The trilogy holds a critics' rating of 9.6 out of 10 at the review-aggregation website Comic Book Roundup, based on 10 reviews.[8]
Book One
March: Book One holds an average 9.4 out of 10 rating at the review aggregator website Comic Book Roundup, based on five reviews.[9]
Jim Johnson of Comic Book Resources gave the book four and a half out of five stars, calling it "an excellent and fascinating historical account" of Lewis' life and "an absolutely wonderful story about one man who played a very important role in one of this country's most important social revolutions, and continues to play an important part to this very day". Johnson further commented, "Powell's washed-out greytones combine with Congressman Lewis and Aydin's captivating words and story to give the entire account the feel of a compelling, period documentary."[10]
Noah Sharma of Weekly Comic Book Review gave March Book One a grade of A−, calling it "an artful and important graphic novel". Sharma praised Lewis as a talented storyteller, called the dialogue "sharp and cleverly delivered" and remarked that Powell "fills his panels with depth and vibrancy". Sharma concluded, "The narrative tools employed by March are simple ones, but they form together to create something moving and complex. Aydin and Powell know when to let their art support the congressman and when to let his experience speak for itself."[11]
March: Book One received an "Author Honor" from the American Library Association's 2014 Coretta Scott King Book Awards.[12] Book One also became the first graphic novel to win a Robert F. Kennedy Book Award, receiving a "Special Recognition" bust in 2014.[13]
March: Book One was selected by first-year reading programs in 2014 at Michigan State University,[14] Georgia State University,[15] and Marquette University.[16]
Book Two
March Book Two was ranked #2 on The Village Voice's 2014 list "The 10 Most Subversive Comics at New York Comic Con".[17]
March: Book Two was awarded the Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work in 2016.[18]
Book Three
March: Book Three debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list for graphic books and brought the whole trilogy into the top three spots, which they held for six continuous weeks.
On November 16, 2016, March: Book Three won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature. It was the first graphic novel to ever receive a National Book Award. March: Book Three was awarded the Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work in 2017.[19]
On January 23, 2017, March: Book Three won the Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award, the Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults, the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award, and the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults.[20]
