People have written about human rights and social justice for centuries. While there are countless books on topics like equality, freedom, identity and the resilience of the human spirit, graphic novels are a unique and powerful medium. The best graphic novels combine strong writing and striking illustrations to create compelling, powerful stories. Graphic novels are often a great option for those learning to read or anyone who struggles to get into regular books. Here’s our list of 12 impressive graphic novels about human rights and social justice:
| #1. The Complete Maus: A Survivor’s Tale |
| #2. All Rise: Resistance and Rebellion in South Africa |
| #3. Sugar Falls: A Residential School Story |
| #4. When Stars Are Scattered |
| #5. I Am Alfonso Jones |
| #6. Footnotes in Gaza |
| #7. Banned Book Club |
| #8. We Are Not Strangers |
| #9. The Unwanted: Stories of the Syrian Refugees |
| #10. Anne Frank’s Diary: The Graphic Adaptation |
| #11. The Life of Frederick Douglass |
| #12. Gender Queer |
#1. The Complete Maus: A Survivor’s Tale (1996)
By: Art Spiegelman
Since its publication in 1986, Maus: A Survivor’s Tale has become one of the most iconic graphic novels. It features Nazis drawn as cats and Jewish people as mice. Spiegelman has said he made this choice because Nazis called Jews “vermin.” In the book, Spielgeman shares his father’s experiences in the Holocaust, as well as the story of their difficult relationship as father and son. Maus was the first graphic novel to win a Pulitizer.
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#2. All Rise: Resistance and Rebellion in South Africa (2022)
By: Richard Conyngham
South Africans lived under apartheid, which is a formalized system of racial segregation, from 1948 to 1994. In All Rise, author Richard Conyngham and six illustrators from South Africa share six stories of resistance from this era of systemic racism. The heroes are ordinary people, like immigrants, tram workers, washerwomen and others, who risked everything to fight against oppression. All Rise was named one of the Best YA Books of 2022 by Kirkus Reviews.
All Rise: Resistance and Rebellion in South Africa can be purchased from retailers like Bookshop. You can also check your local library!
#3. Sugar Falls: A Residential School Story – Anniversary (2021)
By: David A. Robertson, Scott B. Henderson, Donovan Yaciuk
This graphic novel is based on the early life of Elder Betty Ross, a Cree leader from Pimicikamak Cree Nation. When she’s eight years old, Betty (then Betsy) is forced into a Canadian residential school, where staff abuse her. As Betsy and her friends dream of escape, she turns to memories of her father for strength. First published in 2011, Sugar Falls tells a story of resilience, courage and the importance of speaking out about the past.
You can find the 10th-anniversary edition of Sugar Falls at retailers like Bookshop and many public libraries.
Our review: The anniversary edition of Sugar Falls is in full color. I loved how the pages are vibrant in times of happiness, peace and revelation, and muted for the painful, sad scenes. The character illustrations are expressive, while the storytelling is clear and confident. It’s a great book for young readers just learning about the history of residential schools.
#4. When Stars Are Scattered (2020)
By: Omar Mohamed, Victoria Jamieson and Iman Geddy
Omar and his younger brother, Hassan, live in Dadaab, a Kenyan refugee camp. The two Somali boys, who are each other’s only remaining family, face hunger, boredom and a lack of healthcare, which Hassan needs. When Omar gets a chance to be educated, he knows it could help his brother, but he’ll have to leave Hassan every day to go to school. This is Omar Mohamed’s story, who co-wrote When Stars Are Scattered with author/artist Victoria Jamieson and colorist Iman Geddy. The book was a National Book Award Finalist, a Kirkus Best Children’s Book of 2020 and a Time Best Book of the Year.
You can find When Stars Are Scattered at brick-and-mortar bookstores, libraries and online retailers like Bookshop.
#5. I Am Alfonso Jones (2017)
By: Tony Medina, Stacy Robinson and John Jennings
This graphic novel follows Alfonso Jones, a teenager with lots of hopes and dreams. As he’s buying a suit, an off-duty police officer murders him. In the afterlife, Alfonso takes a ride on a ghost train where he meets other victims of police shootings. In the living world, Alfonso’s family and friends grieve. While separated, Alfonso and the ones he loves the most learn what it means to fight for justice. I Am Alfonso Jones is on many “Best Of” lists, including the American Library Association’s Top Ten Great Graphic Novels for Teens and Forbes’ Ten Best Graphic Novels of 2017.
You can find I Am Alfonso Jones at Bookshop and other retailers.
#6. Footnotes in Gaza (2010)
By: Joe Sacco
In this book, journalist Joe Sacco travels to Khan Younis and Rafah, two towns in Gaza that have faced some of the most brutal events in the long and bloody Middle East conflict. He’s looking for information on a story from 1956 where Israeli soldiers shot 111 Palestinians in Rafah. With his friend and guide, Sacco seeks out interviews about a massacre that has become a “footnote” in history. Footnotes in Gaza earned Sacco the 2010 Eisner Award for Best Writer/Artist-Nonfiction.
