Charlotte Bissett seems to be a pretty average middle school girl in the quaint town of Devilfish Bay. She lives with her internet chef father, Raymond, and her loyal canine companion, Vincent. She is a bookworm and devours any book put in front of her.
However, the cracks in her personal life slowly make themselves clear. Charlotte’s mother had gone missing in the recent past on a boating trip and her father is attempting to move on and begin to date again. On top of this, Charlotte doesn’t appear to have any friends, yet when two kids from her past, Molly and Griffin, move back to town it soon becomes clear why Charlotte is so guarded in her social life. Molly used to be Charlotte’s ride-or-die bestfriend, and yet after Molly moved away the girls had a falling out. Molly wants nothing more than to have a fresh start, but Charlotte is resistant and does her best to avoid Molly. Eventually, Charlotte reveals that the reason she is upset with Molly is because when Charlotte told Molly that a sea creature was responsible for her mother’s disappearance, Charlotte didn’t believe her. It is in that atmosphere of uncertainty and pre-teen angst that Charlotte, taking refuge in her safe place, the school library, is combing the shelves when a book falls off the shelf next to her. The book appears to be bound in green, improperly prepared leather of some kind, the pieces of rotted looking material stitched together in phantasmagoric fashion reminiscent of the Necronomicon from the Evil Dead franchise. The title of the book is “Liber de Monstrum” and true to that name appears to be a grimoire of supernatural information. Taking it home, Charlotte reads from the book, very carefully sounding out the words in an unknown language and upon uttering the last word the windows of her room blow open, the electricity goes out in the area around her house and in the morning Devilfish Bay experiences the first snowfall in fifty years.
On top of these strange occurrences, that day it’s announced that one of Charlotte’s favorite teachers, Mr Cooper, has gone missing and an enigmatic woman with platinum blond hair, who doesn’t appear to be who or what she seems, takes over the class in the interim. Clearly, Charlotte has awoken something or some things from their slumber, and it’s up to her to try and fight these unknown forces. The question is whether her recently returned friends will believe her this time and offer her their help, because it is clear Charlotte cannot fight these monsters alone.
The Girl Who Loves Monsters follows spectacularly in the “kids on bikes” tradition, creating a very real and present danger in a small community and presenting the kids willing to stand up to that danger when the rest of the community can’t see it or believe in it. Charlotte, Molly, and Griffin make a compelling trio bound by their history, common interests, friendships, and burgeoning teenage emotions. In this first volume in the Devilfish Bay series, writer Insha Fitzpatrick sets the scene brilliantly for future adventures and the various mundane trials and tribulations that will also stand in the main characters’ way as they attempt to combat the enigmatic evil that has come forth from the Liber de Monstrum.
The art by Ashley Robin Franklin creates a beautiful balance between the soft, cartoonish style that sets a relaxed tone to the everyday world of the story with the sharp, phantasmagoric elements that truly evoke the horror and supernatural elements. From the first page to the last, The Girl Who Loves Monsters is a compelling read that deals with very relatable parts of adolescence, such as being taken seriously by those around you, mixed with the eerie supernatural elements that could only take place in a small town somewhat set apart from the wider world.
The Girl Who Loved Monsters By Insha Fitzpatrick Art by Ashley Franklin Penguin Random House Viking Books for Young Readers, 2026 ISBN: 9780593690901
Company Age Rating: 8-12
NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11) Creator Representation: African-American, Queer, Character Representation: African-American,
Lindsey Cheng is like most college freshmen, trying to find herself even as everyone is trying to tell her who she should be. This includes everyone from her overbearing and very traditional Chinese mother to her best friends and bandmates. It seems like everyone has an opinion on who Lindsey should be and where her attention should be focused, be it the band or her studies.
The sole exception to this is Jason—the super-chill lead-singer of a different band, who stuns Lindsey by calling her his girlfriend as he tries to give her a gift while shopping for old records. This stuns Lindsey, who barely started dating Jason and never had a boyfriend before. This makes her anxious to be everything a good girlfriend should be. More, she wants to be cool enough to be the girlfriend of a cool guy like Jason. But is Jason really the best thing to ever happen to her? Or is she just stunned at the idea of any boy being interested in her after a sheltered childhood?
