4 Graphic Novels for Kids Who Love Steampunk

Even though these comics may be appropriate for a younger audience, adults can enjoy them too. I did! All were borrowed from my local library, some via the magic of inter-library loan.

'Scarlett Hart: Monster Hunter' by Marcus Sedgwick and Thomas Taylor

The daughter of famed monster hunters John and Violet Hart, orphaned Scarlett has taken up the family business. There's just one problem...she's still underage. And The Royal Academy for the Pursuit and Eradication of Zoological Eccentricities (T.R.A.P.E.Z.E.) has strict rules about who is allowed to go after monsters and claim the rewards. Scarlett's archrival Count Stankovic holds this over her head to keep her out of his way, often threatening to turn her in if she becomes too big of a nuisance, as they pursue the same mythological beasties.

Scarlett is aided in her fight (and her daily life) by Napolean, her family's faithful servant and Scarlett's surrogate father. He is also the one who takes evidence of the kill, usually a photograph (though once it was a bag full of reanimated, flesh-eating mummies) to the Academy for the reward money. Another family servant, Mrs. White, takes care of the house and serves as Scarlett's surrogate mother. Jack Petit is another family friend who supports Scarlett in her single-minded endeavor. Monster hunting is more than a passion for Scarlett, though. It's also her household's only source of income now that her parents are gone. (It is implied they were killed in the line of duty.)

On the very first page, a man is shown being eaten by a sea monster, so you know this comic means business. I don't remember Scarlett's age ever being discussed, but she is shown driving a car, a roadster that resembles automobiles of our early 20th century. Other technologies include guns of various make (and levels of realism), early 20th century-esque cameras, ghost goggles invented by Scarlett's father that allow one to see ghosts when they have gone invisible, and jet-like planes. (The tech strongly reminds me of Nickelodeon's Legend of Korra.) Scarlett has various 'punkish expletives, such as, "Pistons and pumps!" that reinforce the ambience.

The pacing is pretty quick, which is typical of YA fiction, making this an easy read. I read it in one sitting while waiting for breakfast to be made. The level of violence may put off some parents of particularly young readers, but it is a fun book that I think a lot of people - kids especially - would enjoy.

'NewsPrints' by Ru Xu

Blue is a girl who has disguised herself as a boy so that she can work as a newsboy for port city Nautilene's most honest paper, the Bugle. The country of which Nautilene is a part is called Goswing, and they have been at war with rival country Grimmaea for ten years.

An orphan, Blue lives with her foster parents, Muffy and Aric Nancy, and other children, at least some of whom are fellow orphans. Muffy is a sympathetic and loving woman, who knows Blue's secret, and uses a wheelchair. Aric not only owns the Bugle, but is mayor of Nautilene. She is white, and he is Black. And their relationship isn't the only multiculturalism found in this book.

While most of the people of Nautilene appear to be white, nothing is mentioned about Aric not being from Goswing. Another character, Jill, however, notes that Blue is "mixed." (Yes, this is the word used in the comic.) Her blue eyes are typical of Goswing citizens, but the "shock of light hair is definitely Grimmaean." No one else has blonde hair, and even the Black characters have blue eyes. (I assume this will become important in the second book because it didn't come up again in this one.)

While running from some angry rival newsboys, Blue stumbles upon Jack, an eccentric inventor who takes Blue under his wing and is more than he seems. While visiting the local naval base with Jack, Blue finds and befriends a strange boy named Crow, who has the unusual ability to talk to birds and wants to fly. Crow also avoids all adults, insisting that grown ups don't like him. Crow, too, is more than he seems.

NewsPrints also includes a lot of early 20th century inspiration in the form of automobiles and clothing. There are robots, flying machines, and a Geographic Placement Searcher (GPS) that is invented by Jack.

There are a lot of characters in this book, and there is no clear villain. Blue learns valuable lessons about secrets, authenticity, promises, and the complexities of war and relationships, which can only progress in the sequel.

'Amulet' by Kazu Kibuishi

Amulet is one of the most popular graphic novel series among kids at the library where I work. When I learned that it had elements of steampunk, I knew I finally had to read it. Like Scarlett Hart, the first volume of Amulet starts off with a bang...and a hard yank on the heartstrings.

