something more. The story slowly gives you hints on their relationship and really I could read 20 more just about them. And it was illustrated so beautifully! The Reaper and The Waiting checks off the boxes for best queer graphic novel for me.

The Reaper and The Waiting by January Sun, (List Price: $19.99, WEBTOON Unscrolled, 9781834110080, May 2026)

Reviewed by Mekhala, Tombolo Books in St. Petersburg, FL

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Landing in Place: A Graphic Novel by Sherine Hamdy

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Landing in Place: A Graphic Novel by Sherine Hamdy
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A longer graphic novel with an incredibly poignant story about discovering who you are & using your voice. With themes of identity, being “Muslim enough,” familial expectation, alongside the realities of colonialism, genocide, and Eurocentric ideals. A family story, a coming-of-age story. This book did so much so well.

Landing in Place: A Graphic Novel by Sherine Hamdy, (List Price: $25.99, Kokila, 9780735229440, May 2026)

Reviewed by Morgan, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, NC

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Opting Out by Maia Kobabe

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Opting Out by Maia Kobabe
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Opting Out portrays the usual middle school woes of puberty, friendship drama, crushes, (mutual) bullies, but through the alienated perspective and feelings of 7th grader Saachi, who is agender and aromantic/asexual and doesn’t want to take part in any of those aspects typically associated with growing up and doesn’t want anything to change. Told with deep understanding and groundedness, Opting Out shows positive family relationships during tumultuous times, and how writing and new friendships can offer places to make sense of the world and yourself.

Opting Out by Maia Kobabe, (List Price: $14.99, Graphix, 9781339012247, May 2026 )

Reviewed by Julie, Hub City Bookshop in Spartanburg, SC

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Until We Meet Again by Lily Kim Qian

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Until We Meet Again by Lily Kim Qian
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A gorgeous and moving meditation on childhood, mental illness, and finding your roots when you spent your childhood moving from place to place. The language is poetic and spare, the art is beautiful, and the story is a unique one, a perfect recommendation for any kid who has a parent with mental illness.

Until We Meet Again by Lily Kim Qian, (List Price: $17.99, First Second, 9781250884220, April 2026)

Reviewed by Fisher Nash, Carmichael’s Bookstore in Louisville, KY

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Last Day Pool Party by Emma Steinkellner

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Last Day Pool Party by Emma Steinkellner
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Eighth grade graduation, the start of summer break, a pool party to which the whole class is invited, and underneath it all, the complex ecosystem of junior high. Socially awkward Dustin is doing his best to host the party, wallflower Rose is working on her Junior High Goals checklist, Liv is auditioning new best friends, and mean girl Maya is discovering that she may have to start being nicer if she wants real friendships. I smiled, cringed, and laughed as I followed all these dramas. The story slides from one scene into another like a soap opera. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

Last Day Pool Party by Emma Steinkellner, (List Price: $21.99, Labyrinth Road, 9798217031429, April 2026)

Reviewed by Amanda, Pearl’s Books in Fayetteville, AR

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Pierce Brown’s Red Rising: Sons of Ares Omnibus by Pierce Brown

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Pierce Brown's Red Rising: Sons of Ares Omnibus by Pierce Brown
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I am mostly a fantasy girly, but I kept feeling drawn to Red Rising. The story is fast-paced and divided into three parts. I really enjoyed the first two, while the third was action-packed and, at times, felt a bit like The Hunger Games without the same emotional charge. That said, the characters are very well fleshed out, and the world-building is compelling. I have heard the other books in the trilogy are even better, and I am genuinely curious to see where the story goes. There are so many threads that feel ripe for major plot twists. I am especially interested in Darrow’s psyche after the transformation. It does not feel like only his body was changed. I am also curious to see whether Eo will continue to play a role in the resistance and how everything ultimately unfolds. A very well-crafted story that left me wanting more.

Pierce Brown’s Red Rising: Sons of Ares Omnibus by Pierce Brown, (List Price: $59.99, Dynamite Entertainment, 9781524127299, March 2026)

Reviewed by Erika, Righton Books in St Simons Island, Georgia

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Fustuk by Robert Mgrdich Apelian

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Fustuk by Robert Mgrdich Apelian
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Fustuk is a compelling story of a complicated family trying to staying true to their heritage in more ways than one. I loved this art, I loved these characters, and the overarching story – Katah making a magical deal to save his mother’s life – had me on the edge of my seat. Memories play a huge role in this graphic novel, and Apelian did an amazing job at portraying the perfect mix of past and present in his story and art.

Fustuk by Robert Mgrdich Apelian, (List Price: $25.99, Penguin Workshop, 9780593658895, January 2026)

Reviewed by Mallory Sutton, Bards Alley in Vienna, Virginia

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