CAN'T PLAY THE VIDEO GAME? READ THE MANGA! PART 3 of 3

POKéMON by Hidenori Kusaka 

At its core, Pokémon is an adventure story following "trainers" - young people who capture creatures known as Pokémon and train them to compete in various tournaments.  While this may sound cruel to rip these animals out of their environments and force them to fight, the trainers actually develop quite a bond with each Pokémon.  There is also a lot of camaraderie between trainers, as well as the inevitable rivalries.
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This is a monster of a universe to invest into, but it is a hugely popular one with elementary, middle, and even high school students.  Each trainer's journey is full of adventure, whimsy, a focus on doing your best to achieve your dreams.

Click here for a fantastic reading order guide.

​​There are several different story arcs within the Pokemon series, and buying the entire series can be daunting.  One thing I would suggest is at least buying the entire arc if you can't buy the entire series.  Each arc follows a different trainer, and characters from other arcs make appearances, but are not always integral to the story.  Readers can enjoy complete stories without having to read every volume published before.  If you can't buy the entire set at once, build arc by arc as you are able.

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Story Arcs:
Pokemon Adventures (7 volumes)
​Pokemon Adventures: Gold & Silver (7 volumes)
​Pokemon Adventures: Ruby & Sapphire (9 volumes)
​Pokemon Adventures: Fire Red & LeafGreen (3 volumes)
​Pokemon Adventures: Emerald (4 volumes)
​Pokemon Adventures: Diamond and Pearl, Platinum (11 volumes)
​Pokemon Adventures: HeartGold & SoulSilver (2 volumes)
Pokemon Adventures: Black & White (11 volumes)
Pokemon X Y (9 volumes)

Sara's Rating: 7/10
​Suitability: Grades 3-12

Tags: Rating: 7/10, Suitability: Elementary School, Suitability: Middle School, Suitability: High School, Manga, Action Adventure, Fantasy