Scholastic UK Graphic Novel Prize 2024 Shortlists Announced

The Scholastic UK Graphic Novel Prize was announced a while back, but we’re now at the shortlist announcement time and time to get voting…

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A juggernaut in graphic novel publishing for kids and teens, Scholastic have, ever since the decision to reprint in colour all of Jeff Smith‘s Bone, not really put a foot wrong. You can tell that by the way they absolutely dominate the reported sales of graphic novels through bookshops. Are you one of those poor folks that decries how comics aren’t selling like they used to? Well, you’re just looking in the wrong place – ask a school-age kid, they’ll tell you what’s what.

Anyway, after announcing the first Scholastic UK Graphic Novel Prize a while back, we now have the shortlists and a chance for you to get voting.

The awards have three categories: Graphic Novel for Younger Readers; Graphic Novel for Older Readers; and Graphic Novel for Teens.

Representatives from BookTrust had selected the longlist and the the judging panel narrowed that down to the shortlist. Those Judges are Sha Nazir, events producer and former BHP publisher; Michael Stirling, creative director at Beano; Jon Biddle, English lead at Moorlands School; Richard Ruddick, teacher and Comics in Class blogger; and Jo Cummins, teacher, blogger and podcast host.

At the Scholastic site there’s a voting form — teachers and grown-ups can vote on behalf of their children once registered with Scholastic UK.

Shortlist and PR bumf below – more info here.

BEST GRAPHIC NOVEL FOR 6-8-YEAR-OLDS

A Super Scary Narwhalloween by Ben Clanton (Farshore)

In the hilarious eighth book of this blockbuster graphic novel series, Narwhal and Jelly celebrate the spookiest time of the year ― Halloween ― with a super twist!

Dive into three new stories that are sure to fright and delight! Narwhal loves Halloween ― it’s a great excuse to dress up in a spooky and silly costume, like a ghost, a mermaid, a banana or maybe even Marlow the Mustachioed Moose. It’s a skeleTON of fun!

Max and Chaffy: Welcome to Animal Island by Jamie Smart (David Fickling Books)

A heart-warming, interactive adventure story, full of friendship and joy, from bestselling author/illustrator Jamie Smart!

Max has just moved to Animal Island and it’s full of new friends: Orlando, Crumbs, Moose, Pedalo and a very special creature called a CHAFFY . . .

Chaffy is lost! So it’s down to Max to find where Chaffy belongs . . . and YOU can help!

Bumble and Snug and the Shy Ghost by Max Bradley (Hodder)

A heart-warming, interactive adventure story, full of friendship and joy, from bestselling author/illustrator Jamie Smart!

Best friends Bumble and Snug are bugbops – little monsters filled with BIG feelings! Join them in this new, full-colour graphic novel, as they go on a thrilling, funny adventure with a VERY shy ghost and learn about the world outside and inside.

Bumble and Snug are excited to show off their magic tricks at the Bugbopolis Talent Show together with their new friend, a little ghost. They’ll need to practise first, from pulling rabbits out of a hat to picking the right cards and levitating. There’s just one problem, the ghost turns invisible when she’s shy!

Too Pig to Fail by Rob Harrell (Walker Books)

With great porker comes great responsibility.

Gary Yorkshire is finally getting into the swing of this whole superhero thing – saving the world from terrible villains, masterfully concealing his identity with a very small mask. But what happens when Batpig is called to battle time itself in a maths class that just won’t end? Or when the city is attacked by something completely (and literally) out of this world?

It’s not easy being a super-swine, but with the help of his best friends Brook the bat and Carl the fish, there’s no hamburglar they can’t catch.

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BEST GRAPHIC NOVEL FOR 9-12-YEAR-OLDS

Barb and the Shadow Army by Dan Abdo and Jason Patterson (Simon & Schuster)

Barb is a Berzerker, one of an elite crew of warriors who protect the land of Bailiwick from the scourge of monsters.

Barb has been captured by the evil Witch Head and, too injured to fight back, her chances for freedom are slim. They’re both in for a surprise when her Berzerker mum, Raven comes to the rescue. The mother-daughter duo escapes but can’t stop Witch Head from summoning a powerful army from the Shadow Realm to take over Bailiwick.

