Graphic Novels for Non-Graphic Novel Readers

So you want to try out a graphic novel but don't know where to start? The world of graphic novels is so much more than superheroes and manga. History, cookbooks, family sagas, memoirs, classic literature--you name it and it can be told in a graphic novel. But with so many out there now, how do traditionally non-graphic novel readers know which ones to try? Below is a starter pack for those wanting to dabble in graphic novels but also still read a substantive book.