(2) YA Color by K Czap. In this engaging graphic novel, Ollie Herisson (whose father is white and American and mother is Thai) has always made friends easily at the international schools she attends, but those friendships have been short-lived because of her family's frequent moves. Wanting their daughters to experience a more typical childhood, however, Ollie's parents move the family from Germany to Virginia, hoping this move will be their last. While her younger sister, Cat, quickly makes friends, seventh grader Ollie has a harder time. Pushed over the edge by the embarrassment of having her first menstrual period at school and deflated by her mother's disappointment with her refusal to wear dresses and be more obedient ("I should have raised you more Thai"), the imaginative and outgoing Ollie gives up on her social life and finds solace in immersing herself in drawing, manga, and role-playing games. Her interests lead to unexpected friendships, particularly with the popular Nina, as they bond over their shared mixed heritage; and Zoe, who shares Ollie's love of anime. When friendship drama ensues, Ollie reconnects with Cat and learns to admit her mistakes and confront conflict. Galligan's exuberant manga-influenced style showcasing exaggerated features humorously reflects the emotional complexities of her characters. Told with sincerity and charm, this story is a relatable exploration of friendship, identity, and personal growth.

Reviewer: Kristine Techavanich | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2025

(4) YA Seventeen-year-old Macy, a biracial aspiring author, navigates a prestigious writing retreat while competing for a coveted spot in an anthology. Alongside Caleb, the son of her parents’ literary nemeses, Macy embarks on a writerly scavenger hunt and faces the challenges of trust, identity, and her complicated family dynamics. Despite some uneven characterization, which leaves the emotional stakes feeling a bit underdeveloped, the romance is sweet and the writing journey insightful. Ideal for young littérateurs and romance fans.

Reviewer: Summer Edward

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Tonya Engel. President Barack Obama's path through life has been anything but linear. This picture-book biography in verse relates how "Barry" (as he was known in childhood), who was born to a white woman from Kansas and a Black Kenyan father, began to explore his racial identity at an early age. He increasingly felt like an outsider as he moved from Hawaii to Indonesia and back again. In early adulthood, he spent time in big cities on the U.S. mainland ("I came home in Chicago") and, realizing that his unique background was an asset to the community, began to organize, which led to the start of his political career. Chronicling his personal life, political rise, and presidency in a style both poetic and informative, Rappaport offers a narrative that emphasizes themes of community and perseverance. Engel's paintings effectively complement the text, with dynamic colors capturing the energy of Obama's journey. Select quotes about both his political and personal achievements, peppered throughout the text, add richness. With a detailed timeline and bibliography, this is a strong narrative that is equal parts biography and tribute to a man who discovered that his uniqueness was precisely what qualified him to serve others.

Reviewer: Eboni Njoku | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2025

(2) YA Illustrated by Kate Milner. Coelho, the U.K.'s current Children's Laureate, here interweaves two narratives -- one a riff on the classical story of Theseus; the other of Theo, a contemporary biracial teen seeking his Black father. They are "two boys searching a maze of manhood," as an introductory poem by "the Oracle" proclaims. In first-person, present-tense verse -- free verse as well as rondels, sestinas, pantoums, and other tightly structured poetic forms -- the story focuses on Theo's visceral desire to know the father who long ago abandoned him and his mother. At the same time, for coursework, he pursues the project of telling Theseus's story in a series of poems. Theseus's labors as he travels to meet his father become the structure by which Theo envisions and interprets progress and setbacks, liars and swindlers, in his own quest. He has his own take on the tricksters and monsters Theseus slaughters, offering compassionate, complex readings that explore and contest ideas of masculinity and the monstrous. Coelho's verse is expressive and arresting: his description of washing a contemporary Sciron's feet is enough to curl your toenails. His mingling of contemporary urban features with the fantastic grotesqueries of the classical story creates a surreality that suits adolescent passions. Milner's pen-and-ink illustrations throughout combine the statuesque, hieroglyphic, and superheroic in a parallel expression of the mythic nature of teen quests. An appended note gives background on the story of Theseus.

Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024

(2) YA After Shiloh receives a box of clay as a bar mitzvah present, he and his younger sister, Faye, meet their estranged grandfather, who sent it, for the first time. The siblings learn that, on their father's side, they are part of a lineage that can create golems: "human figure[s] formed from clay and brought to life with the Hebrew alphabet." While visiting their grandfather's apartment to practice harnessing this power, they encounter in dreams their ancestors' traumatic stories of antisemitism and oppression at various points in history. (These dreams include strong descriptions of cruelty and death that make this book best suited for readers who can handle realistic violence.) What they learn about their past sheds light on the present day as they grapple with contemporary antisemitism. In addition to the historical Jewish golemcrafters they meet, Shiloh and Faye also face questions of identity that arise from their Japanese ancestors on their mother's side. This memorable story takes a strong stance against victim-blaming in favor of defending oneself and one's beliefs. Caring familial relationships are centered, and while sibling rivalry is a factor in their dynamic (Faye has more golemcrafting power than Shiloh), the two love and support each other above all.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2025

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Lynnor Bontigao. For many children, the afterschool hours are anything but relaxing, "because now there is homework. Or a piano lesson. Or dance class." Detlefsen and Bontigao effectively portray this frenetic time between school dismissal and bedtime in an enjoyable picture book featuring a biracial family. The dad, who may be a stay-at-home parent, oversees the three young children's activities. Mom is in the military and joins her family via a video call in the evening, during which the kids experience the "pang of missing someone who feels too far away." While the children may be "exhausted...or in a mood" at day's end, there are also moments of lightheartedness. Dad and the kids enjoy taking a walk at twilight, telling knock-knock jokes, and eating bread fresh from the oven. Mom's return home makes the family complete but doesn't put an end to the chaos. Bontigao's expressive digitally rendered illustrations capture the havoc surrounding the family (e.g., the dog eats a child's homework, a vase is knocked off a table and shatters), while the text's soothing rhythm makes for a fine bedtime story.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024

(2) YA Molly, her brother Hank, and Tray have been best friends since middle school, but a lot has changed. Hank now has a traumatic brain injury from a climbing accident. Tray was there when it happened, and Molly holds him responsible. The three had planned a hike across the Pacific Crest Trail to celebrate their high school graduation, and even though Hank isn't graduating, he eventually agrees to come too. As the teens hike along the difficult trail, they must deal with the intense feelings that each has been holding onto since Hank's accident. With the aid of new friends they meet along the way -- including Brynn, whom they help escape an abusive situation -- the friends slowly open up to one another. The story touches on ableism, fatphobia (affecting Molly and Brynn), and anti-Indigenous thoughts and actions (Molly and Tray are Mitis and white, like author Ferguson). Through the alternating voices of Molly and Tray and through Hank's past and present social media posts, Ferguson (The Summer of Bitter and Sweet, rev. 5/22) has again created well-characterized teenage protagonists grappling with difficult issues. An engrossing, introspective tale of a trek and of teen relationships.

Reviewer: Nicholl Denice Montgomery | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2024

(2) 4-6 This introspective graphic memoir explores bicultural identity and the path toward self-acceptance. Like many students at her international school in Bangkok, Thailand, eleven-year-old Kathy is "luk khrueng," or "half child." Her father is American, and her mother is Thai, but Kathy identifies more as American and, though she appreciates Thai culture, she feels that she's not Thai enough. She looks forward to summers with her father's family in Maine, but this year she's acutely aware of how her family stands out there. She's also excited to spend three weeks away from her family at summer camp, but once there she struggles to fit in as campers ask rude questions about her heritage. ("Where is that?" "Do you mean Taiwan?") Kathy learns to embrace the unique qualities that connect her to both sides of her family and to her own mixed identity. Sprinkled throughout are elements of Thai culture and Thai language, depicted in Thai text with English translation, adding depth and cultural context. The pastel-toned panels, black-and-white flashback scenes, and cleanly drawn and expressively detailed characters complement the youthful, gentle tone of Kathy's internal dialogue. In an afterword, MacLeod shares her process making the book, comics she wrote as a child, and family photos.

