Graphic Novel – Page 6 – Jill's Book Blog

Review: Nayra and the Djinn

Title: Nayra and the Djinn
Author: Iasmin Omar Ata
Genre: Graphic Novel, Middle Grade, Fantasy
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: February 28, 2023
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

In this coming-of-age graphic novel with a fantastical twist, Nayra Mansour, a Muslim American girl is helped on her journey to selfhood by a djinn.

Nothing is going right for Nayra Mansour. There’s the constant pressure from her strict family, ruthless bullying from her classmates, and exhausting friendship demands from Rami -the only other Muslim girl at school. Nayra has had enough. Just when she’s considering transferring schools to escape it all, a mysterious Djinn named Marjan appears.

As a djinn, a mythical being in Islamic folklore, Marjan uses their powers and wisdom to help Nayra navigate her overwhelming life. But Marjan’s past is fraught with secrets, guilt, and trouble, and if they don’t face what they’ve done, Nayra could pay the price.

In this beautifully illustrated graphic novel, Iasmin Omar Ata has created a realistic coming-of-age story with an enchanting dose of the fantastical about strength, identity, and, most of all, friendship.

Review:

Nayra Mansour is under pressure from her family to do well at school, but her family doesn’t know how much she is bullied for being Muslim. She is friends with the only other Muslim girl at school, Rami, but that friendship isn’t strong enough to make Nayra feel better. While Nayra is considering transferring to a different school, a Djinn, a mythical creature in Islamic folklore, appears before her. The Djinn has run away from their home, but they want to help Nayra with her problems. Nayra has to figure out how to solve her problems with the help of the Djinn.

This was a great middle grade graphic novel! Nayra experienced a lot of racism and Islamophobia from her classmates. There was one girl who would call her names, even when Nayra asked her to stop. Nayra had to figure out a way to connect with the bully in order to get her to stop. It was sad to see her treated like that. Throughout the story, Nayra was fasting for Ramadan, but her classmates didn’t understand that so they made fun of her. If more people can understand and be empathetic to people from different backgrounds, there may be less racism in the world. It’s important for children to read stories like this one to see the harm that can come from bullying and racism.

Nayra and the Djinn is a great middle grade graphic novel!

Thank you Penguin Teen Canada for providing a copy of this book!

Content warnings: racism, Islamophobia, bullying

Have you read Nayra and the Djinn? What did you think of it?

Review: DeadEndia: The Watcher’s Test

Title: DeadEndia: The Watcher’s Test
Author: Hamish Steele
Genre: Graphic Novel, Fantasy, LGBTQ, Young Adult
Publisher: Union Square and Co.
Source: Publisher
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: May 2, 2023
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Barney Guttman’s life has been turned upside down. His family is struggling to fully embrace his trans identity, but thanks to his best friend Norma, he’s just landed a job at Phoenix Parks, a Dollywood-esque amusement park inspired by the long life and career of mysteriously youthful actress and singer Pauline Phoenix. Soon, Barney and his dog, Pugsley, secretly move into the haunted house attraction. Little does Barney know, the house contains a portal to the demonic planes of Hell. When Courtney, Barney’s devilish new roommate, invites a demon king to Earth through the portal, they offer Barney and Norma as flesh vessels for the king, but in a strange twist, Pugsley is possessed instead! It’s a race through the park to save Pugsley—and the world—from the demon king’s reign of terror that leaves Pugsley with strange and magical side effects. With all of this chaos going on, Barney is also discovering he has crush on park employee, Logan, so he must face his biggest fear of all… talking to someone he likes.

Follow the lives of this diverse group of friends in this hilarious and moving graphic novel series, complete with talking pugs, vengeful ghosts, and first love.

Part workplace comedy, part supernatural horror adventure, with a splash of LGBTQ+ romance, The Watcher’s Test is perfect for fans of author Hamish Steele’s TV series Dead End: Paranormal Park who are in search of more adventures, for graphic novel lovers who want more diversity in their reads, or simply as an introduction to the zany, creative, and laugh-out-loud funny world of DeadEndia.