The early press for Lindsey Cheng Dates a White Boy described it as “perfect for fans of Bryan Lee O’Malley and Mariko Tamaki.” I can see why it might draw comparison to the Scott Pilgrim series. It is based around young adults and indie band culture in the early 21st century and Asia Miller’s art shares a certain aesthetic. The general plot even emulates the lessons of that comic, albeit through the female lens. However, it dramatically oversimplifies the story to write Lindsey Cheng off as an older Knives Chau, who has the good sense to realize that Jason is scum before it is too late.
What really sets this comic apart—and indeed inspires the need for a sequel—is the final chapter. This is told from the perspective of Lindsey’s friend and bandmate Mel; a fierce romantic who loves love. It is she who first gets an inkling of who Jason really is but puts on a false face because she wants to support her friend. At the same time, Mel copes with her growing attraction to their third bandmate, V, and the hint that V (who loves video games and hates boys) might return her feelings.
The opening of the book focused on Lindsey does deliver an important message upon the dangers of repressing yourself for the sake of a relationship. And yet, the chapter with Mel is the strongest and feels the most genuine. Personally, I’d love to read a comic about the awkward romance between tomboy V and girly girl Mel as a follow-up to Lindsey’s hard lessons regarding her first love.
There’s no official publisher rating for Lindsey Cheng Dates a White Boy!!! I would personally consider it appropriate for most teen audiences and indeed perfectly suited for that audience given the ultimate moral of the story. There is no sex or even so much of a mention of it. The closest we get is Lindsey taking off her T-shirt to reveal her bra while hanging out with Jason while lounging on his bed. There’s no violence or nudity and no language worse than what might be heard on broadcast cable.
Lindsey Cheng Dates a White Boy!!! By Asia Miller Andrews McMeel, 2026 ISBN: 9798881605827
NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+), Older Teen (16-18), Teen (13-16) Creator Representation: Chinese-American, Queer, Character Representation: Chinese-American, Bisexual,
Of Swamp & Sea is a delightful series by super spousal team Mia Jay Boulton and Laurel Boulton. It originally premiered as a comic on Web Toon, and Macmillan picked it up for printing. It follows the story of Mercy Harding, a young woman trying to confront the fact that she might not be human any more. A monster hunt gone wrong has lead her to being possessed by a creature simply referred to as “the wolf.” She finds herself partnered up (and maybe pining for) Jonah, the hunter who led her to her current state. In his guilt, he offers to try to rid her of the curse, but feelings of all sorts arise and Mercy isn’t so certain about what she wants anymore.
I don’t know how controversial a statement this is, but here goes: High fantasy and romances are hard sells for me. Of course, your mileage may vary, but for me, I think a lot of it boils down to how the story is told. I am not opposed to formulaic storytelling, but both romance (the exploration of feelings) and high fantasy (world building, magic systems, etc.) tend to rely on a lot of information, but the narrative does not have time to really dig in and explain.
Of Swamp & Sea, at least the second volume, manages to navigate this challenge in a way that is very balanced and satisfying without sacrificing pacing. For me, this title is an example of an ideal fantasy romance.
The art tends to stay pretty tight, allowing the panels to focus on characters and individual emotions. Not to say there is no atmosphere, but this is definitely more about the characters than the overall world. I am impressed with the gestural facial expressions and emotive body language. The color palette is soft and limited from page to page, but not restrictive. In presentation, not content, the art resembles the Critical Role animated series. The characters are diverse in their appearance, the story moves well, and there are many fascinating fantasy creatures and myths that are explored. Vol. 2 is an overall speedy and interesting read.
The book does not contain anything particularly graphic, but I would say there is some violence and some horror-adjacent moments. Recommended for readers aged 12 & up.
It looks like the entire series is no longer available through Web Toon, so Macmillan is the way to go if you want to read more (and I hope you do).
