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Coming of Age Comics:  Seven Diverse Graphic Novels

By on May 20, 2026   /   Book Lists, Fiction   /   Leave a comment
Nowadays children are confronted with adult issues and decisions daily. Social media influences, families, schools and communities expect young people to grow up fast. For many kids this passage to adulthood is fragmented and difficult. Kids love graphic novels because of the vibrant illustrations, the spot-on humor and the space between the panels which presents them with opportunities to empathize with the character’s journey. The graphic novel format which combines words and pictures is perfect for presenting readers with difficult stories. Young readers can insert their own emotions in the transitional spaces between panels. The graphic novels listed here provide readers with models of kids facing serious challenges, who with the help of supportive friends and/or family acquire adult skills and attributes.
 
 
 
 
 

Mixed Feelings by Sara Amini and Shadia Amin

Being half Iranian and half Columbian leaves Sara feeling like she doesn’t belong anywhere. That, coupled with the fact that her best friend is drifting away and hair is popping up on her legs, leaves Sara untethered. She builds on her love of TV and acting and joins the drama club. This change helps her navigate puberty, overcome her identity challenges, and find community.

 

 

 

 

Curlfriends: Back in Business (sequel to New in Town) by Sharee Miller

When fashionista, honor roll student Nola asks her mother for money for a snazzy outfit to dance in at the talent show, she is surprised to get only twenty dollars. It turns out her mom’s beauty salon is in financial trouble. Nola’s dream of inheriting the family business may never come true. Even though Nora tries to keep her money troubles a secret, The Curlfriends, her sweet, supportive Black girl friends help out in unexpected ways.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Opting Out by Maia Koba and Swat “Lucky”Srikuamar

Saachi bonds over writing and drawing with her best friend Lyla, until Lyla, along with all their other friends, pair off in boy-girl couples. After Saachi gets her perios she has shifting feelings about her gender identity. Readers are privy to her identity exploration through internal monologues, journal entries and poetry. Her parents and sister are refreshingly supportive of Sacchi’s internal journey. After visiting a Hindu temple, her Appa affirms, “change is a part of life.”

 

 

 

 
 

Halfway to Somewhere by Jose Pimenta

Ave’s recent move from Mexicali to Kansas with her mother and brother has her missing her father and sister. Her stress is compounded by the fact that speaking English is a struggle. While coping with separation across family, borders and cultures Ave connects with new friends and reconnects with her faraway family members.

 

 

 

Outsider Kids (sequel to Parachute Kids) by Betty C. Tang

It has been seven months since Anna’s (Feng-Ling’s) parents left her and her siblings alone in California while they returned to Taiwan to await visas. She has begun to get a taste of American life, including trick or treating with friends on Halloween and eating turkey with them on Thanksgiving. But when her cousin Josephine – violin prodigy – comes to stay, Anna’s world is turned upside down. Being underage and undocumented makes Anna and her siblings extremely vulnerable. Resilience and community join forces to support them in their time of need.

 

Fruitcake (Four Eyes series, volume 3) by Rex Ogle and Dave Valeza

Set in the 1980’s. It is the beginning of Rex’s eighth grade year and he is feeling excluded while all his friends are pairing up. He remedies the situation when he meets Charlotte, who he begins to date. Meanwhile, he can’t help thinking about his longtime friend Drew – constantly. This novel explores the middle school world of striving to fit in, crushes and poor self-image, Nina, Rex’s cool goth friend helps him to understand his gay identity and inspires him to be proud of who he is.

 

 

 

Weirdo by Tony Weaver Jr. (warning: this novel includes mentions of attempted suicide)

Tony Weaver gets severely bullied at school for being a nerd – to the point where he felt that “disappearing would best for everyone. An end to my pain and theirs.” There are no depictions of Tony’s attempted suicide, or descriptions of method, but his emotional pain is shown on the page. His parents step up to find him a wonderful therapist and a new school. It takes time for Tony to heal, but through the superpowers of new friends in the Literature Club, and the larger than life heroes of his comics books, anime and video games, he learns to embrace his identity.

