(2) 4-6 Elliott follows her debut middle-grade graphic novel, The Real Riley Mayes (rev. 7/22), with the first book in a sleuth series featuring cat and dog pair Bel and Zeb. Sly black cat Bel likes to be right in the action with her detective notebook and binoculars. Sweet, eager Zeb, with his shaggy fur in different shades of brown, is there to back her up. When the pets’ neighbor, Payton Parakeet, goes missing, it’s up to this brother-and-sister team to bring their friend home. With information from a winged FBI (Feathered Bureau of Investigation) agent and a little detective work, the two quickly solve the case. Zeb and Bel’s human cohabitant, Josephine, and her friends make entertaining side characters for the neighborhood animals’ antics. Elliott’s illustrations are a perfect match for this lively and energetic story. Crisp lines and cheerful colors delightfully portray everything from Bel’s expression of shock while being bird-dived to Zeb’s playful poses as he vies for his whisker-sister’s attention. This first installment includes the story of how Zeb and Bel met, which is sure to pull on readers’ heartstrings. Budding comic-book artists will get a kick out of the back matter, which includes a guide to drawing both furry main characters.

Reviewer: Hill Saxton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2026

(1) 4-6 "Fifth grade isn't my kinda vibe," admits Riley at the start of Elliott's debut graphic novel, an exploration of self-identity that is both LOL funny and touching. Riley struggles in school, preferring to crack jokes and doodle on her assignments. And she doesn't have a crush on anyone in Eleventy-One, the boy band that is the frequent subject of her classmates' discussions. But she starts to suspect she might have a crush on Joy Powers, a celebrity comedian who is her idol and the intended recipient of a letter for a school assignment--if Riley can only figure out how to narrow her questions ("Do you ever love stuff that other people think is weird?"). Riley finds a true friend in new-kid Aaron but accidentally outs his parents as gay. When a classmate calls her a "lesbo," Riley (who thinks of herself as a "dude-ish girl") struggles to come to terms with her own identity. With the help of a few friends, her tight-knit family, Aaron's dads, and even Joy Powers, Riley realizes that "it's worth it to find the few people who truly get you." Elliott brings readers crisp linework, a bright palette, expressive body language, rich narrative details, and (bonus!) kitty comics. Best of all is inimitable Riley, who endears herself to readers with her budding self-awareness and undeniable moxie.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2022