What happens when five middle school children from different walks of life wind up working together to complete their community service hours? Well, they complete their assignment, just not the one they were given. And while doing so, they discover that they are more than what their school perceives them to be. Invisible, written by Christina Diaz Gonzalez (award winning author of The Red Umbrella and Concealed) and illustrated by Gabriela Epstein (contributing illustrator for the Babysitter’s Club graphic novel series), gives readers a story about overcoming expectations and being seen as someone who can make a difference.
Conrad Middle School students George, Sara, Dayara, Nico, and Miguel have one thing in common: they all speak Spanish. They don’t know each other nor have they ever hung out together, but that all changes when they need to complete their community service hours. Their assignment: cleaning up the cafeteria each morning under the stern gaze of cafeteria lady Mrs. Grouser. As they take out the garbage and organize utensils, the group meets a mother and her young child who live in a car next to the school. Throughout the week, the children provide them with food, books, soup kitchen notices, and a job listing, meanwhile getting to know each other and becoming friends.
What makes Invisible different from other middle school graphic novels is its cast and dialogue. Not only do you have five Spanish speaking students from different parts of Latin America, but most of their conversations are spoken in their native language. For those who are unfamiliar with Spanish, Epstein prints the speech bubbles in both English and Spanish, reminding readers where these children come from. However, author Gonzalez gives each student their own background story with situations that most children, no matter what nationality they are, may experience. As the story progresses, the readers see the children as regular middle school students who want to show others that they are more than their language. Readers are also treated to a story centered on helping others and how a language barrier should not hold you back. Epstein’s artwork provides a diverse look at the many different Latin nationalities there are and their visible differences. Any emotions from the characters, especially in difficult situations, are expressed vividly without having to use dialogue of any language.
With relatable characters and a heartwarming storyline, Invisible is a must have for both school and public libraries. With its use of bilingual text, libraries that cater to Spanish speaking communities should be willing to purchase it for their collection. As for elementary and middle school students, (preferably those in grades 4-7) they will be intrigued with the methods these characters use to help someone in need and be inspired to do the same.
Invisible By Christina Diaz Gonzalez Art by Gabriella Epstein Scholastic GRAPHIX, 2022 ISBN: 9781338194548
Publisher Age Rating: 8-12
NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11), Tween (10-13) Character Representation: Latine, Spanish, Spanish-American
Mike Lowery’s distinctive art style can be seen in a wide variety of formats, including popular picture books, graphic novels, and activity books. Scholastic Graphix, which has been a forerunner in the comics market for kids, from the ground-breaking Bone to the record-breaking sales of Dog Man, is now expanding into beginning chapters with Graphix Chapters. The two are a natural fit and Mike Lowery’s new series, Bug Scouts, is a wonderful addition to the ever-growing options for beginning chapter readers who love comics.
Meet the Bug Scouts! Doug is “some kind of bug” with a spherical blue body, wings, antennae, and a cheerful disposition. Abby is a worm who loves books, dirt, and Bug Badges (she really REALLY loves getting Bug Badges!). The third, and reluctant, member of the Bug Scouts is Josh, a grouchy spider who only likes snacks. Doug and Abby are welcoming a new Bug Scout, Luna, a bug who looks rather like a miniature Doug, but with extra glow, since she’s a lightning bug. Chapter one ends with the Bug Scout Oath and the friends are ready for adventure in the next chapter. Together they go on a hike, earn some bug badges, have a frightening encounter with a frog, and even Josh ends up participating.
Lowery’s art, which is blocky with bold lines, shows to great advantage in an early reader or beginning chapter. The large, bold font and simple shapes make it easy for kids to follow the story and keep the characters straight. Their emotions are shown with grins, smiles, or frowns, nervous sparks of sweat, and lots of exclamation points, to show how excited most of the Bug Scouts are (just not Josh). The friends search through an imaginary forest, collecting plants and encountering various other creatures, but it’s clear that it’s a cartoon world. The galley provided by the publisher was in partial color, showing an array of muted, natural colors from a variety of greens to the bold blue of Doug and Luna, and not forgetting browns, oranges, and soft reds.
