Summer Reads 2026 from Publishers Weekly Publishers Weekly

Call Me by Your Name: The Graphic Novel

André Aciman and Sarah Maxwell (Faber & Faber)

Perfect for Heated Rivalry fans, Maxwell’s swoony graphic adaptation of Aciman’s seminal novel of risky summer romance is done in a sheeny, throwback art style. Oliver and Elio look like they sauntered over poolside straight off a pair of well-thumbed classic Harlequin covers. All the tension and heartache of the original is sustained, with the consummation now rendered in explicit, glossy full-color.

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Lovers of the Empire

Yudori (Takumigraphics)

In 1920s Korea, the world is changing fast—and two young people from divergent class backgrounds get caught up in an unexpected romance. Yudori’s gorgeous manhwa love story plays out across intimate scenes between the scion of a noble family fallen on hard times and the daughter of a nouveau riche department store owner, set against the sweep of history as the country faces the rush of modernity while under the thumb of Japanese colonial rule.

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The Roots of My Hair

Lou Lubie, trans. from the French by Makedah Hughes (Helvetiq)

Identity politics interweave with pop science and sociology factoids in this quippy coming-of-age tale about a biracial girl named Rose, who grows up on France’s Réunion Island. Her voluminous hair makes her the target of racist bullying in school—culminating in a crisis where she cuts off her curls. But a move to Paris brings with it the embrace of the city’s salon culture, where her experiments in style—drawn with glorious flourish—lead to self-acceptance.

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The Yves Saint Laurent Revolution: The Story of ‘Le Smoking’

Loo Hui Phang and Benjamin Bachelier, trans. from the French by Jill Phythian (Thames & Hudson)

Yves Saint Laurent and his chic cohort stroll and gossip through scenic New York City streets in this story of Le Smoking, the trendsetting sleek black women’s suit he designed in 1966 that scandalized and thrilled the fashion world. Set in cafés and ateliers and drawn with vibrant colors and the gestural flair of fashion illustrations, the narrative tags along as YSL opines on his inspirations and philosophy of style, while his muse and bestie Betty Catroux looks properly glam in her black pants.

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