Victor is a necromancer, with magic in his blood that lets him cast spells. If anyone finds out, he would be put to death: necromancy is illegal and fanatically persecuted by the religious order that polices the city. And it’s not easy to hide, given that every transaction–from buying a snack to getting married – requires a blood signature, and necromancer blood visibly glows with magic. So Victor keeps to the shadows, solitary except for his cute one-eyed cat, just trying to survive.
Then wealthy young banking heir Enrique makes him an offer: use magic to resurrect his dead bride, and Enrique will use his vast resources to smuggle Victor out of the city to a place where necromancy isn’t illegal, where he can live a normal life. Victor reluctantly agrees, though he isn’t familiar with the spell Enrique instructs him to use. And neither of them expects the result: Enrique’s bride, Mercedes, is resurrected, but her life is bound to Victor’s. If they get too far apart, she’ll die. She has also come back a little… different. For one thing, she has no memories. For another, her beautiful body is now crisscrossed with stitches–and extremely strong. And then there’s the awkward fact that she’s extremely drawn to Victor. Is it just because of the spell, or something more?
Even if Mercedes doesn’t remember him, Enrique isn’t ready to give up on her. And if she can’t be separated from Victor, well, the three of them will just have to stay together. Which might just lead to more romance than any of them was expecting.
Love Me to Death started as a popular Webtoon, inspired by Frankenstein and influenced by Disney films like The Hunchback of Notre Dame. It also reflects the creators’ love for Mexican culture, especially in its lush visuals, which often call to mind Day of the Dead celebrations.
The story revels in cute, often silly romantic tropes. Oops, Mercedes saw Victor shirtless, and he’s hot! Oh no, they tripped and fell on top of each other! People keep mistaking them for a couple! Blushing abounds! There are serious elements to the plot – it’s dangerous to even associate with a necromancer, let alone be one, and also Mercedes is starting to wonder if she might have been murdered. Sometimes the romance, too, is more serious: Victor has major emotional scars, Mercedes is confused and scared by her new situation, and both have trouble believing that someone could want them when most people would consider them monsters. But there’s also lots of humor and sweet moments. There are a few hints in the direction of the three main characters ending up in a polyamorous relationship, but that’s as far as it goes in this volume, though the author’s note at the end confirms that that’s where things are going.
The artwork is colorful and expressive, full of pretty settings and even prettier people. Victor and Enrique are both cute while being very different types, and Mercedes looks like an attractive woman in a very effective “sexy Frankenstein” Halloween costume. (During a costume party, another character basically assumes that’s what she is.) There are a few manga-esque elements, like roses appearing around Enrique when he smiles and characters looking chibi sometimes in funny moments. We see elegant architecture, fun outfits, colorful festival décor, and lots of sparkly magic. This volume also contains a bonus short story about Victor’s past, which is mostly text with just a few illustrations.
Love Me to Death combines an interesting fantasy setting, sympathetic characters, and hefty doses of both angst and humor. Hand it to fans of shojo manga and fantasy romance.
Love Me to Death By Toonimated Little, Brown, 2026 ISBN: 9780316587198
Company Age Rating: 14+
NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+), Older Teen (16-18), Teen (13-16)
During a time of year that can be focused on romantic love, No Flying No Tights invites you to show a little love to yourself. Our list month includes stories of self discovery, self acceptance, and learning to love oneself.
All's Faire in Middle School
Victoria Jamieson
Imogene knows about battles and quests; she grew up helping her parents run their shop at the Florida Renaissance Faire, but she is about to face her toughest quest yet. Going to a public middle school after years of homeschooling. It's also her first year squiring at the Renaissance Faire, which means she'll be learning to in and outs of being a cast member at the faire. Will Imogene have to change who she is to fit in at this new school, or will she learn that being true to yourself and choosing happiness is the best way to find true friendship?
Fans of Drama by Raina Telgemeier or the author's debut, Roller Girl, will enjoy a quirky tale of learning to find your people in middle school.
Content Notes
Background depictions of adult drinking alcohol
Recommended by
Tayla Cardillo
Becoming Who We Are
Sammy Lisel
Hazel Newlevant
This is a collection of comics written by trans adults about their childhoods, exploring their dreams and how they achieved them. People of all walks of life, from actors to forest rangers to teachers, talk about their experiences as trans kids with big dreams for the future. And because this is an anthology with stories from many people, there are all kinds of perspectives, and the stories are kept short, making it easy for kids to pick up and read.
Appeals to
Families with trans or gender exploring children would benefit from reading the stories together, but of course, anyone who wants to know more about what the trans experience can look like would benefit from picking up this book. The comics are kept light and focused on their successes, and it's fun to have different writer/artist teams for each comic, giving each its own look and feel.
