Author: Alisha Helms

The Tale of a Thousand Faces (Rune #1) / Carlos Sánchez

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
The Tale of a Thousand Faces (Rune #1)
By: Carlos Sánchez
Genre: Graphic Novel, Fantasy, Middle Grade
Number of Pages: 144
Published: June 4, 2024
Publisher: Flying Eye Books
Dates Read: December 28, 2025
Format: Library Book / Paperback

Chiri and best friend Dai live in an orphanage right next to the deep, dark forest. On a scavenging mission to find new ingredients for her culinary experiments, Chiri lands them in the secret kingdom of Puddin’, a hidden place plagued by the Thousand Faces Monster and inhabited by all sorts of magical creatures. Befriending witches, bards, ogres and sorcerers, can the friends make it back to the human world and, more importantly, can they evade the darkness that awoke upon their arrival?

When I heard this graphic novel had a Deaf character who used sign language, I immediately requested it for our collection at the library. Then, I actually read what it was about and got even more excited about reading it!

This did not disappoint me in the slightest! I gave it five stars and immediately put it (and volume 2) in my Amazon cart to purchase when I have some extra funds. 

Gorgeous artwork that reminded me a bit of Studio Ghibli with a pink, yellow, and purple-y color pallet that just makes everything pop. There’s all kinds of stuff in the background, including Runes that the author shows you how to decode in the back of the book (so you can always read it twice to see what the messages say!).

This has been one of the greater graphic novels I have read where the portrayal of a Deaf character was done well. I’m more fluent in ASL over BSL (which is what some of the signs are based off of), but I could still pick up some stuff here and there. And a little tidbit without giving away anything in the book – knowing sign language is a superpower!

Overall, I’ve already been showing this off to all of my artsy friends so they can enjoy the artwork within the pages, but also all of my fantasy graphic novel readers I feel like would also enjoy this because world building is super fun!

The Love Report (Volume 3) / BéKa, Maya (Illustrator)

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
The Love Report (Volume 3)
By: BéKa, Maya (Illustrator)
Genre: Graphic Novel, Middle Grade
Number of Pages: 112
Published: April 15, 2025
Publisher: Hippo Park
Dates Read: December 26, 2025
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

Grace has decided to confess her feelings to Abe. But when she shows up to tell him, she overhears him on the phone with someone who cannot be “just a friend”. Grace teams up with Lola to investigate who the mystery girl is and they immediately go to Charlie, the girl who knows everybody’s business. But Charlie has her own secret: she’s dating Abe!

I’m not one to usually care too much about romance, especially in young adult / middle grade, as a thirty-three year-old woman, it’s not my story. But I picked up the first volume of this series simply because of the cover and the beautiful artwork, and even though it has a heavy focus on romance, it’s not only about romance. In this particular volume, Abe actually deals with believing he’s “ugly, but nice”. New student Gabriel talks to a figment of his imagination and of course gets bullied by Sean for it. When Adele gets her period for the first time and has horrible cramps, a male physical education teacher makes a joke of it and refuses to believe her pain. There’s an “ugliest couple” contest going around (run by Sean). Collette even sends a risky photo to Sean, who uses it as blackmail against her.

Besides the amazing artwork and beautiful color pallet, this graphic novel is more than just romance, so don’t let the name scare you off!

Overall, I enjoyed how this book really focuses on the tween drama of “first” loves. Of course, it is with a bit of a French twist, so it’s a slightly different viewpoint than America, but still fun and enjoyable. Readers who like Raina Telemaier would also enjoy this as well.

Nights with a Cat (Volume 6) / Kyuryu Z, Stephen Paul (Translator), Lys Blakeslee (Letterer)

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
Nights with a Cat (Volume 6)
By: Kyuryu Z, Stephen Paul (Translator), Lys Blakeslee (Letterer)
Genre: Manga
Number of Pages: 128
Published: May 22, 2024
Publisher: Yen Press
Dates Read: December 26, 2025
Format: Library Book / Paperback

An adorable and sweet manga about living with a cat, even one that’s technically not even yours.

Fuuta is a bit wary of his sister’s cat when they first move in, but Kyuruga quickly establishes Fuuta as their favorite human and P-chan as the “substitute human”.

This manga talks about all the fun things that happen living with a cat: ways to pet a cat, methods a cat uses to ask for attention, places cats love to sit, toys cats love to play with, and many more.

Anyone who loves cats will love this manga and those who ever wondered what living with a cat really is like.

