Graphic Novel

49 Days / Agnes Lee

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49 Days
By: Agnes Lee
Genre: Graphic Novel
Number of Pages: 352
Published: March 5, 2024
Publisher: Levine Querido
Dates Read: June 1, 2024
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

Trigger Warnings: Grief

In Buddhist tradition, it takes a soul 49 days to journey between life and rebirth. In the 49 Days graphic novel, readers meet Kit, as she’s on her journey through the transition, as well as her family and friends who are left behind to grieve.

This story is sad but thoughtful as well. Kit struggles in her own journey of being able to move on as well and her family and friends left behind are trying to figure out how best to fill the hole that has now appeared in her absence. 

The story is a little vague on a few details on the journey, but I believe it’s that way so readers can interpret it on their own. I lost my father as a twelve-year-old and I definitely interpret the death of a close family member a lot differently than a lot of my coworkers.

Overall this is a story about grief. It may not be for everybody at certain moments in their life, but they may be able to come back to it. It’s touching and heartwarming as well.

The Encyclopedia of Early Earth / Isabel Greenberg

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The Encyclopedia of Early Earth
By: Isabel Greenberg
Genre: Graphic Novel
Number of Pages: 176
Published: October 3, 2013
Publisher: Bond Street Books
Dates Read: May 19, 2024
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

In a series of illustrated tales, a young man paddles from his home in the North Pole to the South Pole in search of his missing soul. Along the way, he uses his skills as his village’s storyteller to share others’ stories.

I really loved the storytelling of this novel. Of course, this is all fictional, but Isabel Greenberg used a lot of stories based on our own cultures and twisted them around. The book didn’t take itself too seriously and it was fun to see what Greenberg kept and what she changed to tell the story of early Earth.

I particularly enjoyed Kiddo and her storyline with Noah as she tried to save him from her father, Bird God.

Overall, a fun graphic novel filled with detailed art and stories that will capture your attention and hold it through every page.

Death Wins a Goldfish: Reflections from a Grim Reaper’s Yearlong Sabbatical / Brian Rea

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Death Wins a Goldfish: Reflections from a Grim Reaper’s Yearlong Sabbatical
By: Brian Rea
Genre: Graphic Novel, Humor
Number of Pages: 176
Published: February 5, 2019
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Dates Read: May 5, 2024
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

Death has never taken a day off. That is, until he gets a letter from HR insisting he start using them, starting that Friday. As Death takes his mandatory year-long sabbatical, readers get a peek into his diary and the activities he decides to fill his life with – including, winning a goldfish.

I picked this title up at work in the library when I saw it displayed on our shelves of the graphic novels that I pass by every morning on my way to my desk. I thought, “that sounds fun” and grabbed it. It then proceeded to sit on my desk for months as I continued to renew it as I read through a ton of award finalists. Welp, I finally finished reading for my awards, and this was one of the first books I sat down with to read.

The amount of photos I took on my phone of drawings from this little graphic novel are endless – Death doing an ollie over his goldfish in his fishbowl is my phone’s screensaver right now.

As much as this is cute, there’s also the look into not taking life so seriously and to make sure to have fun every once in a while as well. There were even some deep quotes, like this one:

“Saw the redwoods – even bigger than I thought! One of the trees had a giant hole right through the middle of it. The guide said it was “dying slowly” – so when everyone passed, I stepped inside. All the sounds went away. I felt small and warm. It wasn’t dying at all. It was just living slowly.”

Like I said, I borrowed this from my library, but I’m going to be on the hunt for my own copy of this book so I can read it again and again.

Shubeik Lubeik / Deena Mohamed, Anjali Singh (Translator)

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Shubeik Lubeik
By: Deena Mohamed, Anjali Singh (Translator)
Genre: Graphic Novel, Magical Realism
Number of Pages: 528
Published: January 10, 2023 (1st Published October 1, 2022)
Publisher: Pantheon
Dates Read: March 31, 2024 - April 1, 2024
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

In a world where wishes can be bought and the more expensive the wish, the more powerful it is, three individuals, Aziza, Nour, and Shokry, try to figure out what to do with their first class wishes.

The title translates to “Your wish is my command” and this graphic novel really dives into the age old question, “If you had one wish, what would you wish for?”. I really enjoyed the interludes between the stories where it dumped the information about the wishes with what they were and how they worked. It really helped me understand the world the characters were living in.