Footnotes in Gaza, which has seen a recent surge in demand, can be purchased at Bookshop and other retailers.
Our review: Footnotes in Gaza is a dense work that may be overwhelming to those new to Middle Eastern history. While the comic-book form makes the information compelling, it can be a bit confusing to navigate when Sacco flips between timelines and multiple interviewees. Treat the book with the attention it demands, however, and it’s one of the most unique and powerful pieces of journalism you’ll encounter.
#7. Banned Book Club (2020)
By: Ryan Estrada, Kim Hyun Sook and Hyung-Ju Ko
In 1983, Kim Hyun Sook starts college eager to explore a world beyond her family’s restaurant in South Korea. She falls in love with Western literature, but the Fifth Republic, the nation’s military regime, violently suppresses new ideas. When Hyun Sook joins an underground reading club, she must face the risks of resistance head-on. Banned Book Club is Kim Hyun Sook’s memoir, which she co-wrote with her husband Ryan Estrada. The book was nominated for an Eisner Award.
You can find Banned Book Club at Bookshop, many public libraries and other retailers.
#8. We Are Not Strangers (2023)
By: Josh Tuininga
After his grandfather’s death, Marco attends the funeral ready to celebrate the life of the man he’s named after. However, among the family and friends he knows well, Marco notices Japanese-American families. How are they connected to his grandfather? Based on history from Josh Tuininga’s family, We Are Not Strangers follows the story of a Sephardic Jewish immigrant, his Japanese friend and what happens when the United States incarcerates all Japanese Americans.
We Are Not Strangers is available at Bookshop and other retailers.
Our review: We Are Not Strangers is an emotional read packed with interesting details like real newspaper headlines and information on places featured throughout the book. I loved its message about friendship, solidarity between communities and taking risks for those we care about.
#9. The Unwanted: Stories of the Syrian Refugees (2018)
By: Don Brown
In 2011, refugees fled the violence in Syria in massive numbers. As they sought safety in neighboring countries, tensions flared at the cost of humanitarian aid, increased discrimination and other challenges. In The Unwanted, which is for young adults, author/illustrator Don Brown shares the stories of refugees who have become “unwanted.” Readers learn why people flee their homes, what conditions they endure and how refugees stay resilient when faced with violence and hostility. The Unwanted was on the list of Kirkus Best Books of 2018.
Visit retailers like Bookshop or your local library for a copy of The Unwanted: Stories of the Syrian Refugees.
#10. Anne Frank’s Diary: The Graphic Adaptation (2018)
By: Anne Frank, Ari Folman and David Polonsky
When the Nazis occupied the Netherlands in 1942, they oppressed and killed the Jewish population. Anne Frank, who was only 13, went into hiding with her family. For two years, Anne kept a diary detailing her everyday life, her relationships, her fears and her dreams. In 1944, her family was discovered, and 16-year-old Anne died in a concentration camp a year later. Her diary is one of the most iconic pieces of Holocaust literature. Anne Frank’s Diary: The Graphic Adaptation uses excerpts from her diary paired with illustrations. The Anne Frank Foundation in Basel, which was founded by Anne’s father Otto, authorized the adaptation.
Anne Frank’s Diary: The Graphic Adaptation is available at retailers like Bookshop and many public libraries.
Our review: While not all of Anne’s diary entries could be included in this adaptation, I feel like the book captures not only what happened to Anne and the seven other people who hid with her, but also her thoughts, feelings and ideas. I loved the more abstract, dream-like illustrations and the fact that longer passages were included.
#11. The Life of Frederick Douglass: A Graphic Narrative of a Slave’s Journey from Bondage to Freedom (2019)
By: David F. Walker, Damon Smyth and Marissa Louise
Frederick Douglass is one of the best-known American abolitionists and orators from the 19th century. After escaping slavery, he became a public speaker and writer who exposed the brutal realities of slavery. His autobiography Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, is still read today. This 2019 graphic adaptation takes readers on a journey from Douglass’ childhood to his life as a speaker and activist for the abolitionist movement. The book also includes information on the history of American slavery and photography, which played a major role in Douglass’ prominence as a cultural figure.
The Life of Frederick Douglass is available from Bookshop and other retailers, as well as many libraries.
#12. Gender Queer (2019)
By: Maia Kobabe
When Maia Kobabe began to wrestle with eir gender identity, an autobiographical comic was not something e considered writing. However, eir loved ones had trouble understanding what it meant to be nonbinary and asexual, and so Gender Queer was born. This graphic work explores Maia’s reflections and experiences with identity, gender, family, sex, medical trauma and more. Because it contains some graphic imagery and themes, it’s best for older teens and adults.
You can find Gender Queer at most retailers (like Bookshop) and public libraries.
Our review: Part guide and part memoir, Gender Queer is unflinchingly personal. It doesn’t shy away from any of the awkward, confusing or painful parts of a self-discovery journey, which I found powerful. While the book is more or less structured chronologically, it can feel a bit scattered at times, but I was never lost for long.
