STEM in Graphic Novels

Picture books depend on the combination of text and illustration to tell the story. You know what else does that? Graphic novels. Today I’m exploring two recently published books that combine science and art.

theme: STEM, comics, art

Fiddlehead Forest (Little Habitats, 2) 

by Jana Curll 

92 pages ; ages 6-9

Greystone Kids, 2026

When a tree falls in the forest…

does anyone hear it? The answer depends on your definition of “anyone” – but in this case, the answer is definitively YES. Fern and friends not only hear their tree fall, but they are determined to help raise it back to its previous – and grand – height. Even if it takes (checks calendar) a few years. After trying a few things, Millipede, Moth, Slug, Lichen, Mushroom, and Fern decide on their plan of action: hang out with tree and do nothing. Well, nothing except what they normally do every day.

What I like about this book: I love that the story begins the minute you open the cover. That’s where we meet the characters, when Fern does a roll call to make sure his best buddies are safe after the storm. 

I like the puns that run throughout the book, from the table of contents (chapter four: Aiming for slug-cess) to mushrooms im-spore-tant information. Each chapter focuses on how one of the characters helps tree to find their new growth as a nurse log. Detailed sidebars in each chapter clarify the science that’s going on – often beneath the surface and out of sight. For example: mushroom’s underground mycelium network and slug’s recycling superpowers. 

Fiddlehead Forest is book two in a series that began with Barnacle Bay. That book opens with Crab, who is SO tired of every day being the same old thing. On his way out, he runs into Larva, who is floating in on the tide. Crab, who really does have a kind heart, agrees to show Larva around the neighborhood, and introduce him to the other residents: kelp, oysters, mussels and clams… the writing is just as playful (and pun-full) as Fiddlehead Forest.

We Are Dwarf Sperm Whales!: A Graphic Guide to Cetaceans 

by Anne Lambelet 

80 pages; ages 7-11

Graphic Universe/Lerner, 2026

It’s the first day of school for Kogi, but he’s not headed for the school of fish. Kogi is a sperm whale, in the class of Cetaceans which aren’t fish at all! They don’t have scales, and they don’t lay eggs. But whales can grow to enormous lengths. Except dwarf sperm whales. And whales sing long songs heard for miles beneath the ocean. Except for dwarf sperm whales. And some whales can swim as fast as 20 miles per hour! Except for …

yeah, you guessed it, dwarf sperm whales. Is there anything that Kogi can possibly be good at? 

What I like about this book: I love that Kogi eventually learns what his dwarf sperm whale superpowers are, because I was starting to worry about the little guy. Well, OK, not so little (average length is 9 feet). The pages are filled with cetacean info, and there’s a Very Helpful Glossary at the back of the book.

Some observations about STEM graphic novels and graphic nonfiction:

The books I’m sharing today are fiction because they have characters, and because in the real world fiddlehead ferns don’t talk (neither do dwarf sperm whales). But there are nonfiction graphic books – and here’s the thing: in our library they are cataloged JNF as though they are all graphic novels. So next time you’re looking for an informational book about science or history, or perhaps about a person or a place, remember that  nonfiction options exist on the graphic novel shelves.

Why give your kid a graphic novel?

• Graphic books help readers develop visual literacy. That’s the ability to understand and interpret nonverbal imagery – a skill that’s becoming increasingly vital in our information age.
• Graphic books help make complex ideas easier to understand with addition of visual elements and dialog.
• Also, illustrations add context clues that aid comprehension, so a graphic book can be more approachable than traditional texts for people with diverse learning styles.
• Graphic nonfiction is a fun – and fast – way to explore a new topic.

Beyond the Books:

Do you have a favorite animal or plant? Or maybe a rock or mushroom? Draw them as a character.

Create a comic strip where your character introduces us to where they live.

Make some silly puns about plants or animals that live in your yard or neighborhood. For example, there’s a couple ferns living in my garden. They’re close fronds with the poppies.

Turn your pun into a comic!

Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website.  On Monday we'll be hanging out at Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with other  bloggers. It's over at Greg Pattridge's blog, Always in the Middle, so hop over to see what other people are reading. Review copies provided by the publishers.