Review:

Barney Guttman’s parents aren’t completely accepting his trans identity, so when he gets a job at a haunted house in an amusement park, he leaves home and moves in there. Barney is working with his best friend Norma and he brought his dog Pugsley to live with him too. He soon discovers that this haunted house contains a portal to Hell. A demonic ambassador named Courtney invited a demon king to Earth which sets off several events including giving Pugsley the ability to speak and do magic. The group of friends go on a series of adventures throughout the amusement park to save Earth.

This was a hilarious and entertaining graphic novel with some serious moments too. I liked how the story focused on Barney’s present. Since his parents weren’t accepting his trans identity, they didn’t take up space on the page other than him mentioning them a few times. The other characters were fun and diverse. The characters were well developed right from the first page, so the story could focus on the events happening at the amusement park. This is also a beautifully illustrated graphic novel!

DeadEndia: The Watcher’s Test is a fun book!

Thank you Union Square and Co. for sending me a copy of this book!

Content warnings: transphobia (mentioned), death, death of dog

Other books in the series:

DeadEndia: The Broken Halo

Have you read DeadEndia: The Watcher’s Test? What did you think of it?

Review: Schnozzer and Tatertoes: Take a Hike!

Title: Schnozzer and Tatertoes: Take a Hike!
Author: Rick Stromoski
Genre: Children’s, Graphic Novel
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Source: Publisher
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: June 27, 2023
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A buddy adventure through the forest, starring two best-pal pooches! Two best friend dogs, Schnozzer (the smart one) and Tatertoes (the cheerful one), set off into the forest on a journey to visit Tatertoes’s mom. Along their adventure, they encounter bees, bears, quicksand, characters from fairy tales, something called “nose spiders,” and lots of yo-yo action. Their adventures are told as a series of vignettes, propelled by easygoing but giggle-inducing humor. That plus Rick Stromoski’s lush, illustrative style and charming character designs make for page-turning, chuckle-filled reading.

Review:

Schnozzer and Tatertoes are two dog friends who live together. After a game of “Mother May I,” Schnozzer realizes he doesn’t have any memories of his mom. They decide to go to the farm where Schnozzer was born to find his mom. Along the way, they meet fairytale characters, like Little Red Riding Hood and Goldilocks, and creatures like “nose spiders” and “a log with a face” in the water. They have a entertaining journey to find Schnozzer’s mom.

This was an adorable children’s graphic novel! Schnozzer is a cheerful and naive dog, while Tatertoes is more logical. There were jokes that will make kids and adults laugh. The illustrations were beautiful and expressive too. I liked the inclusion of familiar fairy tale characters. It made the story relatable, since they were characters I already know.

Schnozzer and Tatertoes Take a Hike is a great children’s graphic novel!

Thank you Union Square and Co. for sending me a copy of this book!

Have you read Schnozzer and Tatertoes: Take a Hike? What did you think of it?

Review: The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Title: The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Author: Deya Muniz
Genre: Graphic Novel, LGBTQ, Romance
Publisher: Little, Brown Ink
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: May 9, 2023
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A funny, heartfelt YA romance about finding love—and lots of grilled cheese sandwiches—in the place you least expect it, from rising talent Deya Muniz.

Lady Camembert wants to live life on her own terms, without marriage. Well, without marrying a man, that is. But the law of the land is that women cannot inherit. So when her father passes away, she does the only thing she can: She disguises herself as a man and moves to the capital city of the Kingdom of Fromage to start over as Count Camembert.

But it’s hard to keep a low profile when the beautiful Princess Brie, with her fierce activism and great sense of fashion, catches her attention. Camembert can’t resist getting to know the princess, but as the two grow closer, will she able to keep her secret?

A romantic comedy about mistaken identity, true love, and lots of grilled cheese.

Review:

Lady Camembert wants to live on her own and not marry a man, but when her father dies, she isn’t able to inherit by herself as a woman. To get around that rule, she disguises herself as a man named Count Camembert and moves to the capital city of the Kingdom of Fromage to get a fresh start with her inheritance. Soon after moving there, she meets Princess Brie. As Camembert and Brie spend more time together, Camembert realizes how much she likes Brie, but they can’t be together unless her secret true identity is revealed.