Of Swamp & Sea, Vol. 02 By Mia Jay Boulton and Laurel Boulton Macmillan, 2025 ISBN: 9781250387004
NFNT Age Recommendation: Teen (13-16), Tween (10-13) Creator Representation: Queer,
Something lurks in the water off the coast of New Marseyland. Something dark. Something unnatural. Something evil. Something that… quacks. The dreaded Moby Duck, a man made monster, ominously waddles to the center of the center volume in the Cryptid Kids series from Sara Goetter and Natalie Riess.
Cryptid lover K is back for a new mystery and a new mysterious creature and she’s bringing her semi-willing friends with her. Fueled by a passionate curiosity and love for weird and unlikely creatures inspired by her great aunt TK, nothing will stop our intrepid scientist from discovering new species… except maybe all a noisy arcade. It is really loud.
The cryptid hunters are going on vacation to the shore where K intends to find the elusive Moby Duck, a creature unlike any other she has studied. Luc, K’s “kinda boyfriend”, is more focused on making a good impression on K’s family while Penny is only allowed to spend time with K with the expressed promise to her mother of “No looking for cryptids, no ‘operations,’ nothing cryptid related at all.” Unfortunately, K and friends are not the only ones looking for the dreaded waterfowl: pirate and cryptozoologist Arrvida Scales is on the hunt with less than savory intentions. But even more devastating than that threat is Penny’s new friend Jo joining them, who seems to be drawing more of Luc and Penny’s attention than K, and K’s dad suggesting that it may be time she gave up the cryptids and generally not getting her.
There’s a lot going on in this graphic—kidnappings, pirates, one eyed seagulls, secret cousins, aliens. The aliens, who resemble jackalopes, really caught me off guard if we’re being honest. But beneath the shenanigans, this is a story about relationships and the way they evolve. K needs to find new ways to connect with her dad. Her dad needs to come to terms with years of anger at his aunt while figuring out how to give K room to grow up into herself.
This is a goofy read and I mean that as the highest compliment. The humor feels very Dav Pilkey adjacent with a dryness that’s at odds with the extreme circumstances of the book. Seasoned partners Goetter and Riess add a sweetness to the story and the characters that make them relatable and real, even with the plot’s absurdity. This is something these married creators are very good at and have displayed throughout their collaborations.
The graphic starts with a peek at Creature Monthly, the K’s zine/scientific publication, that provides an introduction to the central characters and a quick recap of the events from the previous book making this accessible to new readers without reading the first volume. The panels alternate between moving smoothly and steadily through the story to moments of almost frenetic bouncing during big action scenes. Like I said, there’s a lot going on. And I quite liked it.
Cryptid Kids: Moby Duck seems specially built for reluctant readers. It’s visually exciting, supremely silly, and centers around a very real heart that makes this middle grade reader sing. This is the kind of series that kids who say they hate reading can easily lose themselves in.
Cryptid Kids: Moby Duck, Vol. 2 By Sara Goetter and Natalie Riess Macmillan First Second, 2025 ISBN: 9781250899408
Company Age Rating: 8-12
NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11), Tween (10-13) Creator Representation: Queer, Character Representation: African-American,
Princess Alya is sure she’s a disappointment to her warrior queen mother. Dubbed “the Ordinary Princess,” she’s not especially skilled at combat or at magic. So when the royal traveling party is attacked, and the queen badly wounded, the best Alya can do is run away. Unfortunately, she can’t outrun the attackers’ magic, and now she is under a curse: during the day, she turns into a goat, and only returns to human form at night.
Trill is a goatherd from a remote mountain village. She wants to see the world and be a hero, but how can she do that when her strongest magical skill is the ability to communicate with goats? Trill’s magic does come in handy, though, especially when she meets a determined princess-turned-goat on a mission.
With the queen still recovering from her injuries and Princess Alya missing, a usurper has taken over. Alya needs to get to the palace and reclaim her throne. Trill agrees to help. The two (metaphorically) butt heads sometimes on their travels, but grow to like and respect each other – and maybe even more than that.
