This week’s mini review round-up includes one children’s picture book, one MG fantasy graphic novel, and 2 YA graphic novels!
TITLE: DewdropAUTHOR: Katie O’Neill
GENRE: Fantasy
FORMAT: eARC
AGE RANGE: Children
PAGES: 40pg
SOURCE: NetGalley
Dewdrop is an easygoing, gentle axolotl who enjoys naps, worm pie, and cheerleading. When the yearly sports fair nears, he and his friends—Mia the weightlifting turtle, Newman the musical newt, and three minnows who love to cook—get ready to showcase their skills to the whole pond! However, as the day of the fair gets closer, Dewdrop’s friends can’t help putting pressure on themselves to be the best. It’s up to Dewdrop to remind them how to be mindful, go at their own pace, and find joy in their own achievements.
I love this book so much! I adore everything Katie O’Neill has ever written and this was no exception. I’ve been so excited for her to release a new picture book and I have a feeling that the cute art, bright colors, and sweet story will be really popular with kids (plus animal main characters are always A++). This was seriously just so precious and I need a copy for my shelves as soon as it comes out just to join my beloved Katie O’Neill collection!
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
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TITLE: Princess Princess Ever AfterAUTHOR: Katie O’Neill
GENRE: Fantasy
FORMAT: Graphic Novel
AGE RANGE: MG
PAGES: 53pg
SOURCE: Library
When the heroic princess Amira rescues the kind-hearted princess Sadie from her tower prison, neither expects to find a true friend in the bargain. Yet as they adventure across the kingdom, they discover that they bring out the very best in the other person. They’ll need to join forces and use all the know-how, kindness, and bravery they have in order to defeat their greatest foe yet: a jealous sorceress, who wants to get rid of Sadie once and for all.
That was absolutely adorable. I love Katie O’Neill’s stories and artwork so much, and this one is no exception. I love that she’s creating these beautiful stories full of diverse characters (queer girls, QPOC characters, fat rep, and more) that readers of any age can fall in love with, and I have to say I especially loved Captain Amira and little Oliver. ♥
sexism, gender roles (all challenged)
multiple queer, QPOC, and/or fat characters
TITLE: BloomAUTHOR: Kevin Panetta
GENRE: Romance
FORMAT: Graphic Novel
AGE RANGE: YA
PAGES: 368pg
SOURCE: Amazon Vine
Now that high school is over, Ari is dying to move to the big city with his ultra-hip band—if he can just persuade his dad to let him quit his job at their struggling family bakery. Though he loved working there as a kid, Ari cannot fathom a life wasting away over rising dough and hot ovens. But while interviewing candidates for his replacement, Ari meets Hector, an easygoing guy who loves baking as much as Ari wants to escape it. As they become closer over batches of bread, love is ready to bloom . . . that is, if Ari doesn’t ruin everything.
I don’t know why or how I waited as long as I did to pick up Bloom, because this has to be one of my new favorite graphic novels of all time. The art is stunning, the characters are so precious and lovable, and I adored the rep (a Greek gay MC, a Samoan gay love interest, and multiple side characters of color).
This is definitely a more character- than plot-driven story, so if you’re like me and you prefer character-driven reads, this one will be right up your alley; not a ton of drama or conflict goes on, but it’s more focused on Ari coming to terms with what makes him happy and who he wants to be, and his slow-budding relationship with Hector.
I honestly cannot recommend this soft, sweet little queer romance highly enough. I adored these two and know I’ll be revisiting Bloom many times in the future just because I’m already missing Ari & Hector a little bit!
Thank you so much to the publisher & Amazon Vine for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
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Ari is Greek and gay, Hector is Samoan and gay, multiple QPOC side characters
TITLE: Goldie Vance, Vol. 1AUTHOR: Hope Larson
GENRE: Mystery
FORMAT: Graphic Novel
AGE RANGE: YA
PAGES: 112pg
SOURCE: Library
Sixteen-year-old Marigold “Goldie” Vance has an insatiable curiosity. She lives at a Florida resort with her dad, who manages the place, and it’s her dream to one day be the hotel’s in-house detective. When Walter, the current detective, encounters a case he can’t crack, together they utilize her smarts, skills, and connections to solve the mystery…even if it means getting into a drag race, solving puzzles, or chasing a helicopter to do it!
This was so gorgeous and sweet! I’ll be honest, I’m not big on kid or teen detective plotlines, so the story was a little out of my usual tastes, but the art was so pretty and the characters were so lovable, I still enjoyed it a lot and would definitely continue the series. I especially dug how fantastically diverse the character cast was, and that little beginning of a romance at the end was adorable! ♥
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multiple POC & QPOC characters
— destiny ♥
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Malka @ Paper Procrastinators
February 8, 2020I’ll probably check out Dewdrop when it comes out because of how much I’ve enjoyed Katie O’Neill’s previous works! There’s something about her bright and fun art style that draws me in every time! I also read Bloom last year and thought it was so cute! I think my favorite scene was the montage-like page of Ari interviewing prospective new hires! Even all these months later, I remember laughing and admiring how cleverly done that was!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
February 9, 2020It was sooooo precious! I really loved it. Not quite as much as her MG works, but it was still such an easy 5-star read for me. I love her art style so much, too. And yesss to Bloom! Oh my gosh, so precious haha. The little montage was super cute. It almost felt like watching a teen movie in graphic novel form and I want to see Netflix adapt it SO FAST haha.