Content Notes
The typical for trans stories: gender dysphoria and/or body dysmorphia, homophobia, transphobia
Creator Identities:
Queer |
Nonbinary, Trans |
Main Character Identities:
Queer |
Nonbinary, Trans |
Recommended by
Shannan Prukop
Flip
Ngozi Ukazu
Chi-Chi is a Black scholarship student at an elite school. She has great friends who also love K-pop and comics, yet Chi-Chi struggles to feel confident and crushes hard on white boys, most recently Flip, a swimmer who has his own set of problems. When Flip turns down her promposal, Chi-Chi wishes she could have him...and soon finds herself waking up in his body.
Appeals to
With its powerful visuals, hilarious body-swapping hijinks, and a strong emotional tale of self-love and growth at its center, Flip is another excellent title from the creator of Check, Please. Give this to readers looking for stories that explore self-acceptance in a thoughtful, humorous way.
Creator Identities:
Nigerian-American |
Main Character Identities:
Black |
Recommended by
Megan Rupe
Frizzy
Claribel A. Ortega
Rose Bousamra
Marlene's mom wants to make sure she's growing up right, so she forces Marlene to get her hair straightened every week, to fix it and make it good hair. This is a part of her life she hates: the salon, the straightening, her mom's constant lectures about growing up and looking a certain way. She finds solace with her tía Ruby and her best friend Camila, but then a dreaded day comes: her perfect cousin's quinceñera, where all of Marlene's flaws will be perfectly contrasted to her cousin's perfection. Together with Tía Ruby and Camila, Marlene finds the strength to embrace her hair and who she is, not what her mom wants her to be.
Appeals to
This is the book for all the kids who hate their curly hair, fight with how they look compared to what's expected, or struggle to get their parents to understand what they want. It's sweet, funny, and ultimately, even the mom character is a well-rounded person, not just the villain of the story. It really portrays how messy and beautiful family and growing up can be.
Creator Identities:
Dominican-American |
Queer |
Nonbinary |
Main Character Identities:
Dominican-American |
Recommended by
Shannan Prukop
Halfway There: A Graphic Memoir of Self-Discovery
Christine Mari
Christine struggles to accept herself because of people’s treatment of her multiracial identity. With fond childhood memories of Japan, she decides to return to make herself feel whole again. Once in Japan, Christine finds that the same feelings and experiences have followed her, and she sinks into depression.
Appeals to
With powerful visuals that skillfully capture both Christine’s life in Japan and emotional turmoil, Halfway There is a powerful, touching story of a woman wrestling with self-acceptance and discovery. Readers looking for stories that explore the impact of identity on mental health and self-acceptance will want to pick this one up.
Content Notes
Discussion of depression and self-harm
Creator Identities:
Japanese-American, Multiracial |
Main Character Identities:
Japanese-American, Multiracial |
Recommended by
Megan Rupe
Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me
Mariko Tamaki
Rosemary Valero-O’Connell
The greatest act of self-love is leaving a relationship that no longer serves you. Frederica "Freddy", learns that the hard way during the course of her on again off again relationship with cool girl Laura Dean. The more Freddy tries to hold on to Laura Dean, the more it seems that other important things in her life, like her friends, are slipping away. Will Freddy find the courage to break this cycle with Laura Dean for good so that she can embrace the people in her life who truly care about her?
Appeals to
Fans of stories that explore the ups and downs of young queer romance, like Bloom by Kevin Panetta or The Girl from the Sea, will enjoy this bittersweet story.
Content Notes
Unhealthy relationships, teen pregnancy, abortion
Creator Identities:
Japanese-Canadian |
Queer |
Jewish |
Main Character Identities:
Assumed East Asian |
Lesbian, Queer |
Recommended by
Tayla Cardillo
Lunar New Year Love Story
Gene Luen Yang
LeUyen Pham
Valentina, named after the holiday all about love, has just about written off the possibility of love for herself. Her dad lost the love of his life, and it seems like her whole family may be cursed to spend their lives alone. She used to love Valentine's Day, carefully making valentines for her classmates and imagining Cupid himself looking over her shoulder as she worked. But when her inner cupid becomes a dark specter that gives her an ultimatum, find love by the new year or close off your heart to love forever, she has to figure out if she even believes true love is possible. Will Valentina find it in herself to open herself up to love?
Fans of Heartstopper and All the Boys I've Loved Before will enjoy this introspective and deeply personal story about learning to accept love into your life.
Content Notes
Discussion of the death of a parent, abandonment/absent parent
Creator Identities:
Chinese-American, Vietnamese American |
Main Character Identities:
Korean-American, Vietnamese American |
Recommended by
Tayla Cardillo
Masks
Margaret Rae
Beck Kubrick
Poe's horns and green skin aren't a costume; they're just part of who she is, and because of them, the hunters took her parents from her. Now she's trying to scrape by with two other monstrous kids, Rice and Shelley, but the hunters make it hard to exist. Finally, the three of them get desperate enough to try and find this supposed haven for monsters that's deep in the city and end up learning a lot about themselves, humans, and the hunters.