This graphic novel was so fun! It was filled with cheese puns, with characters named Brie, Feta, Gorgonzola, and a puppy named Gouda. The illustrations in the graphic novel were beautiful. One of my favourite parts was the mix of regency clothing and modern items. Most of the time, the characters wore clothing similar to the regency period. However, Camembert played with a Nintendo Switch, and wore t-shirts to bed. This quirky mix of clothing added to the “cheesy” atmosphere of the story.

The Princess and the Grilled Cheese is a fun new graphic novel!

Have you read The Princess and the Grilled Cheese? What did you think of it?

Review: Doctor Who: Origins

Title: Doctor Who: Origins
Author: Jody Houser, Roberta Ingranata
Genre: Graphic Novel, Science Fiction
Publisher: Titan Comics
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: January 10, 2023
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

This latest Doctor Who graphic novel brings a fresh new take on the beloved time-traveler, with a brand-new never-before-seen adventure!

An epic adventure with the traveling Time Lord, this graphic novel is the explosive new story that reveals the very early years of the Doctor. Past, present and future all collide in a Doctor Who tale that’s out of this world!

Bursting straight out of the long-running hit television series, this Doctor Who collection continues the time-traveling tales of the Doctor and friends.

Buy it, read it, then travel back in time to read it for the first time all over again…!

Review:

The Fugitive Doctor makes her debut in this graphic novel about the Doctor’s early years. She has to explore different worlds where Time Lords are living. However, this mission takes a dark turn that the Doctor isn’t expecting. She must find a way to solve the problems while saving the Time Lords at the same time.

The Fugitive Doctor comes before the First Doctor from the TV series. There was a small cameo from the First Doctor that gave the timeline for when this story takes place. This Doctor had a distinctive personality, who did things her own way, while also holding onto the integrity of the character. It was a good story, but I would have liked to see more about the origins of this version of the Doctor and where she came from.

This was a great Doctor Who graphic novel!

Thank you Titan Comics for providing a digital copy of this book.

Other books in the series:

Doctor Who: Alternating Current
Doctor Who: Missy
Doctor Who: Empire of the Wolf

Have you read Doctor Who: Origins? What did you think of it?

Review: The Devil’s Music (The Montague Twins #2)

Title: The Devil’s Music (The Montague Twins #2)
Author: Nathan Page and Drew Shannon
Genre: Young Adult, Graphic Novel, Fantasy, Mystery, Historical Fiction
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback
Release Date: January 25, 2022
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

The Hardy Boys meets Paper Girls in the second volume of this mystery series featuring teen detectives, witches, and now a mystery rock ‘n’ roll song capable of a sinister, Pied Piper-like hypnosis.

Alastair, Pete, Charlie, and Rachel aren’t just magical teen detectives in their coastal town of Port Howl–they are also members of a local teen rock band. Before a show one night, Charlie and Rachel meet a famous rockstar, Gideon, and invite him to their show. He’ll never come, but why not try, right?

Little do they know, Gideon does show up, and he brings the threads of his dark past with him. In fact, he might even be the source of the rumored Devil’s Music, a limited-release song that entrances all of its listeners in a deadly hypnosis.

When Pete quickly gets drawn into Gideon’s web, it’s up to his brother and friends to save him. But Pete might not be the only Montague Twin at risk for Gideon’s spell…

Review:

Pete, Al, Charlie, and Rachel are magic teenage detectives in Port Howl. They also have a band. On the night of their first performance, Charlie and Rachel meet the rockstar Gideon. They invite him to hang out with them, but he brings secrets from his dark past with him. There’s a dark power in his music, and they have to figure out how to stop it before it’s too late.

This graphic novel was even better than the first one. The first book did a lot of world building and setting the scene, so this one could jump right into the mystery. It was creepy and suspenseful, and it kept me guessing until the end.

The Devil’s Music is a great graphic novel! I hope there will be more books in this series!

Thank you Penguin Teen Canada for sending me a copy of this book.

Other books in the series:

The Witch’s Hand (The Montague Twins #1)

Have you read The Devil’s Music? What did you think of it?

Review: Demon in the Wood (Grishaverse #0)

Title: Demon in the Wood (Grishaverse #0)
Author: Leigh Bardugo, Dani Pendergast (illustrator)
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Graphic Novel
Publisher: Roaring Book Press
Source: Purchased
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: September 27, 2022
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Before he led Ravka’s Second Army, before he created the Fold, and long before he became the Darkling, he was just a lonely boy burdened by an extraordinary power.

