THE NEW YORK FOUR
by Brian Wood & illustrated by Ryan Kelly
An aloof college freshman learns about life in this subdued tale of post-adolescent angst. Riley, a pretty girl who prefers text to people, struggles to adjust as she begins college. Rekindling a relationship with her estranged sister Angie, Riley takes social cues from her and her coquettish boyfriend, Frank. Riley also befriends a diverse—albeit formulaic—group of girls: Merissa, a fiery siren; Ren, a laid-back tomboy; and Lona, an enigmatic, structured girl. The four forge an unlikely friendship and deal with many of the hardships typical to college life: securing jobs, finding apartments and dating. Drawn with a heavy, fluid line, Kelly’s art is the perfect complement to the urban hipster melodrama. An excellent premise falls somewhat flat on character development, however: Riley, the most developed character, leaves her counterparts slightly lagging and less fleshed-out in comparison. A cliffhanger offers hints at a possible sequel. A natural transition for maturing readers of The P.L.A.I.N. Janes and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. (Graphic fiction. YA)