LIFETIME PASSES

Kingdom Adventure is a home away from home for Jackie, so the risk of losing it compels her to hatch a devious plan.

To some, Kingdom Adventure is just an amusement park, but for Jackie it is a treasured place, somewhere she visited with her parents before they were deported to Mexico, leaving her behind with her DACA dreams. When Jackie learns she may be losing her park pass because her aunt can’t afford to renew it, she cooks up an idea to get a lifetime pass. Rumor has it that if you are with someone who dies while at the park, you get free admission for life. Jackie happens to have access to seniors through the facility where her Tía Gina works, and she proposes a program through which she and her friends will accompany the elderly residents on theme park visits. Time spent with their park guests turns out to be a far better reward than lifetime passes, however. Through their connections with the seniors, Jackie and her friends grapple with their values, identities, and what it means to belong. Brief and fast-paced, this graphic novel packs an emotional punch. Although the length and accessibility may particularly appeal to reluctant readers, wide audiences will find much to enjoy. The clean, colorful, visually appealing art expresses the characters’ emotions clearly and skillfully renders the broadly diverse cast members.

An endearing ode to special friendships.