Appeals to
The monster analogy makes the story fun and slightly fantastical, so kids who prefer a story with at least a little of the fantastic will be more interested in picking this one up. It can easily be used in a classroom setting to discuss issues of racism and othering, as well as the violence that people being othered face, and what it can feel like in the day-to-day for them. It also discusses what leads people to be on the other side of that, why they might start pushing some people out and treating them differently, in a very digestible way for kids.
Recommended by
Shannan Prukop
Super Late Bloomer: My Early Days in Transition
Julia Kaye
In this diary-style collection of short comics, we follow Julia through the ups and downs of her early gender transition. And while there are many moments of pain, confusion, and struggle, there are also in equal measure moments of self-love, excitement, and gender joy.
Appeals to
Fans looking for a personal narrative exploring gender identity, like Fine by Rhea Ewing, or a webcomic collection that uses humor to look at some of the tougher parts of life, like Sarah's Scribbles, will find something to love here.
Content Notes
Transphobia
Creator Identities:
Trans |
Main Character Identities:
Trans |
Recommended by
Tayla Cardillo
Weirdo
Tony Weaver, Jr
Jes & Cin Wibowo
Tony loves comics, anime, and writing, but at his elite school, they make him a target. This takes Tony to a dark place until he changes schools. When trustees threaten to close his new school, Tony is going to have to make use of his weirdo ways to save the day.
Appeals to
Based on the writer’s own struggles, Weirdo is an uplifting tale of learning to love yourself and use your gifts to make a difference. Readers who found solace in Jerry Craft’s New Kid series will find similar themes of creativity and determination in Weirdo. Weirdo is also an important read for kids struggling with their mental health and self-love.
Content Notes
Discussion of suicide; scene where the character gets choked
Full of energy and emotion, Reggie is a young penguin who is always getting up to something. In Reggie: Penguin in Charge, the second book in Jen de Oliveira’s beginning reader graphic novel series, young readers will find themselves giggling along with this new set of tales starring the adorable, charming penguin.
Nine different stories make up this graphic novel, including a few interludes drawn by Reggie himself. Some of the things Reggie deals with in the book are a pet talent show that quickly goes off the rails, the coolest new toy that maybe isn’t as exciting as expected, and the sensory nightmare that is slimy slippery flippers. The stories are short but still full of activity and emotions.
The stories are set around things readers are likely familiar with in their own lives, like their attachment to their favorite stuffed animal. When the other kids’ pets are wowing the judges, Reggie’s pet fish Rover just…is a fish, making Reggie feel left out. When he loses his mom in the grocery store, Reggie quickly realizes how much he needs her and isn’t afraid to cry his emotions out. Kids will find these somewhat ordinary adventures of Reggie relatable. They aren’t alone in feeling those same kinds of emotions, he’s feeling them too.
Reggie’s passionate about the things he loves and his interests, even when they don’t work out exactly as he thought they would. They’re also learning experiences and present great jumping off points for conversation with kids. Would they want a responsibility like Reggie has as Butterfly Monitor? How would they feel if they were in that same situation? Some of the stories are drawn by Reggie. If they were telling a story from their life, would it be a comic?
The art is wonderfully colorful and bright, perfect for keeping the attention of its intended audience. The panels are short with action and movement in nearly every one. It’s fun to see the action and sound words included with the art. Some panels are chaotic in such a fun bright way, with lots happening on the page, and can be poured over to take in every single detail, which some readers certainly will.
Reggie: Penguin in Charge is a joyful, sweet graphic novel for beginning readers. It would work great as a read aloud with a smaller group or a read along between a child and their caregiver. These stories will make you laugh and center on emotions enough to give you something to talk about when the book is done. The book is recommended for fans of heartwarming and silly comics, series like Owly and Bunbun and Bonbon. Reggie is a welcome addition to the growing collection of beginning reader graphic novel series. Readers will be eager to meet him yet again in future collections of his adventures.
Reggie: Penguin in Charge By Jen de Oliveira Little, Brown, 2024 ISBN: 9780759557574
Our team has put together a list of comics and manga to celebrate the season of love. So whether you’re a single pringle this valentine’s day or spending it with your sweetie, please enjoy our list featuring stories all about that crazy little thing called love.
A Sign of Affection
suu Morishita
Yuki is a college student who is fairly shy. She prefers to spend her time with her few friends. One day, while hanging out with one, she meets a charismatic guy who, despite knowing several languages and traveling for fun, knows no sign language. That's important since Yuki has congenital hearing loss. While she can read lips, it's, of course, easier to talk in a shared language. Thus begins a relationship founded on learning and teaching languages and the importance of communication.
