Bad Boy: a Graphic Memoir by Walter Dean Myers

Bad Boy: a Graphic Memoir

Walter Dean Myers, Guy A. Sims

HarperCollins · Print & ebook · September 30, 2025

A Graphic Novels pick for readers exploring Bad Boy: a Graphic Memoir.

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Who it’s for
Readers interested in coming-of-age stories set in mid-century Harlem
Themes
Coming of age, Love of books and writing, School and family challenges
Genres
Graphic Biography, African American U.S. History for Teens, Writers' Lives

About this book

A gripping graphic memoir adaptation of iconic, multi-award-winning author Walter Dean Myers’s autobiography, telling the story of his coming-of-age in Harlem, adapted by Guy A. Sims and illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile. Legendary author Walter Dean Myers was once a troublemaker and a truant. Just how bad was he?

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From instigating mischievous pranks at home to fighting in the classroom—especially when teased about his speech impediment—irrepressible Walter was more than a handful. Underneath it all, he had a tremendous love for books, and by high school he longed to become a writer. But financial troubles at home made him feel his options were so limited that he dropped out of school. Still, his desire to write was as irrepressible as Walter himself. If he could only be given the chance… Walter recounts what growing up in Harlem was like in the 1940s and 1950s—when seeing Langston Hughes and Sugar Ray Robinson on the street was the norm and Jackie Robinson ruled the baseball field. Gripping. Funny. Heartbreaking. Walter Dean Myers's memoir is unforgettable. This is the award-winning story of one of the strongest voices in children’s and young adult literature.

Who it’s for

  • Readers interested in coming-of-age stories set in mid-century Harlem
  • Readers interested in graphic memoirs

Where it sits

Graphic Biography76%
Writers' Lives40%
African American U.S. History for Teens35%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Writers' Lives
  • Boys & Men
  • Graphic Biography
  • 20th Century America for Teens
Show all 8 publisher categories
  • African American U.S. History for Teens
  • School & Education for Teens
  • Emotions & Feelings for Teens
  • Self-Esteem & Independence for Teens
Authors
Walter Dean Myers, Guy A. Sims
Publisher
HarperCollins
Published
September 30, 2025
Format
Print & ebook
Theme
Coming of age · Love of books and writing · School and family challenges
Reading lane
Writers' Lives