Ages 6-8
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Dog Man
Dav Pilkey
A police officer with a dog head and a short attention span: slapstick, puns and flip-o-rama in a very quick read.
Kids, by age
Graphic novels for 8-year-olds
Eight-year-olds can read on their own but still want pictures and jokes. These series are fast, funny and easy to start.
An eight-year-old is often a new independent reader: confident enough to read alone, but happiest when the pictures help. This is the age of Dog Man, Babymouse, Squish and Hilo, funny series with short chapters and a lot of visual jokes. A child who likes one tends to want the whole series.
Look for a series you can buy in order, so there is always a next book. Our Dog Man page has the full list with a checklist, and the Finder shows the first book of other series at this age. Check the content with the child’s own sensitivities in mind: some series play with silly danger.
Tip
A series with a fourteen-book runway, like Dog Man, is the simplest way to keep a new reader reading.
Picks for eight-year-olds
More in the FinderFunny series and gentle adventures.
Ages 6-8
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Cat Kid Comic Club
Dav Pilkey
Spin-off in which baby frogs learn to make their own comics, with real comic-making tips tucked in.
Ages 6-8
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Babymouse: Queen of the World!
Jennifer L. Holm, Matthew Holm
An imaginative mouse daydreams her way through school in pink-accented panels.
Ages 6-8
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Squish: Super Amoeba
Jennifer L. Holm, Matthew Holm
A comic starring an amoeba and a lot of kid-friendly science jokes.
Ages 6-8
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Hilo: The Boy Who Crashed to Earth
Judd Winick
A mysterious boy falls from the sky and a robot-and-monster adventure starts.
Ages 6-8
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Zita the Spacegirl
Ben Hatke
A girl follows her friend through a portal and finds a funny, strange galaxy.
Ages 6-8
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Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea
Ben Clanton
A cheerful narwhal and a jellyfish become friends in a mix of short comics and facts.
Ages 6-8
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Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute
Jarrett J. Krosoczka
A school cafeteria worker moonlights as a crime-fighter.
Ages 6-8
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Phoebe and Her Unicorn
Dana Simpson
A newspaper-strip style collection about a girl and a self-regarding unicorn.
Ages 6-8
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Big Nate: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
Lincoln Peirce
A classic sixth-grade strip about a kid who is sure he is destined for greatness.
Ages 6-8
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Sidekicks
Dan Santat
A superhero dog and his team of pet sidekicks hold auditions for a new member.
Ages 6-8
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Little Robot
Ben Hatke
A mostly wordless comic by Ben Hatke about a girl and a robot.
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Filter the whole catalog
Open the full FinderFilter by genre, or type a series they already like.
Questions people ask
What graphic novels are good for 8-year-olds?
Popular choices include Dog Man, Cat Kid Comic Club, Babymouse, Squish, Hilo and Narwhal and Jelly. They are funny, move fast and are broken into short chapters. The Comic Finder can filter by the ages 6 to 8 band, and shows the first book of each series it lists.
Can an 8-year-old read graphic novels on their own?
Many can. Picture clues support the words, and short chapters give a sense of progress. Start with a series at the right level and sit with them for the first few pages. If the vocabulary or the story is too much, choose an easier book, or read a chapter aloud together.
What comes after Dog Man for an 8-year-old?
Cat Kid Comic Club by the same author is the nearest match. Babymouse, Squish and Narwhal and Jelly share its humor. For a longer, more story-driven read, try Hilo or Zita the Spacegirl. Our Dog Man page and read-alikes page list more, with a checklist for each series.
Are graphic novels good for reading skills?
They are a way into reading. A child has to follow text and pictures together, track the order of events and work out how characters feel. Many teachers and librarians use them to build interest in reading. They work best alongside other kinds of books and reading aloud, not as the only kind.
How do I know if a graphic novel is right for my 8-year-old?
Check the publisher’s age range, read the description, and flip through a few pages. Look at how much text there is and whether any scenes might upset your child. Our age bands are a guide, not a rating. A library copy is a cheap way to try a new series first.