One of my biggest pet peeves is when people refer to graphic novels as a mere genre. Graphic literature is a format—and a rich one at that. We’ve come a long way since the days when comics were widely seen as nothing more than vehicles for superhero stories; graphic lit encompasses everything from fantasy to memoir and more. The following titles are proof that comics are capable of anything.

Powerhouse authors Kekla Magoon and Cynthia Leitich Smith team up for Mission One: The Vice Principal Problem (Candlewick, March 5), illustrated by Molly Murakami. Cousins Riley Halfmoon (Muscogee Nation) and Maya Dawn, who’s biracial, move in with their grandmother and attend school together. Though wildly different, the girls find common ground when their vice principal eliminates funding for beloved activities and programs. Murakami’s energetic cartoon art ramps up the action as the cousins take a stand but also pauses for quieter scenes as they bond; readers will want to follow Riley and Maya’s worthy example.

With her debut graphic memoir, Continental Drifter (First Second, April 2), Kathy MacLeod shows she’s an artist to keep an eye on. The child of a Thai mother and a white American father, young Kathy often feels like a stranger in a strange land, whether at home in Bangkok or spending summers with extended family in Maine. Minimalist yet intimate cartoon art captures her joys and uncertainty during a three-week stint at an American summer camp. Refreshingly, the book ends with Kathy still finding herself—readers will feel buoyed by the takeaway that self-discovery is an ongoing process.

Jane’s family and community have made it clear to her that they think she doesn’t measure up in the looks department. But the protagonist of Vera Brosgol’s Plain Jane and the Mermaid (First Second, May 7) is intelligent, fiercely loyal, and intrepid—qualities that become apparent when she sets out to rescue the boy she hopes to marry after he’s kidnapped by a gorgeous but cruel mermaid. Brosgol is a master of visual storytelling, her illustrations by turns sweetly expressive and darkly grotesque as she explores the toll that beauty standards take on women and girls.

In recent years, publishers have stepped up their game with graphic novels aimed at preschoolers and early elementary school students; Steph Waldo’s Tiny Tales: Firefly Night (HarperAlley, May 14) is an especially strong example. At the urging of an enthusiastic firefly, several diurnal creepy-crawlies decide to stay up late to see the moonflower bloom. Waldo’s adorable, big-eyed cast and vivid use of color are enticing, while her story’s short length and simple yet effective layouts and paneling make it ideal for comics newbies.

What bizarre creatures lurk in the depths of caves? Lindsey Leigh’s The Dark!: Wild Life in the Mysterious World of Caves (Penguin Workshop, July 9) offers readers a tantalizing glimpse; here be oilbirds, remipedes, cave racer snakes, and more. Leigh loads her book with facts that never feel overwhelming. Her accurately rendered yet humorous cartoons will keep kids engaged while conveying how fascinating and just plain weird cave dwellers can be.

Mahnaz Dar is a young readers’ editor.