If you’ve been reading this monthly roundup at all in 2026, then you already likely know what the introduction will be. There is a real dearth of nonfiction for young adults this year. After updating my massive database of book releases through the end of July, I can reaffirm that it’s not perception. The lack of new and forthcoming young adult nonfiction books is glaring. It’s a disappointing trend for the year, especially given that young adults read and appreciate nonfiction as much as adults do, and given the many opportunities in the category. That’s not to touch on the fact that nonfiction for YA readers has always been among the most diverse in all senses of the word.
What you’ll see here for March’s releases looks much bigger than what’s to come, and that’s thanks in no small part to a good number of nonfiction comics for YA readers this month. Like has been the case since January–and will be the case through at least the start of fall–is this: there are a lot of YA comics hitting shelves. With more new imprints focused on comics, especially teen comics, this is really exciting to continue highlighting. It’s possible that, at least for 2026, traditional nonfiction is simply being more populated by nonfiction comics. That’s neither good nor bad in isolation. But in the broader context of young adult nonfiction, it is worrisome that so few text-driven books are being released. It unfortunately reflects the continued lack of passion for this arena of YA, as well as the continued ways that YA nonfiction as a category is overlooked in the grander scheme of YA literature.
It’s a bummer, but that doesn’t mean we don’t celebrate what is being made available. Without further ado, here’s what YA comics and YA nonfiction hit shelves in March 2026. Note that this roundup isn’t as diverse as it could be, but that isn’t reflective of the overall range of YA comics and nonfiction. It reflects this month’s array of new releases.
New YA Comics for March 2026
Armaveni: A Graphic Novel of the Armenian Genocide by Nadine Takvorian
Like Persepolis, Takvorian’s book is an autobiographical novel, meaning that the bulk of it is based on truth, while some of the scenarios and conversations are fictionalized for narrative purposes. There are several fantasy sequences in here, but again, the bulk of this relies on nonfiction and the historical record.
Nadine loves stories, but there’s one story that, no matter how hard she tries, she can never get from her mother. She wants to know how her family ended up in America, following time in Turkey and Armenia. Her only knowledge is that her family was caught up in the Armenian genocide.
When she finally learns the truth of her heritage, Nadine’s world is forever changed. A trip back to her family’s homeland unlocks something inside her, and now, she’s poised and ready to speak out against injustice.
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Speak of the Devil by Sweeney Boo
Sweeney Boo’s first graphic novel, Over My Dead Body, is now getting a witchy sequel.
At Younwity Hidden Institute of Witchcraft, a mysterious rune-lined fissure has appeared, and no one can close it. It’s not just a fissure, though. Many people believe this is the source of a series of dangerous tremors plaguing the institution.
Abigail thinks she’s the reason the fissure has opened, so she should be the one to close it. Unfortunately, her plans go awry, and she’s now awakened an entity who is out for revenge. She’s now forced to unearth long-buried secrets at Younwity while also confronting some of her own secrets to save the school–and herself.
New YA Nonfiction Comics for March 2026
Bad Kid: My Life As a “Troubled Teen” by Sofia Szamosi
This graphic memoir tells Sofia’s story of being stolen from her room at night when she was 13. Two strangers pulled her out of bed and dragged her to a “therapeutic wilderness camp”–something her mother thought she needed because Sofia’s behavior had gotten out of control.
But there was nothing therapeutic about this camp. It was traumatizing, and Sofia would cycle through several more similar “camps” in attempts to make her better behaved. Her story is harrowing, but it’s also darkly funny while eviscerating an unregulated industry that has done untold damage to generations of young people.
(I’m going to make the weirdest comparison here, but trust me: if this is a topic that interests you at all, you need to read Paris Hilton’s Paris: The Memoir, which talks about her experiences that sound eerily similar to Sofia’s).
A Better World Is Possible by Meera Subramanian and illustrated by Danica Novgorodoff
As we continue to experience the impact of accelerating climate change, this graphic novel will both educate and inspire teens. It follows four New York City teen climate activists who organized the world’s largest climate protest and offers insights into their stories, where they found their passion for activism, and how young people can get involved in making change.
How to Survive the End of the World: A Graphic Exploration of How to (Maybe) Avoid Extinction by Katy Doughty
This book looks fascinating! It’s a guide to all of the ways that the human species could go extinct. By blending science and history, Doughty looks at the likelihood of a variety of possibilities–alien invasion, plagues, global warming–and what the actual chances are of those taking out humans. While it dives into dark topics, it’s meant to be both humorous and hopeful.
Red Stones: A Graphic Account of the Salvadoran Civil War by Ernesto Saade
Seeing more and more books that explore wars, conflicts, and other human atrocities across the globe, written and published for teens, is welcomed. As difficult as these are to read, they offer a better understanding of the world we live in and the people we meet whose lives may be impacted by them in some capacity.
Miriam’s village was impacted by the Salvadorian Civil War in 1981. She and the other women in her community watched soldiers encroach and battle rage outside their windows. Violence turned into potential for massacre, and Miriam and her fellow women were forced to leave. In 2021, Saade went to Miriam’s home village to interview her about the experience, during which he learned about and reported on the little-known Red Stone massacre. This book tells both Miriam’s story and the impact of civil war.
Skating Wilder by Brandon Dumais, illustrated by AJ Dungo
This comic looks really rad–it’s a history of skateboarding, including how little is actually known about the sport’s past. It interweaves personal anecdotes from both the writer and the illustrator and includes pages that attempt to help budding boarders learn some tricks.
New YA Nonfiction for March 2026
Defying China by Tsultrim Dolma and Rebecca Wei Hsieh
Tsultrim Dolma was born in a tiny eastern Tibetan town, and she always dreamed of more than what she was told was her lot: no education, an early marriage, life under an oppressive Chinese regime. When she turned 16, she began to join protests for a free Tibet, and it wasn’t long before she was arrested and sent to the brutal Gutsa Detention Center.
This is a story of Tsultrim’s time in Gutsa, how she got through that experience and was released, only to be heavily surveilled by the government. She eventually made her way to the United States. The book is being (rightfully!) compared to other similar memoirs, including Red Scarf Girl and Farewell to Manzanar.
Friedel and Gina: A True Story of Sisterhood and Survival During the Holocaust by Jeremy Dronfield
Friedel and Gina Rosenthal, twin sisters, were as close as could be imagined. This, despite how difficult their upbringing was and the reality that the Nazis came to power in Germany when they were nine. At 14, the girls and their family were deported to Poland, where, once the Nazis invaded that country, the girls were now alone and on their own.
This is the story of how they helped one another out through the cruelest of experiences, and where and how sisterhood was their tool for survival during the Holocaust.
Game Plan: Level Up Your Mindset. Own Your Future. by Jake Humphrey, Damian Hughes, and Oscar Millar
In what’s a really practical work of nonfiction for young people, the authors offer tools, stories, and strategies for teens to build confidence and achieve their dreams. It’s a book to help work through stress and anxiety, as much as it’s intended to be incredibly motivational and inspiring.
It’s self-help and self-development, packaged for and with young people in mind.
Although it’s being marketed for middle grade readers, another title that might be of interest this month is Angry Girls Will Get Us Through by Rebecca Traister. It’s an adaptation of Traister’s work on women and anger from Ruby Shamir and explores the historical and contemporary context for feminist activism.
Keeping tabs on this year’s new YA comics and new YA nonfiction? Here are the titles that hit shelves in January and February.
English (US) · 