It’s a shame there are so few illustrated books that aren’t comics in the world beyond picture books, but they do exist. We live in a world that presents multimedia experiences daily, and illustrated YA books allow readers to experience a story in a fresh, creative way. Let’s take a look at some outstanding examples of illustrated YA books. Some of these are going to lean into art more heavily than prose and yet still offer a reading experience wholly encapsulating of the teen years and all that adolescence has to bring. These books cross genres and category, inviting fiction and nonfiction readers something to seek out and enjoy. And bonus: for teen readers, most of these are developed in a common trim size, so they don’t look or feel like picture books, a common complaint about YA nonfiction prior to the last decade or so. Note that this list is a little whiter than it should be. I suspect the work included here published by Reynolds and Acevedo will usher in more creative works blending art and prose in the coming years.
Illustrated YA Books That Aren’t Comics
But she survives, forever changed as a person. The rest of the story follows Holly and Sav coping with grief in their very different manners. As best friends, they’re there for one another — or at least, that’s what Sav expects. Avasthi’s story is about friendship through incredibly tough, tragic circumstances. This is a fast-paced novel, and the graphic elements help tell the story in a unique manner. This book explores mental health issues, including deep and profound grief. Zappia’s book includes bits from the Monstrous Sea comic, making this book about fandom truly pop. So when May begins seeing Princess X showing up across town, she starts to wonder: is Libby really gone? This one, of course, features the Princess X comic within it. Bonus fun fact: di Bartolo is Taylor’s husband. The “bet” that led to the book being written? True, but, when the story of Frankenstein is presented that way, it undercuts the years of thinking about the story Shelley spent before putting pen to paper. A moving, smart read in an extremely creative format. Judge did both the writing and illustrating. That night, though, will turn Tortot’s whole world upside down.
