Christina, whose father came to Texas from Thailand, and her best friend Megan, Iranian-American, decide to try out for cheerleading now that they’re in seventh grade. The Tryout (written by Christina Soontornvat; art by Joanna Cacao) is based on the author’s own experience, and that’s why this reads so authentically. Occasional racism is part of her everyday existence, unsurprising for a small Texas town, but of more immediate impact to Christina’s life is what this competition means to her friendship. […]

Breena Bard’s Trespassers starts with Gabby and her family heading to the lake house for the summer, continuing a long tradition. She’s a fan of classic mysteries; we see her reading Agatha Christie and The Westing Game. Her older sister and brother think she shouldn’t spend so much time with books. Gene, the neighbor, is an older man who recently lost his wife. He fills them in on the new family, a couple from Chicago and their children. The kids […]

One way to have success is to identify a moment or an event or a condition that everyone can relate to, or at least understand, but no one has yet crystallized. Think, for example, of Semisonic’s “Closing Time”. It doesn’t matter if you think it’s a good song or not — it’s an instant anthem, something people can play to sum up that specific moment. Allergic is something of an equivalent. Writer Megan Wagner Lloyd and artist Michelle Mee Nutter […]

Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper is an absolutely wonderful coming-of-age romance between British schoolboys. Charlie is a runner and drummer, known to be gay. Nick is the human equivalent of a golden retriever, a rugby player and outgoing everyday guy. They meet when assigned seating together in class and develop an unexpected friendship as Nick recruits Charlie to the team. Nick also helps Charlie shake off Ben, another rugby player who dates a girl while sneaking around making out with Nick. There’s […]

The Midwinter Witch completes the trilogy Molly Knox Ostertag began with The Witch Boy and continued with The Hidden Witch. Aster, the boy witch, and Ariel, his new friend (who’s a bit undisciplined in her abilities), are attempting to catch up on their magic training. The family is preparing for the Festival, a gathering of all the extended relatives that also features a magical competition to crown the Midwinter Witch. Aster wants to compete, for the first time, but there […]

Raina Telgemeier’s latest book, Share Your Smile: Raina’s Guide to Telling Your Own Story, puts a workshop course between covers. Her many devout fans will find this journal, full of prompts and activities, a friendly guide to making their own comics. After a welcoming introduction, there are four chapters, each focusing on one of Telgemeier’s books: Smile, Sisters, Drama, and Ghosts. The first, covering Smile, is the longest, with the most detail about Telgemeier’s creative process and short lessons on […]

I’ve adored Andy Runton’s Owly since I saw it over a decade ago. The first book, The Way Home & The Bittersweet Summer, was originally published in 2004, fifteen years ago. It was unique for being wordless and adorable, far from the then-usual material for an indy comic company and creator. The comic business has come a long way since then. There are many more markets, including the ever-growing kids’ comics audience, and a lot more options for publishing. So […]