The Book of Purrs: Everyday Thoughts from Your Feline Friends / Luís Coelho

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
The Book of Purrs: Everyday Thoughts from Your Feline Friends
By: Luís Coelho
Genre: Graphic Novel
Number of Pages: 96
Published: October 22, 2024
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Dates Read: December 26, 2025
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

From internet artist @purr.in.ink comes a collection of comics filled with affirmations and encouraging reminders from your favorite felines. 

I’ve been following @purr.in.ink on Instagram for awhile now and never made the connection that they created a book with these funny, yet encouraging, little voids of love. So, imagine my surprise when I randomly found this on the shelf at the library!

Each page is a new cat giving advice and positivity on conquering the day ahead. You can read it front to back or open at random to enjoy.

Any cat lover would enjoy flipping through this book and seeing these adorable and inspiring cats.

North for the Winter: A Christmas Graphic Novel / Bobby Podesta

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
North for the Winter: A Christmas Graphic Novel
By: Bobby Podesta
Genre: Graphic Novel, Middle Grade, Historical Fiction
Number of Pages: 352
Published: September 2, 2025
Publisher: First Second
Dates Read: December 25, 2025
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

Virginia’s not entirely sure how to explain she did see a reindeer fly in the forest while her Dad was fixing the car. But, a lot has changed for her – she’s just lost her mom, she’s in a new city, and everything is just hard, no one’s going to believe her. But, when she reluctantly confesses what she saw to her neighbor, Benny, he doesn’t question it and is convinced there’s a mission they must partake in. Little do they know that not only is a hunter after the reindeer, but so is the US Government!

You know what’s funny about this? I had just talked with my brother-in-law about the misprint of the Santa phone number and how that’s what started the Santa Tracker on Christmas morning. I then went home and read this graphic novel! How fun!

The first thing that drew me into this was the artwork, which the author and artist, Bobby Podesta, is a Pixar animator so that totally makes sense as to why I was immediately drawn to this (I love anything Pixar), but also I wanted something Christmasy to read and what’s more Christmas than saving Christmas?

The artwork overall, including the color palette, really sells the setting of the 1950’s – the clothing, the cars, the decorations of the department store (was really comparing it to my favorite Christmas movie, A Christmas Story). It overall has a very cinematic feel to it while reading – almost storyboard-y.

The story itself was of course about saving Christmas, but also dealing with changes and grief.

Overall, super cute and fun Christmas graphic novel with eye catching illustrations. I think this would be perfect for middle grade readers, even if they may be in the age group where Santa doesn’t exist anymore, I still think they would have a good time reading it.

Rose Wolves: Out of the Blue (Rose Wolves #2) / Natalie Warner

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
Rose Wolves: Out of the Blue (Rose Wolves #2)
By: Natalie Warner
Genre: Graphic Novel, Fantasy
Number of Pages: 152
Published: December 2, 2025
Publisher: Shelf Productions
Dates Read: December 21, 2025
Format: Library Book / ebook

A young girl has a special bond with the magical rose wolves in the forest. She shares the magic with her mom and they enjoy picnics and days with the wolves. But when winter creeps in, the young girl is distraught when she finds the rose bush has withered and died in the cold. Her mother takes a remaining sprout from the rose bush and keeps it in their home, nurturing it.

The young girl is too upset about her wolves and stays in bed. Her mom tries to console her with funny hairstyles, cupcakes, and knitting. During the first snow of the season, a surprise comes from the mom’s sapling that may just bring the girl out of her funk.

I adored the first book, so I was pretty giddy when I saw the second book was out on Hoopla through my library.

Even with no words, the emotions of the young girl processing her grief of her missing friend is evident. The first book in the series had hues of rose while this book is hues of blue, which match very well with the theme of “Out of the Blue” where blues and greys can represent depression. Even when the young girl’s depression is lifted, the graphic novel still continues in blue hues to show it can still be beautiful.

There were quite a few years between the two books, and I would love to see it continue, curious if other hue colors would be the themes.

Overall, this is a wonderful, wordless graphic novel about grief that all ages could appreciate.

The House That Floated / Guojing

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
The House That Floated
By: Guojing
Genre: Children’s, Picture Book
Number of Pages: 40
Published: September 16, 2025
Publisher: Random House Studio
Dates Read: December 21, 2025
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

A wordless children’s picture book about saving a house on a cliff after the ocean’s water levels rise.

