Lists of novels

What graphic novels and manga should I be shelving?

It's a question we heard often when we were launching GraphicNovelReporter. It came from independent bookstore owners and librarians who were looking to begin or expand their graphic collections, as well as from readers. It was easy to see why: With so much content out there and so few resources for sorting it all, how could they use their limited budgets wisely and still serve the best interests of their customers and patrons? And so we developed our Core Lists.

What makes a graphic novel or manga part of this Core List?

Understand that this is not a "best of" list or a selection of favorites, nor is it an extensive list for comic shops, which have a different set of needs than other booksellers - although we hope some of the information provided here is of use to comics shop owners too!

These lists were specifically designed for bookstores, libraries and other outlets seeking to feature comics. Collectively, these lists provide information to help sellers shape a collection - which is also why we update our Core Lists every year, to reflect new titles and trends that have emerged.

The Kids Manga List

Please note: Titles highlighted in green on each list are new additions.

Also worth noting: Many wonderful books we all love have, unfortunately, gone out of print. We've removed those books from our recommendations, because our aim is to provide a dynamic list that everyone can easily get. Finally, you'll probably notice that the lists are short on superhero titles, although several of them are represented throughout. That's because this isn't a traditional comics list, but rather one for the general-reading marketplace.

As with any endeavour of this sort, there will be disagreements, and because of that, we welcome your feedback. Know a title that's missing from this list? See something that you know shouldn't be on here? Feel free to express yourself by leaving a comment or sending an email. And with that, we hope you enjoy our Core Lists and find them useful!