Reviewer: Kristine Techavanich | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2024

(2) 4-6 Blue Stars series. Illustrated by Molly Murakami. In their first graphic novel collaboration, Magoon and Smith introduce readers to cousins Riley Halfmoon and Maya Dawn. Riley is used to being surrounded by her Muscogee cousins and aunties. Maya is an only child and lives in Japan with her parents, who are on active duty. The girls both move to Urbanopolis to live with their paternal grandmother when Riley's mom gets a new job and Maya's parents get a new assignment. At first they find sharing a room to be a difficult adjustment; when school starts, the two continue on their separate paths until they realize the vice principal plans to cut afterschool programs for more detention space. The girls work together to expose his plans and to "be the stars" their grandmother wants them to be. The story and illustrations are a wonderful representation of a multiracial (the cousins' paternal grandmother is Black; Riley's mom is Muscogee, and Maya's mother is white) and multigenerational family. The graphic novel format, with varied panel layouts in the digital illustrations, helps create a fast-paced adventure middle-grade and middle-school readers will appreciate.

Reviewer: Nicholl Denice Montgomery | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024

(2) YA A Japanese American author-illustrator describes her inner journey to find herself while taking an actual journey to Japan. With an Asian mother and a white father, nineteen-year-old Christine has never felt as if she fit in anywhere and hopes that a year living in the country of her birth will make her feel like a whole person instead of just "half." Initially excited, Christine soon finds fitting in just as hard in Japan -- she's exoticized for being biracial, and her lack of fluency in the language makes her feel awkward and lonely. Her range of emotions is well expressed in the illustrations, which are tinted in various shades of purple that manage to suit both her upbeat outlook and her eventual depression. Pops of pink (neon and pastel) add interest, and the book's only full-color scene (a single-page illustration of a blooming cherry tree) highlights Christine's crucial realization that the blossoms' beauty lies not in their short life but in their resilient return year after year. With support from her Japanese grandparents and through regular conversations with a therapist, Christine slowly and believably regains hope and learns it's okay to be uncertain about what life holds for her. Biracial identity, mental health, and Japanese culture are explored in this deeply personal graphic memoir.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2024

(2) PS Illustrated by Hyewon Yum. Not Little (rev. 9/21) protagonist Dot is not happy about not being perfect. While her multiracial family members excel at their endeavors (sister is an artist, twin brothers are spelling bee champs, Mom has a black belt, Dad sings in a band, and: "Even my cat is perfect"), Dot bakes lopsided cupcakes, kicks too-wide goals, and plays wrong notes on the piano. At school, her best friend, Sam, shines in tidiness and rule-following, and Dot chooses him for her "person we admire" project. Frustration grows and self-esteem plummets as her portrait of Sam doesn't match what's in her head. She rips up her drawing, storms outside, angry-jumps on a trampoline, then dries her tears, gets back to work -- and arrives at a perfectly imperfect solution. This second book about Dot gives the realistic-seeming child plenty of support from nonjudgmental adults, providing time and space to solve her own problems -- and without the pressure of perfection. Spare colored-pencil illustrations with lots of white space are particularly good at reflecting Dot's feelings, from eager and hopeful to self-conscious, mad, and sad, to relaxed, contented, and proud. "'I made a lot of mistakes. It was really hard.' 'But you did it,' [Sam] says. 'That's true.' I did a little bounce of happiness. 'I did.'"

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024

(2) 4-6 Wren, a bicultural seventh grader, lives with uncertainty and grief after the disappearance five years earlier of her mother, who is Cherokee. Wren's single-mindedness about solving that mystery borders on obsession until Elisi (her grandmother) channels the girl's "finding" skills to locating missing pets in their Oklahoma town. Wren is helped along by access to information provided by (or stolen from) her white dad, a rule-following police chief. Her new friend Brantley enthusiastically jumps into the investigation, with surprising results. The crimes committed against animals allude to those perpetrated against Native women, allowing Reno (Cherokee Nation) to speak to children on their level while not eliding the horror of abuse and murder. This novel lends itself to discussion of many complex topics: Missing and Murdered Indigenous People, child abuse, bullying, grief, historic events such as the Trail of Tears; and on the positive side, Native American religions and traditions, the Cherokee language and its revitalization, and tribal sovereignty. It's also simply a good murder mystery, with suspense, foreshadowing, allusion, and believable plot points (and even some humor), successfully walking the line between an authentic portrayal of the dark side of human nature and accessible writing for tweens and young teens.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2025

