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Johnson, M., Parrott, R., & Charm, D. (2016). Star Trek: Starfleet Academy(Vol. 1). San Diego, CA: IDW Publishing, a division of Idea and Design Works, LLC.

ISBN: 978-1631406638 (paperback) $19.99

Star Trek: Starflleet Academy follows young T'Laan, is a Vulcan engineering student. If you’ve seen the newer Star Trek Movies you will recognize some of the characters who make appearances in this comic. This comic also takes place after the destruction of the Vulcan home world in the first Star Trek movie.

 T’Laan is considering leaving Starfleet in order to join her people on New Vulcan. Her professor convinces her to join a team competition celebrating the 100th anniversary of Starfleet Academy. The Starfleet Academy team will be competing with teams from other schools off planet, all representing different organizations of students.  With her teammates, including two human women of colour, an Andorian man and a Monchezkin man, T'Laan competes in challenges. She also struggles with understanding human social interactions, and expectations. 

There is a second storyline that takes place in the comic as well, that flows with T’Laan’s story. Uhura is attempting to solve a mystery and ends up involving Kirk, Chekov, and Spock. 

Fans of the Star Trek Universe will enjoy this fun comic that explores cadet life at the Starfleet Academy. 

Awards and recognition: N/A

If you enjoy adventures in space there are many books out there that fit that genre. Listopia has one title YA Best Books Based in Space. These lists are created and curated by Goodreads users, but they are often filled with excellent suggestions. 

The Star Trek Universe is further explored beyond the books, if you’re a fan. There is the Star Trek Online MMORPG game. Free to play. I mean that too. There is not a need, ever, to purchase anything in this game. And you can really delve into different parts of the Star Trek timelines. You can download the game via Steam if you already have an account there. 

The 2018 Emmys had a wonderful tribute to Star Trek, presented by Bill Nye. 

Westerfeld, S. (2017). Spill zone. New York, NY: First Second.

978-1-59643-936-8 (hardcover) $22.99

Addison Merrick ignores all warning signs, all do not enter barriers, and lies to the military who are there to stop people from doing exactly what she is. Entering the spill zone. Three years ago, the spill zone suddenly appeared. It wiped out Addison’s hometown, leaving her and her younger sister orphans. The spill zone left her younger sister mute and took her parents from her. Addison must find out what happened.

The spill zone is a dangerous place. Every photograph is a risky move that could potentially cost Addison her life. What Addison photographs inside the zone is difficult to believe, and many things Addison sees there are unlike any living creature she’s ever seen before. Impossible things happen in the spill zone, and Addison has developed her own set of rules in order to survive there.

Her photographs earn her money to care for her sister, and each trip she risks there is the potential of her learning something new. However, the spill zone is not easily thwarted, and there are many secrets surrounding it to the discovered. Addison is determined, but is her determination enough? This eerie sci-fi thriller is bound to keep you on the edge of your seat as you learn what happened in the Spill Zone. 

Awards and recognitions: 

Excellence in Graphic Literature (EGL) Book of the Year Award

Scott Westerfeld is a master of science fiction. If you’re interested in reading more of his books you can find a full list of them on Good Reads. 

Have you ever read a book and afterwards you want more of the same? 

Kushner, D. (2017). Rise of the dungeon master: Gary Gygax and the creation of D&D. New York: Nation Books.

ISBN: 978-1-56858-559-8 (paperback) $16.99

“You are Gary Gynax. You are at home in lake Geneva, WI, busy creating the game that will become your greatest legacy: Dungeons & Dragons.”

Dungeons & Dragons, abbreviated at D&D or DnD, is a fantasy tabletop roleplaying game that was created by Gary Gygax. This graphic novel covers Gary and his companions as they strive to create the best fantasy roleplaying game. 

After the game’s launch, and its rise to popularity there was a scare in the 80′s when many parents feared that D&D was a cult their children were joining.  Drama encapsulated Gary as he fought in court against his co-creator Dave Arneson. 

Dungeons & Dragons is practically a household name today, with its popularity having a direct impact on American Culture. You can easily find games to join at any comics store, as well as websites online created for the purpose of helping people join games. Now you can join Gary on his adventure of the Rise of the Dungeon Master. 

Awards and recognition: N/A

Getting into D&D can be intimidating at first. There are books upon books full of rules and information. Plus the aspect of roleplaying a character you created can be a bit intimidating.  Fortunately there are a ton of excellent podcasts out there you can listen to. These podcasts may be discussions about D&D and other roleplaying games, or they might even be recordings of players going through a storyline. 

If you’re interested in experiencing D&D, but can’t play a game right not you should give one of these 15 Best D&D podcasts a listen to! 

I can tell you that Critical Role and Dragon Talk are some of the most popular and well known podcasts of this genre. 

Brown, D. (2018). The unwanted: Stories of the Syrian refugees. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

ISBN: 978-1-328-81015-1 (hardcover) $18.99

Heartbreak and horror engulf Syria as war wages against the rule of the President. Bashar al-Assad. Massacres decimate the population, bombs rain down on the cities, and families find themselves with nothing left. 

People begin leaving Syria, refugees, seeking safety from their own home country. Many places do no want refugees. Many countries don’t want the financial responsibility of caring for people who are not their responsibility. Many countries’ citizens view the refugees as pests. 

These refugees are unwanted, but they must do what they can to survive. Going back is not an option for them. 

Families are separated in hopes that one day they will be reunited. Many refugees never make it to another country, as their methods of travel are rarely ever safe. 