Eryk and his mother, Lena, have spent their lives on the run. But they will never find a safe haven. They are not only Grisha—they are the deadliest and rarest of their kind. Feared by those who wish to destroy them and hunted by those who would exploit their gifts, they must hide their true abilities wherever they go. But sometimes deadly secrets have a way of revealing themselves…

Discover the start of a grand and sinister destiny in this must-have graphic novel prequel to the bestselling series and international Netflix sensation Shadow and Bone from spectacular new talent Dani Pendergast and #1 New York Times bestseller Leigh Bardugo.

Review:

Before he was the Darkling, Eryk lived on the run with his mother. They were both Grisha, or witches, running from people who hunted them. Not only were Eryk and his mother Grisha, but they were the most powerful amplifiers who can increase another Grisha’s power. When they seek refuge with a group of Grisha, Eryk makes a mistake that threatens to reveal their secrets.

This was a great graphic novel adaptation of Demon in the Wood. It’s so fun to see characters come to life in illustrations. The Darkling is such a complex villain, so it’s great to see his childhood and the challenges he faced that turned him into the Darkling.

My only criticism is that I wish it was longer. There were many pages with no dialogue, and while the illustrations were beautiful, I would have liked more of the story of his life.

Demon in the Wood is a great Grishaverse graphic novel!

Review: Twelfth Grade Night (Arden High #1)

Title: Twelfth Grade Night (Arden High #1)
Author: Molly Horton Booth, Stephanie Kate Strohm, Jamie Green
Genre: Young Adult, Graphic Novel, Contemporary
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: October 11, 2022
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

The course of true love never did run smooth . . . and neither does high school in this new graphic novel series for fans of Heartstopper and The Prince and the Dressmaker.

Vi came to Arden High for a fresh start and a chance to wear beanies and button-ups instead of uniform skirts. And though doing it without her twin feels like being split in half, Vi finds her stride when she stumbles (literally!) into broody and beautiful poet-slash-influencer, Orsino. Soon Vi gets roped into helping plan the school’s Twelfth Grade Night dance, and she can’t stop dreaming about slow dancing with Orsino under the fairy lights in the gym.

The problem? All Vi’s new friends assume she’s not even into guys. And before Vi can ask Orsino to the dance, he recruits Vi to help woo his crush, Olivia. Who has a crush of her own . . . on Vi.

Star-crossed love abounds in this hilarious and romantic story of self-discovery, mistaken identities, and the magic that happens when we open our hearts to something new.

Review:

Vi decided to go to Arden High for a fresh start in high school and to get away from wearing her uniform skirts. Her brother Sebastian stayed at their boarding school, leaving Vi to start this journey on her own. As soon as she walks into the cafeteria, Vi stumbles into the poet influencer Orsino, and she instantly likes him. They spend time together but before Vi can ask Orsino to the Twelfth Grade Night dance, Orsino asks her to ask Olivia out to the dance for him. Things get even more complicated when Olivia reveals she has a crush on Vi. All of these star crossed lovers come together in a mix of mistaken identities at the Twelfth Grade Night dance.

As soon as I saw the title of this book, I knew I had to read it. Twelfth Night is one of my favourite Shakespeare plays and She’s the Man is one of my favourite adaptations. This story was set in Arden High, which was full of different Shakespeare characters who will probably be in future books.

Vi was a girl who dressed in masculine clothing, so others assumed that she was attracted to other girls. This also made Vi look identical to her twin brother. Vi’s masculine appearance led to the mistaken identities that are present at the end of Twelfth Night. These queer and gender identities were a great way to adapt Twelfth Night into a modern story.

Twelfth Grade Night is a fabulous graphic novel adaptation!