(2) YA Seventeen-year-old Lucia Cruz loves the consistency of her daily routine. During a trip to San Diego for her cousin's debut -- a traditional Filipino coming-of-age party in which Luz has no interest -- her world is turned on its head. Her best friend, Esme, reveals her discontent with their customary patterns, and Luz finds out that her mom has been planning her debut, complete with an Eighteen Roses ceremony, behind her back. She returns home to contend with the possibility of trying new things, connecting with classmates besides Esme, and cobbling together an extravagant birthday celebration. Throughout Luz's last year of high school, Rogers sheds light on the overwhelming nature of self-discovery as well as the messiness of conflict between friends and of complicated families (Luz and her younger sister begrudgingly split their time between their Filipina mom and white dad, who is remarried to a younger, now-pregnant Filipina woman). Many of the protagonist's critical observations are based on fear and anxiety and, as it turns out, can be transformed into humor. Despite feeling abandoned by Esme, Luz manages to develop connections with classmates through a stand-up comedy club. And with the power of TikTok, she puts together a unique Eighteen Roses ceremony that fits her personality and style. While she often feels powerless, Luz's courage allows her to build unexpected connections, self-confidence, and community.

Reviewer: Gabi K. Huesca | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2024

(2) YA Illustrated by Mar Julia. Color by Ashanti Forston. In this empathetic coming-of-age graphic novel, nearly-fifteen-year-old Almudena reluctantly spends the summer of 1995 with Xavier, her Guatemalan father whom she's never met, so that her (non-Latine) mother can accept a dream job in Europe. June starts off unpleasantly -- Almudena's stereotypical view of Latine culture alienates her Guatemalan neighbors, and her unfamiliarity with Spanish causes frustratingly stilted communication with Xavier as they spend their days renovating his rundown brownstone. But as the summer months pass, Almudena makes genuine efforts to embrace the heritage she's never known -- from chile relleno to her own quiñceanera -- and build relationships with the brownstone's prospective new tenants as they share their challenges surrounding gentrification, racism, and homophobia. Father and daughter gradually improve in their communication, culminating in bittersweet yet hopeful revelations surrounding his absence from her life and in her reassessing what she considers to be a "perfect family." The earth-toned illustrations warmly depict Xavier's metropolitan neighborhood and are full of affectionate detail, from refinement of the brownstone throughout its restoration to Almudena's resemblances to both parents. Spanish dialogue is either untranslated, paraphrased into English, or represented through Almudena's observations ("rapid-fire Spanish-sounding stuff"). Teer shows his characters' shortcomings without framing anyone as an antagonist and omits most period-specific references in favor of concentrating on timeless emotions related to overcoming cultural imposter syndrome.

Reviewer: Ed Spicer | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2024

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Niña Mata. A mixed-race family spends a day at the beach, where their child confidently notes and appreciates the different types of beach hair (“I see BIG beach hair. And WIG beach hair. TWISTY and TWIRLY and BARELY-THERE beach hair”). This subtle celebration of all kinds of (beach) hair is a perfect read-aloud, employing vivid similes (“Mommy’s [hair] coils into tiny spirals, like all the best seashells in my collection”) and featuring warm and playful digital illustrations.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter

(2) YA Illustrated by Karen De la Vega & Marcus Williams. Former NHL player Aliu made headlines in 2020 when he shared stories of the racism and hazing he faced as a person of color in professional hockey. The son of a Nigerian father and Ukrainian mother, Aliu was born in Nigeria and spent his early years in Russia before his family immigrated to Canada and he discovered his love for hockey. His adoration of the sport was tested by persistent and devastating racism throughout his adolescence and beyond. This graphic memoir follows him from childhood through his exit from the NHL and to the formation of the Hockey Diversity Alliance, which makes hockey accessible to "children from diverse communities ­underrepresented in the sport." The narrative is notable for its emotional clarity and the strength with which the concise text carries both Aliu's pain and his resolve. Dynamic comic-panel art serves the story with expressiveness of motion and feeling. Grabbing readers at the intersection of sports and social justice, this is a welcome addition to the graphic-memoir genre.

