NEVERLANDERS

In this second series entry, a fungus is slowly killing the tree that keeps Neverland alive.

Bee, the Black girl who’s Neverland’s new Pan, knows of an ancient text that could tell them how to stop the rot, but these “books of knowledge held in the roots of the tree” were “written by a people long gone” from the island, and only the archivist can read the text. The archivist, Wendy Darling, is now an adult—a buxom, light-skinned woman with a shock of white hair. Normally, her age would prevent her from visiting Neverland, but the blight is weakening the walls. Bee uses her super suit’s hive mind powers to share Wendy’s ability to read the mysterious script of the “missing race” with others. They discover that these long-ago inhabitants left, heading into the Foreverlands with plans to create a new Neverland. Bee, Wendy, and some of the gang head out on the quest; Captain Hook lets them borrow the Jolly Roger, and he and Paco stay back to look after Neverland. The story, which incorporates themes of mental health, forgiveness, and community, strikes a strong balance between humor, action, and self-reflection. Eye-catching illustrations and varied panel layouts keep readers engaged. The use of bright colors for action sequences and warm sepia-toned spreads to denote chapter divisions provides effective visual breaks. The cast is diverse in skin tone and body type.

A thrilling adventure tale grounded in relationships.