Manga, start here
How to read manga, in five steps
New to manga? Here's how to start, in five steps. Tap the speaker on each one to hear it.
1. Hold it the other way
Many manga are printed the Japanese way. Open the book from what looks like the back cover. That's the front!
2. Read right to left
Start at the top right panel, read across to the left, then go down a row. The speech bubbles go right to left too. Try the strip below.
Manga, the Japanese way: start at 1, top right. A comic, the English way: start at 1, top left. 3. Learn three manga words
Manga means comics from Japan. Chibi is a tiny, round, extra-cute way of drawing someone. And the page that says Stop! This is the back of the book means you started at the wrong end.
4. Pick a first manga
Start with one that is sold for children, like the ones on Peabody's manga page. Each one says whose age it is.
Yotsuba&! (ages 6–12) · Chi's Sweet Home (ages 8–12)
5. Test yourself
Which way do you read it? Try the quiz, then borrow your first manga free from the library on its series page.
For grown-ups: a manga's label gives an age, not a reason, and cute drawings are no promise of a children's book. Peabody lists only manga sold for children in English, and each series page says what is in the books. Checked 2026-10-31.