Aziza’s story is what starts everything off and goes into what a lot of women and lower class citizens go through – especially when it comes to something high price.

Nour’s section was the most intense in my opinion as it dealt with depression. As someone who has battled with depression for years, the questions Nour would ask about it and the best way to ask his question is all stuff that I felt like I would ask as well; especially since you had to be precise on your wishes or they’ll grant you not exactly what you wanted.

Shokry and Hagga’s story(ies) broke my heart with their tale of family. I knew Hagga had her reasons for doing what she was, but I didn’t think it would be that.

The art style of this was drawn the same throughout but would go from color while Shokry and Hagga would talk about the selling of the three wishes to black and white when it would go into each individual story.

Overall, this was an amazing graphic novel. It’s hefty, at 528 pages, which I think is what kept me off of it for as long as I did, but I devoured it as quickly as I could once I started it. In the end, it will really make you think about what your level one wish could be.

Roaming / Jillian Tamaki, Mariko Tamaki

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Roaming
By: Jillian Tamaki, Mariko Tamaki
Genre: Graphic Novel, New Adult
Number of Pages: 444
Published: September 1, 2023
Publisher: Drawn and Quarterly
Dates Read: March 25, 2024
Format: Library Book / Paperback

It’s Spring Break 2009 and three friends have five days in New York City. Over the course of their time there a fling blossoms between two of them, which causes the long-term friendship to be thrown off-balance. 

Don’t know why I’ve found myself in books running around New York City with young adults, but I’m okay with it. It was actually kind of nice reading the graphic novel since it had a few places that were mentioned in my first book so I got to see them that way.

Everybody knows a Fiona – who is literally the worst and sucks the fun out of everything. Which is what drove me nuts about her and Dani’s fling. But, I will give the authors the credit in truly capturing the annoyance of Fiona as a whole.

On top of hating Fiona, I did find the ending just as unsatisfying. I was expecting maybe Fiona acknowledging how shitty she was – or at least giving a thank you for Dani and Zoe helping her out, or more of the group separating at the airport and going their separate ways. I get the symbolism of the ending – but I just wish there had been more.

Overall, it’s a good story about a group of friends on a trip one of them always dreamed of and it is not going exactly as planned. Wonderful depiction of that difference you have with your high school friends after going away to different colleges/universities.

Cross My Heart and Never Lie / Nora Dåsnes, Matt Bagguley (Translator)

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Cross My Heart and Never Lie
By: Nora Dåsnes, Matt Bagguley (Translator)
Genre: Graphic Novel, Middle Grade
Number of Pages: 248
Published: September 19, 2023 (1st Published May 5, 2021)
Publisher: Hippo Park
Dates Read: March 20, 2024
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

Twelve-year-old Tuva has questions about what it means to become a mature and a teenager. She’s starting seventh grade and has a few goals; write (or draw) a whole diary, get a cool look, build the best base in the bog with Bao and Linnéa, go to a sleepover birthday party, and fall in love. She’s got it all planned out. But when school starts, nothing is how she hoped.

Her two best friends are not split into rival teams. TEAM LINNÉA are the girls who fall in love. TEAM BAO are the girls who will never fall in love. Linnéa got a boyfriend over the summer and Bao hates everything there is to do with love. And now, they’re expecting Tuva to pick sides! Then Miriam shows up and suddenly Tuva feels like she’s met her soulmate.

How’s a girl to survive?

This was so cute! First sapphic love written in the diary form of a young artist is adorable (especially when she’s making the connections that yea – she does like Miriam like that!). It’s also one of the best coming of age stories I’ve read in a minute. Tuva’s on that teetering edge of playing around in the mud during breaks and wearing a bra and mascara for the first time (I don’t wear makeup anymore, but I did when I was younger and trying to figure out your “look” is hard!).

Tuva’s dad is also a single parent and it’s heartwarming to see him trying while Tuva’s going through everything. He even admits he doesn’t have all the answers, but it’s always so very supportive.

This book is set in Norway and is translated from Norwegian – it’s fascinating to see how universal growing up can be.

Overall, I’ll be thrusting this book into the hands of many who would like a warm hug on a chilly day. Also those that love queer middle grade stories. The subjects in the story are never too heavy and can be enjoyed by all ages!

