LIZARD BOY 2

In this follow-up to 2022’s Tales of a Seventh-Grade Lizard Boy, Tommy and his friends plan the perfect summer, but it gets derailed when protests against aliens and the paranormal begin.

Lizard boy Tommy Tomkins and his family are finally adjusting to the human town of Eagle Valley after being displaced from Elberon, their home in the center of the Earth. Tommy has made some great human and nonhuman friends who understand him and how it feels to be different. With Dung Tran having to return to Vietnam soon, Tommy and his friends decide to create the “Most Perfect Summer Ever!!! Bucket List,” with activities including attending the county fair, watching baseball games, going hiking, and having an epic sleepover. The summer starts off well, but when Tommy’s lizard face appears in local resident Danny Cohen’s online video, he worries about his family’s secret being revealed. When his Sasquatch friend’s grandfather accidentally transforms in public, Cohen’s once-harmless videos incite protests against aliens and monsters. Facing widespread hate, Tommy and his friends try to find a way to support their families and the town’s other outsiders. This dynamically illustrated, full-color graphic novel explores friendship, intolerance, empowerment, and community through comedy and meaningful conversations. Many characters’ storylines present reflective insights into immigrant and refugee experiences, as well as their opinions on assimilation vs. keeping their home cultures alive. Tommy and his middle school friends’ enthusiasm, feelings, and ideas are relatable as they grapple with heavy social issues.

Funny, thoughtful, and inspiring.