Can Barb and her ragtag crew of Berzerkers find a way to beat the infamous Shadow Army? Can she figure out how to harness the mystical power of the Ghost Blade? And can Porkchop make sure everybody has enough snacks?

Mexikid by Pedro Martín (Guppy Publishing)

Pedro is a Mexikid, a kid born in America to parents from Mexico: a kid who doesn’t quite belong in either place.

So he’s not sure what to expect when his dad announces that the whole family (all 11 of them!) will be piling into their Winnebago to drive to Mexico with one mission: to bring home their abuelito, their legendary crime-fighting grandfather, who was once part of the Mexican revolution. Allegedly. But their grandfather has a mission of his own and he won’t leave Mexico until it’s complete.

This deeply personal and hilarious graphic memoir captures an unforgettable journey filled with cousins, comics, heartbreak and family history … The road trip of a lifetime!

InvestiGators: All Tide Up by John Patrick Green (Macmillan)

Laugh yourself silly with the InvestiGators! Crime fighting alligators Mango and Brash are back in All Tide Up – the seventh full colour comic book adventure by John Patrick Green.

When the captain of a cruise ship is found drifting at sea, the search begins for his missing ship and passengers. Did it sink? Was it boat–napped? Are there . . . supernatural forces at play?

Mango and Brash can’t risk anyone else falling into the same boat. Can they unravel this madcap mystery before another ship ends up in deep water? Seas the day and sail away on this hilarious adventure to find out!

Finding My Voice by Aoife Dooley (Scholastic)

How do you find your voice when everyone around you is telling you to be quiet?

Frankie is different, and so is her best-friend, Sam. So when they both start secondary school, it’s tough. Particularly when there are so many rules to follow, like: No talking in class! Be quiet in the hallways! Silence for assembly!

Frankie doesn’t know how she’ll manage, because constantly talking is how she copes. So when she gets the chance to compete in a Battle of the Bands contest, Frankie couldn’t be more excited. Except, to have a band, you need to have band members. And to have band members, you need to be good at making friends…

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BEST GRAPHIC NOVEL FOR TEENS

Vern: Custodian of the Universe by Tyrell Waiters (Nobrow)

On the edge of burnout, Vern decides to return to his family in the Sunshine State to start over.

Starting a new dead-end job as a custodian at Quasar-a local science facility with a shady motive-he shrugs on his uniform, grabs a mop and bucket, and trudges off to clean up.

Black holes? Space-time anomalies? Galactic ooze? Things aren’t entirely what they seem at Quasar, and when Vern accidentally plugs in a mysterious machine and finds himself standing on the brink of the destruction of every planet in the Multiverse, he finds himself presented with the greatest question of all: what is the point?

If You’ll Have Me by Eunnie (Penguin)

If You’ll Have Me is beautifully-illustrated, irresistibly romantic graphic novel that explores and celebrates Sapphic first love, perfect for fans of Heartstopper and She Gets the Girl.

An unexpected meet-cute brings the two together, kicking off the beginning of an awkward yet endearing courtship. With their drastically different personalities, Momo’s overprotective friend, and PG’s past coming back to haunt her, Momo and PG’s romance is put to the test.

Skulduggery Pleasant: Bad Magic by Derek Landy, P. J. Holden and Matt Soffe (Harper Collins)

Experience Skulduggery Pleasant as never before – in this fully original graphic novel brought vibrantly to life in full colour.

A small town in the middle of Ireland, a string of unexplained deaths and a monster on the loose. Better call in the experts.

When Skulduggery Pleasant and Valkyrie Cain drive into Termoncara, they discover a town with a dark past and a people haunted by their own secrets. There is a creature stalking the streets – a creature who delights in cruelty, who feeds off the little hatreds, who grows stronger with every drop of blood spilled.

Heartstopper Volume 5 by Alice Oseman (Hodder Childrens)

Boy meets boy. Boys become friends. Boys fall in love. The bestselling LGBTQ+ graphic novel about life, love, and everything that happens in between.

Nick and Charlie are very much in love. They’ve finally said those three little words, and Charlie has almost persuaded his mum to let him sleep over at Nick’s house … But with Nick going off to university next year, is everything about to change?

By Alice Oseman, winner of the YA Book Prize, Heartstopper encompasses all the small moments of Nick and Charlie’s lives that together make up something larger, which speaks to all of us.