Graphic novels for 1st graders

• Ricky Ricotta books in order by Dav Pilkey, illustrated by Dan Santat (Martin Ontiveros drew the first editions)

  Ages 4–9 · the publisher's age 9 books. Short chapters of big print with a picture on most pages, and a flip-a-page comic in the middle of each book.

• Pizza and Taco books in order by Stephen Shaskan

  Ages 5–8 · the publisher's age 11 books. Big panels with a line or two of speech in each bubble, split into short chapters.

• Owly books in order by Andy Runton

  Ages 5–8 · Peabody's own estimate 5 books. Almost wordless pictures where pictures and small symbols in the speech bubbles tell the story, so a child can read it with no words at all.

• The Bad Guys books in order by Aaron Blabey

  Ages 6–10 · Peabody's own estimate 20 books. Big pictures and few words on a page, part comic and part chapter book.

• Captain Underpants books in order by Dav Pilkey

  Ages 6–10 · Peabody's own estimate 12 books. Short chapters with lots of cartoons and comic pages: a step up from a comic.

• Narwhal and Jelly books in order by Ben Clanton

  Ages 6–9 · Peabody's own estimate 10 books. Very short comics in big panels with only a line or two of text each, plus sea-creature facts at the end of some chapters.

• Yotsuba&! volumes in order by Kiyohiko Azuma

  Ages 6–12 · Peabody's own estimate 16 volumes. Everyday scenes with short speech bubbles.

• CatStronauts books in order by Drew Brockington

  Ages 6–10 · the publisher's age 8 books. Big clear panels, short bubbles and a lot of space-science words explained as the story goes.

• Magic Tree House graphic novels in order by Mary Pope Osborne, adapted by Jenny Laird, art by Kelly and Nichole Matthews

  Ages 6–9 · the publisher's age 8 graphic novels. Short picture-led panels that retell each chapter book with a few lines of text per frame.

• Agent Moose books in order by Mo O'Hara and Jess Bradley

  Ages 6–9 · Peabody's own estimate 3 books. Short comic panels with big pictures and a lot of puns, so a child can follow the plot with little reading.

• Pea, Bee, & Jay books in order by Brian "Smitty" Smith

  Ages 6–10 · Peabody's own estimate 6 books. Short books of big panels with very few words in each bubble and puns on every page, made for new readers.

• Dog Man books in order by Dav Pilkey

  Ages 7+ · the publisher's age 15 books. Short speech bubbles in big comic panels, with a joke on most pages.

• Cat Kid Comic Club books in order by Dav Pilkey

  Ages 7+ · the publisher's age 5 books. Comics inside a comic: short bubbles, and each kid's comic in the book is drawn a different way.

• InvestiGators books in order by John Patrick Green

  Ages 7–10 · Peabody's own estimate 9 books. Full-color comic panels with short speech bubbles and a pun or wordplay joke on nearly every page.

• Babymouse books in order by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm

  Ages 7–10 · the publisher's age 20 books. Comic panels with short speech bubbles and a few lines of narration.

• Hilda books in order by Luke Pearson

  Ages 7–11 · the publisher's age 6 books. Rich, detailed pictures with a little text on each page; the story is easy to follow and the wording is plain.

• Lunch Lady books in order by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

  Ages 7–10 · the publisher's age 10 books. Short comics with a lot of white space, a few words per bubble and one joke after another.

• Squish books in order by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm

  Ages 7–10 · the publisher's age 8 books. Comic panels with short speech bubbles, plus a comic-within-the-comic and a few science facts.

• Bird & Squirrel books in order by James Burks

  Ages 7–10 · Peabody's own estimate 7 books. Colourful comic panels with short speech bubbles and a lot of action, so the story is easy to follow.

• Max Meow graphic novels in order by John Gallagher

  Ages 7–10 · the publisher's age 6 graphic novels. Bold comic panels with short speech bubbles, sound effects and a lot of silly action.

• The Tea Dragon Society books in order by Katie O'Neill

  Ages 7–11 · Peabody's own estimate 3 books. Soft, quiet panels with a little speech on each page, and a slow, gentle pace.

• Mr. Wolf's Class books in order by Aron Nels Steinke

  Ages 7+ · Peabody's own estimate 6 books. Clear comic panels with short speech bubbles and everyday school scenes, easy to follow one panel at a time.

What should I read next? picks three in three taps.