A dazzling and heartfelt supernatural coming-of-age story.
A teen discovers a magical, sometimes-frightening nighttime world in Smith’s YA graphic novel.
As a little girl, Autumn Ackerman believed in fairies, magic, and her imaginary friend, Barnaby. Now, life for the 18-year-old has been reduced to school and shifts at the local coffee shop. One evening, Barnaby, a Gollum-like being, shows up to warn Autumn that she’s in danger. He’s the first of a host of eccentric people and mythical creatures (like Fred, the giant troll) that she encounters; they’re the Night Folk, once legendary beings that the world no longer believes in. While Barnaby and bookstore owner Evan Fade are benevolent, others are sinister, most notably the mysterious Mr. Balloon, who is oddly fixated on Autumn. As the teen quickly learns, she has ties to the Night Folk and even wields a power that she has yet to tap into—controlling it is another issue altogether. Smith’s well-paced novel builds on a slowly developing backstory (Evan’s late father, who once ran the bookstore, spent years helping Night Folk). As the narrative progresses, it’s clear that this hidden world has long existed and that many seemingly innocuous people, like an old man collecting cans at a park, may be much more interesting than they appear. Autumn, a lonely young woman who generally avoids conflict, makes for a curious but relatable protagonist (“My whole life has turned upside down and all you’ve got is, ‘it’s complicated’?!”). Any number of terrific characters could return in the planned sequel(s), including the irresistible Barnaby and the enigmatic October King. The author, who also illustrates, works in a simplified style and includes plenty of detail. As the many nighttime scenes hew to darker tones, Autumn’s chic red scarf is impossible to miss—it’s constantly flowing in the wind and so long she practically steps on it.
A dazzling and heartfelt supernatural coming-of-age story.Pub Date: Oct. 21, 2025
ISBN: 9781960578594
Page Count: 184
Publisher: Mad Cave Studios/Maverick
Review Posted Online: Aug. 21, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
Flipping awesome.
After a wish goes wrong, a girl and her crush must figure out how to break a body-switching curse.
Chi-Chi Ekeh feels invisible. Like her previous crushes, hot varsity swimmer Flip Henderson—yet another rich white boy at her Texas boarding school—seems unaware of her existence. With only weeks until graduation, Nigerian American Chi-Chi’s friends Esther and Yesenia dare her to ask Flip to Senior Festival. But Flip accidentally shows her promposal video to the whole class—and immediately turns her down. Embarrassed, Chi-Chi flees, but her innocent remark—“I just wish Flip Henderson liked me”—has unexpected consequences. After falling and hitting her head, Chi-Chi wakes up in Flip’s body, and he in hers. Freaked out beyond belief and regularly switching bodies, Chi-Chi and Flip work with Esther and Yesenia to break the curse. Meanwhile, forced to see herself through someone else’s eyes, Chi-Chi must confront uncomfortable feelings. There’s much to love about this book. The fully realized and sympathetic characters, sincere and humorous development of friendships, and protagonist’s relatable and bittersweet emotional journey will keep readers engaged, eager to reach the resolution. Ukazu carefully balances tough topics like self-hatred, depression, and suicidal ideation with funny feel-good moments, deftly rendered in her characteristically expressive style. The dynamic and engaging illustrations bring to life a heartwarming story of self-love, acceptance, and true connection.
Flipping awesome. (author’s note) (Graphic fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 23, 2025
ISBN: 9781250179517
Page Count: 320
Publisher: First Second
Review Posted Online: June 13, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2025
Hinds adds another magnificent adaptation to his oeuvre (King Lear, 2009, etc.) with this stunning graphic retelling of Homer’s epic. Following Odysseus’s journey to return home to his beloved wife, Penelope, readers are transported into a world that easily combines the realistic and the fantastic. Gods mingle with the mortals, and not heeding their warnings could lead to quick danger; being mere men, Odysseus and his crew often make hasty errors in judgment and must face challenging consequences. Lush watercolors move with fluid lines throughout this reimagining. The artist’s use of color is especially striking: His battle scenes are ample, bloodily scarlet affairs, and Polyphemus’s cave is a stifling orange; he depicts the underworld as a colorless, mirthless void, domestic spaces in warm tans, the all-encircling sea in a light Mediterranean blue and some of the far-away islands in almost tangibly growing greens. Don’t confuse this hefty, respectful adaptation with some of the other recent ones; this one holds nothing back and is proudly, grittily realistic rather than cheerfully cartoonish. Big, bold, beautiful. (notes) (Graphic classic. YA)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-7636-4266-2
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Sept. 15, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2010
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