Appeals to
Readers who enjoy an unexpected pairing in manga like In the Clear Moonlit Dusk, My Love Mix-Up, or Kimi No Todoke: From Me to You will likely enjoy this one. And because this series is so thoughtfully researched and designed, readers looking for more disability representation, especially for main characters, will appreciate A Sign of Affection.
Creator Identities:
Japanese |
Main Character Identities: Japanese |
Recommended by
Shannan Prukop
Cheer Up! Love and Pompoms
Crystal Frasier
Val Wise
Annie is the antisocial loner who has top grades and a prickly, rebellious personality; Bebe is a trans girl who feels she has to please everyone. When Annie joins the cheerleading team to round out her college applications, she and Bebe rekindle their previous friendship, and soon it becomes something more.
Appeals to
Fans of the coming-of-age and sports elements of Check Please and readers looking for a light, fun teen romance
Content Notes
Transphobia in sports
Creator Identities:
Gender Nonconforming, Intersex, Trans |
Main Character Identities: Lesbian, Queer |
Recommended by
Tayla Cardillo
Kiss Number 8
Colleen AF Venable
Ellen T Crenshaw
Amanda has kissed many frogs trying to find her prince, but her eighth kiss shows her that she might be interested in princes and princesses, but it also may break her friend group apart. On top of dealing with keeping her interest in girls a secret, she receives a mysterious letter in the mail promising her an inheritance from her paternal grandfather who she’s never met. As Amanda tries to discover more about this relative, she discovers that she may not be the only person in her family that her parents need to learn to accept.
Anyone who is looking for a sign that it indeed does get better. Young adults who have people in their lives (family, friends, school) who are not accepting of their identity at first will feel seen by this story and given hope that they will find their people someday.
Content Notes
Homophobia, Transphobia
Creator Identities:
Gender Nonconforming |
Main Character Identities: Bisexual |
Recommended by
Tayla Cardillo
Lunar New Year Love Story
Gene Luen Yang
LeUyen Pham
Valentina’s family has never been lucky in love, and, with all the trouble in her life, Val is afraid she’s destined to follow in their footsteps. She makes a deal with St. Valentine, an apparition of her namesake: if she doesn’t find love within a year, he will take away her heart. When she meets two lion dancers, Val thinks she may have a chance to break the cycle. With lovely illustrations thoughtfully colored to capture Val’s highs and lows as she navigates the nature of love, this is a tender story of love and connection you don’t want to miss.
Readers who enjoy thoughtful romances will want to pick up Lunar New Year Love Story. Additionally, readers who have enjoyed Gene Luen Yang’s previous work will appreciate the presence of the same sensitive and thoughtful writing that permeates his other stories.
Creator Identities:
Chinese-American, Vietnamese American |
Main Character Identities: Chinese-American, Korean-American, Vietnamese American |
Recommended by
Megan Rupe
My Love Story with Yamada-Kun at lv999
Mashiro
Akane was going to delete the game she and her ex used to play together, but instead, she started using it to deal with her feelings by killing low-level monsters. Then she meets a reclusive player who seems super elite if incredibly awkward, that's a member of her guild. Then, at an in-person event for the game, she sees her ex and, for some reason, decides to say this recluse, who happens to be there too, is her boyfriend. Now she's starting to get feelings for him, and he seems to only care about the game.
Appeals to
Perfect for readers who like a romance story that focuses on people with hobbies that include online gaming and those who enjoy manga like Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku or My Dress-Up Darling. The romance builds slowly, with lots of room to breathe and moments of daily life, so it may not be as interesting for those who want fast-paced, intense romance.
Creator Identities:
Japanese |
Main Character Identities: Japanese |
Recommended by
Shannan Prukop
Navigating With You
Jeremy Whitley
Cassio Ribeiro
Neesha Sparks, activist, and seamstress extraordinaire, is determined to approach her new school with caution; she is leery about how the school will treat her because of her blackness and cerebral palsy. At first glance, the other new girl, Gabby, doesn’t seem to be friend material, but they soon connect and discover they were once obsessed with the same manga series but never finished it. The girls decide to start a book club to finish the series. As they continue their quest, their relationship deepens into something more.
Navigating with You’s strong character dynamics and book-focused premise will appeal to fans of character-driven romance such as Heartstopper and readers looking for a sweet, book-focused romance. The story also includes strong disability representation, showing both characters navigating their lives and helping each other without letting the disability take over.
Content Notes
Ableism; sexism; PTSD episode
Recommended by
Megan Rupe
Roaming
Mariko Tamaki
Jillian Tamaki
It is the Spring Break of 2009, and Canadian college freshmen Dani and Zoe are meeting up for the first time since graduating high school by going to New York, joined by Zoe's classmate Fiona, who's familiar with the area. And so begins a beautiful and messy story of love between people, both platonic and romantic, love for life and cities, the excitement of new experiences, and embracing the mess of it all.
