For those less familiar with comics, the idea that comics can be non-fiction may be surprising. But it’s true: comics are a format rather than a genre, so they can tell both true and fictional stories through attractive art, dialogue, and design. There are no limits to what comics can do. As comics continue to grow into mainstream reading culture, including libraries and schools, so too do the options available to us when it comes to non-fiction comics. Nonfiction comics can help break down complex ideas for readers. Nonfiction comics can explain things visually, which is especially beneficial for readers who prefer visual cues to understand.
But nonfiction comics can also be extremely fun and innovative. They may include biographies and memoirs that share stories about real people who lived interesting lives. Nonfiction comics are perfect for broadening our horizons on many subjects. Some of the most compelling non-fiction entries in recent years? The growth and expansion of Graphic Medicine, which explores a variety of health and medical topics in a format that is both accessible and often incredibly relevant to readers. it was lucy nisley’s kids gloves This helped me in the weeks after giving birth, as she so accurately captured the horrors and mysteries surrounding postpartum preeclampsia.
It’s pedantic, but one thing that makes it challenging for new readers to discover the wonderful world of non-fiction comics is that many comics are called graphic novels. Graphic novel is a term used interchangeably with comics, but the other term, novel, suggests that the content is fictional rather than non-fictional. The term nonfiction comic is a bit more accurate, but as you’ll see as you wade more deeply into the waters of this category and format, many works of nonfiction are labeled “graphic novels.”
The 13th task for the 2026 Read Harder Challenge will challenge some readers with a new format and/or a new category of reading, and it’s also a task that will absolutely delight newcomers and veterans alike: Read a nonfiction comic. Find below a range of nonfiction comics across a variety of categories, subjects and topics. They include non-fiction comics published for young readers – and perfectly suited for adult readers – as well as a selection of memoirs, histories and more. This list is far from comprehensive. This means a sample platter, including both backlist selections and new releases.
Amazons, abolitionists and activists: a graphic history of women’s fight for their rights Mickey Kendall and A. by D’Amico
This graphic primer is essential reading to understand the fight for suffrage and women’s rights more broadly. Where so many books focus heavily on the work of white women, Kendall highlights women of color who have made tremendous progress not only in the fight for the right to vote, but also in labor, civil rights, LGBTQ rights, abolition, and much more. An excellent look at the past, present, and future of rights for people of all genders.
Ducks: two years in the oil sands By Kate Beaton
Before Kate Beaton became a famous and beloved comic creator, she was a young Canadian with a ton of student loans to pay off. Living in a small seaside town on the East Coast was great for many things, but it wasn’t going to help her pay off quickly. That’s why Beaton decided to head west to the Alberta oil sands. This is the story of his experience, including the trauma associated with such difficult work and the joys of connecting with other human beings.
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Gender Bizarre By Maia Kobabe
An incredible memoir about gender and coming of age from a writer and artist that perfectly captures the confusion and fascination teens have about understanding themselves and their place in the world. Maia grew up never feeling like she fit into the gender spectrum, and after being exposed to more books, media, and fans offering perspectives on gender and identity, she found herself able to connect with someone who ultimately fits.
ginseng roots by craig thompson
Thompson may be best known for his incredible autobiographical comic BlanketBut his other works of comic nonfiction should not be missed either. Craig and his siblings spent their summers in rural Wisconsin weeding and harvesting American ginseng. It was hard work, and for their efforts, each child earned $1 an hour. Although it is a story about that experience, it is also a worldwide account of the history and trade of ginseng. It explores how industrialization changed the industry, as well as how and where 300 years of history connects Craig to ginseng hunters in China and elsewhere.
Globetrotters: The World Tour of Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland: A Graphic Novel By Julian Volos and Julie Rocheleau
Few subjects fascinate me more than reading about Nellie Bly. I know her story very well, and yet, no matter how many people write about it, I am compelled to pick it up, and I am never disappointed.
This is one of the few entries in “The Great Things Done by Nellie Bly” written by non-Americans, so it offers a different perspective on the story. It follows a stunt raced around the world by rival newspapers pitting their “girl reporters” against each other. Who would go around the world fastest: Nelly, traveling from west to east, or Elizabeth Bisland, traveling from east to west?
It’s a fascinating look at the race, but what’s even more fascinating is the where and how of the publicity stunts, the era of newspaper giants, and two women who are trying to do their jobs as best they can because they understand the rare and precarious situations they are in.
Halfway There: A Graphic Memoir of Self-Discovery by Christine Marie
Christine has never felt fulfilled — she’s Japanese American, born in Tokyo but raised in the US — and now she’s spending a year living abroad in Tokyo in hopes of discovering more of herself through the experience. However, it’s not at all what she anticipates. Instead, Christine feels even more out of place in Tokyo and isn’t sure how to truly understand her two identities, even in the city where she was born. This memoir is about self-discovery, with a particular appeal to readers who read or enjoy growing up between cultures and never quite feeling like one or the other. Halfway There appears to be an excellent read, similar to two other works of non-fiction comics: ay, mija By Christine Suggs and i was their american dream By Malka Gharib.
Hmong: A Graphic History By Vicky Lifoong, translated by Kao-Li Yang
Liphong tells the history of the Hmong people from the perspective of her family history. It is the story of an ethnic group that has been oppressed for a long time but has continued to preserve its vibrant culture and traditions. This is a work of graphic nonfiction, so you will get a visual experience of the Hmong story.
hyperbole and a half By Eli Brosh
Let’s not forget that nonfiction comics can be fun. Whether you know Brosh or not, this collection of comics based on his life will make you laugh while also being honest and real about struggling with your mental health and well-being.
let’s make ramen! By Hugh Amano and Sarah Bacon
If you haven’t yet considered how cookbooks can make great comics, let me introduce you to the “Let’s Make” series. This particular entry focuses on making ramen, but there are many other options for actually learning how to cook through comics. These are both fun and extremely educational.
March: Book One By John Lewis, Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell
The first in a graphic memoir trilogy, the story follows the life and legacy of John Lewis. This volume takes a look at his youthful years, and is a powerful exploration of race, civil rights, and the what – and why – of nonviolent resistance matters.
Sensory: Life on the Spectrum: An Autistic Comics Anthology Edited by Bex Allerton
There are surprisingly few comics that center the neurodivergent experience, but this is a really great title. It’s a compilation that invites a number of creative people to share how they live with autism. Here are 30 (!) different approaches, showing how unique autism can be for each person. The art is vibrant, and the stories are sensitive, poignant, and incredibly relevant to so many readers.
Side Quests: A Visual History of Roleplaying Games by Samuel Satin, illustrated by Steinz
side quest It is a mixture of history, memoir, and fiction, as it follows the little-known history of roleplaying games through actual playing of such games by the book’s author and illustrator. It’s not only intended to be informative and entertaining, but it’s also intended to be a gentle introduction to readers who have never played a tabletop game before or feel intimidated by the culture surrounding TTRPGs – while also being a book that longtime TTRPG fans won’t mind because of how much they’re learning and experiencing right along with the book’s creators.
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