Heartstopper (Volume 1), by Alice Oseman, is a young adult, LGBTQ+ graphic novel. It is the story of two boys, Nick and Charlie, who meet at school and become friends. Soon, Charlie starts to fall for Nick despite thinking that he would never get what he wants. However, Nick is questioning things about himself that he had previously been sure about.
Animal Crossing: Deserted Island Diary is a graphic novel story that follows four goofy characters, Coroyuki, Benben, Himepoyo, and Guchan, as they try to create the island of their dreams. I absolutely loved this book, and it is great for fans of the Animal Crossing game. Plus, there are bonus pages for game information and a look at the author’s island. This book truly deserves five stars.
Callie is a girl who loves theatre. A middle school play called ‘Moon over Mississippi’ was created. Callie wants to be in it, but she can't sing. She decides to work backstage to still be a part of the production. How can Callie be a help to the backstage when she knows nothing about stage props, and will her lack of knowledge prevent the show from going on? This book was hard to put down. The part that I love is that it's a graphic novel and you're able to see the pictures in real time. Callie’s story about friendships, relationships, and learning experiences is an experience for me.
Raina is just entering middle school and changes are starting to happen. Friendships, relationships, mood swings etc. every day is different for Raina, and nothing is certain. How with Raina deal with everyday challenges that are thrown her way? This book was definitely an eye opener. Seeing Raina go through 6th through 10th grade, was an experience. The feeling this book gave me was very exciting. I was anticipating what was coming next and loved seeing her growth throughout.
The Oracle Code is a mysterious and thrilling graphic novel by Marieke Nijkamp. This book is about a girl named Barbra, but everyone calls her Babs. She got shot and has to go to a rehab school where they try to fix kids like her. Barbra makes some friends who help her find former students who disappear without a trace.
After teenage hacker extraordinaire Barbara Gordon is paralyzed by a gunshot wound, her father sends her to the Arkham Center for Independence, or ACI. There, she will undergo rehabilitation, as well as adapt to her new lifestyle. However, something’s just not right about the ACI. Strange sounds can be heard at night, and patients start to go missing one by one. After her new friend disappears, Barbara vows to solve the puzzle of her new home — before it’s too late.
In the graphic novel Smile, Raina finds out that she needs braces, and she is scared. She does not want braces, but her friend, who has braces, comforts her and tells her everything will be fine. Well, turns out everything was fine until that night at the Girls Scout meeting. Raina raced to the car, but fell and broke her two front teeth. I guess she will be needing braces after all. Raina goes through a lot in this book and it is filled with twists and turns and ups and downs.
I didn't read the first book, but Last Pick: Born to Run was gripping and beautiful. It checked all of my boxes: murderous aliens (and more importantly, a not-so-murderous one), people banding together to find hope in the dark times, empathy, and, well, two friends falling in love. I was disappointed that it ended.