It isn't spoiling anything to say that David, the father of the main characters, Emily and Navin Hayes, dies by falling off a cliff. You see it happen just a few pages in, and it is emotional! I was so surprised to see something like that in a kids' comic. You have been warned.

What follows is a total cliché, and, luckily, it passes quickly. (Some reviewers have complained about the pacing of Amulet, and things do go by very quickly here. That was fine with me, though, because anything else the writer could have included probably would have been boring.) We have a time jump. Emily and Navin's mother, Karen, has found it difficult to raise two kids by herself in the city. Happily, her grandfather, Silas, has died and left her a big house in the country where the grieving family can find a fresh start. (See what I mean?)

Amulet cuts right to the chase, literally. Emily finds a mysterious amulet in her great-grandfather's office and decides to wear it while unseen figures look on. That night, Karen is abducted by a strange black mass. Emily and Navin run after it, following it through a door in the basement to a bizarre staircase that disappears behind them, forcing them to go on.

Emily is led by a voice that only she can hear as she and Navin struggle in this new world. It directs them to Silas's house. Silas, who is supposed to be dead. Emily is persuaded to take on the role of Stonekeeper, the stone being her amulet, and save this strange world. But first, save Mom!

The kids are aided by sentient robots that Silas built. A couple look like clockwork while another is a pink bunny that sometimes wears a mech suit. This world reminded me quite a bit of something made by Studio Ghibli. Aside from the robots there are flying machines, ray guns, and houses that can stand up and walk.

In the second volume, the kids meet a group of animal-people who are dressed like steampunk airship pilots (minus the one person dressed as a ninja who apparently didn't get the memo about the dress code). There is also a fox-man and evil elves who fight with swords. The third volume introduces the airships.

The amulet is a character of sorts. It is sentient and constantly trying to lure Emily to the dark side. Previous Stonekeepers did give in to their stones, drawing on ultimate cosmic power and wreaking havoc on the world. This is why everyone needs Emily's help now, if only she can keep a cool head and resist the pull of the amulet, using its powers in moderation and only for good.

'Girl Genius' by Phil and Kaja Foglio

So far I have read the first two volumes of Girl Genius, Agatha Heterodyne and the Beetleburg Clank and Agathe Heterodyne and the Airship City. I can imagine many people are going to argue with me for including this with kids rather than adults, so let me explain.

The comic is rated for ages 13 and up, making it appropriate for teenagers. Also, honestly, the reading level is pretty low on this. It doesn't take a lot of sophistication to read it. This isn't a knock against Girl Genius. Most newspapers are written at this same reading level or lower. If anything, it makes it more accessible! I don't know if the maturation level increases in later volumes, but with what I have seen so far, I would feel comfortable giving this series to a middle schooler.

Yes, you see a guy get blown up, but Amulet is targeted at a younger audience, and the father falls from a freaking cliff while his sobbing wife and daughter look on, completely helpless. That is much worse in my opinion. The recurring joke in Girl Genius about Agatha showing up in her underwear is at least partially funny because her underwear is comprised of knee-length pants and a sleeveless top that mostly covers her abdomen. Oh, my virgin eyes!

Girl Genius does not actually consider itself steampunk. Its tagline is, "A gaslamp fantasy with adventure, romance, and mad science." The setting is an alternate Earth where the Industrial Revolution turned into "all-out war." Europe is ruled by mad scientists/engineers who have an innate understanding of machines, which the series calls "the spark." It's difficult to tell if this is mystical or just a euphemism at this point in my reading.

The story follows Agatha Clay, a student at the Transylvania Polygnostic University who loves creating things, but they never seem to go right for her. She begins the series by losing a locket, her only memento of her dead parents (yes, another orphan). But when the people in her life notice her locket is missing, they freak out to a ponderous degree. Clearly this locket is more than a keepsake.

It becomes apparent very quickly that something is up with Agatha, something she may not even be aware of, and others notice too, people who may be enemies rather than friends. When she is kidnapped by the local mad-scientist-in-charge, who rides around in a castle-sized airship, things go from bad to worse.

This award-winning comic continues to be published online and has been going for nearly 20 years. You can read it for free on the website, but I find it easier to catch up by reading the graphic novels, each volume of which can be easily read in an afternoon.