Meanwhile, traveling incognito means Alya hears the common people’s views on the royal family – and they’re not great. Even if she and Trill can reach the palace and overthrow the usurper, will the people accept the Ordinary Princess as their ruler? Can she find a way to fix the harm her family has caused? All of which might be a moot point, because if they don’t break the curse soon, Alya will be stuck as a goat forever.
This is a fun adventure with two brave, goodhearted heroines and a fascinating fantasy world. The setting has lots of unusual details, from the distinctive clothing and hairstyles to the giant goats kept by the mountain folk to the wildlife and food. The story, too, has depth. Alya is unaware of how the royal family has been gatekeeping the use of magic, and how that has impacted the common people; she has to really grapple with how to make it right.
The artwork is clear and uncluttered, with a soft color palette heavy on the earth tones. The characters are rendered simply, without a lot of fine detail, and their postures can sometimes look a little stiff, but they are expressive and easy to follow. The backgrounds – sweeping mountain landscapes, unusual architecture, bustling cities – have more complexity, though not enough to look mismatched or jarring. They also include interesting plants and creatures, making for an immersive fantasy world.
Content-wise, the story includes some brief violence, but very little blood and no deaths. There is some discussion of systemic violence and oppression. There is a very light romance with a single kiss at the end.
There is some fun back matter, including conceptual sketches of the characters and world as well as a step-by-step demo of how a page goes from thumbnail sketch to final version.
Goat Magic has action, heart, and some nifty fantasy worldbuilding. The stakes are too high and the danger too frequent to call it “cozy,” but it is perhaps cozy-adjacent, and will likely appeal to fans of gentle fantasy like The Baker and the Bard and the Tea Dragon series. The interesting fantasy setting, heroic quest, and political complexity may also appeal to fans of the Avatar: the Last Airbender series.
Goat Magic By Kate Wheeler Oni Press, 2025 ISBN: 9781637158050
Company Age Rating: 8-12
NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11), Tween (10-13) Creator Representation: Queer, Character Representation: Queer,
Santiago—Santi to his friends—is both excited and nervous to spend the summer with his beloved Abuela Emma. Excited, because he loves his grandmother (and her Colombian cooking), and her small town sounds like an interesting change from his NYC home. Nervous, because a big goal for this visit is to practice his Spanish, and he’s afraid he won’t be able to keep up.
Santi is half Colombian, half white, and his parents intended to raise him bilingual. But since he had some trouble learning to talk, they decided to start with just English. Now Santi is twelve, and is taking classes, but he’s embarrassed not to be fluent in the language spoken by half his family. This visit will be an immersion experience – just what he needs to improve. If he can understand enough of his abuela’s Spanish to stay afloat, that is.
At first, things go better than Santi expected. He can understand and speak enough Spanish to get by, and his abuela is patient and kind. Plus, he meets a crew of friendly local kids who show him around town and invite him to join their soccer team. Santi loves soccer! But it’s not all smooth sailing. Sometimes he feels like his Spanish will never be good enough, or like he isn’t Colombian enough. People laugh at his accent or act shocked that he doesn’t know Colombian slang. It makes Santi want to stop talking to anyone, including his abuela and his friends. Can his summer be saved?
This is a good-hearted book full of imperfect but well-intentioned people. They make mistakes, like Abuela Emma joking about Santi’s accent, or Santi taking out his frustration on his friends, but they apologize and forgive each other. Santi works diligently to improve his Spanish, which eventually allows him to have real heart-to-heart conversations with his abuela.
Santi’s struggle is a common one. In a note at the start of the book, author Julio Anta (who is Colombian American and Cuban American) discusses his own difficulties with navigating English and Spanish growing up. He explains that he modeled Santi partly on his son, who is also part Colombian and part white, and also struggled with language early on, complicating his parents’ plans to raise him bilingual.
This is the first of a planned series of Hillside Valley graphic novels. Each will follow one of the kids we meet in this story, with the other kids appearing as supporting characters. This volume introduces the town of Hillside Valley, with its charming main street, diverse and close-knit community, and woodsy mountain surroundings.
