The Good News: being stuck in bed with constant, debilitating pain for the past 14+ months afforded me more reading time than I usually get.
The Bad News: much of my reading time and enjoyment was cut short by the effects of medicine (headaches, brain fog, memory and concentration issues). That being said...
2019 was a fantastic year for books! Not everything I read was released this year, but a good chunk of it was. I mostly graphic novels (I’m a cartoonist so it counts as research, right?), but I also read some great biographies, non-fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, and classic literature.
Here’s a quick look at everything I read (minus picture books, zines, and mini comics) before I highlight some of what I read this year.
The Books
What follows is a look back at the graphic novels, biographies, non-fiction, classic literature, sci-fi, fantasy, and other books I read during 2019. (I’ve added each available book to my 2019 Reading List on Amazon, in case you’re interested in picking up any of the titles you see here. )
Enjoy!
What We See When We Read
Peter Mendelsund
Part picture book, part philosophy, and entirely enjoyable! A perfect book for bibliophiles, linguists, writers, artists, and others who are interested in the book format, communicating information with words and pictures, eliciting a response from the reader, and celebrating the book as a physical object.
Get it here.
Ghost Hog
Joey Weiser
A sweet and adventurous comic about friendship, self-control, and family. Wonderfully illustrated with vibrant colors and captivating characters, “Ghost Hog” is an exciting read for all ages!
Get it here.
Hey, Kiddo
Jarrett J Krosoczka
A powerful memoir about growing up amidst addiction, tragedy, and loss, while pursuing a passion and finding one’s place in the world.
This book received a National Book Award has gone on to make a lot of noise in the YA, comics, and reading worlds.
Get it here.
Yasmina and the Potato Eaters
Wauter Mannaert
A beautifully written and illustrated whimsical, food-focused adventure. I’m hooked on the story and can’t wait to read part 2!
Get it here.
Safely Endangered Comics
Chris McCoy
Hilarious! Eclectic collection of joke comics involving animals, mutants, the universe, Pokémon, robots, and The Lion King.
Get it here.
Suee and the Shadow
Ginger Ly | Molly Park
The premise is really interesting and the artwork is stunning, but there was a lot of explanation. The story probably could have been told in half as many pages, but it’s a fun read and an exciting journey.
Get it here.
12 Rules for Life
Jordan B Peterson
A practical and philosophical approach to life, with an emphasis and agency and personal accountability.
Get it here.
RuinWorld: Eye for an Eye
Derek Laufman
Exciting and whimsical adventure, packed with strong characters, magical weapons, and fantastical landscapes.
Get it here.
Becoming Dr. Seuss: Theodor Geisel and the Making of an American Imagination
Brian Jay Jones
I read Brian Jay Jones’ biography of Jim Henson last year and was thrilled to discover he had written a biography of Dr. Seuss!
An enthralling, moving, and informative portrayal of a beloved American icon. Jones deftly tells of the young Theodor Geisel, who seems to be the antagonist of his own story, until Dr. Seuss emerges and endears the world to him.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am happy to recommend it.
Get it here.
Pax
Sara Pennypacker
A lovely little book. Reminded me of Where the Red Fern Grows.
“Pax and Peter have been inseparable ever since Peter rescued him as a kit. But one day, the unimaginable happens: Peter’s dad enlists in the military and makes him return the fox to the wild.
At his grandfather’s house, three hundred miles away from home, Peter knows he isn’t where he should be—with Pax. He strikes out on his own despite the encroaching war, spurred by love, loyalty, and grief, to be reunited with his fox.
Meanwhile Pax, steadfastly waiting for his boy, embarks on adventures and discoveries of his own.”
Get it here.
Ray Bradbury
Farenheit 451
It only took me 37 years to get to, but I really enjoyed Farenheit 451. A powerful metaphor with strong, deeply-affecting writing.
“Stuff your eyes with wonder,” he said. “Live as if you’d drop dead in ten seconds. See the world. It’s more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories.”
Get it here.
Vanishing Act
Roman Muradov
A staggering, playful exploration of narrative forms and structures. A delightfully dizzying story superimposed onto a play about the story.
Get it here.
Sky Without Stars: System Divine (Book 1)
Jessica Brody & Joanne Rendell
Easily one of my favorite books of the year! I wrote a full review of the book here, but just know that it’s Les Mis in space, written as a dystopian sci-fi epic. You’ll love it!
Get it here.
Dragon Teeth
Michael Crichton
A lightly-fictionalized adventurous account of two competing paleontologists at the advent of fossil hunting in the American West. Spies, ambushes, betrayal, and mystery make Dragon Teeth an exciting page-turner!
Get it here.
Sparrowhawk
Delilah S Dawson | Matias Basla | Rebecca Nalty
Sparrowhawk is Alice in Wonderland meets Wizard of Oz meets Dorian Gray, inasmuch as our protagonist is whisked away into a curious world, becomes companion to a Cheshire Cat-like narrator of sorts, and engages in a hasty descent.
What I love most about this story is how Artemesia changes visually as her adventure continues.
