The Runaway Princess by Johan Troïanowski is a delight in so many ways. First of all, it is beautifully illustrated. The colors are so bright and fun and amplify the story. This is about a princess who both intentionally and accidentally finds adventures. What's really great is that there are opportunities built in for the readers to complete activities as part of the story. For a kid, this adds a layer of cool to the story. Y'all, this was such a fun blend of humor with a wonderful heroine. Robin is a princess with heart and attitude. She finds friends and quite the cast of characters along the way as she travels to all the places. Visually and with the story, this one was a spin on fairy tales and fantasy that just made me smile. Thanks to RH Graphic for the early look at this January 2020 release!
Bug Boys by Laura Knetzger was the story of two friends who are bugs and the adventures they find together. What's great about this is that those adventures involve how the interface with the human world, other bugs and various science things. The learning of this novel is seamlessly infused into the stories of Rhino-B and Stag-B which is again a perk of having kids check this one out. In addition the learning about science-y things, this also focuses on how to navigate friendship. The two bugs also have some struggles in their friendship, and this also shows how they navigate these challenges. This is two simply drawn bugs in stories that are full of so much fun and intrigue! Thanks to RH Graphic for the early look at this February 2020 release!
Aster and the Accidental Magic by Thom Pico is the story of a girl who finds a unique fantasy world. After moving to a new town, Aster is trying to find connection and fit in. What she finds is quite some interesting magical folks. One of these is a trickster who is a wish-granter with a spin. The way this plays out was so intriguing and fun. I hadn't even thought of how wishes could be twisted in this way and that really added to this tale. Also, I loved the illustrations! They do a wonderful job of centering Aster as the heroine, while also infusing the magic she is trying to figure out. Along the way, she Thanks to RH Graphic for the early look at this March 2020 release!
Witchlight by Jesse Zabarsky is shoujo manga - Honestly, I just learned this term (and obvs this is my first time reading it), but given this is a graphic novel specifically for female teens, this exemplifies the genre! Lelek is a witch, and she meets Sanja in her magic journey. Their relationship goes from there, and there are emotional twists and turns as they go through things together. The illustrations in this one are simple while also conveying all the feels which is quite the feat! Thanks to RH Graphic for the early look at this April 2020 release!
