As much fun as afterschool gaming with your friends can be, sometimes you might just want a book to relax with. So below are a few titles inspired by video games or popular apps. Enjoy!

Say it isn’t so, Summer has come and gone. The last days of August bring in a slight chill to the air as the sun starts to set slightly earlier, but the most exciting thing about August is the return to school!! Have you bought your school supplies yet, are you ready for that meet and greet, toured the school, found out who’s class you are in this year? What about cookies with k4, team practice, the last of the class playdates? There are so many exciting events that welcome you back to a new year of learning and promote the joy of discovering who your new teacher and classmates are, and as exciting as that may be, sometimes all of that may come with some consternations as well. Never fear, here are some book recommendations to ease those worries and help with those big feelings as our little (and big kids) make their way back into the classrooms.

Ever want to revisit the classics or read a classic that you never got around to but just don’t have the time? Ever think I wouldn’t mind reading Beowulf but I don’t have the patience for the old English version? Then reading the classics in graphic form might be a good fit for you. Graphic novels are all the rage right now with publishers re-releasing classics in graphic format for middle grade, young adult and adult readers. Everything from the Odyssey to The Handmaid’s Tale is being converted to this new style of literature.

The Youth Services Librarians have been hard at work updating our collection of Young Adult (YA) graphic novels and manga! Our most recent project has been to divide the collection into two sections: graphic novels and manga. Manga is a style of Japanese comic books that are popular in our Western culture. Unlike American graphic novels, manga are read from right to left, and the illustrations are a particular manga cartooning style. We wanted to give our readers a better browsing experience by separating the two styles of novels, and we have added a small pink dot on our graphic novels to make it easy to see the difference! Here are some recommendations for both graphic novels and manga from our collection:

Graphic novels are not just for kids and teens, there are plenty of graphic novels for adults. They’re also not just a medium for fiction, some graphic novels are a great way to showcase history without the heavy text of a book. Here are a couple new graphic novels that I’m looking forward to reading this summer.

Summer is the time for reading on the beach (or anywhere else!). Check out one of these summer-themed graphic novels for kids and teens. These titles will take you from summer camp to visiting relatives to long weekends at the cabin; all summer staples. Make those long summer car rides a little more bearable by picking up a fun graphic novel from the library.

Interested in reading local? The last few years there have been a number of really great books that are written by Wisconsinites. Whether you like fiction or nonfiction, mystery or graphic novels, there’s something here for everyone.

In a previous blog post, I explored shōnen manga; a broad category of manga that tends to focus on adventure, action, and plot. While shōnen specifically translates to “boy” or “youth,” it is enjoyed by people regardless of age or gender. The same is true for another large category of manga: shōjo (literally “young woman”). Shōjo manga is generally more interested in exploring characters and relationships, and romance is one of the most popular shōjo genres. Below are a few suggested titles (in a variety of genres) for those interested in exploring shōjo manga.

One of the recent major arrivals on the digital download resource Hoopla is Marvel Comics. Notable additions include the Guardians of the Galaxy, the Avengers, and Star Wars comics. I have highlighted some of the comics and graphic novels available through Hoopla, both from Marvel and other publishers.

Manga encompasses a myriad of genres, from science fiction and fantasy to mysteries, sports, and realistic fiction (often labeled slice of life), to name a few. It’s also often grouped into broad demographic categories: shōnen (“young boys’ manga”), shōjo (“young girls’ manga”), seinen, and josei (manga for young adult men and women, respectively). These categories are mainly used by publishers and aren’t exactly genres unto themselves—you’re just as likely to see fantasy shōjo manga as slice of life shōnen manga, and they appeal to readers of all ages, regardless of gender.