Huda F Cares? / Huda Fahmy

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Huda F Cares?
By: Huda Fahmy
Genre: Graphic Novel, Humor
Number of Pages: 208
Published: October 10, 2023
Publisher: Dial Books
Dates Read: March 7, 2024
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

Huda and her sisters are actually taking a family vacation this summer – to Disney World! But, it’s not all going to be a walk in the park. First Huda must survive the 24-hour car ride from Michigan to Florida, crammed in the back seat with her sisters. Then, Huda can’t help but notice all the stares her family gets, especially when they’re praying in public – back home in Dearborn, their family blends right in with the large Muslim population, but in Florida, not so much.

This graphic novel is filled with force (but successful??) sisterly bonding, a possible new friendship, and some mixed feelings about exactly why Huda cares so much about what other people thought.

The sibling dynamics are so spot on – especially sisterly ones. So many scenarios where I thought, “Yep, my sisters and I have had a version of this fight ourselves”.

I love how the author was able to mix nostalgia with humor and still be very eye opening. Her family is very blessed back in Dearborn to be surrounded with a large Muslim community, but her parents know that’s not how it will be “out in the real world” and their trip to Disney World is kind of a tester for them. It takes Huda a bit to realize that, but she still comes out of the trip being proud to be Muslim.

Overall, I love Huda’s series and will definitely be recommending her books to loads of people. You don’t necessarily have to read her first graphic novel to understand this one at all. But this one is nice for those with sisters to read a story of a family road trip – cause we’ve all been there, right??

Marshmallow & Jordan

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Marshmallow & Jordan
By: Alina Chau
Genre: Graphic Novel, Middle Grade
Number of Pages: 384
Published: January 1, 2021
Publisher: First Second
Dates Read: February 27, 2024 - February 28, 2024
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

After an accident left her paralyzed from the waist down, Jordan is no longer the star player for her school’s basketball team, even though she’s still captain, her competition days are over. After practice one day, Jordan encounters a small, baby white elephant, whom she names Marshmallow. The duo bond quickly and Marshmallow even helps Jordan discover a new sport.

This is so cute and I love it so much.

What a wonderful, positive representation of friendship, love, and different abled bodies. I absolutely appreciated how much support everyone was always giving Jordan. Sure, when the water polo team first met Jordan, they had some doubts but for the most part, everyone was still supportive of her.

The illustrations of this graphic novel were beautiful and sometimes intense (like the water polo games!). It also had really delightful setting panels of Indonesia.

Overall – this is a little long and sometimes a little choppy when it comes to the storytelling, but the elegant illustrations made up for it. It’s aimed at Middle Grade readers for sure – but if you want something cute and sweet, those of all ages will find enjoyment between these pages.

Wildful / Kengo Kurimoto

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Wildful
By: Kengo Kurimoto
Genre: Graphic Novel, Middle Grade
Number of Pages: 216
Published: February 6, 2024
Publisher: Groundwood Books
Dates Read: February 18, 2024 - February 18, 2024
Format: eBook

One day while Poppy’s out walking Pepper, her dog leads her through a hole in a fence; there she finds a forgotten wild land as well as a new friend – Rob. Poppy’s mother hasn’t been the same since her Gran passed away and barely leaves the couch. Poppy spends more and more time outside with Rob, who teaches her all the magic of the wilderness. Poppy would love to share it with her mom, but her mom barely has enough energy. Can Poppy help get her mom to see the beauty of the world again?

This is such a beautifully illustrated story. It’s almost a silent graphic novel, with few words – and even those words weren’t really spoken much until near the end.

This story is a lot about grief and how to find joy again after the passing of a loved one.

It’s simple, but still powerful.

The Talk / Darrin Bell

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The Talk
By: Darrin Bell
Genre: Graphic Novel, Memoir
Number of Pages: 352
Published: June 6, 2023
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Dates Read: February 18, 2024 - February 18, 2024
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

The Talk is the graphic novel memoir of Darrin Bell as he recounts his childhood and growing up as a Black man as he decides how to best give his own son The Talk. 

This novel goes from Bell’s coming of age story where he finds his voice through cartooning and becomes well aware of just how dangerous his teachers, neighbors, and police see him. He also talks about how much his mom advocated for him as well as trying as hard as she could to protect him; his dad on the other hand had failed to teach him how to be a Black man in America.

There’s a lot to process in this book – a lot that Black Americans have to go through just to live their day to day lives. It’s honest. It’s raw. It’s very moving.