I Am Not Starfire by Mariko Tamaki

Illustrated by Yoshi Yoshitani 3 stars A fun spin on the Titans. Nice mix of daily life and superhero escapades. Works well for those who are at least vaguely aware of the DC characters and are accepting of changes to the universe. The story follows Mandy, who sees herself as the opposite of her mother,…

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Girl on Fire by Alicia Keys

Cowritten by Andrew Weiner Illustrated by Brittney Williams 3 stars This action-packed graphic novel introduces a new superhero, Lolo, who develops psychokinetic powers, sparked when her brother is attacked by police. A wonderful look at family dynamics. After her mother left, Lolo and her brother have been raised by their father. I loved the representation…

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The Heartstopper Yearbook by Alice Oseman

4 stars While I love the Heartstopper series, I wasn’t sure a companion art book would live up to it content-wise. I’m so glad I was wrong. I enjoyed this more than I initially thought I would. The book contains profiles of the characters, family trees, mini-comics, and themed artwork for different holidays and seasons….

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Huda F Are You? by Huda Fahmy

5 stars A hilarious and heartwarming coming of age tale about figuring out your identity. At her old school, Huda was “the hijabi girl”. But when her family moves to a new town, she’s no longer the only one wearing hijab. She must come to terms with her identity issues and learn who she truly…

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Nick and Charlie: A Heartstopper Novella by Alice Oseman

4 stars The Heartstopper boys are back! Loved catching up with Nick and Charlie. In this novella, Nick is excited to head off to university, but that enthusiasm makes Charlie feel left behind. A fun story in which we get a bit of an update on the Heartstopper characters including Tao, Elle, Tori, Aled, Harry,…

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African Town by Irene Latham and Charles Waters

5 stars From the poetic team that brought us, Can I Touch Your Hair? Poems of Race, Mistakes, and Friendship comes a powerful novel-in-verse that tells the story of the last American slave ship. Waters and Latham give voice to the survivors of the journey on the Clotilda, the enslavers who put them on that journey, and even…

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Coming Back by Jessi Zabarsky

4 stars A gorgeous graphic novel that features two adventures for the price of one. Preet has powerful magic that she uses to help the village. Valissa is the librarian who guards the village’s history, stories, and traditions. But when an unexpected danger arrives, the two must part ways and embark on their own journeys…

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Deadendia: The Broken Halo (Deadendia #2)

by Hamish Steele 5 stars Another perfect volume from Hamish Steele. Action-packed with a whirlwind of character development. Following the aftermath of the destruction of Dead End, the characters mostly split up and have their own adventures. Barney and Logs find out happily-ever-after has a few road bumps, Norma works to control her new ghost…

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Junkwraith by Ellinor Richey

4 stars Such a cool concept which worked beautifully in this format. A fascinating look at connection, possession, and trying to live up to other’s expectations. In a bout of frustrated, Flo throws away her ice skates. Doing so creates a powerful junkwraith, set of attacking her memories. To break the curse, Flo ventures into…

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Deadendia: The Watcher’s Test (Deadendia #1)

by Hamish Steele 5 stars A fantastic adventure featuring demon-possessed pugs, ghost collectors, spells gone awry, a celebrity-themed amusement park, and a cast of unforgettable characters. A little bit of romance, some mystery, and a whole lot of creepiness make for a very fun reading experience. I’ll admit, I watched the Netflix adaptation first. While…

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