by Sara Smith 
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First published: 10/15/22
Updated 11/24/2023
Updated 8/11/2025
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Middle school is by far the hardest grade to collect for as the in-betweeners struggling to find the line of scary, serious, intense, romantic -- but not too much. Below, I've compiled a list of manga I've read and reviewed that I've rated 8/10 or above that would be great for Middle School Libraries (grades 7th+). Many of these titles have stood the test of time as I've updated this list many times, or are ones I've added as the list has been updated. 

As budgets are tight all over, I've also included some older series that might still have appeal and were on previous versions of this list, so you can determine if you want to spend your dollars on these series if your readers might be interested in them. Lastly, at the bottom are some series I rated 7/10 which might still appeal to your audiences if you have the budget to spend on them.

I've also created a list of Good Manga for Elementary School Libraries (grades 3+). A lot of these titles would also be great for Middle School Libraries, but I also caution people against doubling up if you are in a school system and elementary libraries are buying the same titles as the junior high library. 

Additionally, you should definitely check out Ashley Hawkin's list of manga and light novels, which might have some overlap, and check out her website for more resources and content.

Note: These titles are listed in alphabetical order by title of series​.

Key: some reviews may require subscriptions: Booklist* or School Library Journal+

by Sara Smith 
​
First published: 5/7/22
Updated 4/1/2024
Updated 8/11/2025
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Finding age relevant manga for elementary readers can be difficult, so I sympathize with all of my library friends out there who are trying to satiate our younger, voracious readers! Elementary manga, known as "kodomomuke" in Japan (or just kodomo) often revolves around video game adaptations, animal stories, or stories that teach morals and lessons. You'll notice some of those themes within this list and other resources as you do your collection development. If your readers are tired of video game stories, sorry! That's kind of what's out there for the age group.

The manga on this list are all titles I've read and reviewed that received a rating of 7/10 or higher. Feel free to bookmark this page, as I'll continue to update it periodically and add more titles to it.

Additionally, you should definitely check out Ashley Hawkin's list and her website.

Note: These titles are listed in alphabetical order by title of series​.

Key: some reviews may require subscriptions: Booklist* or School Library Journal+

Better late than never, right? As awards season is upon us for 2025, let's take a look back at what books won awards in 2024! Some of these books have become favorites of the 2024-2025 school year with my readers, particularly Pedro Martín's Mexikid, which appears on a lot of awards lists below. 

As always, it's good to skim through the winners and nominees for these industry recognitions to see what items could be included in your collections, paying attention to age relevancy and the needs of your particular collection. Worth noting is that these awards and recognitions all have human judges and their own criteria, but these titles all bring something valuable enough to achieve recognition within their field, and possibly deserve consideration for inclusion in your graphic libraries.

With linked reviews, +, * = subscription may be required.

It's safe to say that manga and graphic novel publishing has exploded over the last few years, and everyone wants a piece of the pie. Traditional publishers have created imprints, new publishers have sprouted up, and other graphic novel publishers have created new imprints to segment their business and meet the demands of rabid readership. It can be challenging to navigate all of these different publishers and their imprints, particularly knowing which audiences publishers are targeting when they publish under a certain imprint. Below is an extensive (not exhaustive!) list of publishers and imprints that are currently active in the market. I will strive to keep this list updated as I become aware of new folks entering, folks leaving, and new imprints coming or going. This would be a great list to employ that Command/Control F search feature on your computer so you can find information quickly for your collection development needs.

I'm sure I missed some! Feel free to let me know in the comments below and I'll add them to the list as I am able to.

by Sara Smith
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Welcome back to another edition of My Top 15! This year, my picks are a bit darker and a bit more more mature than they have been in the past, but that may be a indictment on my mental state. I've been really intrigued by some of the more gritty and gripping stories that have been produced this year. I also served on School Library Journal's Best Manga of 2024 committee, so there's definitely going to be some overlap. As always, these are the favorite of what I've read this year, so some of these books may have been published in previous years and I just finally got around to them.

​All of these books were rated 9/10 or 10/10 -- but this is not every book I've rated that high this year! These titles had fantastic art, gripping storylines, stood out in their respective genres, or made me feel feelings. I hope you enjoy or find some of your favorites among this list, or discover some new and exciting reads!

Reviews marked with the following symbols will require premium subscriptions, or searches in your favorite library purchasing program: Booklist* or ​School Library Journal+.

by Sara Smith 
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Welcome back to school 2024! 

​As you head back to your libraries and (hopefully) have some money to spend, check out my recommendations for some hot new titles from 2024 to purchase for your libraries that your students will (hopefully, again) enjoy! Some of these titles might just be new to me that I discovered over the last year, but others are new releases for all of us.

Some of these reviews require subscriptions to read: Booklist* or School Library Journal+​.

by Sara Smith 
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First published - 4/18/2021
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Not sure where to start with buying manga for your library? Don't worry, you're not alone.  This is probably the #1 question I get from school librarians.  So, to help you and many others out, here is a list of recommendations to start.

These series have stood the test of time and will hopefully make every scarce budget dollar be well worth it, but I've also linked full reviews so you can check them out for yourself and make sure they're right for your library collection.

by Sara Smith
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This year, my reading challenge was a modest 200 books, a far cry from the heigh of 2020 where I had the goal of a book-a-day. But, this feels like a good balance between work, life, and reading! And, I still managed to find 15 great books with some honorable mentions while pumping out many reviews for Booklist  and the site, and even finding time to squeeze in School Library Journal this year. I hope you find some great books below to include in your collections!

(Note: any review marked with an * may require a Booklist​ subscription to read, or you might be able to find it among your favorite library purchasing software)