# Graphic Novels for Beginners (Start Here) with Sophia Glock

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/what-to-read-next-book-recommendations-for-romance-thrillers-escape-reads-9873/graphic-novels-for-beginners-start-here-with-sophia-glock
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/what-to-read-next-book-recommendations-for-romance-thrillers-escape-reads-9873/graphic-novels-for-beginners-start-here-with-sophia-glock.md
Podcast: [What to Read Next — Book Recommendations for Romance, Thrillers & Escape Reads](https://stenobird.com/podcast/what-to-read-next-book-recommendations-for-romance-thrillers-escape-reads-9873)
Published: 2026-03-31T10:00:00+00:00
Episode link: http://www.whattoreadnextblog.com
Audio file: https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/176a3b6b-cac5-46a3-9985-30564723833b.mp3
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Duration seconds: 1029

## Resource

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Graphic novels aren’t just for kids—and this episode completely changed how I think about them. In this conversation, I sit down with cartoonist Sophia Glock to talk about her haunting and emotional graphic novel Before We Wake . We dive into how comics can explore big themes like grief in a way that feels accessible, immersive, and deeply personal—and why adults should absolutely be reading graphic novels. We also talk about nostalgia (hello early 2000s 👀), the creative process behind blending art and storytelling, and where to start if you’ve never picked up a graphic novel before. 📚 Books Mentioned Before We Wake by Sophia Glock — Buy on Amazon | YA Graphic Novel | Grief, paranormal, friendship Maus by Art Spiegelman — Buy on Amazon | Historical Graphic Novel | Holocaust, memoir Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi — Buy on Amazon | Graphic Memoir | Iran, coming-of-age Fun Home by Alison Bechdel — Buy on Amazon | Literary Graphic Memoir | Family, identity This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki & Jillian Tamaki — Buy on Amazon | YA/Adult Graphic Novel | Coming-of-age Spinning by Tillie Walden — Buy on Amazon | Graphic Memoir | Identity, adolescence Charity and Sylvia by Tillie Walden — Buy on Amazon | Graphic Novel | Historical ⏱️ Timestamps [00:00] Intro + meeting Sophia Glock [01:00] Why graphic novels are underrated for adults [02:00] Writing about grief in Before We Wake [04:00] Sophia’s creative process (writing vs drawing) [05:30] Plot overview + lucid dreaming concept [07:00] Setting the book in early 2000s nostalgia [09:30] Nostalgia, pop culture, and generational memory [12:30] Where to start with graphic novels [15:00] YA vs adult tone in storytelling [16:00] Where…

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