This story, written and illustrated by Don Brown, captures the tragedies Syrian refugees face, as well as their courage and perseverance as they hope to one day be able to return home. 

Awards and recognition: N/A

You can view a 19 minute documentary, Welcome to Canada, following the story of  Mohammed Alsaleh, a young Syrian refugee granted asylum in Canada in 2014 on PBS.

The Choices Program also has a video you can watch, titled, What are refugees and internally displaced persons? This video is meant to increase one’s understanding of exactly how a refugee is defined. 

Barlow, J., & Frigeri, J. (2017). Star Wars Darth Maul: Son of Dathomir. New York: Marvel Worldwide.

ISBN: 978-1-302-90846-1 (paperback) $15.99

Darth Maul, the former Sith Apprentice of Darth Sidious, survived his confrontation with Obi-Wan. He was saved from madness by a witch from Dathomir, Mother Talzin. After his recovery he has managed to create his own underworld empire. The strength of his criminal regime has garnered the attention of Darth Sidious who sends Count Dooku and General Grievous after him.  

Maul is rescued from a prison cell by Mandalorians who are loyal to him and his cause. Afterwards he must fight to retain all he has worked for, and schemes with Mother Talzin to strike back at Darth Sidious.

What is Darth Sidious’ interest in Mother Talzin and Darth Maul? What does he hope to gain beyond Maul’s crime lords? This confrontation of two different sides of the Dark Side shows that Darth Maul is the Son of Dathomir.

Awards and recognitions: N/A

Since Disney bought the Star Wars franchise the old extended universe has been rebooted. Oftentimes it is still difficult to try and figure out what materials are part of the current canon and what is old canon. 

Canon Killer Base has compiled all current Star Wars materials and organized it in an easy to track manner. That way you can explore the entirety of the Star Wars universe and keep your story lines straight. 

You can track your progress through the materials, in every format, such as comics, movies, books, TV shows, and games.  Don’t know the difference between Canon and Legends? Canon Killer Base can help you sort that out. So if you’re interested in exploring the Star Wars universe more - go check it out. 

Itō, J., & Paul, S. (2015). Junji Itos cat diary: Yon & Mu. New York: Kodansha Comics.

ISBN: 978-1-63236-197-4 (paperback) $10.99

Junji Ito is master of horror manga. In this book he chronicles his life living in his new home with his lovely fiancé and her cats, Yon and Mu. This is a regular slice of life story drawn in a horror style and told as if it’s a ghost story. 

Junji’s fiancé asks him if he is a cat person or a dog person. He answers that he is a hamster person, but he truly prefers dogs. His fiancé brings Yon home from her parents one day and Junji realizes that Yon is cursed! Yon has a ghostly image in his fur pattern on his back and has a creepy face. 

His fiancé decides to adopt a second cat, so Yon won’t be lonely. Enter Mu, a Norwegian forest cat. Junji Ito documents his story of him adapting his lifestyle and learning to live with the gentle and placid Mu, and the weird-faced Yon.

Awards and recognitions: N/A

If you enjoy horror manga, Book Riot has put together a list of 12 Horror Manga to Terrify You All year Long.

Okura, & Hashii, C. (2018). That blue sky feeling (Vol. 1). San Francisco, CA: VIZ Media LLC.

ISBN: 978-1-9747-0160-5 (paperback) $10.99

Noshiro just recently transferred schools and has an easy time making friends. However, he keeps noticing one classmate, Sanada is always by himself. Noshiro discovers this is because of a rumor that Sanada is gay. This doesn’t dissuade Noshiro from deciding he wants to make Sanada smile and be his friend.

Noshiro doesn’t really know what it means to like someone. Boyfriends, girlfriends, going out, he’s never thought about it or worried about it. Until he met Sanada. This is a sweet story about a high schooler’s first love, and how you don’t get to choose who you like. Sometimes a friendship turns into something more. As Noshiro pursues Sanada and attempts to become his friend maybe he will discover “That Blue Sky Feeling”.

Awards and recognitions: N/A

Want some more LGBT Themed Graphic novels to read: Check this list by Book Riot out!

Arakawa, N. (2015). Your lie in April (Vol. 1). New York, NY: Kodansha Comics.

ISBN: 978-1-63236-171-4 (paperback) $10.99

“You fall in love with food. You fall in love with the little things that happen every day. You fall in love with the violin. You fall in love with music. Maybe that’s why you shine so brightly.”

Kosei Arima used to play the piano. He was a child prodigy until his taskmaster mother died. Kosei abandoned the piano and lives what he feels is a bland colorless life. Kosei was completely unprepared to meet Kaori Miyazono, a violinist whose style is completely different. Kaori has a crush on Kosei’s friend Watari, so Kosei and his friend Tsubaki are helping her get closer to him. But Kaori is having a different impact on Kosei than he expected.  

This musical story is one of love and loss that will leave you wondering if Kaori will be successful in bringing Kosei back to from his colorless world. Your Lie in April will be a novel you can’t put down, and as soon as you finish the first book you’ll want to immediately devour the next in the series.

Awards and recognitions:

The manga won the award for Best Shōnen Manga at the 37th Kodansha Manga Awards. It was nominated for the 5th Manga Taishō.

The anime adaptation was the winner of the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper's 2016 Sugoi Japan Awards

This manga has received an anime adaption, a live action film, and a stage play. 

 You can watch a clip from the anime that clearly shows Kaori’s unorthodox playing style on youtube, Make sure to click on CC for the subtitles (They are accurate on this video).