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Five Faves: Comics for Fifth Graders

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Summer is the perfect time of year to sit around and read comic books. Take it from a professional -- there is nothing better that sitting in a warm, sunny spot and poring over the panels of a great comic. If you have kids who are gearing up for fifth grade, here are our recommendations for some great reads.

By Yehudi Mercado
Burbank, CA: DC Comics, 2023. Comic. 144 pgs.

We all know the story of Billy Batson -- regular foster-kid turned superhero when he's granted the magical powers of Shazam. But have you ever heard of what happened when Billy joined the school football team? His team's greatest rival are meaner, tougher, and might even be super-evil -- which means it's up to Billy, and foster brother Freddy, to save the day. All while keeping his secret identity secret. A great read for fans of Shazam!, or of sport stories.


by Marjorie M. Liu
Illustrated by Teny Issakhanian
New York: HarperAlley, 2022. Comic. 201 pgs.

Zuli, a human girl, lives in the spirit realm in a sacred tree that holds the souls of birds waiting to be reborn. When new birds suddenly stop arriving, Zuli ventures into the living world, with her sarcastic guardian owl Frowly, to solve the mystery of the missing souls. What she finds instead are the ruins of a magical world, now filled with creatures in a fight for survival. Zuli doesn't know how or why, but she knows it his her responsibility to save this world.

by J Torres
by David Namisato
Toronto, ON: Kids Can Press, 2021. Comic. 111 pgs.

Sandy Saito lives in Vancouver, Canada and experiences hatred when his Japanese Canadian family is incarcerated during World War II. Sandy longs to play baseball or go to games with his father, but because his father is a doctor, he is extra busy and often needs to be away from home. One night, Sandy and his family are sent to an incarceration camp with other Japanese Canadian citizens. Though their world is upturned, Sandy and others in the camp turn to baseball as a diversion.

By Ivy Noelle Weir
New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2022. Comic. 244 pgs.

In this retelling of the classic novel, Anne, who is black, is fostered into siblings Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert's home in West Philly. Things start off rocky between Anne and Marilla, but with the help of a therapist, and Matt's support, Anne quickly settles into a family and begins to thrive. Familiar scenes from the original novel are recreated -- the missing brooch, Anne's self-given haircut, etc. -- and work in next to new scenes of Anne thriving in robotics club. 

By Brooke Barker
New York: Simon & Schuster, 2022. Comic. 

This hilarious and informative graphic novel shares wild facts about the animal kingdom, and the scientists who study it. Illustrations often feature comical conversations between different animals who are interested in the scientist's studying them, just as the scientists are interested in them. Great for readers who love facts and for budding biologists.
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