— book review, children's, comic/graphic novel, middle grade —

Bog Myrtle by Sid Sharp (Review)

September 26, 2024

Two sisters, one stubbornly cheerful (Beatrice) and one relentlessly grumpy (Magnolia), live in a drafty old house with a family of helpful spiders. When Beatrice is gifted magic yarn from a giant forest spider obsessed with sustainability named Bog Myrtle, she and the spiders set to work knitting up a perfectly warm sweater.

But greedy Magnolia sees only the opportunity for profit, and quickly converts the old house into a magic sweater factory. The exhausted spiders are driven to strike, and Bog Myrtle is not pleased . . .

Bog Myrtle is a witty modern folktale that touches on themes of capitalism, environmentalism, labor rights, and being a nice person… Read More Bog Myrtle by Sid Sharp (Review)

— book review, comic/graphic novel, young adult —

Stars in their Eyes by Jessica Walton and Aśka (Review)

January 15, 2024

Maisie is on her way to Fancon! She’s looking forward to meeting her idol, Kara Bufano, the action hero from her favorite TV show, who has a lower-leg amputation, just like Maisie. But when Maisie and her mom arrive at the convention center, she is stopped in her tracks by Ollie, a cute volunteer working the show. They are kind, charming, and geek out about nerd culture just as much as Maisie does. And as the day wears on, Maisie notices feelings for Ollie that she’s never had before. Is this what it feels like to fall in love?… Read More Stars in their Eyes by Jessica Walton and Aśka (Review)

— book review, comic/graphic novel, young adult —

Heartstopper Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4 by Alice Oseman (Review)

January 10, 2024

Charlie, a highly-strung, openly gay over-thinker, and Nick, a cheerful, soft-hearted rugby player, meet at a British all-boys grammar school. Friendship blooms quickly, but could there be something more…?

Charlie Spring is in Year 10 at Truham Grammar School for Boys. The past year hasn’t been too great, but at least he’s not being bullied anymore. Nick Nelson is in Year 11 and on the school rugby team. He’s heard a little about Charlie – the kid who was outed last year and bullied for a few months – but he’s never had the opportunity to talk to him.

They quickly become friends, and soon Charlie is falling hard for Nick, even though he doesn’t think he has a chance. But love works in surprising ways, and sometimes good things are waiting just around the corner… Read More Heartstopper Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4 by Alice Oseman (Review)

— book review, children's, comic/graphic novel, middle grade —

The Wolf Suit by Sid Sharp (Review)

April 19, 2023

Bellwether Riggwelter is, once again, out of blackberries. This time, rather than tiptoe through a forest full of predators, he comes up with a new plan. He will keep himself safe by blending in—he will sew a Wolf Suit! The disguise works perfectly . . . sort of. Bellwether realizes he can’t enjoy the forest in a bulky suit, and he may not be the only creature in the forest who feels that way. Perhaps not everyone is as wolfish as they appear.… Read More The Wolf Suit by Sid Sharp (Review)

— ARC review, book review, comic/graphic novel, young adult —

Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese-American by Laura Gao (ARC Review)

May 4, 2022

After spending her early years in Wuhan, China, riding water buffalos and devouring stinky tofu, Laura immigrates to Texas, where her hometown is as foreign as Mars–at least until 2020, when COVID-19 makes Wuhan a household name. In Messy Roots, Laura illustrates her coming-of-age as the girl who simply wants to make the basketball team, escape Chinese school, and figure out why girls make her heart flutter. Insightful, original, and hilarious, toggling seamlessly between past and present, China and America, Gao’s debut is a tour de force of graphic storytelling… Read More Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese-American by Laura Gao (ARC Review)

— ARC review, book review, comic/graphic novel, middle grade —

The Okay Witch and the Hungry Shadow by Emma Steinkellner (ARC Review)

August 28, 2021

Moth Hush is starting to settle into her newfound witch heritage and powers, but life at school continues to be rough. Even her best friend, Charlie, doesn’t entirely understand what it’s like for her to always be the one who gets mocked, and things only get worse when Moth’s mom starts dating one of the dorkiest teachers in the school! Then Moth gets hold of a mysterious charm that can unleash another version of herself—one who is confident, cool, and extremely popular. What could possibly go wrong?… Read More The Okay Witch and the Hungry Shadow by Emma Steinkellner (ARC Review)

— book review, comic/graphic novel, nonfiction —

Cheeky: A Head-to-Toe Memoir by Ariella Elovic (Review)

July 5, 2021

Too tall. Too short. Too fat. Too thin. The message is everywhere–we need to pluck, wax, shrink, and hide ourselves, to not take up space, emotionally or literally; women are never “just right.” Well, Ariella Elovic, feminist and illustrator extraordinaire, has had enough. In her full-color graphic memoir Cheeky, she takes an inspiring and exuberant head-to-toe look at her own body self-consciousness, and body part by body part, finds her way back to herself. Charming and hilarious, full of empathy and candor, and gorgeously illustrated, Cheeky aims to inspire all of us to embrace our bodies, flaws and all, as well as our bodies’ needs, desires, and inherent power.… Read More Cheeky: A Head-to-Toe Memoir by Ariella Elovic (Review)

— ARC review, book review, comic/graphic novel —

Eat, and Love Yourself by Sweeney Boo (Review)

April 26, 2020

A story about Mindy, a woman living with an eating disorder who has to learn how to love herself again. In pursuit of the perfect body, Mindy buys the low-fat diet products and the glossy magazines which promise the secret to losing weight. One night, while perusing the aisles of the neighborhood convenience store for a midnight snack, she finds a new product. A chocolate bar called “Eat and Love Yourself”… Read More Eat, and Love Yourself by Sweeney Boo (Review)

— book review, comic/graphic novel, young adult —

Topside by J.N. Monk & Harry Bogosian (Review)

November 23, 2019

When Jo, a headstrong maintenance technician, makes an error that destabilizes her planet’s core, she only knows one way to fix things: leaving her underground home for a trip to the planet’s dangerous, unruly surface. Soon she’s wandering through deserts, riding on the backs of giant beasts, and cutting deals with con artists and bounty hunters. Meanwhile, agents of the core are in hot pursuit. J. N. Monk and Harry Bogosian (co-creators of the web-comic StarHammer) present a wild outer-space fantasy about fixing your mistakes and the friends you meet along the way… Read More Topside by J.N. Monk & Harry Bogosian (Review)

— book review, comic/graphic novel, young adult —

Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks (Review)

October 1, 2019

Deja and Josiah are seasonal best friends. Every autumn, all through high school, they’ve worked together at the best pumpkin patch in the whole wide world. (Not many people know that the best pumpkin patch in the whole wide world is in Omaha, Nebraska, but it definitely is.) They say good-bye every Halloween, and they’re reunited every September 1. But this Halloween is different—Josiah and Deja are finally seniors, and this is their last season at the pumpkin patch. Their last shift together. Their last good-bye.… Read More Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks (Review)