At under 60 pages, with short, simple sentences, this humorous offering is just right for readers transitioning into chapter books and more complex graphic novels. Readers who love Elephant and Piggie and Scholastic’s Acorn imprint will gravitate naturally to this, although kids who prefer more facts in their reading will want to stick to Elise Gravel’s Arlo & Pips or Anstee’s Shelby & Watts for a more informational experience. Readers who aren’t ready for Dav Pilkey will also appreciate this goofy adventure and it will tie in nicely to outdoor programming and activities.
Bug Scouts, vol. 1: Out in the wild! By Mike Lowery Scholastic GRAPHIX, 2022 ISBN: 9781338726336
Mimi is a happy-go-lucky girl with a charmed life—literally. Her stuffed dog, Penelope, is alive and equipped with sparkly magic that, among other things, allows Mimi to change her outfits at will. (This is not an ambiguous Calvin and Hobbes situation: everyone knows that Penelope is a living, magical plushie.) Mimi and Penelope are best friends, and they play together every day.
Mimi loves using Penelope’s magic to dress up in cute clothes. But today, being cute doesn’t seem as fun as usual. Mimi’s mom tells her not to get her cute clothes dirty. A friend’s dad won’t let her help out with moving things—he just says it’s cute of her to offer. And when the cool girls at the playground say Mimi is cute, they make her sound like a baby. Mimi gets frustrated. She’s more than just cute!
With Penelope’s dress-up magic, Mimi can try on different personas. What if she looked like a mighty superhero? Or a smart, in-charge teacher? Or a cool girl? Can Mimi find a version of herself that feels right—and remember to be a good friend to Penelope?
Shauna Grant is the creator of the webcomic Princess Love Pon, which stars a Black magical girl and draws on classic magical girl tropes like the cute companion creature, the pretty costume, and the sparkly magic powers. Unlike the heroine of that comic, Mimi is not a classic magical girl—being very young, she spends her days playing rather than fighting evil—but she certainly has some magical girl hallmarks. She even changes her outfits in a sparkly sequence with magic words!
The art style is somewhere between chibi anime characters and a Western cartoon. The colors are mostly soft, with lots of pink and purple, especially in Mimi’s room and wardrobe. The characters have big, expressive eyes and rounded features, and are decorated with fluffy details like Penelope’s ears and Mimi’s pigtails and puffy skirt. They are all, whether Mimi likes it or not, cute. The human cast is comprised entirely of Black and Latino characters. Race is never discussed, but there are some nice touches that readers of color may relate to, like Mimi waking up in a hair bonnet.
As a graphic novel designed for younger readers, the artwork is clear, and most pages have four or fewer panels. The dialogue is straightforward, but not overly simplistic or babyish. Besides Penelope, the main characters are all children, and they have interests that will be familiar to kids: wanting to have fun with friends, but also to be seen as cool and capable.
The story is a magical take on a common theme: being yourself. It has some strong emotional beats, as when Mimi begins to get frustrated with everyone calling her “cute” and Penelope hugs her, saying, “Maybe no one meant anything bad by calling you cute… but how you feel right now is what’s important.” Mimi is surrounded by caring, supportive people who did not mean to belittle her, but the book acknowledges that sometimes we feel things that aren’t what others meant to make us feel… and that we can do the same thing to others, as Mimi does to Penelope when she decides that cool girls don’t play with plushies.
This gentle, feel-good story will appeal to young readers who like sparkles and (sorry Mimi) cuteness.
Mimi and the Cutie Catastrophe Vol. By Shauna Grant Scholastic GRAPHIX, 2022 ISBN: 9781338766684
Publisher Age Rating: 7-10
NFNT Age Recommendation: Easy Readers (5-9), Middle Grade (7-11) Creator Representation: Black, Character Representation: Black,
Fifteen-year-old Tabby Simon is in a depressing rut. Her father died seven years ago in a mysterious accident. His death was attributed to mist emitted by the strange tree he was studying, but Tabby doesn’t buy that. So now, she spends all her free time studying the tree herself, in secret. But it’s going nowhere . . . until the day a handsome boy with glowing blue eyes shows up, and everything changes.
