Leipzig Book Fair: Five comics nominated for youth literature prize

In the non-fiction category there is the work of a former Tagesspiegel illustrator: Birgit Weyhe’s graphic novel “Silence”which was published by Berliner Avant-Verlag (368 pages, 39 euros, recommended reading age from 16 years). In her book, the Hamburg comic author, who also worked for this newspaper for a long time, deals with the crimes of the military dictatorship in Argentina. There is a detailed review of the title here, which was also voted one of the best comics of the year by a jury of critics in 2025.

“In every brush stroke and every word, Weyhe combines historical and biographical accuracy with artistic reflection,” praised the jury in their justification for the nomination. Large areas of black, sparing use of color and recurring patterns and motifs structured the pages and condensed the themes of freedom, violence, memory and loss. “The composition of text and image follows a precise rhythm of repetition and variation and a dramaturgy is created that tentatively circles around what is hidden.”

“An important contribution to preventing forgetting”

Another comic on the non-fiction nomination list is “The Great Repression” by Roberto Grossi (Translation by Myriam Alfano, Avant, 208 pages, 25 euros, ages 16 and up). In it, the Italian author and illustrator analyzes the economic and political background of the climate crisis.

“His imagery is based on a broad spectrum of contemporary visual forms of expression. It ranges from the traditional panel structure of comics to narrative and iconographic elements of social media,” praised the jury. “Each scene develops its own compelling argument that makes the extent of inaction, trivialization and ignorance palpable.”

Two more comics can be found in the youth book category. Firstly, the graphic novel “Lebensborn: What my family has to do with Nazi racial politics” by Isabelle Maroger (Translation Silv Bannenberg, Helvetiq, 224 pages, 22 euros, ages 16 and up). In it, the author and illustrator, who lives in France, deals with a little-known chapter in the history of National Socialism based on her own family history and her mother’s biography.

“Maroger interwoven her own search for identity with well-founded facts about Nazi racial policy,” the jury said. Alternating between color and black and white, double-sided panoramas and small panels, the illustrator guides her readers through time levels: “An important contribution against forgetting.”

The second comic in the youth book category also deals with a historical theme: in the anthology “Imagine! Comics about the post-war period” (Avant, 184 pages, 26 euros, ages 14 and up) six illustrators dedicate themselves to objects from the period after the Second World War that are collected in the House of History NRW. On this basis, Julia Bernhard, Melanie Garanin, Mikael Ross, Tobi Dahmen, Volker Schmitt and Julia Zejn bring history to life.

“An anthology of high aesthetic quality,” says the jury. “The different approaches each create their own mood and give the stories additional depth.” The idea of ​​bringing history to life through objects is also innovative. “This anthology is framed by a foreword and afterword as well as background information on the historical context.”

Openness towards what is supposedly different

In the children’s book category Ayşe Klinge’s “The Tooth” (Kibitz, 224 pages, 26 euros, ages 6 and up). In it, the artist, who was born in Berlin and lives in Hamburg, tells a humorous vampire story that also promotes openness towards the supposedly different.

“An extraordinary comic that deals with major themes with short text and a reduced, yet expressive drawing style: otherness, bullying, jealousy and tradition versus self-determination,” said the jury. An idiosyncratic, sometimes bizarre humor sets the tone, and playing with perspectives enhances the emotional impact. “Sensitive and clever, the story shows how friendship overcomes seemingly irreconcilable differences.”

The German Youth Literature Prize is endowed with a total of 72,000 euros and is donated by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs and organized by the Working Group for Youth Literature. The aim of the prize is “to strengthen children and young people’s personalities and to offer guidance in an almost unmanageable book market”. The 2026 prize winners, determined by three independent juries, will be chosen on October 9th at the Frankfurt Book Fair.