Character-focused science fiction that packs a punch.
Sometimes the real battle is in your mind.
Sixteen-year-old Tallie Hadderson has dreamed of being a mech-bot pilot since she was 10. Mech battles, “one of the most popular sporting events in the world,” pit towering robots against each other in epic battles. Each machine is maneuvered by two pilots who meld their minds, revealing all their thoughts and emotions in order to create seamless operations. Now entering her final year of training, Tallie hopes to be paired with Diego Rodrigues, her best friend since kindergarten and one of the few people who know that she’s autistic. Instead, Tallie is paired with Zaina Chandra, a virtual unknown who’s just joined the team after getting kicked off another. Despite their “successful mind fit,” Zaina and Tallie can’t seem to get in sync. Neither girl is willing to truly let the other in, and the consequences are disastrous. Their inability to connect causes them to crash their bot their first time out. To achieve their dreams, the two must find a way to fully trust one another and let go of their baggage—or risk losing everything. Although the characterization is largely told rather than shown, the fast pace and engaging plot will draw in reluctant readers. The writing is tight and accessible, and there’s some exploration of Tallie’s experiences as a neurodivergent person. Tallie presents white, and there’s racial diversity among the supporting cast.
Character-focused science fiction that packs a punch. (Science fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: April 14, 2026
ISBN: 9781459841925
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Orca
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and...
A deliciously creepy page-turning gem from first-time writer and illustrator Brosgol finds brooding teenager Anya trying to escape the past—both her own and the ghost haunting her.
Anya feels out of place at her preppy private school; embarrassed by her Russian heritage, she has worked hard to lose her accent and to look more like everyone else. After a particularly frustrating morning at the bus stop, Anya storms off, only to accidentally fall down a well. Down in the dark hole, she meets Emily, a ghost who claims to be a murder victim trapped down in the dank abyss for 90 years. With Emily’s help, Anya manages to escape, though once free, she learns that Emily has traveled out with her. At first, Emily seems like the perfect friend; however, once her motives become clear, Anya learns that “perfect” may only be an illusion. A moodily atmospheric spectrum of grays washes over the clean, tidy panels, setting a distinct stage before the first words appear. Brosgol’s tight storytelling invokes the chilling feeling of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline (2002), though for a decidedly older set.
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and outward appearance. (Graphic supernatural fiction. 12 & up)Pub Date: June 7, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-59643-552-0
Page Count: 224
Publisher: First Second
Review Posted Online: April 18, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2011
Both entertaining and well-written; demands and holds readers’ attention.
A duology opener that revisits the world of Divergent (2011).
Beatrice “Tris” Prior is Divergent. But before she can select Dauntless, her Choosing Ceremony is interrupted by a group of factionless rebels, and her good friend is killed. Amid the chaos, Tris sees Evelyn, the wife of Abnegation leader Marcus Eaton—but Evelyn supposedly died years ago. And, shockingly, she’s an Amity woman who’s holding a gun. Tris doesn’t tell anyone, even her father, when he later questions her. Her brother, Caleb, chooses Erudite—the faction that’s most critical toward the Abnegation and their practices—and Tris feels pressured to stay in Abnegation. But when her father tries to erase her memories, she knows she’s unsafe. Tris’ mother helps her escape to the factionless, where Tris meets Four, a Dauntless boy. Their relationship shows her that she was right to leave Abnegation—and that maybe the rebels are correct to want the death of the faction system. As Tris becomes friends with the other “faction failures,” she realizes that no faction is as it seems, and that power is a corrupting influence they can’t escape. This exciting work revisits beloved characters, offering a new understanding of them and of what happens when we stand up and ask questions. Returning fans and those new to this world will appreciate the witty banter, slow-burn romance, and heartache stemming from betrayal and complicated familial love. The leads are cued white.
Both entertaining and well-written; demands and holds readers’ attention. (Dystopian. 13-18)Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2026
ISBN: 9780063462595
Page Count: 528
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Oct. 1, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2026
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