Tabby is pulled through a portal and finds herself on another planet. Rema is a beautiful world, full of alien architecture and sweeping vistas. It is also dangerous. The geists, people with supernatural powers, are feared and shunned – and some of them are plotting against the government. The Keepers, meanwhile, travel between worlds and protect the realm. The blue-eyed boy, Philip, is a Keeper who is also, secretly and unhappily, a geist. He promises to get Tabby home, but that proves difficult—maybe even impossible. Meanwhile, Tabby and Philip are beginning to grow attached to each other. Would either of them even want her to leave Rema?
And that’s before Tabby meets a strange being who knew her father. A being who knows what really happened to him—and who wants something from Tabby.
It’s easy to feel for Tabby: she’s an intensely lonely kid who misses her dad, doesn’t get along well with her mom, and seems to have no friends. This ends up being convenient, as she is not terribly upset by the prospect of being stuck in Rema, unable to return to Earth. Philip, too, is lonely. He has no family and is isolated by his dangerous secrets. The book drops hints of a tragic backstory, too. Tabby finds Philip handsome and kind, and he finds her sympathetic and easy to talk to. Throw in a lot of blushing and one very emotional hug, and an Earthling-Reman romance is born.
The romance is not the only plotline likely to be expanded in future books. There is the mystery of what happened to Tabby’s father, and also the geist rebel who suggests that Tabby can expect a visit from one of the Reman gods. Lots of reasons to keep reading the series!
The world of Rema, in which most of this book takes place, is lush and imaginative. Its history, religion, laws, and social structure are introduced in this book, but it feels as if we have seen only the tip of the iceberg. The visuals underscore the alien feel of the world: not only is it full of whimsical architecture and art, but it is often seen from above, as citizens of this city can fly.
The characters have a manga-influenced look – some more than others – but they are simpler and more realistically-proportioned than many manga characters. They fit well with the backgrounds, having a similar level of detail and smooth, organic feel.
Many graphic novel readers will be familiar with the Amulet books by Amy Kim Kibuishi’s husband, Kazu Kibuishi. The series have some things in common; fatherless young protagonists who find themselves in bizarre, richly-illustrated fantasy worlds in which they have important destinies. Fans of Amulet may enjoy this series, too, especially if they like a little light romance with their otherworldly adventures.
The Rema Chronicles: Realm of the Blue Mist Vol. 1 By Amy Kim Kibuishi Scholastic GRAPHIX, 2022 ISBN: 9781338115130
Publisher Age Rating: 8-12
NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11), Tween (10-13)
It’s 1953 and anti-Communist propaganda is overtaking the United States, especially Peggy Monroe’s small town. Liam Francis Walsh’s Red Scare: A Graphic Novel takes the historical event of the same name and turns it into a science fiction tale about what happens when an unknown power gets into the hands of someone looking for her own way out.
Peggy is a loner. Since contracting polio, her life hasn’t been the same. The doctor tells her she needs to try harder to get better, but it’s not her fault. Her twin brother, Skip, is struggling too. Since their dad returned home from serving in the Korean War, home’s been especially stressful. Their mom is distant, trying to raise the kids and keep the house running, while working her own job at a local motel. Everything in Peggy’s life just seems so unfair.
While Skip gets to stay home, Peggy helps her mom out at the motel. She’s supposed to be dusting one of the rooms but gets wrapped up in her latest sci-fi book from the library and ends up falling asleep under the bed. Before she knows it, there’s a man in the room with a briefcase with a mysterious red glow! Peggy barely gets out in time but leaves one of her crutches outside the room. When she goes back to grab it, she makes a horrific discovery — the man is dead with a red handprint left behind!
The dead man is discovered by the authorities to be a Soviet spy, right there in their own backyard. But Peggy’s life must get on as normal, except now the kids at school think she caught some Commie cooties from the spy. The next day, she meets her new neighbor, Jess, whose family moved to the town with secrets of their own. Jess is outgoing and outspoken, everything Peggy isn’t, and keeps encouraging her new friend to have a little gumption.
