GRAPHIC NOVEL

Looking for the Heartstopper books in order? Alice Oseman’s beloved graphic novel series follows Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson from an awkward first meeting to a tender, slow-burn romance — and it has become one of the defining YA love stories of its generation. This guide lists all six numbered volumes in the correct reading order, explains the companion books, and answers the questions new readers ask most.

All Six Heartstopper Volumes in Order

The good news: the reading order is simple. The six numbered graphic novels should be read in order, from Volume 1 through Volume 6 — the publication order is also the author’s intended reading order, so there is no complicated chronology to untangle. According to the publisher, the U.S. editions released as follows:

1. Heartstopper: Volume 1 (2020) — Charlie, a shy openly gay student, is seated next to Nick, a popular rugby player, and an unexpected friendship begins to deepen into something more.
2. Heartstopper: Volume 2 (2020) — Nick questions his own feelings as the boys navigate what their relationship means.
3. Heartstopper: Volume 3 (2021) — a school trip to Paris brings the couple closer while secrets and family tensions surface.
4. Heartstopper: Volume 4 (2022) — Charlie’s mental health struggles take center stage in the series’ most emotional volume.
5. Heartstopper: Volume 5 (2023) — with university on the horizon, Nick and Charlie face the pressures of growing up and growing apart.
6. Heartstopper: Volume 6 (2026) — the concluding volume, bringing Charlie and Nick’s story to its ending as college and the future loom.

A note on dates: Heartstopper began as a webcomic in 2016, and Oseman crowdfunded the first physical editions in the UK starting in 2018, which is why you may see earlier years attached to the first volumes elsewhere. The U.S. editions from Scholastic’s Graphix imprint began with Volumes 1 and 2 in 2020.

Companion Books and Extras

Beyond the six numbered volumes, Oseman has written several companion works set in the same universe. These are optional — the main series is complete without them — but fans will enjoy them:

• This Winter — a holiday novella following the characters over Christmas, overlapping with the events of Volume 4.
• Solitaire — Oseman’s earlier novel starring Charlie’s sister Tori; it shares the same universe and characters.
• The Heartstopper Yearbook — a companion packed with illustrations, character profiles, and behind-the-scenes material.
• Special-edition hardbacks — according to the publisher, each hardback volume includes an exclusive black-and-white mini-comic not available in the paperbacks.

If you are reading for the first time, stick to the six numbered volumes in order, then explore the companions afterward.

The Netflix Adaptation

The graphic novels were adapted into a hit Netflix series, which introduced the story to millions of new fans. The show follows the same core storyline — Charlie and Nick’s romance, their friends, and the challenges of coming out — and its success helped push the books onto bestseller lists around the world. Readers who discovered the story through the show can jump into Volume 1 and enjoy the original telling, which includes scenes and details the adaptation changed or condensed.

Reading Tips

• Read in numbered order. Later volumes are not designed as standalone entry points; the emotional arcs build across all six books.
• Try the webcomic too. The completed Heartstopper webcomic remains available through Oseman’s official platforms for readers who want the original format.
• Check content notes. The series handles mental health, eating disorders, and coming out with care, but Volume 4 in particular deals with heavy themes — worth knowing before handing it to younger teens.
• Gift the set. With the series now complete at six volumes, the full collection makes an ideal gift for YA readers.

Gentle, funny, and quietly groundbreaking, the Heartstopper books in order offer one of the most rewarding romance arcs in modern graphic novels — start at Volume 1 and let Charlie and Nick’s story unfold.