Graphic novel recommendations please!

[zalena]

I have a reputation of being the person to go to for book recommendations at my job. My boss has just asked me to recommend something for her 13-yr-old anime-obsessed daughter, preferably in graphic novel format. She was not clear about what her daughter already owns, is planning to shop at a regular bookstore, and would be easily offended by mature material.

The two glaring weaknesses in my book knowledge for young people are graphic novels and s/f.

Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated, since I know a lot of you out there are familiar with this kind of thing.

Thank you!

P.S. Regular book recommendations are also appreciated for age-group and interest.

Comments

[madlori.livejournal.com]

I don't know if you're aware, but most manga is rated. There are categories such as safe for under-10, adult, etc. The ratings are usually on the back, so the books are marked for age-appropriateness.

You might email ali_wildgoose for some recs...she's an anime expert.

For general non-manga books, I'd recommend Clive Barker's "Abarat." It has many illustrations and would probably appeal to an anime-head. It's a YA title. Neil Gaiman's "Coraline" might also be good.

[madlori.livejournal.com]

Oh and btw, I can report that Borders has terrific manga sections with their sci-fi. :-)

[sachie.livejournal.com]

"Basara" - fantasy/adventure/romance is good. Sarasa (a girl) impersonates her twin brother after he is killed in order to become a leader and a symbol of hope for her people.

"Fruits Basket" fantasy/teen romance - Orphaned Tohru comes to live with a group of people who have a strange secret. They turn into animals of the Chinese zodiac when they're hugged by someone of the opposite gender! This one starts out fluffy, but has darker undertones later on, with some adult sexual situations.

I've heard "Nodame Cantabile" is quirky and very good. But its for of a story for adults. It's about musicians and artists, I think.

I'll probably come back with more recs. Graphic novels are so expensive. Ugh. They give about 30 minutes of enjoyment and they cost $10 - $12 per volume. That's why I can't get into 'em even when I really like 'em. LIbraries need to stock these things. Especially the more mature titles (and no I DON'T mean the porn).

more titles... now with links!

[sachie.livejournal.com]

From Far Away Fantasy/adventure/romance I've only read the begining of this series, but I've really enjoyed this artist's other works.

Please Save My Earth Sci-fi/romance/drama Later books in the series may have sexual themes, including one sex scene. Oddly, I remember it being a lot more graphic, but it may have been edited since?!

Nausicaa Fantasy/adventure There's quite a bit of gore and violence, but it's a gritty world that Miyazaki depicts. The heroine is just about the kindest, shiniest, most saint-like person you could imagine that doesn't make you want to puke.

All links go to a supplier that I don't know anything about, but they have a short synopsis of the 1st volume in each of the series.

Re: more titles... now with links!

[sakuratea.livejournal.com]

Most things by Miyazaki would be OK wih most parents.

[sakuratea.livejournal.com]

There are many genres within manga. There are sports, fantasy, sci-fi, romance and many other genres of maga within the three major divisions of girl's (shojo), boy's (shonen), and men's (porn). Manga as a genre actually took off in the US because of the shojo market, so most of the trade paperbacks in bookstores are going to be shojo. A word of caution, though. If your friend is *very* easily offended, manga might not be something she'll feel comfortable buying. Japan has very different mores, a key factor in many anime fan's enjoyment, but even shows for young children may include nudity and peeping. While in a lot of shojo manga kissing is both a very big deal and as far as the characters go, they plot set up may involve something like the parents engaging in a partner swap, causing their teenage children to akwardly live together (Marmalade Boy) or a child star who calls her manager her "pimp" or "gigalo" (Kodacha).

[ashfae.livejournal.com]

Fushigi Yugi. Fruits Basket, though I'd guess the girl will already have that. Fables!