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STEM Tuesday– Math– Writing Tips & Resources

By on May 19, 2026   /   Math, STEM Tuesday   /   Leave a comment

MATH (AND WRITING) IS FOR EVERYONE!

As the some of the books in this month’s book list mention, there is a persistent myth that some people are inherently good at math. Others are not. This usually comes hand-in-hand with a narrow idea of what math is and isn’t.

These myths are mirrored in writing. Some people “are writers” while others are not. “Real” writing is serious and lengthy.

But the truth is that math and writing are both skill sets anyone can learn with patience and persistence. Whether we recognize it or not, we all have our own relationships to both math and writing, our own ways of seeing them. And both are EVERYWHERE!

You can find math in the kitchen, supermarket, even the garden: just look at the many patterns of petals beginning to bloom! Writing can be found on signs and in emails, bumper stickers, blogs, and beyond!

This month we’re focusing on finding our way into writing and math through writing about math.

Math is Everywhere

Here are books that demonstrate the ways that math connects with other subjects, as well as the creative ways that different authors present a topic. What might sound like a single topic—math—is actually incredibly diverse, as these books demonstrate. Each author writes about math from their own unique angle, combining subjects and bringing their own writing style to their book.

Cover of "Adventures in Math"

Math and your mind:

Adventures in Math: How to Level Up Your Math Game by Carleigh Wu and Sean Simpson focuses on how our mindset shapes our relationship to math. This math book emerged from the author’s unique background as a teacher and math coach. Following illustrated characters as they venture into the jungle (of math), this colorful book is all about using curiosity and a growth mindset to level up your math game. Punchy, relatable text and an engaging voice weaves together real people doing amazing things with math, inspiring quotes, and exercises that speak directly to readers.

 

 

Cover of "The Book of Math"

Math and social studies:

The Book of Math: Adventures in the World of Shapes and Numbers by Anna Weltman and Paul Boston takes readers on a tour of dozens of moments in math across history and around the globe. Each two-page spread covers a fun and interesting math-related topic using discussion questions, short paragraphs, questions and answers, and other writing styles. Visuals including maps, timelines, labelled diagrams, and illustrations of the concepts complement the words and showcase the writer’s decisions regarding which combination of words and images best conveys each concept.

Cover of "Which One Doesn't Belong?"

Math and play:

Which One Doesn’t Belong? Playing with Shapes by Christopher Danielson shows the creative possibilities and elegant simplicity that arise when a creator selects one concept they’re passionate about and goes deep. This book takes a simple question—which shape doesn’t belong?—and in each spread, offers increasingly challenging sets of shapes. Readers can use their analytical and argumentative skills to decide which shape doesn’t match the others. The limited yet clear and encouraging words in this book show how clarity of thought is more important than verbosity.

Cover of "Calculating Chimpanzees, Brainy Bees, and other animals with Mind-Blowing Mathematical Abilities"

Math and animals:

Calculating Chimpanzees, Brainy Bees, and Other Animals with Mind-Blowing Mathematical Abilities by Stephanie Gibeault and Jaclyn Sinquett explores fundamental math concepts through surprising animal behavior and by unpacking the scientific studies that prove humans aren’t the only ones using math. Learn how to design scientific experiments, read interviews with the scientists behind the discoveries, and collect amazing animal facts… all through math! Would it surprise you to learn this author has a background as a biologist, animal behaviorist, and dog trainer?

 

An example from Our Own Kamilla:
Math and a Change Maker: Bringing a mathematician to life

Each of these authors made a personal connection to the material, exploring unique aspects under the big umbrella of math, and writing about it in their own creative and engaging way. By drawing on their own interests and skills, anyone can find a way to write themselves into the world of math.

MARYAM MIRZAKHANI, First Woman to Win the Fields Medal in Mathematics in 2014 by Kamilla Milligan
. Maryam.
Seeker.
Problem-solver.
Devotee of beauty.
 Maryam pursued truth
 from Tehran to Stanford
, in books and proofs,
classrooms,
 conversations, 
doodling on the floor. 
Maryam
 unveiled magical connections 
across the curves of space and time,
 bridging fields 
to win the Fields Medal—
bending the arc of possibility
 for us to follow.