I haven’t read wordless children’s books too often, though I have read wordless, and nearly wordless graphic novels quite a few times. They are absolutely a different style of reading. There’s nothing really tying you to the characters except what’s happening in the scene around them.

As a kid, I think this would be the book I would have picked up and “read aloud”, inserting my own narrative and dialog, and then be proud of the story I just “read” to my parents.

Overall, beautiful and detailed snapshots of the story that doesn’t need any words to help move it along.

The Bakery Dragon and the Fairy Cake / Devin Elle Kurtz

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
The Bakery Dragon and the Fairy Cake
By: Devin Elle Kurtz
Genre: Children’s, Picture Book, Fantasy 
Number of Pages: 40
Published: October 7, 2025
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Dates Read: December 21, 2025
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

Ember is in charge of the bakery while the baker takes a trip, so when a fairy princess swoops in asking for a cake, Ember does everything he can to make one, even though he doesn’t know what a cake even is. He’s only ever baked bread, how hard can it be?

But when every attempt hits the fan, Ember begins to lose faith in himself to be able to do it, because if he doesn’t figure it out soon, all there will be is a pile of baked disasters.

I loved the first Bakery Dragon, so I knew I was going to have to get my hands on the second one. Obviously, I wasn’t disappointed.

As a librarian myself, I loved how they went to the library to do research and find recipes. 

Visually, this book is bright and vivid with beautiful pages of scenery. Ember is the cutest dragon.

Overall, anyone who enjoyed the first one will also love and enjoy the follow up book.

Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees (Issues #1-#6) / Patrick Horvath, Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou (Letterer)

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees (Issues #1-#6)
By: Patrick Horvath, Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou (Letterer)
Genre: Graphic Novel, Horror
Number of Pages: 152
Published: September 17, 2024
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Dates Read: December 9, 2025
Format: Library Book / eBook

Samantha Strong’s cardinal rule: Don’t murder the locals; the city is just beyond the forest and has plenty of potential victims. Sam has worked too hard to build a cozy life and have her thriving business in the small town of Woodbrook – the last thing she wants to do is disturb the peace. So, imagine the exasperation when Woodbrook’s own meets a grisly death. Now Sam will do everything it takes to find her rival before the town self-destructs.

The best way to describe this graphic novel: think Winnie the Pooh meets Dexter. It’s such a crazy concept to have beautifully drawn scenery and characters and then the next page is a brutal murder, it most definitely elevated the story for me.

You’re also kind of in this weird, “Who do I root for?” spot while reading this because Sam is her own serial killer, but then there’s another Woodbrook resident who is killing and now those murders may get framed to her (or someone else). Like, yea, she should probably get caught so she’s not killing anymore, but also, you don’t want her framed for something she didn’t do!

Overall, it was a fun read that I think any horror fan would enjoy (yes, even with the artwork!).

Tender Is the Flesh / Agustina Bazterrica, Sarah Moses (Translator)

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
Tender Is the Flesh
By: Agustina Bazterrica, Sarah Moses (Translator)
Genre: Horror, Dystopia
Number of Pages: 209
Published: August 4, 2024 (1st Published November 29, 2017)
Publisher: Scribner
Dates Read: October 23, 2025 - November 30, 2025
Format: Paperback

Marcos’s wife left him, his father has dementia, and his job isn’t exactly the best thing on the planet – but he tries not to think about it. After the infectious virus made all animal meat poisonous to humans, the government initiated the “Transition”, making human meat “special meat”, and Marcos is now high up at the plant that distributes the meat.

Then one day, he’s personally given a female head of the finest quality. Even though he’s fully aware that any form of personal contact is forbidden by death, Marcos slowly starts to treat her as a human being.

Right, okay, so I didn’t really have any problem with this book until they talked about the teens and the puppies – that’s what made me put the book down for a minute. Nothing about the care and managing of the head, not how they were slaughtered, not even how they were talked about! But I had an issue with the puppies!

Like, I feel for Marcos and what he was going through – and the final straw was pretty warranted when it finally came, but I was still shocked at the ending and how it was rounded up. If one thing didn’t happen, would it have changed the outcome??

But like – how does one describe this book anyway without going into a whole thing about it?? I wouldn’t call this scary… disturbing sure, but not scary. Unless you’re looking at it by the way of “this is what humans could do”. 
Overall, it’s a different read – and definitely not for everyone, especially for anyone with a weak stomach I would say, but if you’d like something totally out there this will be it.