An emotional graphic novel about two girls reaching for gold—and each other.
A teen figure skating champion winds up training for the Olympics alongside her biggest rival.
Lydia Chen, an 18-year-old Chinese American skating phenomenon, is unmatched in technical precision but lacking in artistry. Elaine Yee, 20, a Malaysian skater and Lydia’s biggest competition, has mesmerizing performance skills but struggles with clean technique. Their rivalry began three years ago during a fateful encounter at the Grand Prix, and since then it’s only intensified under the spotlight of media and skating world scrutiny. When Elaine joins Lydia’s training camp in Boston 267 days before their projected Olympic debuts, tensions run high. Each skater is thrown off by the other’s presence, and their personalities clash mightily: Lydia is cold and guarded, whereas Elaine is well-liked and cheerful. But beneath their friction lies an unspoken understanding of the sheer drive and sacrifice it takes to be the best. Gradually, a bond develops that neither girl expects, but every slow-burn step toward romance leads to the unavoidable question: How do you fall for someone who might someday take everything from you? The illustrations in Kon’s debut are the standout: The skating sequences are full of reverence for both the beauty and athleticism of the sport. Each black-and-white panel bursts with movement, expression, and atmosphere as the story tenderly explores themes of queerness, ambition, and mutual pining.
An emotional graphic novel about two girls reaching for gold—and each other. (author’s note, sketches) (Graphic fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 24, 2026
ISBN: 9780593696958
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2025
PERSPECTIVES
A compelling romance inhabited by complex and appealing characters.
When star hockey player Alec Barczewski’s estranged childhood friend, Dani Collins, moves to town, they end up in a mutually beneficial fake-dating relationship that reignites old feelings.
Following her parents’ divorce, Dani and her mom move in with Dani’s hockey legend grandfather in Southview, Minnesota, where she spent a month every summer as a child and where her friendship with Alec grew. Between visits, the two were pen pals, but they eventually fell out of touch. Despite some tensions over their loss of friendship, the high school seniors reconnect. Desperate to get off Harvard’s waitlist, Dani needs another extracurricular activity, while Alec—whose reputation took a hit when a photo of him holding a bong appeared on social media—is eager to improve his tarnished image for NHL scouts. The pair strike a deal: They’ll fake date, making Alec look like a stable guy whose academically gifted girlfriend is related to hockey royalty, and in exchange, he’ll get Dani a team manager position that will catch the eye of Harvard’s admissions officers. Eventually, complicated feelings about their past, stressful family relationships, and their brewing romance boil over. Romance fans will love the deliciously tension-filled scenes between Alec and Dani, who are believable friends with heavy demands weighing on them. They feel like real teenagers, and readers will enjoy rooting for them as the well-paced story unfolds. Main characters present white.
A compelling romance inhabited by complex and appealing characters. (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 30, 2025
ISBN: 9781665921268
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2025
A winning game of feelingsball.
A former football star, who never thought she’d play again after she came out as transgender, steps back onto the field for one last season to help her team win state.
Grace Woodhouse used to know where she belonged. She had Division I schools lined up to recruit her, but that was before what happened during playoffs last year, before she came out as trans, and before she quit the team. Although her single father and new friend group support her, Grace feels lost as her senior year begins. When one of her old teammates asks her to help him with his technique, she quickly realizes that he and the other captains are hoping for more than her expertise from the sidelines—they want her to rejoin the team. Grace can’t resist the opportunity to play again, but her return draws unwanted national attention that makes her question her future and who she wants to be. Flashback chapters written in the second-person present tense bring Grace’s past to life, which helps maintain momentum and makes her emotional journey feel more immersive. A heartfelt, goofy, and diverse cast of secondary characters surround Grace, who’s white, as she navigates self-doubt, friendship, complicated feelings for her ex-girlfriend, and what she wants to do after graduation. Overall, this coming-of-age sports narrative is honest, gentle, and hopeful.
A winning game of feelingsball. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 13, 2025
ISBN: 9781646145027
Page Count: 344
Publisher: Levine Querido
Review Posted Online: March 8, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2025
PERSPECTIVES
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