One of us (Kamilla) recently did just this. I drew on my Persian cultural heritage and long-time interest in the accomplished Persian mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani to write a submission to Vivian Kirkfield’s #50PreciousWords children’s writing contest.

Researching for this story allowed me to read about her life and mathematical achievements to understand both the technical details and the significance of her mathematical discoveries as well as who she was as a person. While I didn’t fully understand her mathematical work (massive understatement!!), I gained more appreciation for the diversity within mathematics, the creative questions it inspires, and the significance of the Fields Medal.

I played around with many different details from Maryam’s life, creating different versions as I selected key images and themes to frame the significance of her accomplishments. Writing this poem and choosing what elements to include was creatively satisfying and also cemented my curiosity about higher mathematics.

Now You Try!

Take a moment to notice at least 3 examples of where math and writing overlap:

Option 1: Start with Your Heart

  • What do you care about? What matters to you?
  • How does that intersect with math?

Option 2: Look at Your Daily Life

  • Where do math and writing show up in your life?
  • What kinds of math and writing are YOU drawn to?

Note: If you work with students, consider using resources that showcase the broad spectrum of ways that math shows up in our lives, and the diverse people and cultures who have played a significant role in the development and use of math. With encouragement, everyone can find at least one entry-point. And as they explore this personal connection, you may see a shift in how they relate to the discipline of math—a stronger sense of connection, which is as important for success as mastery of any specific concept.

Now write:

Write a 50-word interdisciplinary story about math and (at least) one other subject area.

Use any writing style or approach that works for you and your topic: prose, rhyme, free-verse…illustrated, comic-style, text-only…”silly or serious” (from the #50PreciousWords guidelines by Vivian Kirkfield)–writer’s choice. Look for inspiration among this year’s contest winners.

Bios

Kamilla Milligan is a kidlit writer who explores themes of home, connection with nature, and cultural diversity in her stories. Kamilla has lived in Canada, the southern US, and Russia, and applies her PhD in education to her work in equity and human rights. Outside of reading, Kamilla enjoys gardening, fibre projects, and nature walks. Visit Kamilla online at kamillamilligan.com

Alexandra Millarhouse is a researcher, science communication professional, and writer focused on the intersection of nature, science, and self. Her debut picture book, THE ANIMAL QUEENDOM, comes out in 2027 with Simon & Schuster, followed by an unannounced picture book in 2028. Living in Vermont, Alexandra is often tracking wildlife across a cemetery, or sitting by the water with a sketchbook. Visit Alexandra online at: https://www.foxandindigo.com/

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Solve Your Own Mystery with Gareth Jones

By on May 15, 2026   /   Author Interviews   /   Leave a comment

Today on the Mixed-Up Files, we have the pleasure of interviewing Gareth P. Jones, author of the recently published Solve Your Own Mystery series, which is cleverly illustrated by Louise Forshaw. Gareth is a multitalented writer, musician, TV producer, and performer, and I was thrilled to be able to go behind the scenes with these twisty mysteries that have more than one solution! These books definitely offer lots of twists and turns, and I couldn’t wait for the chance to hear more about how they came together.
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Thanks so much for joining us here at the Mixed-Up Files, Gareth! These books are so creative and such fun, giving readers so many reasons to go back to the story and see how things might turn out differently. What a great idea for a mystery! The obvious question I must ask first is do these mysteries take any inspiration from the classic Choose-Your-Own-Adventure books? If so, did you have a favorite?

Yes and yes. As a young reader, I loved books like Fighting Fantasy books and Choose Your Own Adventure, but my favorite was a series called Lone Wolf. I loved the fantasy world and the stories (written by Joe Dever), but it is the illustrations by Gary Chalk that will remain firmly lodged in my mind forevermore.

