An entertaining and uplifting LGBTQ+ take on a Shakespearean classic.
Romance and adolescent hijinks abound in Chase’s LGBTQ+ YA graphic novel.
Hero, who uses the pronoun they, is nervous about their first day as a “freshie” at Messina High, despite being the principal’s kid. But they have their cousin Beatriz for support and even sign up for a school club: the Queer Student Alliance. It only gets better when they have a run-in with sophomore Claudio. While the two hit it off, there’s an unexpected obstacle—Beatriz doesn’t like the idea of Hero with Claudio, as he’s friends with her jock ex-boyfriend, Ben, who feels the same way about this potential union. There may be something still there between the former couple, so what’s to stop Hero, Claudio, and a few of their friends from somehow manipulating them into falling back in love? Meanwhile, perpetually sullen juniors DJ, Roach, and Connie dream up a plan to stick it to Messina, where everyone is, in their estimation, “so uptight.” Unfortunately, their scheme involves Hero and Claudio, and could very well bring their flourishing romance to a sad halt. Chase has fun reinterpreting William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, from the masquerade homecoming dance to variations on character names. Knowing the play isn’t a prerequisite, as this graphic novel touches on such relatable topics as identity, bullying, and friendship turning into sexual attraction. The diverse cast offers an inclusive message as the story showcases kids of different races, body types, and sexual identities all getting along (or trying to). The school setting is used to get effect; there are plenty of student-made flyers/posters, comedic scenes that unfold in the cafeteria or the locker room, and a guidance counselor who’s better at trotting out her impressive vocabulary than advising kids. Illustrator Stelladia and colorist Ellie Wright’s artwork adds rich hues (vibrant backdrops, Hero’s lavender hair) and sprightly panel design, as when the gym’s open doors form a panel of their own.
An entertaining and uplifting LGBTQ+ take on a Shakespearean classic.Pub Date: Nov. 18, 2025
ISBN: 9781545820827
Page Count: 175
Publisher: Mad Cave Studios / Maverick
Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A clever, romantic, sexy love story.
The much-loved royal romance genre gets a fun and refreshing update in McQuiston’s debut.
Alex Claremont-Diaz, son of the American President Ellen Claremont, knows one thing for sure: He hates Henry, the British prince to whom he is always compared. He lives for their verbal sparring matches, but when one of their fights at a royal wedding goes a bit too far, they end up falling into a wedding cake and making tabloid headlines. An international scandal could ruin Alex’s mother’s chances for re-election, so it’s time for damage control. The plan? Alex and Henry must pretend to be best friends, giving the tabloids pictures of their bromance and neutralizing the threat to Ellen's presidency. But after a few photo ops with Henry, Alex starts to realize that the passionate anger he feels toward him might be a cover for regular old passion. There are, naturally, a million roadblocks between their first kiss and their happily-ever-after—how can American political royalty and actual British royalty ever be together? How can they navigate being open about their sexualities (Alex is bisexual; Henry is gay) in their very public and very scrutinized roles? Alex and Henry must decide if they’ll risk their futures, their families, and their careers to take a chance on happiness. Although the story’s premise might be a fantasy—it takes place in a world in which a divorced-mom Texan Democrat won the 2016 election—the emotions are all real. The love affair between Alex and Henry is intense and romantic, made all the more so by the inclusion of their poetic emails that manage to be both funny and steamy. McQuiston’s strength is in dialogue; her characters speak in hilarious rapid-fire bursts with plenty of “likes,” “ums,” creative punctuation, and pop-culture references, sounding like smarter, funnier versions of real people. Although Alex and Henry’s relationship is the heart of the story, their friends and family members are all rich, well-drawn characters, and their respective worlds feel both realistic and larger-than-life.
A clever, romantic, sexy love story.Pub Date: June 4, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-250-31677-6
Page Count: 432
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2019
BOOK TO SCREEN
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
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