Then something happens. Peggy can fly. That mysterious glow she saw in the hotel room? It’s now in a rod hidden in her once left behind crutch. She and Jess fly all over town! She can do hopscotch again! The FBI won’t leave her family alone though, so she has to keep her new discovery extra secret to protect them.
It’s at this point that Red Scare turns up the pace, with almost non-stop action and reveals. With its retro comics inspired style, readers who love adventure will not be able to put it down. Nothing in Peggy’s town is what it seems, everyone is suspicious, and the damage and danger of witch hunts permeates the story. Even with its frequent fight scenes and sci-fi inspired action, this book still tells the story of a young girl, her family, and what standing up for the right thing means. Plus, a twist ending!
Walsh’s art is perfectly appropriate for the time era Red Scare is set in. The background details are era appropriate as well, without overwhelming the story. The use of color, particularly various shades of red in some of the final panels, adds to the plot and tension of the story.
One of the highlights of this book is the author’s notes at the end. Walsh puts Peggy’s story in a historical context, with information about the Atomic Age, Red Scare, and polio for his readers. He also includes sketches of his work over the years, giving readers a look at the long process of creating a detailed, historical graphic novel.
Readers who love history, science fiction, and action will enjoy Red Scare. This graphic novel will pair well alongside the history of 1950s America in any classroom setting and will create a conversation amongst its readers while taking them on a fast paced story of one girl and a glowing red rod.
Red Scare: A Graphic Novel Vol. By Liam Francis Walsh Scholastic GRAPHIX, 2022 ISBN: 9781338167092
Publisher Age Rating: 8-12
NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11), Teen (13-16), Tween (10-13) Character Representation: Mobility Impairment,
What’s not special about celebrating your quinceanera? This traditional fifteenth birthday celebration is a special time for many young ladies as they enter adulthood. But there is always someone who is a little hesitant in keeping up with traditions. For Kat Fajardo’s protagonist in her newest graphic novel, Miss Quinces, a family party with dancing and dresses is not her thing.
Young comic artist Suyapa Yisel Gutierrez, or Sue for short, is so not looking forward to her trip to Honduras. Not only is she miles away from her friends and summer camp, she is staying out in the country with no cell service, Wi-Fi, or cable and visiting her loud relatives. Things go from bad to worse when she finds out that her mother is planning her quinceanera behind her back. The family is so excited for her but Sue would rather skip it. Wearing a frilly dress and making speeches is just not her. However, with some coaxing from her grandmother and a willing compromise with her mother, Sue settles into the planning stages of her party and gets a chance to finally express herself.
Fajardo’s graphic novel combines the craziness and love of family. Readers will be reminded of their own families after witnessing emotional and hilarious scenes between Sue and her relatives. The main character’s journey to rid her of self-doubt and to be expressive in her own special way is reminiscent of any teenager’s life. Along with her storytelling, Fajardo has created a diverse cast of characters with their own unique style and expressions. Scenes of Honduras’ countryside, city life, folklore, languages, home life, and meals provide U.S.-based readers with a look into a place different from their own, Readers of Latinx descendant will find a connection with Sue and her culture, especially young girls who are preparing for their own quinceanera. For those unfamiliar with the celebration, the author provides a brief explanation of the party, its traditions and photos from her own.
Kat Fajardo’s Miss Quinces is a definite purchase for school and public libraries. Middle school and junior high school readers who enjoy reading graphic novels by Raina Telgemeier, Kayla Miller, and Terri Libenson will want to give this one a try. For libraries who serve a bilingual community, it will be beneficial to include Miss Quinces in their graphic novel collection, along with the Spanish edition that will be published simultaneously with the English one.
Miss Quinces Vol. By Kat Fajardo Scholastic GRAPHIX, 2022 ISBN: 9781338535594
Publisher Age Rating: 8-12
NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11), Teen (13-16), Tween (10-13) Creator Representation: Latinx, Character Representation: Honduran, Latinx,
When young Grace is bullied by some older boys who tell her she doesn’t belong because her father is Chinese and her mother is white, her dad tells her the legend of an ancient Chinese emperor who gave his fiercest warriors a drop of his immortal blood. Just like Grace, these warriors were mistrusted because of their dual backgrounds, but according to legend, the emperor’s gift gave them the strength of dragons and, more importantly, courage and compassion. The message is clear: Grace herself must use these qualities to face her own life’s trials. Perfect for fantasy-adventure fans of Kazu Kibuishi’s Amulet series or the Wings of Fire graphic novels, City of Dragons: The Awakening Storm has plenty of high-stakes action, but also delves into what it means to embrace dual racial and cultural identities.
