A feel-good fantasy of flowering friendship.
A sprite nurtures both confidence and community as she embraces magic.
Sprites once looked after and nurtured all plant life. Once humans appeared in this corner of suburbia, taking on landscaping duties, the sprites stepped back, but they still revel in the glories of gardens. New to the neighborhood of Sylvan Trace, sprite Wisteria quickly gets an introduction to the best backyards. Although the sprite crew is welcoming, she can’t help but feel a little left out and decides to do some of her own exploring. Stumbling upon a notoriously poorly maintained garden on Meadowgreen Drive, Wisteria uses her magic to help it along, finding delight both in her work and in the child resident’s joy. In a sense, young human Elena—who meets Wisteria in the now flourishing garden—is new as well. She’s been trying her best to rescue the garden her overworked mom has neglected. Both sprite and gardener recognize that they’re better off working together. This gentle story is full of charm and is an affirming tale of teamwork, initiative, and determination. The detailed linework in combination with the retro color palette of pinks, oranges, purples, and greens create an expressive tone that supports the narrative. Wonderfully emotive faces charmingly convey character and lush surroundings, and interesting angles capture the awe of nature. The cast of sprites and humans displays a wide range of physical appearances.
A feel-good fantasy of flowering friendship. (design notes) (Graphic fantasy. 10-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-62010-906-9
Page Count: 88
Publisher: Oni Press
Review Posted Online: April 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2021
An action-packed tale for those thirsty for more superhero stories.
Grammy Award–winning artist Keys co-authors a YA superhero graphic novel bearing the title of her hit song.
Smart, quiet 14-year-old Loretta “Lolo” Wright struggles to stand up for herself until, on what should be a routine trip to a convenience store, her 16-year-old brother, James, is mistakenly accused of stealing by the police. When the officer slams her brother to the ground, Lolo’s powers manifest for the first time. Meanwhile, Michael Warner, who lives in the same Brooklyn housing projects as the Wrights, is rejected from the football team for being too small. He develops exceptional fighting abilities and shortly afterward gets involved in working for a drug dealer named Skin. When Skin sees a video of Lolo levitating the cop who assaulted James, he wants to recruit her as well, and he tries to extort protection money from Lolo’s dad, who owns a moving business. Lolo must convince Michael to choose a different path; it’s only by working together that they can defeat Skin. Featuring dizzying shifts among multiple perspectives, this full-color graphic novel presents vibrant, expressive characters set against mostly simple, bright backgrounds, with extreme violence depicted in gory detail. The narrative briefly explores class issues and racial stereotypes, but while the setup is intriguing, the momentum fizzles and the pieces never quite come together. Most main characters are Black; Skin reads as White, and secondary characters appear racially diverse.
An action-packed tale for those thirsty for more superhero stories. (Graphic fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: March 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-06-302956-9
Page Count: 256
Publisher: HarperAlley
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
An action-packed, magic-filled exploration of natural resource abuse.
A coven of problem-solving witches takes on a mission that tests their friendship and bonds.
Witches Anadil, Hester, and Dot are summoned to Red Isle when the animals of the Dark Lands are found starving after sludge kills all the vegetation. Mother Sorastra, the leader of the Dark Lands, confronts Prince Lexius of the neighboring Light Lands, arguing that he’s abusing nature’s gift of raaka, a resource used to power clever inventions. But Prince Lexius blames Mother Sorastra for breaking a truce and causing the pollution. The conflict escalates when citizens of the Light Lands are murdered, and their facial features are erased. Pale, white-haired Anadil, brown-skinned, black-haired Hester, and Dot, who has brown skin and Afro-textured hair, arrive in time to stop the outbreak of war and attempt to solve the mystery of the face-stealing killer. When a coven of witches impersonating the trio appears, Anadil, Hester, and Dot must overcome their bickering and work through hurt feelings in order to band together and bring peace and balance to Red Isle. This graphic novel features cleverly realized characters: Anadil with her team of magical rats, Hester with her pet demon, and Dot with her ability to summon confectionary are memorable leads. The relationship between Anadil and Hester adds a hint of romance to the story, and the environmental themes add real-world relevance. Vivid illustrations with saturated colors create a fantastical backdrop for the fast-paced storyline.
An action-packed, magic-filled exploration of natural resource abuse. (Graphic fantasy. 12-16)Pub Date: April 1, 2025
ISBN: 9780062979681
Page Count: 272
Publisher: HarperAlley
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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