As a time capsule of the 00s, Roaming will appeal to Millennial readers who remember their youths in those times. Since that period has become popular again, some older teen readers might also enjoy it. Readers who like messy stories about young adults like Girl Juice or Punk Rock Karaoke might also want to pick this one up.
Creator Identities:
Japanese-Canadian |
Lesbian |
Main Character Identities: Canadian |
Recommended by
Shannan Prukop
Skip and Loafer
Misaki Takamatsu
Mitsumi is a small-town girl with big dreams that include becoming mayor of her hometown someday. But to do that, she has to start with going to high school in the big city. Things quickly go awry the morning of the entrance ceremony, but a boy with fluffy blond hair helps her make it to school relatively on time. He turns out to be Sosuke, a guy with a reputation for skipping class and being charming with girls. Mitsumi has much to learn about life in Tokyo, so Sosuke and her new friends do their best to teach her.
Appeals to
The lighthearted mood of Skip and Loafer means it'll be a big hit with fans of series like Honey Lemon Soda and Insomniacs After School. Because romance builds slowly, the series can be a great suggestion for readers who want to try out more romantic stories but aren't into the standard romance or don't want the story to focus heavily on romance.
Creator Identities:
Japanese |
Main Character Identities: Japanese |
Recommended by
Shannan Prukop
Something New: Tales of a Makeshift Bride
Lucy Knisley
First comes love, then comes marriage, and that means a wedding. In this funny and warm graphic memoir, Knisley takes us along for the ride as she plans a sweet DIY barn wedding as well as navigating her feeling about wedding traditions and their patriarchal and heteronormative origins.
Appeals to
For anyone who felt like planning their wedding was getting thrown into the deep end without being able to swim, this book is for you.
Creator Identities:
Bisexual |
Main Character Identities: Bisexual |
Recommended by
Tayla Cardillo
Space Story
Fiona Ostby
As humans evacuate to a space station, Hannah waits for her wife Leah and child Bird, whom she had to leave behind. Meanwhile, on an increasingly dangerous Earth, Leah and Bird rush to build a rocket ship. As the departure window closes, will Hannah and her family be reunited?
Appeals to
With a simple and effective palette, Ostby weaves Hannah and Leah’s courtship with the current agonizing circumstances into a touching story of love, fear, and hope. Readers who like quieter science-fiction and romance-such as Tillie Walden’s On a Sunbeam-will want to pick up Space Story. With its emphasis on striving forward in the face of difficult circumstances, this will be a comforting read to readers looking for hope and resilience.
Content Notes
Some nudity but makes sense in context
Creator Identities:
Main Character Identities: Lesbian |
Recommended by
Megan Rupe
Stage Dreams
Melanie Gillman
When outlaw Flor kidnaps Grace, the two women soon find themselves in an unexpected partnership. Flor is looking for her last big take; Grace is avoiding enlistment and dreaming of the stage. When they discover a group of Confederate loyalists are throwing a party, they decide to sneak in to steal information that will help the Union.
Appeals to
With a delightful cast of characters and charming art, readers looking for a romantic, playful adventure will want to pick up Stage Dreams.
Content Notes
Some blood and violence
Creator Identities:
Nonbinary |
Main Character Identities: Trans |
Recommended by
Megan Rupe
The Prince and the Dressmaker
Jen Wang
Prince Sebastian seems like any other royal; he has servants, lives in a palace, and his parent throws elaborate balls to try and find him a bride. What people don't see is that he lives a secret second life, where he sneaks out of the castle at night as the stunning Lady Crystallia. After seeing a young seamstress's avant-garde dress at a ball, he knows he needs her to make dresses for him. Will Sebastian find the courage to be his true self? And will these two young people find a bond stronger than the client and dressmaker along the way?
I loved the first volume of Oddball Histories from Andy Warner, focusing on pets, with a fun blend of fact, humor, and cheerful art. However, I am blown away by his next volume featuring plants, particularly the foods.
Warner divides this dense subject into ten broad categories; Wood, wheat, corn, rice, peppers, sugar, potatoes, tea, tulips, and cotton. Readers who have even a passing knowledge of history are going to look at that list and think there’s no way this author could fit all that into a children’s book, let alone offer a respectful treatment of indigenous cultures, acknowledgement of historical inequities and trauma, and still make it a funny book the kids will love to read.
But, amazingly, he does! Each chapter is packed with information and Warner focuses front and center on the indigenous, enslaved, immigrant, and marginalized cultures that domesticated, farmed, and cultivated the crops that changed the world. He doesn’t shy away from the brutal facts of colonization, enslavement, famine, and environmental destruction, but treats these sensitive subjects respectfully with a dry sense of humor.
