Graphic Novels

This Place Kills Me by Mariko Tamaki – Book Recommendation

| Tasha

This Place Kills Me by Mariko Tamaki and Nicole Goux

  • Publisher: Abrams Fanfare
  • Publication Date: August 19, 2025
  • Reviewed from library copy.
  • ISBN: 9781419768460

Abby is a new transfer student at Wilberton Academy, a high school boarding school for girls. She’s struggled to make friends, especially seeming to antagonize her roommate no matter what she does. In a time before cell phones, Abby spends her time listening to her walkman as she walks the crowded halls. When she sits with one of the theater girls after a school party, she picks up the script that the girl leaves behind. The next morning, that girl is found dead in the woods near the school. Abby refuses to accept that she committed suicide, becoming a target herself for others to accuse. 

A murder mystery nests with a boarding school tale nests with an ode to the 80s nests with a critical look at what being a lesbian meant in that time. This graphic novel deeply explores loneliness, queerness and abuse. It is a layered book, accomplishing so much thanks to the skill used in the graphic format, using the limitations of the time period to create isolation, and a strong main character that readers will adore.

A masterpiece of a teen graphic novel. Appropriate for ages 13-18.

2025 Harvey Award Winners

| Tasha

The winners of the 2025 Harvey Awards have been announced at New York Comic Con. The awards are given for the best of comic books and graphic novels. You can find the complete list of winners at The Daily Cartoonist. Here are the winners and nominees for the youth categories:

BEST CHILDREN’S BOOK

WINNER

The Cartoonists Club by Raina Telgemeier & Scott McCloud

NOMINEES

Chickenpox by Remy Lai

Free Piano (Not Haunted) by Whitney Gardner

Mixed-Up by Kami Garcia and Brittney Williams

Song for You and I by Kay O’Neil

Weirdo by Tony Weaver Jr., Jess Wibowo, & Cin Wibowo

BEST YOUNG ADULT BOOK

WINNER

Raised by Ghosts by Briana Loewinsohn

NOMINEES

Ash’s Cabin by Jen Wang

How It All Ends by Emma Hunsinger

Navigating with You by Jeremy Whitley, Cassio Ribeiro & Nikki Foxrobot

Strange Bedfellows by Ariel Slamet Ries

2 Joy-filled New Graphic Novels for Kids

| Tasha

Cabin Head and Tree Head by Scott Campbell (9781774885055)

Enter the weird and wonderful world of the Head friends in this graphic novel for elementary-age readers. Cabin Head and Tree Head are good friends and spend a lot of time together. They spend one day saying hello to all the other Heads and then realize the impact their surprise hellos are having on some of the more volatile Heads. In another story, Cabin Head starts doing portraits, first of a taco and then of other Heads who request it, but Tree Head thinks the taco portrait is too delicious to leave alone. There are adventures with holes and treasure maps, and another with the perfect hiding space that fits far too many. The book ends with byes, stories, drawing and a final pool party. 

I just can’t express how delightful this graphic novel is. The concept is bizarre and immensely charming, creating a childlike playfulness that is enticing and great fun. I particularly enjoyed the riff on Jack and the Beanstalk as well as the interaction between the various Heads to solve problems and have fun. 

Laugh-out-loud funny and joyful, this is a must-read for those who enjoy silliness. Appropriate for ages 6-9.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Tundra Books.

The Faraway Forest: Wally’s Route by Debbie Fong, colors by Kayla Catanzaro (9781797230412)

Wally is the mail carrier for Faraway Forest. He and his rabbit friend Bo deliver mail all over the woods. There are tiny envelopes and big heavy packages to deliver. The last house on the route is Mr. Sternbill’s and he’s quite grumpy. But Wally knows that you never know what is weighing on someone’s mind. In four chapters, readers get a tour of Wally’s route, see how a day can become surprisingly long by helping neighbors, see how a big storm impacts Wally’s job, and finally end the book with Wally getting sick and seeing how appreciated he is by his friends, including Mr. Sternbill.