Review: Lumberjackula

Title: Lumberjackula
Author: Mat Heagerty, Sam Owen
Genre: Graphic Novel, Middle Grade, Fantasy
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
Source: Author
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: July 19, 2022
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

This middle grade graphic novel follows a half-vampire, half-lumberjack boy who feels torn between his parents and just wants to be a dancer.
Jack is in a pickle. His lumberjack mom wants him to go to Mighty Log Lumberjack Prep to learn how to chop wood and wear flannel. His vampire dad wants him to go to Sorrow’s Gloom Vampire School to learn how to turn into a bat and drink blood-orange juice. And Jack has a secret: what he really wants to do is dance.
When he finds out about Tip Tap Twinkle Toes Dance Academy from new friend Plenty, Jack feels he’s finally found the place where he can be his true self. But he’s too afraid of disappointing his family to tell them. What’s a half-lumberjack, half-vampire boy to do?
To summon the confidence to pursue his dreams, Jack will have to embrace every part of himself—his lumberjack toughness, his vampire eeriness, and most especially his awesome dance moves.

Review:

Lumberjackula, AKA Jack, is half-lumberjack and half-vampire. His mom wants him to go to Mighty Log Lumberjack Prep and his dad wants him to go to Sorrow’s Gloom Vampire School. However, Jack doesn’t feel like he fits in at either of those schools. What he really loves is to dance, so when he discovers Tip Tap Twinkle Toes Dance Academy, he knows it’s the right school for him. Jack doesn’t want to disappoint either of his families, though, so he pretends he still doesn’t know what school he wants to attend. Jack has to learn how to embrace all parts of his personality and be his true self.

This was such a fun graphic novel! Jack comes from two very different backgrounds, lumberjack and vampire. He didn’t really feel like he fit in completely with either group, but he didn’t want to let either of his parents down. I think this would be relatable for kids who come from more than one cultural background. Jack had to learn that he didn’t have to fit into either group, and he could follow his own path to become a dancer.

The illustrations in this graphic novel were vibrant and adorable. There were even some dances that Jack did to music that were mapped out. I really enjoyed reading this story!

Lumberjackula is an uplifting middle grade graphic novel about being true to yourself.

Thank you Mat Heagerty and Simon Kids for sending me a copy of this book!

Blog Tour Review: Slip

Title: Slip
Author: Marika McCoola, Aatmaja Pandya
Genre: Young Adult, Graphic Novel, LGBTQ, Contemporary
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: June 7, 2022
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

From Eisner-Award nominated writer Marika McCoola and debut artist Aatmaja Pandya, an emotional coming-of-age graphic novel for fans of Bloom and Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me.
Right before Jade is about to leave for a summer art intensive, her best friend, Phoebe, attempts suicide. How is Jade supposed to focus on herself right now?
But at the Art Farm, Jade has artistic opportunities she’s been waiting for her whole life. And as she gets to know her classmates, she begins to fall for whimsical, upbeat, comfortable-in-her-own-skin Mary. Jade pours herself into making ceramic monsters that vent her stress and insecurities, but when she puts her creatures in the kiln, something unreal happens: they come to life. And they’re taking a stand: if Jade won’t confront her problems, her problems are going to confront her, including the scariest of them all—if Jade grows, prospers, and even falls in love this summer, is she leaving Phoebe behind?

Review:

Jade is a young artist who has the opportunity to go to an art camp and possibly get a scholarship to an art school. However, right before she leaves, her best friend, Phoebe, attempts suicide. Jade is reluctant to leave her, but Phoebe needs to go into treatment. Jade finds it hard to stop worrying about Phoebe and blaming herself for what happened, but when she reaches deep down for those strong emotions, she can make her best art yet.

Jade’s art form that she created was pottery. I took pottery classes for years, so I loved seeing all of the familiar tools. One tricky thing about pottery is that the creation is partly out of your control when it’s put in the kiln. Jade had to deal with one of her pieces ruining the work of another artist. It’s a tricky art form but can be beautiful.

I appreciated the portrayal of mental health in this graphic novel. Though it doesn’t show the perspective of the person who attempted suicide, we can see the way it affected people around her. Jade blamed herself for not being there for Phoebe and she didn’t want to enjoy her time at the art camp because of it. In this way, Phoebe’s mental health struggles were reflected in Jade.

Slip is a beautiful graphic novel with an important message.

Thank you Algonquin Young Readers for providing a digital copy of this book.

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What to read next:

Doctor Who: Alternating Current by Jody Houser

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Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

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Unplugged and Unpopular by Mat Heagerty,Tintin Pantoja, Mike Amante

Martian Ghost Centaur by Mat Heagerty, Steph Mided

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