Flash forward three years after the bullying incident. Grace’s dad has died of cancer and Grace moves from the U.S. to Hong Kong with her mom and new step-dad, who is white like her mother and happens to be the doctor who treated her dad’s cancer. At her new elite private school, Grace quickly makes friends with a racially diverse group of friends who have an equally diverse skill set—there’s the technology-savvy Ramesh, brainy James, and Hong Kong native Jing who’s fluent in Cantonese.
When a woman in the marketplace gives Grace an egg and tells her she is Hùnxué, it’s Jing who explains that means mixed blood—just like the warriors from the legend Grace’s dad told her. The pieces start to fall together when Grace’s egg hatches a blue water dragon and the four tweens are hunted down by a black-suited security detail intent on acquiring the dragon at any cost. Although the plot leans heavily on familiar tropes (will anyone be surprised when it turns out the step-dad is the power hungry bad guy?), there is lots to like in this adventure, including loads of Chinese dragon lore, a sea goddess, magical gems, a cave with ancient prophecies written on its walls, and danger at every turn. The manga-style drawings are complemented by richly saturated colors and dynamic panels that draw the reader in and keep the fast-paced action moving; the dragon spreads are particularly magnificent. Ultimately, just as Grace’s dad taught her, it’s courage and compassion that are needed to save the day and Grace has plenty of it. Though the immediate danger is vanquished, the story ends with a hint at more dragons to be awakened in the coming volumes.
City of Dragons, vol. 1: The Awakening Storm By Jaimal Yogis Art by Vivian Truongg Scholastic GRAPHIX, 2021 ISBN: 9781338660432 Publisher Age Rating: 8-12
NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11) Character Representation: Chinese-American
Manu is a standalone graphic novel that focuses on Manuela Santos (Manu) and her struggle to fit in and discover herself and her magic powers. Manu’s adventures take place at a magic, Catholic school for girls in Santo Domingo. Manu is a troublemaker, often causing various mishaps in her magic classes. Her teachers (the Sisters) determine that Manu is cursed. Her best friend, Josefina, is supportive but critical of Manu, believing her powers might cause her to hurt herself or others. One day, her friend Josefina wishes for Manu’s powers to go away. Coincidentally, Manu suddenly loses her powers. In an attempt to restore her magic, she must venture into the dark forest and embark on a treacherous mission. This is an emotional, occasionally funny story of a girl in a dark place on the precipice of adolescence. Manu is an outcast, separated from the rest of her classmates.
Author Kelly Fernández’s writing works well for the plot. The illustrations are detailed and work well to enhance the story. Fernández conveys emotion in her text by the use of breaks. It is easy to know when a character is nervous or hesitant to speak. The text also incorporates sound effects to emphasize action. Some of the passages are in Spanish, which adds a dimension to the writing. This is seen when characters recite prayers out of emotion or wish a simple good morning to their teachers. The author weaves in elements from her own Dominican American heritage, including many parts of religion and folklore. A demonic goat is seen as both a character and also in a scene of demonic possession. We also observe various characters transfiguring themselves into animals.
Although the plot has dark elements, humor is also incorporated. Manu’s hilarious mishaps with magic cause mangoes to explode all over her classmates and she also proceeds to make a plant and cake grow uncontrollably. One way that Manu tries to regain her powers is by dousing herself in fish guts. Manu sits stone faced in the back of the classroom and we observe a horrified sister trying to hold her breath from the smell. This is an allusion to puberty that almost anyone can relate to, one of many clever ways the book relates magic to the adolescent experience.
The art, also by Kelly Fernández, makes great use of warm tones, reflecting the drama of the plot. The illustrations are extremely detailed. We see every floorboard detail in Manu’s classroom and also the details on the houses in the outside town. This works well for the graphic novel as it allows the readers to immerse themselves into this fantastical world.