The art is full of fine details, clean lines, and bold colors. There are several narrative threads to follow in the book; mostly wordless panels, with a scattering of word bubbles, illustrate the general narrative and add humorous commentary. The panels also regularly open out into wider images showing maps and scenery to give more context. The general narration is shown in colored boxes, shifting color for each chapter. There are also short sentences in larger font focusing on various points in the narration.
A spread from the chapter on corn is a good example of the many details in Warner’s layout. Two sentences in large type, against a salmon-pink background, describe the city of Tenochtitlan. A large illustration spreading across the top of two pages lays out the city, showing the bridges and canals across the lake. A series of panels on the bottom half illustrates the floating gardens, or chinampas, with indigenous workers, joking about living in a lake or popping out of the panel to yell “Poop power!” The last panel shows a startled farmer in a cornfield who says “Excuse me?” to the arrival of a duo of armor-clad Spanish explorers and a priest who declare “We’re here for your peppers and gold! Oh, we’ll also give you a bunch of diseases and kill you.”
The introduction also offers an opportunity to read each chapter as a separate narrative or to follow the overarching narrative via footnotes and warns readers that the book deals with difficult and serious subjects, but there are also lots of “dumb jokes to make the whole thing go down easy.” Readers will groan at the puns, smirk at the snarky comments of Irish farmers struggling to survive, and learn about investments while shaking their heads at the wild story of the craze for tulips. The book ends with a reflection on the intersections of history, environment, and the food we grow and eat, speculating on the future, and encouraging readers to focus on the way we are all connected.
This book reminded me vividly of Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales which manage to bring tragic, often bloody events to life with humor and heart. Even if readers aren’t inspired to delve deeper into the various subjects that are introduced, they will have gotten an excellent introduction to world history, plenty of food for thought, and a new appreciation of the plants around us.
Oddball Histories: Spices and Spuds By Andy Warner Little Brown, 2024 ISBN: 9780316498272
NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11), Teen (13-16), Tween (10-13)
Ash attends performing arts camp every summer, but this summer will be different. They’ve been chosen as stage manager for the musical Ella, and they are bursting with ideas to make this the best show ever. Plus, camp means reuniting with Ash’s best friend Ivy, who also happens to be the star of the musical. And this summer, maybe Ash can finally admit that they have a huge crush on Ivy.
But nothing is going as Ash hoped. They aren’t in the same cabin as Ivy. And Ivy is spending an awful lot of time with her charming costar. The summer is slipping away, and Ash is starting to panic. This is the last year Ash and Ivy will attend camp, and then they’re both starting different high schools and may never see each other again. What if they miss their chance to tell Ivy how they feel?
Ash is so preoccupied that they start to let things slip. They aren’t keeping up with their stage manager duties, and they barely interact with their cabinmates. If they aren’t careful, they might mess up not just their relationship with Ivy, but their other friendships and even the big musical. Ash’s last summer at camp was supposed to be a triumph. Can they save it from being a disaster?
Ash is a sympathetic tween protagonist: passionate and well-intentioned, but also anxious and prone to getting wrapped up in their feelings. Ivy and the rest of the cast are also passionate and creative–they are at performing arts camp, after all–as well as kind and supportive. Diversity of race, gender identity, orientation, and more are all casually portrayed and consistently respected by the characters.
In addition to the relationship plotline, the book covers a lot of fun theater stuff. Since the big musical will be performed at the end of camp, preparing for it provides a built-in timeline of the summer. Being the stage manager, Ash starts out with a notebook full of ideas and a bunch of crew members to organize. As the summer goes on, we see progress being made: set pieces and costumes are assembled, makeup and lighting are planned, etc. There are also interesting references to the other creative projects going on at camp besides the musical.
The art is a slightly simplified cartoon style, though with easily enough detail to differentiate the characters and set the scenes. The colors are mostly soft and natural, with a lot of earth tones–a good fit for a summer camp, where many scenes take place in cabins or outside. There is also frequent use of colorful screentone backgrounds, which add visual variety without being distracting.
Ash’s thoughts often appear in the form of doodles in their notebook, where they and Ivy are drawn in a different style (Ash’s art style, presumably) from the rest of the book. Here we see things that Ash wants to say but doesn’t, or imagines that other people might say. These notebook doodles are black and white, with the lines of the ruled paper visible behind them, which makes them immediately distinct from the rest of the book.
This is a story of relationships, responsibility, and forgiveness, with lots of fun theater kid and summer camp situations. Ash isn’t perfect, but they mean well and do their best to fix their mistakes, and their friends are willing to meet them halfway. Hand this goodhearted story to fans of other emotional realistic middle-grade fiction, like Victoria Jamieson, Kayla Miller, and, of course, Raina Telgemeier.