The art style is a slightly simplified realism – the characters a little cartoonified, the colors a little brighter than natural. The characters are distinct and expressive, and the backgrounds are clean, with just enough detail to set the scenes. There is some good visual variety, from mountain scenery to soccer field action to plates full of Abuela Emma’s Colombian dishes.
Much of the plot revolves around language. When Santi speaks Spanish, or another character speaks and he understands, their dialog appears in Spanish with an English translation following it in an attached speech bubble. These translation bubbles are outlined with dashed lines, while the speech bubbles actually spoken have solid outlines. If, however, a character speaks Spanish and Santi does not understand, then there is no translation bubble—and sometimes, a few of the Spanish words are scribbled out to indicate that Santi didn’t catch them. This is an effective and interesting way to put readers in Santi’s shoes.
Santi’s struggle with being a Latino kid who isn’t fluent in Spanish is relatable, but not commonly explored, especially in graphic novels. This book is an interesting and heartfelt addition to the category of middle-grade realistic fiction.
Speak Up, Santiago By Julio Anta Art by Gabi Mendez Penguin Random House Graphic, 2025 ISBN: 9780593651636
Company Age Rating: 8-12 Series ISBNs and Order Related media:
NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11), Tween (10-13) Creator Representation: Colombian-American, Cuban-American, Mexican-American, Queer, Character Representation: Colombian-American,
In Volume 1 of the Cardboard Kingdom (), we’re introduced to neighborhood kids who use play as their gateway to deal with growing up. In their kingdom, the kids can be anything they want to be from sorceress and rogues to gargoyles and princes. The play is inclusive and while it may take some time for some of the kids to find their way, everyone is indeed welcome.
In Volume 2, Roar of the Beast, the school year has started and the kids are getting excited for Halloween! Volume 2 is very much a book on the transitioning from small kid to big kid.
What does Volume 3 bring?
It’s the winter break and The Cardboard Kingdom neighborhood is gearing up for snow fights, sculptures, hot chocolate, and forts. One day, they meet three kids from Parkside, the neighborhood across the park, who the kids think come as rivals when what they really want to do is play with the Kingdom. Things go downhill fast as each side thinks they are sabotaging the other. It’s up to Trini, The Investigator, and the Science Squad to solve the crimes!
The theme in Snow and Sorcery is about change and transition. We learn that Trini’s Grandpa J forgets things. A lot. It’s scary when someone you love is changing before you and you can’t stop it. We also have Roy, whose parents are divorcing, moves across the park to Parkside. His life has also changed a great deal. He lives with his mom now in a new apartment that doesn’t quite feel like home and with his mom always working, Roy feels out of place and lonely, As Roy adjusts to his new living situation, he does not forget his best friend Peter and the rest of The Cardboard Kingdom. Roy’s friendliness with the Parkside crew seems a bit suspicious to The Cardboard Kingdom at first but just because you meet new friends, it doesn’t mean you lose your old friends.
Another theme that shows up in a few stories is the role of girls in the 21st C. Connie’s mom is not a fan of Connie when Connie is a robot while Connie’s dad encourages it. How to navigate your parents when they have difference of opinions, is presented here with finesse. Connie’s mom learns that letting Connie play and express herself rather than what society expects from her is far healthier way for Connie to grow up. In Sophie’s vignettes, Sophie’s MeeMaw comes to visit but she’s not a fan of Sophie as The Big Banshee (girls should be quiet and ladylike) or feels that Raven, Sophie’s mom’s girlfriend, is appropriate for Sophie’s mom. Like Connie’s mom, MeeMaw learns that loving relationships come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, and she accepts the changes in her daughter’s, and Connie’s, life with aplomb.
What I love about The Cardboard Kingdom series is how each of the vignettes plays out an important aspect of growing up without being too heavy handed. The series is a good primer for moving through a young life and the obstacles they can overcome from new relationships to learning people skills to navigate something tricky such as divorce.
