The Golden Hour by Niki Smith

5 stars A stunning graphic novel that perfectly captures the beauty of everyday life cut with the shattering effects of anxiety and PTSD. Manuel works to navigate a world that no long feels safe after witnessing a traumatic event involving gun violence. With the help of some new friends, a supportive therapist, and a love…

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Troll Bridge by Neil Gaiman, Illustrated by Colleen Doran

3 stars A dark coming-of-age story featuring a manipulative main character and a troll set on eating his life. Weaving together fairy tale themes, the punk scene, and the hauntings of fear and regret, Gaiman creates a memorable tale of coming to turns with life. Good fit for those who enjoy the odd side of…

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Cheer Up!: Love and Pompoms by Crystal Frasier, Illustrated by Val Wise

4 stars A graphic novel featuring cheerleading and LGBTQIA+ leads? Yes, please! A charming story about reconnecting, speaking out, and trying new things. Loved the emphasis on second chances and growing as individuals. Despite the short length, a lot of issues are packed into this wonderful graphic novel. School pressure, unrequited crushes, fitting in, and…

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Tidesong by Wendy Xu

4 stars A gorgeous book to immerse yourself in. Beautiful artwork, a captivating story, and wonderful lessons and messages. Reminiscent of Kay O’Neill‘s The Tea Dragon Society. Gentle fantasy with fantastic artwork. This book is so much more than pretty pictures and Xu accomplishes a lot with a relatively simple story. Sophie’s insecurity is easy to relate…

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The Oracle Code by Marieke Nijkamp, Illustrated by Manuel Preitano

2 stars I really wanted to like this. I’m fascinated with the various iterations of Barbara Gordon. After absolutely hating that notorious scene in The Killing Joke, I was interested to see how a teenage Babs would become Oracle. The story omits the Joker plotline (thankfully) and instead gives a vague story about interrupting a…

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When We Make It by Elisabet Velasquez

5 stars A powerful novel in verse that proves you are more than the hardships you have faced. I’d recommend looking at the trigger warnings before going in to this as there are quite a few traumatic events that occur. These include rape, food insecurity, homelessness, drug overdose, and police brutality. This book may not…

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