Upstaged By Robin Easter Little, Brown, 2024 ISBN: 9780316429429
Publisher Age Rating: 7-12
NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11), Tween (10-13) Creator Representation: Nonbinary , Character Representation: Nonbinary,
Silent meditation retreats are havens for deep, spiritual enlightenment, and it’s the last place Binh wants to be—especially after fighting off a bully in school for having taunted his Vietnamese heritage. From award-winning author and graphic novelist Minh Lê (Drawn Together, Green Lantern: Legacy) and New York Times bestselling illustrator Chan Chau (Baby-Sitter’s Club) comes Enlighten Me, a coming-of-age story steeped in Buddhist traditions, history, and folklore.
The story begins with Binh and his family headed to the peaceful Three Jewels Mountain Retreat, a silent meditation camp where he surrenders his treasured Game Boy upon arriving. This is the last place he expected to find himself after defending himself from a school bully who directed anti-Asian slurs at his Vietnamese culture. Why was he punished for being the victim? The vice principal figured a weekend family trip here would address his violent behavior. He joins the others kids to practice the art of meditation, but before long, sore legs, a stiff back, and disruptive thoughts invade his mind and distract his focus. Not until Sister Peace, one of the Buddhist monks, begins recounting wondrous tales about the Buddha does Binh embark on a path toward self-enlightenment and deep understanding.
The plot shifts into gear as Binh learns about Prince Siddhartha—a young boy sheltered from the evils of the world—who would one day venture beyond the walls of the royal palace, destined to become the Buddha. Another story drawn from the Jataka tales, stories of the Buddha’s past lives, reveals how as a young prince, he wielded five deadly weapons to combat a ferocious monster lurking deep inside a dark forest. In another tale about devotion to family, Buddha in the form of a golden deer gets caught in a trap, so its siblings come to its aid, refusing to leave its side even when a hunter comes along. Lê and Chau have created a delightfully heartwarming story that blends snatches of humor with moments that capture Binh’s hyperactive fascination with videogames. From serene images of nature to the digital world of Donkey Kong, he envisions himself floating through nebulous space in dynamically arranged panels. Events in the present unfold as Binh imagines taking part in adventures from the traditional tales, each one bearing a nugget of wisdom.
Structured in a semi-episodic style similar to the Arabian Nights, Enlighten Me paves an intriguing path into Buddhist philosophies, yet also weaves in themes of bullying, fitting in, self-control, community building, and finding oneself in the moment. This entertaining and thoughtful semiautobiographical graphic novel highlights a unique perspective on how one middle-schooler learns to navigate the challenges of life to find inner peace through self-disciplined mindfulness, thereby adding a culturally enriching experience to middle grade collections.
Enlighten Me Vol. By Minh Lê Art by Chan Chau Little, Brown, 2023 ISBN: 9780759555488
NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11) Creator Representation: Vietnamese American, Character Representation: Vietnamese American,
The graphic novel Wildfire grapples with the experiences of Julianna, a middle schooler, and the traumatizing effects of wildfires when her family loses their home in Western Oregon. The wildfire, in this instance, was caused by human negligence when some of her classmates naïvely shoot firecrackers in the woods just beyond the farmyard. Everything physical Julianna knows and cares about is obliterated by this one foolish act that she witnessed. Her pet goats survive, but she can’t take them with her when she and her family relocate to an apartment in Portland.
Julianna decides to keep her personal involvement with the wildfire a secret from her new classmates. Her new friends in grade eight are politically engaged and all belong to an environmental club which she reluctantly joins. One of the other members of the club is also a recent incoming student and, to Julianna’s horror, she recognizes Carson as one of the boys she warned about lighting the firecrackers back home. He joined the club as a condition of his mandated community service and agrees that Julianna can keep her background secret to herself. However, the trauma, stress, and anger that Julianna reins inside builds and builds until she becomes overwhelmed.
Julianna is a sympathetic and realistic character who undergoes growth and self-knowledge throughout the story arc. While the story revolves around a harrowing instance, it is a character-driven tale that should resonate with young readers. The readers, along with Julianna, learn about climate change and collaborative positive action possibilities such as trash cleanup days, tree planting, and protests. Julianna also learns that listening to other people and trying to understand their motivations and experiences can aid in mediating her own anger and angst. The author embeds relationships, environmental knowledge, post-traumatic stress, mental health, and healing into a thoughtful and realistic narrative with her writing style and illustrations. At times the text is didactic when exploring the climate crisis, but the storyline absorbs these soapbox moments as a shared experience with the characters in the graphic novel.
The thick outlines and basic backgrounds, combined with intense hues of colour, add to the vibrant settings and animated faces and emotions of the characters who are illustrated with varying skin tones.
The book concludes with a note from the author about the incentive for writing this book and information and resources for young people to become involved with climate justice and action. Recommended for middle schools, especially with those who have more than a passing experience with wildfires themselves.