While each vignette has its own writer (whose vignette draws from their childhood), Chad Sell remains the primary artist. His art is so fun and engaging, even when there are only action panels, you do not miss out on a thing. Whoever the colorist is (one is not listed in the about section) does a fabulous job on creating a lighthearted atmosphere even when the conversation or scene is tough.
Even if you’re not a kid, or have kids, The Cardboard Kingdom series teaches something to everyone. Highly recommend.
The Cardboard Kingdom: Snow and Sorcery, Vol. 3 By Chad Sell Art by Chad Sell Knopf, 2023 ISBN: 9780593481615
Crazy Like a Fox: Adventures in Schizophrenia tells the story of Fox Foxerson who moves to the big city from Kansas. Fox goes to a party he finds from a flier and meets Teddy, Snake, and Dodo. Fox has a good time and becomes friends with all of them. He even has a crush on Snake.
As Fox navigates his new life, things begin to happen. He drinks a lot when he’s in crisis, but he doesn’t recognize the crisis. He begins to imagine that the creature he sees in the mirror is scary, his non-existent friend Spider has drunk all his beer, and he also believes that everyone is out to get him.
Fox’s friends, and family, understandably want him to get well. They have him committed to the psych hospital several times but Fox refuses to attend therapy, doesn’t take his meds, and thinks the doctors don’t listen to him. This behavior cycles until chapter 15, “Looking for a Hero,” when Fox comes to his own realization he needs help, he doesn’t want to die, and he’s willing to accept that help. He friends drive him, dressed as a superhero and with a blue star over one eye he drew with an eyeliner, to the hospital. This hospital is different from the others. Here, Fox is placed with others who have schizophrenia so now he has peers who can relate with him. Therapy also teaches him art and music which helps Fox get a handle on his emotions and thoughts. He also learns that not only can he ask for help, but he can also talk about the side effects of his meds and have them changed something that was never mentioned in the past hospitalizations.
In chapter 16, “Flowers for Buddha,” his support team says he’s well enough to go home! Fox discovers the beauty in the world, one that he thought was lost to him, as he walks home. When he gets there, he sees his friends have kept his apartment in top form as well as taking care of his cat, Cat. Fox learns that it’s okay to have strong feelings and emotions and that there is always help if he’s in crisis.
I purposely skipped summarizing chapters 1-14 because while I gave a brief synopsis of the book, I want the reader to discover Fox’s story as it unfolds. I want you to laugh, cry, and feel Fox’s life as he cycles through his illness. It’s incredibly important for the reader to understand the pain Fox is going through, and that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
The writer and artist Christi Furnas has schizophrenia. In a Q & A with the publisher, Christi says that creating the characters as animals will, “give us all a little emotional distance from my life. The creatures were a way to make me laugh.” What someone with mental illness wants, and I can say this with authority as I’m bipolar, is to be understood and while the diagnosis can be scary, we can live normal and healthy lives.
And it is a thing worth noting that seeking and getting help for a mental illness is a complicated process. Sometimes you are denied help, or it just never comes and Furnas captures this beautifully. When I was in crisis years ago, I sat in the waiting room at a community clinic for seven hours. When I finally checked in to see when I could be seen, the therapists had already gone home but no one every told me. Sometimes getting the right help can takes months or even years.
While Furnas’ is a trained artist, and sometimes work in oils, this work is strictly line drawings. No color. No shading. You might dismiss them as too simplistic, which honestly, I did the first time I read the book, but it’s not. Her work conveys a lot of emotion and humor as Fox’s story, and himself, unravel.
Representation matters, especially in mental illness. I’m only aware of two graphic novels out about being bipolar Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, and Me: A Graphic Memoir (2012) by Ellen Fornay and the follow-up, Rock Steady (2018). Christi Furnas’ visibility about her illness in such a public forum gives me hope that mental health will hopefully be further destigmatized. And if other books like Crazy Like Fox get published, the future seems brighter that will happen.
I, without any reservation, wholly recommend this book for collections. Patrons should have access to titles from marginalized groups and if any title meets that goal, it’s Crazy Like a Fox.
