A satisfying supernatural story.
A werewolf struggles with her senses of self and belonging.
Tessa was born a werewolf, but her abilities lag behind those of others in her extended family; she still can’t fully shift, and honestly, she doesn’t even want to. Her dad was the only one who made her feel comfortable about her wolf, but he passed away. It’s hard enough that white-presenting Tessa has a longstanding secret crush on her friend Maddie (who’s cued Indian American), let alone adding her supernatural status into the mix. When rumors swirl about hunters in the area seeking to “cure” werewolves by turning them human, Tessa sees a chance to make her life easier, but she soon discovers that their intentions are far more sinister. A miscommunication leads to Maddie’s learning the truth about Tessa’s werewolf identity—and, as a result, Maddie unwittingly becomes a target of the hunters. To save her family and her crush, Tessa must embrace her full self. The easy-to-follow panels (even in chaotic action scenes) combined with inviting art make it a breeze to zip through this entertaining, straightforward tale. While Dugan doesn’t delve too deeply into the themes, she includes just enough substance to make the work gratifying. The balance between action and humor is held together by Tessa as an appealing lead. The queer teen is prickly, sometimes awkward, and often relatable as she tries to figure out who she is and her place in the world, all while dealing with grief.
A satisfying supernatural story. (Graphic paranormal. 13-18)Pub Date: Aug. 27, 2024
ISBN: 9780593529843
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2024
An action-packed tale for those thirsty for more superhero stories.
Grammy Award–winning artist Keys co-authors a YA superhero graphic novel bearing the title of her hit song.
Smart, quiet 14-year-old Loretta “Lolo” Wright struggles to stand up for herself until, on what should be a routine trip to a convenience store, her 16-year-old brother, James, is mistakenly accused of stealing by the police. When the officer slams her brother to the ground, Lolo’s powers manifest for the first time. Meanwhile, Michael Warner, who lives in the same Brooklyn housing projects as the Wrights, is rejected from the football team for being too small. He develops exceptional fighting abilities and shortly afterward gets involved in working for a drug dealer named Skin. When Skin sees a video of Lolo levitating the cop who assaulted James, he wants to recruit her as well, and he tries to extort protection money from Lolo’s dad, who owns a moving business. Lolo must convince Michael to choose a different path; it’s only by working together that they can defeat Skin. Featuring dizzying shifts among multiple perspectives, this full-color graphic novel presents vibrant, expressive characters set against mostly simple, bright backgrounds, with extreme violence depicted in gory detail. The narrative briefly explores class issues and racial stereotypes, but while the setup is intriguing, the momentum fizzles and the pieces never quite come together. Most main characters are Black; Skin reads as White, and secondary characters appear racially diverse.
An action-packed tale for those thirsty for more superhero stories. (Graphic fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: March 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-06-302956-9
Page Count: 256
Publisher: HarperAlley
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
Funny, heartfelt, and absolutely adorable.
A queer love triangle leads to an unexpected romance.
Belle Hawkins, high school senior and school mascot (she wanted a role where she didn’t have to show her face), finally finds the courage to ask out her crush, confident head cheerleader Regina Moreno. But she learns Gina already has a girlfriend, star athlete Chloe Kitagawa. Meanwhile, Gina has a Ten-Year Plan, and she refuses to let Chloe get them off track by failing her English class. Knowing Belle would be keen to please her, Gina gets her to tutor Chloe. Turns out, Belle and Chloe were friends when they were kids. As the school year progresses, Chloe and Gina’s relationship has its ups and downs, their friendships with Belle grow, and Belle’s romantic feelings change. With a palette of pink hues and strong black outlines, the cartoon art uses exaggerated elements for comedic effect and to cue heightened emotions. The three leads have well-developed personalities and are all lovingly imperfect and relatable. They are physically distinct with notably different body shapes, styles of gender expression, and ethnicities. Belle appears White and is cued Jewish, Chloe’s name implies Japanese heritage, and Gina is Brazilian American. Queerness is normalized, and the shifting dynamics of queer women between friendships and romantic partnerships are accurately depicted, making the happy ending believable. There’s enough conflict to propel the plot and give space for growth, but overall, this low-stakes tale feels like a warm, charming hug.
Funny, heartfelt, and absolutely adorable. (Graphic romance. 13-18)Pub Date: March 21, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-250-78412-4
Page Count: 320
Publisher: First Second
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
PERSPECTIVES
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