Unlike the Choose-Your-Own-Adventure series, one of the best features of the Solve Your Own Mystery books is that there are no wrong answers, just more adventures and investigations to be had. Can you share with us a little of how you worked on the structure of these books, making sure the storylines overlapped and diverged at the right spots? It seems like a feat to arrange all these parts in such satisfying ways. And are you more of a plotter or a pantser when it comes to working with characters and twisty mysteries like these?

I plot as I write, which is another way of saying that I make up stories as I go along. With a series like this, it would have made more sense to work out a structure and go in with a plan, but I didn’t do any of that. I just started writing. Then, when I got to the end of each chapter, I worked out what two paths lay ahead then wrote them. I did map out what was happening as I went along so I could work out which chapters 

you had to hit. I have no idea if the story is satisfying for all readers, but I tried to make sure that even if there are things you miss, you have the chance to go back and find out more. I went completely mad writing these books and I was very grateful to my editors for helping me to untangle the almighty mess I had created for myself. I loved it though. More than ever before, it felt like I had to climb inside the story, because the story had so many possibilities—rather than one linear course.

Solve Your Own Mystery: The Time Thief cover

Haventry is a fascinating place to explore, and its residents are equally fun to meet. Do you have characters that are particularly fun for you to write? (Watson always made me smile, and I especially enjoyed Bernard the time-bending lobster!)

Oh, I love Watson too. He wasn’t in the first draft of the book. I created him as a solution to a problem. In that earlier version, I realized you’d park your car one place and then might suddenly find it somewhere else. I needed a car that was more independently minded than most. That’s when I hit the idea of a car that used to be a dog. Those are always my favourite moments, when I can solve a problem with solution that makes the whole thing better. There’s another instance of this in Book 4 with Dr. Heckyll and Mr. Jibe, but you’ll have to wait to meet him/them. I loved the witches too, so they popped up in all of the books.

The second person perspective is used perfectly in these two mysteries—it’s amazing how much “you” can do without actually saying a word.

Yes, I decided that I didn’t want to put words into the reader’s mouth and then I had to stick with this. I have been working on a fresh take on this idea recently (called The Oddjob Murder Club), in which I have allowed you the reader to speak, but with Solve Your Own Mystery, I decided to have fun with the idea that you didn’t speak. So there are several moments when you’re about to speak and someone interrupts you. Also, if you read the whole series you will discover that YOU undergo changes as you make your way through this world. Just like any good main character, your journey changes you.

Louise Forshaw’s illustrations add such fabulous dimension to these tales. Did you get to collaborate on what Haventry and the characters would look like?

I love them too. And yes, we did, although in truth I’m not really a visual writer. I don’t see pictures when I write. I hear voices. Mostly, I just told Louise how much I loved her pictures. She has quite a gothic sensibility so she instantly got it.

Writing is just one of your many talents! How do you see all your various gifts and interests playing into your writing?

Solve Your Own Mystery: The Monster MakerI don’t know. It’s all creativity, isn’t it. I spend most of my time making stuff up, but annoyingly, I do also have to ensure my creative efforts occasionally make money. This year, I’m putting more of an emphasis on performance. I’m taking my Ministry of Mini Musicals on a tour of libraries and a short run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, putting on one-man musicals based on my picture books, but it’s a two-way street and sometimes the shows inspire the books. One of the inspirations behind the Solve Your Own series was a show called Mystery Makers, in which the audience improvises a brand-new mystery. I love doing that show and I wondered if there was a way of writing books that felt as anarchic and interactive—and that’s what I did.

Can we expect more mysteries on the Shady Side with Klaus?

Yes, there are two more books coming your way: The Missing Magic and The Transylvanian Express. After that, who knows? I have no plans for more, but I’d drop everything and start writing another if a publisher asked me.

If you could give writers any advice, what would it be?

Don’t listen to writing advice. Don’t worry about what other people are doing. The real magic of writing is the moment of creation. After that, it’s all marketing, so enjoy creating something from nothing and try not to worry about anything else.

Thank you for your time and for these great books, Gareth.

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The Time Thief and The Monster Maker are both out now, so grab a copy and start solving!

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