I want to end this review with a quote from Furnas at the end of the book, “For those who live with a disability or illness, in the times you feel tired or beaten down, know that you’re strong. Life is worth the effort. Your self-awareness is powerful, and you are your own best witness.” (261)
If you are in crisis, call or text 988 to get support and help.
Crazy Like a Fox: Adventures in Schizophrenia By Christi Furnas Street Noise, 2024 ISBN: 9781951491284
NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+) Creator Representation: Queer, Schizoaffective Disorder
When Evie is trapped in the Cretaceous period, she quickly discovers she’ll need to engage with her surroundings to survive.
Evie rescues an egg from being eaten after several terrifying encounters with a variety of dinosaurs. The egg hatches into a pterosaur she names Ada and together they find a way to survive in an abandoned human building. Evie discovers that there are recordings from the building’s previous inhabitant, Jameson, who reports on various nearby food sources such as fruit trees and fish. Jameson also mentions a device known as a temporal communicator that allows the user to communicate across all of time. Unfortunately, it is at their second base. And although Evie finds a map with the second base’s location, it is quite a distance away across a large body of water.
By this time, Ada appears to be an adult, so Evie decides to try flying on Ada to reach the second base. This involves making a saddle and reins, as well as training and practice for both Evie and Ada to adjust to the extra weight and long distances. When they make it to the second base, Ada, trying to help, accidentally dislodges the battery of the temporal communicator that is then scooped up by a water dwelling dinosaur. Evie had been looking forward to apologizing to her moms due to a fight she’d had with them right before she disappeared. Frustrated with Ada, she despairs of ever speaking with her parents again and ignores her companion in her grief. Eventually, she realizes that she is hurting Ada and herself with this behavior, and they find a way to power the communicator.
This book was marketed as How to Train Your Dragon meets Jurassic World, and I can see why. The relationship between Evie and Ada is central to the plot and it contains dinosaurs. What I didn’t know, until almost the end, is that Evie is from a time that has developed time travel, so she isn’t surprised to find a building as much as she is surprised to find one so quickly. However, that isn’t explicitly stated nor is that fact mentioned in the summary, so I was confused at first as to how Evie was able to travel back in time, since the story starts when she wakes up in the Cretaceous period. Otherwise, the story is simple to follow and the colorful illustrations are sure to appeal to the middle grade audience it was written for. The bright colors also convey the hopefulness and resilience of the main character. Darker colors are reserved for night scenes and during Evie’s grief period.
Readers will be happy to know this looks like a standalone with a happy ending and that the dinosaurs are illustrated in the updated form with feathers on many of them. There are also a few pages at the end devoted to labeling the various dinosaurs featured throughout the story. The casual diversity of Evie having two mothers is refreshing and sure to appeal to readers looking for representation that isn’t central to the plot or relationships of the characters. I recommend this for any middle grade collection and especially to middle grade readers interested in dinosaurs or portal fantasy (even though this is technically science fiction).
Lost Time By Tas Mukanik Razorbill, 2023 ISBN: 9780593327036
Publisher Age Rating: 8-12 NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11), Tween (10-13)
Magnus, Zoey, Pickles, and Tonka are four doggy pals who are playing their first game of Dungeons & Dragons. They’ve made their characters: Zoey plays a thoughtful cleric, Pickles a swaggering fighter, and Tonka a playful bard. As game master, Magnus sets the scene and plays all the other characters, like villains and townsfolk.
The adventure is off to a great start. After retrieving a lost magical collar, they are the toast of the town of Tail’s Bend. (The town is, of course, also populated with dogs, so they toast with hot dog water.) But Tail’s Bend has another problem: all the squeaky toys in town have disappeared, and the mayor’s son Squish—who is just a puppy—has run off to look for them. Sounds like a job for the DnDoggos! With the real-life players rolling dice, getting creative, and taking plenty of snack breaks, their characters brave a creepy forest, magical monsters, and a doggy gang that is up to no good.
