From Neolithic hunters to shape-shifters to a subatomic rescue squad, there's plenty of excitement in the latest batch of graphic novels. Some have fast-moving action, others high school drama, and all feature gripping stories that will keep teens turning the pages. CLIFF, Tony. Delilah Dirk and the King's Shilling. 272p. First Second. Mar. 2016. ISBN 9781626721555 Gr 7 Up–The second volume of Cliff's swashbuckling adventure series starts out in the middle of the action, with Delilah and her sidekick Salim rescuing a young boy from his warlord father. Then the story shifts to an encounter with the British army and accusations that our heroes are spies. Readers don’t need to be familiar with the first volume to enjoy this one, which, like the previous installment, is filled with clever action sequences, sympathetic characters, and gorgeously drawn settings. HAGGARTY, Ben. Mezolith. illus. by Adam Brockbank. 96p. Archaia. Feb. 2016. ISBN 9781608866991. Gr 10 Up–Set in Stone Age Britain, this title is a series of short stories about a boy on the edge of manhood and the society he lives in. The vignettes deal with different topics—hunting, the local healer, clashes with a neighboring tribe—and several eerie legends are woven in. There are some scenes of animal violence and one rather creepy tale involving a dead baby, but none of it is gratuitous. The art is stunningly beautiful, especially the depiction of the landscapes. This book was originally published in the UK in 2010 and was one of the Times' Graphic Novels of the Year. HICKS, Faith Erin. Buffy: The High School Years—Freaks and Geeks. illus. by Yishan Li. 80p. Dark Horse. Jun. 2016. ISBN 9781616556679. Gr 6 Up–This prequel to Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer is set in high school, where Buffy is still getting used to her new role and dealing with a lack of sleep, too much homework, and tensions with her friends Willow and Xander. The vampire slaying is pretty tame—the vampires disappear into a puff of sparkly powder—but there's plenty of high school drama to carry the story. Dark Horse has just announced a second volume, Buffy: The High School Years: Glutton for Punishment, to be written by Kel McDonald (Misfits of Avalon) and illustrated by Li. OZANAM, Antoine. Klaw: The First Cycle. illus. by Joël Jurion. 144p. Magnetic. Jun. 2016. Gr 8 Up—High schooler Ange discovers he can transform into a tiger, but his power doesn't lead him where he thinks it will—he ends up embroiled in an ages-old war with other shape-shifting humans and the Mafia. This is an action-packed work with a lot of heart, as events test Ange's loyalty to his father, his bodyguard/mentor, his best friend, and the girl he loves. RUSSELL, Mark. Prez Vol. 1: Corndog in Chief. illus. by Ben Caldwell, Mark Morales, Sean Parsons, & Dominike Stanton. 144p. DC Comics. Feb. 2016. ISBN 9781401259792. Gr 7 Up–In a future United States, where corporations rule and voters cast their ballots via Twitter, teenager Beth Ross finds herself unwillingly elected as commander in chief. This sharp political satire is laugh-out-loud funny but also a smart critique of the wheelings and dealings of American politics. RYALL, Chris. String Divers. illus. by Ashley Wood. 120p. IDW. Mar. 2016. ISBN 9781631405600 Gr 10 Up–A group of color-coded androids shrink down to subatomic size to prevent a quantum-level catastrophe from destroying the universe. This is sci-fi lite, with a cool premise, plenty of action, and fun, goofy dialogue. TAKANO, Ichigo. Orange Vol. 1. 384p. Seven Seas. Jan. 2016. ISBN 9781626923027. Gr 8 Up–This is a charming shoujo (girls) manga with a gentle love triangle, a great ensemble cast, and an intriguing time-travel spin. High school student Takamiya Naho gets a letter from her future self, warning her to avoid certain things she will regret later, all having to do with the new transfer student who has just arrived at her school. Suicide is one of the themes of the title, although the book is really about a group of friends supporting one another while making difficult choices. TAKAYA, Natsuki. Fruits Basket. 400p. Yen. Jun. 2016. ISBN 9780316360166. Gr 8 Up–One of the most popular shoujo manga of all time comes back into print in a two-in-one omnibus edition. Plucky orphan Tohru Honda is taken in by three cool guys whose family suffer from an ancient curse: when they become emotional, they turn into animals. What starts as a simple high school love triangle becomes a complicated emotional story with memorable characters and plenty of drama. WYLD, Evie. Everything Is Teeth. illus. by Joe Sumner. 128p. Pantheon. May 2016. 9781101870815. Gr 10 Up–This graphic memoir tells of a young girl's family vacations in Australia and her obsession with the dangers of sharks, which becomes a metaphor for darker fears. The story is drawn in a childlike style, except for the sharks and shark attacks, which are rendered more realistically. Not surprisingly, given the theme, there are some intense scenes of violence and death, but the themes of childhood anxiety and growing pains will resonate with many readers.