Young Adult: Graphic Novels

Graphic novels provide Indigenous creators a method of storytelling which can make difficult topics easier to digest for the young adult audience. Graphic novels also challenge readers to think more deeply about the elements of storytelling. Rather than looking in blocks of texts, readers must look for signs within the images which are used to help elements such as character development or building plot.

I took a course focused on graphic novels while pursuing my degree to become a Librarian and it made me appreciate how the graphic novel medium could be used to tell some phenomenal stories. I have had a desire to write my own stories for years, but I credit that course with pushing me to take my first few concrete steps towards this goal of mine. Graphic novels will always be on my to-read list because of their ability to make serious topics more palatable. They also provide a beautiful medium for Indigenous creators to tell both traditional and contemporary stories.

In this list, you will find a small sample of graphic novels for young adults featuring beautiful artwork which complement engaging stories.

Book cover of A Girl Called Echo: Omnibus

A Girl Called Echo Omnibus

Author

Katherena Vermette (Red River Métis)

Illustrator

Scott B. Henderson and Donovan Yaciuk

Summary

Métis teenager Echo Desjardins is struggling to adjust to a new school and a new home. When an ordinary history class turns extraordinary, Echo is pulled into a time-traveling adventure. The story follows Echo as she experiences pivotal events from Métis history and imagines what the future might hold; and it highlights the strength and perseverance of the Métis.

Book cover of This Place: 150 Years Retold

This Place: 150 Years Retold

Author

Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm (Anishinaabe), Sonny Assu (Ligwiłda’xw of the Kwakwaka’wakw Nations), Brandon Mitchell (Mi’kmaq), Rachel Qitsualik-Tinsley (Inuk, Scottish and Cree), Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley (Scottish and Mohawk), David A. Robertson (Norway House Cree Nation), Niigaanwewidam James Sinclair (Anishinaabe), Jen Storm (Ojibwe), Richard Van Camp (Tłı̨chǫ Nation), Katherena Vermette (Red River Métis), and Chelsea Vowel (Métis)

Illustrator

Tara Audibert (Wolatoqiyik), Kyle Charles (Whitefish Lake First Nation), G.M.B. Chomichuk, Natasha Donovan (Métis), Scott B. Henderson, Andrew Lodwick, Scott A. Ford, Donovan Yaciuk, Ryan Howe, and Jen Storm (Ojibwe)

Summary

Explore the past 150 years through the eyes of Indigenous creators in this graphic novel anthology. These stories take readers on an emotional journey through Indigenous wonderworks, psychic battles, and time travel. See how Indigenous peoples have survived a post-apocalyptic world since Contact.

Book cover of Surviving the City, Vol. 1

Surviving the City: Volume 1

Author

Tasha Spillett-Sumner (Cree/Trinidadian)

Illustrator

Natasha Donovan (Métis) and Donovan Yaciuk

Summary

Miikwan and Dez are best friends. Miikwan is Anishinaabe; Dez is Inninew. Together, the teens navigate the challenges of growing up in an urban landscape—they’re so close, they even completed their Berry Fast together. However, when Dez’s grandmother becomes too sick, Dez is told she can’t stay with her anymore. With the threat of a group home looming, Dez can’t bring herself to go home and disappears. Miikwan is devastated, and the wound of her missing mother resurfaces. Will Dez’s community find her before it’s too late, and will Miikwan be able to cope if they don’t?

Book cover of A Blanket of Butterflies: The Spirit of Denendeh, Vol. 1

A Blanket of Butterflies: The Spirit of Denendeh, Vol. 1

Author

Richard Van Camp (Tłı̨chǫ Dene)

Illustrator

Scott B. Henderson and Donovan Yaciuk

Summary

No one knows how a suit of samurai armor ended up in the Fort Smith museum. When a mysterious stranger turns up to claim it, Sonny, a young Tłı̨chǫ Dene boy, is eager to help.

Shinobu has traveled to Fort Smith, NWT, to reclaim his grandfather’s samurai sword and armor, but when he discovers that the sword was lost in a poker game, he must confront the man known as Benny the Bank. Along the way, Shinobu must rely on unlikely heroes—Sonny, his grandmother, and a visitor from the spirit world. Together, they face Benny and his men, including the giant they call Flinch.

Learn about the real-life inspiration behind the story and the intersections between Indigenous and Japanese Canadian experiences during the Second World War.

Book cover of Four Faces of the Moon

Four Faces of the Moon

Author

Amanda Strong (Michif/Métis)

Summary

On a journey to uncover her family’s story, Spotted Fawn travels through time and space to reclaim connection to ancestors, language, and the land in this essential graphic novel. Spotted Fawn must travel through her own family history to confront the harsh realities of the past and reignite her connection to her people and the land. Her darkroom becomes a portal, allowing her glimpses into the lives of her relatives. Guided by her ancestors, Spotted Fawn’s travels through the past allow her to come into full face—like the moon itself.

Adapted from the acclaimed stop-motion animated film of the same name, also by Strong, Four Faces of the Moon brings the history of the Michif, Cree, Nakoda, and Anishinaabe Peoples alive on the page.

Conclusion

Indigenous creators have used graphic novels as a way to open up the world of traditional stories, customs, and histories to a new generation of readers. Through engaging art combined with text, these books are useful tools for motivating change in young people.

A headshot of author and artist Jillian Metchooyeah

About the Author

Jillian Metchooyeah

Jillian Metchooyeah is an Indigenous Canadian author/artist. She is a member of the Dene Tha’ First Nation from northern Alberta, Canada. An avid library lover, she has worked in a library for over half of her life. She currently lives in Red Deer, Alberta with her two cats and hedgehog. She loves birds and all things nature.