Wildfire By Breena Bard Little, Brown, 2023 ISBN: 9780316277655
Publisher Age Rating: 8-14 NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11)
Character Representation: Anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Your face is crooked. You’re going to make everyone you love sick and die. You’re ugly and no one likes you and you’re going to be alone forever. The bees flying around Isaac Itkin’s mind never seem to shut up. What if they’re right? Buzzing, written by Samuel Sattin and illustrated by Rye Hickman, is a look into the life of a twelve year old boy with obsessive compulsive disorder.
Isaac was recently diagnosed with OCD. Focusing is impossible with the same intrusive thoughts never giving him a break. He just wants to get through the school day and maybe draw a little before going home where he doesn’t have to worry about being such an embarrassment. His mom is busy and his sister can’t stand to be around him, so diving into his sketchbook is the perfect way for Isaac to escape all the noise. The particular unrelenting noise of his OCD is depicted in the form of a small squad of bees that encircle him at every chance, always colorful in an otherwise drab world. They’re always waiting to pop up and ruin his day, to convince him of things that are untrue that he can’t escape.
Then Isaac meets Micah at school. Micah notices his drawing of a dragon and asks if he’s interested in joining their Swamps and Sorcery game. Similar to Dungeons and Dragons, the tabletop role playing game is all about fantasy, letting players be whoever (and whatever) they want to be as they work together. It also doesn’t hurt that Micah themself catches Isaac’s eye as he develops his first crush. Within the world of the game and the supportive circle of friends he plays with, Isaac finds life becoming more colorful day by day.
Buzzing is one of the latest graphic novels aimed at younger readers that features a RPG within the story. While parts of the game do come to life on the pages, the story isn’t so much about the game as it is about Isaac’s relationship with his new friends and his family, especially as they begin to understand his mental illness. His sister is learning how to deal with her younger brother’s new diagnosis and how to support him, even if she doesn’t quite understand.
His mom wants to keep him away from anything that could potentially be triggering and to live in the present in the real world, taking advice from doctors they’ve seen. Any reader who’s had to defend their interests to misunderstanding families will relate to Isaac and his mom. She only wants the best for him and has to listen to him to understand what that best really is. Sattin doesn’t write Isaac’s mom as bad or negative, but instead as a parent learning to understand what her son is going through.
Hickman’s art style features very expressive faces and the wordless panels contain just as much emotion as the others. The color palette fluctuates throughout the book. It’s colder and sterile when Isaac is feeling his worst but bright, warm, and colorful when he’s feeling joyful and accepted. The fantasy scenes will catch the eyes of RPG loving readers especially!
Buzzing is recommended to middle grade readers and has some cross appeal to younger teen readers. It’s also recommended to anyone working through their own OCD diagnosis or even to parents reading to better understand their child.
Buzzing By Samuel Sattin Art by Rye Hickman Little, Brown, 2023 ISBN: 9780316628419
Publisher Age Rating: 8-12 NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11), Teen (13-16), Tween (10-13)
Character Representation: Queer, OCD, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Victor is a necromancer, with magic in his blood that lets him cast spells. If anyone finds out, he would be put to death: necromancy is illegal and fanatically persecuted by the religious order that polices the city. And it’s not easy to hide, given that every transaction–from buying a snack to getting married – requires a blood signature, and necromancer blood visibly glows with magic. So Victor keeps to the shadows, solitary except for his cute one-eyed cat, just trying to survive.
Full of energy and emotion, Reggie is a young penguin who is always getting up to something. In Reggie: Penguin in Charge, the second book in Jen de Oliveira’s beginning reader graphic novel series, young readers will find themselves giggling along with this new set of tales starring the adorable, charming penguin.
However, I am blown away by his next volume featuring plants, particularly the foods.
for the musical Ella, and they are bursting with ideas to make this the best show ever. Plus, camp means reuniting with Ash’s best friend Ivy, who also happens to be the star of the musical. And this summer, maybe Ash can finally admit that they have a huge crush on Ivy.
after fighting off a bully in school for having taunted his Vietnamese heritage. From award-winning author and graphic novelist Minh Lê (Drawn Together, Green Lantern: Legacy) and New York Times bestselling illustrator Chan Chau (Baby-Sitter’s Club) comes Enlighten Me, a coming-of-age story steeped in Buddhist traditions, history, and folklore.
The graphic novel Wildfire grapples with the experiences of Julianna, a middle schooler, and the traumatizing effects of wildfires when her family loses their home in Western Oregon. The wildfire, in this instance, was caused by human negligence when some of her classmates naïvely shoot firecrackers in the woods just beyond the farmyard. Everything physical Julianna knows and cares about is obliterated by this one foolish act that she witnessed. Her pet goats survive, but she can’t take them with her when she and her family relocate to an apartment in Portland.
Your face is crooked. You’re going to make everyone you love sick and die. You’re ugly and no one likes you and you’re going to be alone forever.