This friendly and cozy graphic novel for elementary age is like a hug. Wally and Bo’s helpfulness shows the impact that someone can have on others in their community. The stories are fast paced and still make time for Wally and Bo to enjoy tea and lunch along the way. The illustrations are large, colorful, and friendly, making the reading more accessible and friendly for newer readers. The book begins with a seek and find for each chapter and ends with tips on how to draw Wally and Bo. 

A welcome cozy delivery for young graphic novel enthusiasts. Appropriate for ages 5-8.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Edelweiss & Chronicle Books.

2 New Awesome Early Readers – Book Recommendations

| Tasha

I Like Cheese! By Salina Yoon (9781547612420)

The first in a new graphic novel easy reader series, this book explores the friendship of Kat and Mouse. The two meet each day for lunch together. Kat is always inventing new sandwiches and explaining them to Mouse with great excitement. In contrast, Mouse prefers to have the same lunch every day. Cheese! Once the two friends realize how different they are, they decide to not have lunch together any longer. Mouse is saddened by the decision, thinking he is far too dull for exciting Kat. When Kat finds that she misses Mouse, it is Mouse who has the great idea of a compromise. 

Wonderfully inviting and readable, this graphic novel easy reader uses speech bubbles, comic frames and bright colors to create something fresh and new. The interaction of the characters is remarkably impactful given the limited vocabulary and word count. 

Readers will look forward to the next Kat & Mouse book. Appropriate for ages 5-7.

Reviewed from ARC provided by Bloomsbury.

The Tunneler Tunnels in the Tunnel by Michael Rex (9781665962100)

A penguin starts his long tunnel, the tunneler tunnels in the tunnel. Along the way, he pops up into various other locations. In the garden, the gardener in gardening. On the farm, the farmer is farming. The tunneler visits a mine, a building, camp, and even a baseball field as he tunnels around. In each spot, he hands out an invitation to something. It’s not revealed until the end what the tunneler has been doing with his tunneling tunnels. 

Filled with wordplay, this beginning reader is a lot of fun both to share aloud or for new readers to read on their own. The illustrations are crisp and clever with touches that keep the book and the repeating words from getting stale. 

The reader should be reading this reader. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Edelweiss & Simon Spotlight.

I Wish I Didn’t Have to Tell You This by Eugene Yelchin – Book Recommendation

| Tasha

I Wish I Didn’t Have to Tell You This by Eugene Yelchin (9781536215533)

This incredible sequel to The Genius Under the Table continues Yelchin’s biographical story in graphic format. Yevgeny is living in Leningrad with his mother and grandmother in the same tiny apartment. He is now older, working on his art and doing scenery and design for theater. At an illegal art show, he first meets Lizzy, an American college student working on social justice issues. As the war in Afghanistan begins, Yevgeny is threatened with being drafted, escaping only by heading to Siberia to do theater design there. But there he finds himself institutionalized and abused. 

A grim look at Soviet Russia with a first-hand account of the atrocities that happened at the hands of the KGB and in the name of Mother Russia. Yelchin’s black and white graphic format focuses on faces and characters while Russia forms an often blurred background. It gives the feeling of an old TV with a tightly focused camera. The effect is incredibly personal and offers no way for readers to look away.

One of the best graphic memoirs for teens, this is a must read and can be read as a stand alone. Appropriate for ages 13-18.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Candlewick. 