I would recommend Manu in any public library collection. It has strong female characters with a relevant story for children about facing challenges and working through them. There are also strong themes of friendship. The Dominican characters exhibit a realistic range of skin tones. Manu has darker skin and puffy hair. I would recommend this book for older children and younger teens. The subject matter of demons and dark magic might be unsuitable for a young audience.
Manu By Kelly Fernández Scholastic Graphix, 2021 ISBN: 9781338264197 Publisher Age Rating: 8 – 12, grades 3 – 7
In this second installment in the world of Banana Fox, the titular character is stressed about late fees that he has on his overdue books from the local library. He has somehow managed to land himself in jail over it. However, luck must be on his side because it turns out kids can’t be sent to jail. He managed to sidestep that trouble, and gets out without having to do any time. His human friend Flashlight, as he calls her, who has a lot more critical thinking skills than the reactive and fast-to-act Banana Fox, is there to help him out of tough situations. When they aren’t bickering at each other and can actually manage to troubleshoot problems, they make an amazing team. In this adventure, they face a known enemy, and have to battle a giant book-eating robot. Can they save the library books before they are all eaten up?
Overall, this is a very fast read. It’s a thin book with not a lot of dialogue and an easy reading level given the recommended age range. The pictures appear to be quickly done and simple, so there are not a lot of details added to the backgrounds and settings of each panel. Banana Fox’s rubber nose adds a lot of fun to this character. Otherwise the characters, settings, and general feel of this comic are simplistic and it takes no time to get through.
Eisner Award-winning cartoonist James Kochalka gives readers a comic with an approachable page count and an easy-to-follow storyline. Reluctant readers would likely be drawn to the colorful cover and thin spine on this book. However, the story could be more captivating and it isn’t as funny as you would expect from work by this well known author. It didn’t grab my attention or have me flying through pages to see what happens next, but it did have a unique plot with lots of silliness. Additionally, the constant threat of being tossed in jail or library jail, and having to deal with library fines of over $3,000 as children seems a little too far fetched. This series would be fine to add to any elementary level children’s library collection, but it certainly isn’t an essential one to have.
Banana Fox, vol. 2: Banana Fox and the Book-Eating Robot By James Kochalka Scholastic Graphix, 2021 ISBN: 9781338660517 Publisher Age Rating: 7-10
Kamala Khan’s keeping it together. Sure, she’s got high school, family obligations, moderator duties on her favorite site, updating her fan fiction, and Avengers training. She might be falling asleep during her classes and her body does keep randomly reshaping itself. But trust her, she’s got this.
Ms. Marvel: Stretched Thin, written by Nadia Shammas and art by Nabi H. Ali, is a stand-alone middle grade graphic novel from Scholastic Graphix about Jersey City’s resident teen superhero. It focuses on the pressures of being both a teenage Muslim Pakistani-American girl and one of the younger members of the Avengers. The story begins less than a year after the Terrigen Mist, the event that gave her the power to shapeshift.
Kamala is still learning how to navigate her body’s ability to embiggen and her secret identity as Ms. Marvel. She trains at Avengers Tower in Manhattan with fellow teen superheroes Squirrel Girl and Spider-Man under the one and only Iron Man; together, they’re Team Awesome Next-Gen Superheroes. In her regular life, she’s got her best friends Nakia and Bruno, as well as her increasingly worried parents on her case. She’s messing up at Avengers training, she’s napping through her entire school day, and one of her hands keeps randomly turning into a baby sized hand. At one point, she is literally stretched thin, as Nakia points out to her.
At least Kamala has babysitting her nephew Malik mostly under control, thanks to a weird rechargeable action figure one of her fellow website mods sent her. It might not hold a charge very long but it keeps him occupied while she updates her latest fanfic, the one she’s been getting lots of positive comments on. Things are somewhat more manageable until, while at an important party with her family, Malik’s new favorite toy turns out to be much more than just some random toy. Suddenly, on top of everything else going on in her already strained life, Kamala must focus on keeping her Ms. Marvel identity under wraps and protecting the people around her.