Reviewer: Anne St. John | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2023

(2) 4-6 Sicily Jordan had been excited about starting sixth grade with her friend group, the "Tether Squad" (including coordinated "outfits for almost the entire first month"). A last-minute redistricting plan means she has to transfer to Shirley Chisholm Middle School--without her squad. She's devastated and worries about making friends with a whole new group of people. Her "It's My Culture" presentation for class results in ignorant questions about her heritage: how can she be Black and speak Spanish? Is her family really from Panama? Sicily's frustrations are compounded at home, where her beloved abuela has become increasingly vocal about her dislike of her granddaughter's braided hair, calling it "low-class and poor and ghetto." While other family members and friends provide some support and levity, it's an opportunity to write for the school's online magazine that gives the biggest boost. In searching for topics, Sicily also begins to research her culture--and discovers that her biggest advocate just might be herself. Issues of colorism, culture, and immigration are skillfully discussed, and Sicily's journal entries introduce the rich history of Black Panamanians.

Reviewer: Eboni Njoku | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2023

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Fiona Lumbers. Young Luna usually has two Christmases: one with Mom and one with Dad. This year, however, she and her family are “doing something different.” On Christmas Eve, Luna and Mom make deliveries for the food bank; on Christmas Day, Luna and Dad join Mom (and grandparents) at the town hall to help with a community dinner “where everyone is welcome, so no one is alone.” The lively illustrations put fellowship on full display; as in previous books starring this happy biracial girl (Luna Loves Library Day and others) and her amicably co-parenting Mom and Dad, listeners are treated to a story within the story.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(2) YA First-person narrator Winifred, a Canadian teen of Metis and European descent, lives in present-day Toronto with her father, who is a crematory operator, on the grounds of the cemetery, between "the grubby and the austere"--a ravine where drug users hang out, and the gentrified neighborhood of Cabbagetown. Winifred is ostracized at school because of her morbid surroundings, and as she sees it, she has "lived a fairy-tale childhood. Like, a Grimm's fairy tale." Her own mother's ashes are half buried in the cemetery and half kept in the house, and her father lives a "half-life," yearning for his lost love. Ghosts haunt Winifred, both figuratively and literally, but Dimaline's (The Marrow Thieves) intense, bittersweet, and often funny novel is more than a ghost story. Extended portions about the life and death of Phil, a sympathetically rendered ghost character who becomes one of Winifred's first loves, allude to the real-life neglected epidemic of MMIWG2S (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People). Through this novel, Dimaline (Metis Nation of Ontario) honors those lost; as Winifred's Metis auntie says, "So lucky, you, to live in this place with so many people. Imagine a world without your dead? I'd be so lonely walking around by yourself like that."

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2023

(1) YA Kiki, who is Black and Cree, has been gone for five months when the book begins, and the police have stopped looking for her. Her friend and fellow First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Student Association member Berlin, a high achiever living with depression, and Cam, Berlin's longtime childhood rival, feel Kiki's loss profoundly. When Berlin thinks she sees Kiki outside Pink Mountain Pizza, where she and Cam work--and where much of the story is set--the two put aside their dfferences to search for her. They're assisted by new coworker Jessie, whose abusive father, a developer, is trying to buy Pink Mountain Pizza out from under Joe, one of the few Black business owners in town. Their social media campaign to raise awareness and save the store garners much support but also provides a platform for people to attack Joe, bringing to light issues of capitalism and anti-Black racism. Kiki's page-turning story and her mother's earlier disappearance provide multiple angles on the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People. Through a well-characterized ensemble cast, Ferguson (The Summer of Bitter and Sweet, rev. 5/22), who is Michif/Métis and white, addresses the myriad difficult topics facing her characters with sensitivity and care.

Reviewer: Nicholl Denice Montgomery | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2023