2025 Harvey Award Nominees

| Tasha

The nominees for the 2025 Harvey Awards have been announced. These awards recognize the best in comics in the previous year in a variety of categories. Here are the nominees in the juvenile categories:

BEST CHILDREN’S BOOK

The Cartoonists Club by Raina Telgemeier & Scott McCloud

Chickenpox by Remy Lai

Free Piano (Not Haunted) by Whitney Gardner

Mixed-Up by Kami Garcia & Brittney Williams

Song for You and I by Kay O’Neil

Weirdo by Tony Weaver Jr, Jess Wibowo, & Cin Wibowo

BEST YOUNG ADULT BOOK

Ash’s Cabin by Jen Wang

How It All Ends by Emma Hunsinger

Navigating with You by Jeremy Whitley, Cassio Ribeiro & Nikki Foxrobot

Raised by Ghosts by Briana Loewinsohn

Strange Bedfellows by Ariel Slamet Ries

2025 Eisner Awards

| Tasha

The 2025 Eisner Awards have been announced. These awards are the biggest in the comic industry and are announced every year at Comic-Con. The biggest winner this year was delightfully a teen graphic novel: Lunar New Year Love Story that won 3 of the awards, including overall Best Writer. Here are the youth finalists and winners:

BEST PUBLICATION FOR EARLY READERS

WINNER

Hilda and Twig Hide from the Rain by Luke Pearson

FINALISTS

Bog Myrtle by Sid Sharp

Club Microbe by Elise Gravel

Night Stories by Liniers

Poetry Comics by Grant Snider

BEST PUBLICATION FOR KIDS

WINNER

Plain Jane and the Mermaid by Vera Brosgol

FINALISTS

How It All Ends by Emma Hunsinger

Next Stop by Debbie Fong

Weirdo by Tony Weaver Jr. and Jes & Cin Wibowo

Young Hag and the Witches’ Quest by Isabel Greenberg

BEST PUBLICATION FOR TEENS

WINNER

Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham – Also won Best Graphic Album-New and Best Writer

FINALISTS

Ash’s Cabin by Jen Wang

Big Jim and the White Boy by David F. Walker and Marcus Kwame Anderson

The Deep Dark by Molly Knox Ostertag

The Gulf by Adam de Souza

Out of Left Field by Jonah Newman

Beetle & the Chimera Carnival by Aliza Layne – Book Review

| Tasha

Beetle & the Chimera Carnival by Aliza Layne (9781665907484)

This sequel to Beetle and the Hollowbones captures the same spirit as the first. In this new story, Beetle and Kat are looking forward to attending the Chimera Carnival together, an event that happens every ten years. The event draws dragons from across the world to the space. But when Kat and Beetle discover an injured dragon who is crying for their egg to be rescued, they are drawn into a dark mystery that hides behind the celebration. Meanwhile, Beetle’s magic starts to manifest physically in new ways and Kat has to deal with her parents and their expectations for her and her magic. As the threat grows, Kat and Beetle have to figure out who to trust and how to battle a force that could wipe out everyone they love.

Layne does such an amazing job of creating a graphic novel that is both an adventure through a magical realm and also an exploration of the two main characters and their love. This second book explores the world more fully, including Beetle’s goblin magic and a new underground realm. It also has the characters coming out to loved ones and developing their connection to be even closer. The art is filled with purples, oranges and greens, bringing the world, the carnival and the characters to life with color and action.

A dynamic and loving second book in a great graphic novel series. Appropriate for ages 12+.

Reviewed from copy provided by Atheneum.

A Song for You and I by K. O’Neill – Book Review

| Tasha

A Song for You and I by K. O’Neill (9780593182307)

Rowan is learning to be a ranger, taking care of the land and its people with the help of a flying horse. But when Rowan tries to show off their skill and doesn’t listen to cautions, their horse is injured. Stuck now walking everywhere, Rowan is assigned to help Leone, a lone figure who spends a lot of time with sheep. Leone has his own dreams. He plays the fiddle constantly but won’t play for any person at all. As the two of them start their slow journeys together, their friendship begins to grow. Each finds support in one another, creating joy and romance.

O’Neill is author of The Moth Keeper and the Tea Dragon Society. This graphic novel combines a fantasy world with a trans and non-binary coming out story for both main characters. Beautifully told and filled with true moments of connection and romance, this book features characters who are complex and layered.

Beautifully illustrated and compellingly told, this graphic novel will make your heart soar. Appropriate for ages 10-14.

Reviewed from library copy.