As educators realize how including RPGs in libraries and other school spaces can create educational opportunities as well as foster social-emotional learning skills, here are some books and graphic novels that feature the popular RPG Dungeons & Dragons.

Middle Grade

Roll for Initiative by Jaime Formato. Running Pr. ISBN 9780762481064. 
Gr 3-7–Nowadays Dungeons and Dragons isn’t just socially acceptable, it’s cool! Formato’s debut rises to the occasion with a thoughtful tale of self-acceptance set against the backdrop of multisided dice. Riley is a dorky sixth grader, left to manage life alone when her older brother goes off to college. Riley creates a friend group and helps her family in believable ways. The cherry on top is the magical in-text D&D gameplay, unlocking the game’s fantastical escapism and bonding opportunities. VERDICT A rollicking RPG romp through pre-teen communication and relationships.

 Sunny Rolls the Dice by Jennifer L Holm. illus. by Matthew Holm. Scholastic/Graphix. ISBN 9781338233155. 
Gr 4-7–It’s 1977, and Sunny is just starting seventh grade. She joins a group of boys who play Dungeons & Dragons, and she thoroughly enjoys the game, intrigued by the exciting stories and unusual monsters. Sunny also finds reminders of the game in real life, like comparing the gelatin in the school cafeteria to gelatinous cube monsters and applying the “always check for traps” rule to other risky tasks. Though the book is the third in the series about Sunny, newcomers will easily dive right in. VERDICT A sweet, funny, and silly story with a serious message at its core: stop trying so hard to be cool, and just have fun being yourself.

Table Titans Club by Scott Kurtz. illus. by author. Holiday House. ISBN 9780823453160. 
Gr 4-7–Valeria’s starting at a new middle school and is already struggling; her penchant for daydreaming and flair for the dramatic set her apart from her peers. Happily, some of them are intrigued, and the school’s Dungeons & Dragons club—the Table Titans—want her to join their illustrious, albeit dorky ranks. VERDICT A high-spirited middle grade graphic adventure with appeal for fantasy fans and those ready to whet their appetites for imaginative pursuits.

[Read: Why Every Middle Grade School Should Have Their Own Table Titans Club, a guest post by Scott Kurtz]

Dungeons & ­Dragons: Dungeon Club: Roll Call by Molly Knox Ostertag. illus. by Xanthe Bouma. HarperAlley. ISBN 9780063039247. 
Gr 4 Up–Jess Descheene and Olivia Aguilar have been best friends for years, but as eighth grade begins, their friendship is changing. Olivia runs their two-person Dungeons & Dragons game, but she wants to invite more players. Jess prefers stories to friends, but she gradually opens up to the idea of letting more kids play with them. The action happens between the real world and the imaginary one, but sometimes the worlds overlap. VERDICT For readers who are fans of or are curious about role-playing games, or those seeking heartwarming stories about friendship and imagination.

Young Adult

Helm Greycastle by Henry Barajas. illus. by Rahmat Handoko and Bryan Valenza. Image Comics. ISBN 9781534319622.
Gr 10 Up—A Dungeons & Dragons–style fantasy set in the Aztec kingdom. Helm Greycastle and his group of adventurers set out to rescue the last dragon prince, who is being held prisoner by Montezuma; meanwhile, within the kingdom, rebels plan to overthrow him. Originally funded on Kickstarter, the book also includes a role-playing game. 

Dungeons and Drama by Kristy Boyce. Delacorte. ISBN 9780593647011. 
Gr 8 Up–“Borrowing” her mom’s vehicle to see the touring production of Waitress leaves Riley with only one regret; an eight-week punishment of working at her dad’s gaming store. Not only does she know nothing about gaming, but a disastrous meet-cute with her coworker Nathan has Riley completely dreading working at the store. Everything changes when a slip of the tongue leaves the two of them faking a relationship in order to help out their love lives. VERDICT A must-read cozy romance for board gamers and thespians alike.

Reggie and Delilah’s Year of Falling by Elise Bryant. HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray. ISBN 9780063212992. 
Gr 8 Up–It’s New Year’s Eve and Delilah’s inability to disappoint her cool friends at her new private school means she’s the front woman in a punk band and about to sing in front of people for the very first time. Enter Reggie, a self-conscious Dungeons & Dragons nerd whose anonymous online essays about race in D&D have been gaining traction. Their meet-cute would have gone perfectly if it weren’t for Delilah’s unresolved crush on a guy in her new band. And thus begins the year of falling. VERDICT Recommended for all collections. Hand to fans of Brandy Colbert’s Little & Lion or Kristina Forest’s Zyla & Kai.

[Read: Being an Autistic Dungeon Master]

The Adventure Zone: Here There Be Gerblins by Clint McElroy & others. adapt. by Clint McElroy & Carey Pietsch. illus. by Carey Pietsch. First Second. ISBN 9781250153708. 
Gr 10 Up—Based on the McElroy family's hilarious Dungeons and Dragons podcast, this story follows intrepid adventurers Taako the elven mage, Merle the dwarven cleric, and human warrior Magnus Burnsides along with their DM (dungeon master) Griffin as they become entangled in a quest for riches on the "last job" they'll ever need. VERDICT With its pop culture appeal and absurd humor, this will be perfect for reluctant teen readers, but librarians should be mindful that the colorful art may draw younger patrons unprepared for the mature content.

With a Little Luck by Marissa Meyer. Feiwel & Friends. ISBN 9781250618931. 
Gr 6 Up–Jude, a Dungeons & Dragons fanatic, comic-drawing introvert breaks out in hives when he gets called on in class. But when he finds a poster signed by Sir Paul McCartney, publishes a comic in his favorite magazine, and wins tickets to meet his longtime crush Maya’s favorite musician, he starts to believe he has found luck in the form of a magical dice. VERDICT There’s no shortage of humor and heart in this one. Sweet and slightly magical, this romance is guaranteed to please fans and newcomers alike.

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