Throughout the book, Kamala faces the reality of being an overworked teenager. The stress starts to manifest in her physically, due to her sometimes uncontrollable ability to shapeshift. Her parents are brushed to the side and she hides in her bedroom, behind her computer screen, away from her family. She begins to recognize the impact this is having on their relationship and it seems like every conversation ends with someone’s feelings getting hurt. Kamala realizes her parents’ stress is actually out of concern and love for her and maybe she hasn’t been the daughter she’d like to be..
Kamala Khan is scheduled to make her official debut into the Marvel Cinematic Universe in late 2021 so be prepared for readers looking for more Ms. Marvel content. Ms. Marvel: Stretched Thin is a great introduction to the character and one only needs a basic idea of the Marvel universe to enjoy the story. The art is perfectly suited to the story being told, including slight changes in the color palette when the action ramps up. The shapeshifting scenes and the character’s excellent facial expressions will make readers laugh.
Readers who enjoy middle grade Marvel books like Miles Morales: Shock Waves and the Marvel: Avengers Assembly series will get to see some familiar faces and get to know Kamala Khan, Ms. Marvel herself.
Ms. Marvel: Stretched Thin By Nadia Shammas Art by Nabi H. Ali Scholastic GRAPHIX, 2021 ISBN: 9781338722581
Publisher Age Rating: 8-12
NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11), Tween (10-13) Character Representation: Pakistani-American, Muslim
What happens when five middle school children from different walks of life wind up working together to complete their community service hours? Well, they complete their assignment, just not the one they were given. And while doing so, they discover that they are more than what their school perceives them to be. Invisible, written by Christina Diaz Gonzalez (award winning author of The Red Umbrella and Concealed) and illustrated by Gabriela Epstein (contributing illustrator for the Babysitter’s Club graphic novel series), gives readers a story about overcoming expectations and being seen as someone who can make a difference.
Mike Lowery’s distinctive art style can be seen in a wide variety of formats, including popular picture books, graphic novels, and activity books. Scholastic Graphix, which has been a forerunner in the comics market for kids, from the ground-breaking Bone to the record-breaking sales of Dog Man, is now expanding into beginning chapters with Graphix Chapters. The two are a natural fit and Mike Lowery’s new series, Bug Scouts, is a wonderful addition to the ever-growing options for beginning chapter readers who love comics.
sparkly magic that, among other things, allows Mimi to change her outfits at will. (This is not an ambiguous Calvin and Hobbes situation: everyone knows that Penelope is a living, magical plushie.) Mimi and Penelope are best friends, and they play together every day.
Fifteen-year-old Tabby Simon is in a depressing rut. Her father died seven years ago in a mysterious accident. His death was attributed to mist emitted by the strange tree he was studying, but Tabby doesn’t buy that. So now, she spends all her free time studying the tree herself, in secret. But it’s going nowhere . . . until the day a handsome boy with glowing blue eyes shows up, and everything changes.
It’s 1953 and anti-Communist propaganda is overtaking the United States, especially Peggy Monroe’s small town. Liam Francis Walsh’s 
What’s not special about celebrating your quinceanera? This traditional fifteenth birthday celebration is a special time for many young ladies as they enter adulthood. But there is always someone who is a little hesitant in keeping up with traditions. For Kat Fajardo’s protagonist in her newest graphic novel, Miss Quinces, a family party with dancing and dresses is not her thing.
When young Grace is bullied by some older boys who tell her she doesn’t belong because her father is Chinese and her mother is white, her dad tells her the legend of an ancient Chinese emperor who gave his fiercest warriors a drop of his immortal blood. Just like Grace, these warriors were mistrusted because of their dual backgrounds, but according to legend, the emperor’s gift gave them the strength of dragons and, more importantly, courage and compassion. The message is clear: Grace herself must use these qualities to face her own life’s trials. Perfect for fantasy-adventure fans of Kazu Kibuishi’s Amulet series or the Wings of Fire graphic novels, City of Dragons: The Awakening Storm has plenty of high-stakes action, but also delves into what it means to embrace dual racial and cultural identities.
Manu is no ordinary girl. Manu is cursed.
In this second installment in the world of Banana Fox, the titular character is