This cute, funny story doesn’t require readers to understand Dungeons & Dragons. In fact, the players in the book are new to the game, so Magnus sometimes gives a brief, beginner-friendly explanation of how something works. Readers who are familiar with D&D, however, will get an extra kick out of some jokes, like the fact that the players keep asking random villagers their names, forcing Magnus to scramble to name them.
Because D&D includes combat, there are a few battle scenes in the in-game portion of this book. They are totally bloodless, and often a bit silly, with the only harm done to a couple of supernatural monsters. There is never a real sense that any dogs might get seriously hurt. (And if they get a little hurt, well, that’s what the cleric is for.)
The art is colorful and active. Each of the DnDoggos looks similar to the dog playing them, but the fantasy world and its characters are far more detailed than the players at their gaming table. This makes it easy to remember which character goes with which player, but also easy to tell whether a given panel is set inside or outside the game. It also helps that the DnDoggos are outfitted as adventurers, dressed in medieval tunics, cloaks, armor, and such, while the doggy players do not wear clothes. There is lots of variety in the page layouts, with regular panels interspersed with borderless panels that spill across whole sections of the page, giving a sense of uncontained exuberance and movement.
Silly jokes abound, both in the fantasy world and at the gaming table. Some of the humor is based on the characters and their personalities—Tonka plays a bard with a magic kazoo, Pickles has very little tact, and Zoey can’t lie even to the bad guys—while some is about D&D or about dogs. The jokes keep things light, which works well given the overall feeling of friends having fun together, inside and outside the game.
This is a fun, silly romp with cute dogs and an accessible introduction to what a session of Dungeons & Dragons looks like. Hand it to anyone with an interest in D&D, whether or not they have played before.
DnDoggos vol. 1: Get the Party Started By Scout Underhill Art by Scout Underhill Feiwel and Friends, 2024 ISBN: 9781250834348
Publisher Age Rating: 9-12 NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11), Tween (10-13) Creator Representation: Queer, Nonbinary
Devilfish Bay. She lives with her internet chef father, Raymond, and her loyal canine companion, Vincent. She is a bookworm and devours any book put in front of her. 
to tell her who she should be. This includes everyone from her overbearing and very traditional Chinese mother to her best friends and bandmates. It seems like everyone has an opinion on who Lindsey should be and where her attention should be focused, be it the band or her studies.
Mercy Harding is a monster.
that… quacks. The dreaded Moby Duck, a man made monster, ominously waddles to the center of the center volume in the Cryptid Kids series from Sara Goetter and Natalie Riess.
at combat or at magic. So when the royal traveling party is attacked, and the queen badly wounded, the best Alya can do is run away. Unfortunately, she can’t outrun the attackers’ magic, and now she is under a curse: during the day, she turns into a goat, and only returns to human form at night.
Santiago—Santi to his friends—is both excited and nervous to spend the summer with his beloved Abuela Emma. Excited, because he loves his grandmother (and her Colombian cooking), and her small town sounds like an interesting change from his NYC home. Nervous, because a big goal for this visit is to practice his Spanish, and he’s afraid he won’t be able to keep up.
deal with growing up. In their kingdom, the kids can be anything they want to be from sorceress and rogues to gargoyles and princes. The play is inclusive and while it may take some time for some of the kids to find their way, everyone is indeed welcome.
Crazy Like a Fox: Adventures in Schizophrenia tells the story of Fox Foxerson who moves to the big city from Kansas. Fox goes to a party he finds from a flier and meets Teddy, Snake, and Dodo. Fox has a good time and becomes friends with all of them. He even has a crush on Snake.
When Evie is trapped in the Cretaceous period, she quickly discovers she’ll need to engage with her surroundings to survive.
Magnus, Zoey, Pickles, and Tonka are four doggy pals who are playing their first game of Dungeons & Dragons. They’ve made their characters: Zoey plays a thoughtful cleric, Pickles a swaggering fighter, and Tonka a playful bard. As game master, Magnus sets the scene and plays all the other characters, like villains and townsfolk.
