When it comes to graphic novels, I definitely have a “type”.

Scout Is Not a Band Kid by Jade Armstrong

Published by Random House Graphic

And that “type” is middle school realistic fiction. If it takes place in a band room, so much the better. Scout and Merrin learn they have more in common than they thought when Merrin tutors Scout in the fine art of trombone playing.

Isla to Island by Alexis Castellanos

Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

A nearly wordless memoir about the author’s journey from Cuba to the US to live with foster parents as part of Operation Peter Pan.

Invisible by Christina Diaz Gonzalez, illustrated by Gabriela Epstein

Published by Graphix

Five kids are in the principal’s office when the story opens, clearly in some kind of trouble, but going back to the beginning shows how they have been unfairly labeled, both for their diverse Latinx roots and their unique personalities.

Ride On by Faith Erin Hicks

Published by First Second

Mean girls and new friendships are at the center of a rivalry between the laid-back Edgewood Stables and the elite Waverly Stables.

The Tryout by Christina Soontornvat, illustrated by Joanna Cacao

Published by Graphix

The prolific Christina Soontornvat makes her second appearance on my favorites lists with this memoir of trying out for the seventh-grade cheerleading squad at her Texas middle school.