While I thoroughly enjoyed the artwork, the character concepts, and many of the themes that were introduced, the story ultimately felt flat for me. Where the action was exciting to look at, it felt purposeless within the story, driven by a protagonist who didn’t quite come alive enough to warrant sympathy. The exposition felt careful and forced, as if an afterthought to justify the premise of a character lopping heads in the faerie realm. In a nutshell: tons of great beginnings without many middles or endings.
That being said, I think teens will LOVE this story and I’m sure it will fuel the imaginations of many readers.
Get it here.
Here I Am
Jonathan Safran Foer
From my journal:
I’m halfway through, and one of the main themes is about communication–how characters verbalize their thoughts and desires, how characters actions mask or reveal or confuse intentions, how divisive words can be.
There also seems to be a theme of characters hiding behind words–Max gets upset with his father, because Jacob asks if he’s playing the video game Other Life, and Max says it’s not a game and you don’t play it. Jacob seems to waste his breath on lame jokes and saying things that don’t need saying, and I’m amazed at how much I feel for and through these characters.
The many ways people try to say something important and are misunderstood or ignored or given a reply that falls short or confuses the situation.
Get it here.
Leaving Richard’s Valley
Michael DeForge
An adorable, heartbreaking psychedelic trip through the lives of the human and animal inhabitants of a commune.
Maybe my favorite DeForge book?
Get it here.
Crépuscule
Jérémy Perrodeau
A wildly playful and inventive adventure. Who cares what the story is–experiencing this thing unfolds is a wonder!
Get it here.
Stargazing
Jen Wang
What a sweet story about friendship, family, identity, and trauma. Bestselling creator of The Prince and the Dressmaker, Jen Wang has done it again with Stargazing and I know children and teens will love it as I have!
The Secret Garden
Frances Hodges Burnett
A beautiful story teeming with wonder, redemption, magic, and life!
Get it here.
How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big
Scott Adams
A few helpful insights with lots of filler from the bestselling creator of the Dilbert cartoons, Scott Adams. There’s a great chapter on systems as opposed to goals. More than anything, it made me curious to check out his previous nonfiction.
The Witches
Roald Dahl
What a fun read! I can’t believe I missed reading this when I was younger. Several friends chimed in to tell me how terrifying this story was for them as a child, but maybe you can handle it?
Get it here.
The Sunken Tower
Tait Howard
I loved The Sunken Tower! The adventure starts with the first page and keeps you turning for more. Tait Howard’s inventive use of the comics format served the story in a truly playful way. I hope there’s a sequel in the works, because young readers will be demanding more!
Get it here.
Raowl (Book 1): Beauty and the Creep
Tebo
Raowl is a riotous romp through a hilarious fantasyland, featuring an oddball cast of witches, knights, princesses, and more.
Get it here.
Human
Diego Agrimbau | Lucas Varela
A dark and chilling saga exploring the murky depths of humanity. Excellent storytelling with engaging characters and artwork.
Get it here.
Snapdragon
Kay Leyh
What a wonderful deep-dive into the lives of Snapdragon and the Roadkill Witch!
Rich themes of friendship, understanding, the past, and potential are magically threaded together in this vibrant graphic novel. Fans of The Witch Boy, The Prince and the Dressmaker, and Anya’s Ghost will love Snapdragon!
Get it here.
Baby
Philippa Rice
A sweet, poetic journey of a couple through the pregnancy and delivery of their first baby. “Baby” is a charming collection of everyday moments and a celebration of life with baby.
Get it here.
Dragon Hoops
Gene Luen Yang
A phenomenal masterwork from one of comics’ most important creators.
“Dragon Hoops” is the story of stepping into the unknown, taking chances, and playing to the best of one’s abilities. This might look like a “basketball book”—and there is plenty of basketball in it—but the heart of “Dragon Hoops” lies in its several rich and deeply affecting examples of individuals from unique backgrounds making differences and taking steps in their own lives and areas of interest (basketball or otherwise).
“Dragon Hoops” is a slam dunk!
Get it here.
War and Peas: Funny Comics for Dirty Lovers
Jonathan Kunz and Elizabeth Pich
This book will make you LOL, LMAO, and ROFLOL.
This collection of wonderfully wry comics celebrates everything I love about War and Peas. The grim gallows humor coupled with brightly-colored, endearing illustrations makes for an enjoyable wink at humanity.
Thank you,War and Peas!
Get it here.
Moby Dick
Herman Melville
Out of the 600 pages in this book, only about half of them contribute to the story. The remainder are info-dumps about the classification of whales and cetaceous life, the role of the harpooneer, etc.
I thoroughly enjoyed the narrative parts of the book, but it was jarring to have the rest of the information presented in such a disjointed way.
All you crazies who say you love this book, tell me–what is it you love about it?
Get it here.
The Story of My Life
Helen Keller
This first-hand account of Helen Keller’s life (including her tutelage under Annie Sullivan, her interactions with Alexander Graham Bell, and her ability to learn multiple languages) is a fascinating glimpse into the unique challenges and successes of an indomitable spirit.
“Knowledge is happiness…If one does not feel in these pulsations a heavenward striving, one must indeed be deaf to the harmonies of life.” -Helen Keller
What Did You Read?
What did you read this year? Which books stand out the most? Did we read any of the same books? What did you think of them?
Post your thoughts and comments below!
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