November Hiatus

I am on vacation this month and will not be reviewing any books. The blog returns in December.

Wake Now in the Fire

Wake Now the Fire is a graphic novel based on a true story. The story follows a group of high schoolers in Chicago who work to overturn the system-wide ban of Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis in Chicago Public Schools. Yes, a graphic novel about a graphic novel. It was published in February 2026.

Synopsis 

It starts as an update at one Chicago high school: copies of a certain book are no longer allowed in the classrooms or the library. But it’s not just one high school—it’s all Chicago public schools. Not even the principals know why this is happening; they just know they must comply with the order. One thing is clear: The book, which tells a story of oppression, survival, and resistance against authoritarian power, is seen as a threat, dangerous enough to ban. One other thing is clear: Some of the students aren’t going to let this go without resistance of their own.

As the extent of the ban becomes known, the students rise up. They organize a school-wide walkout and library sit-in. They publicize the banning in every forum they can: social media, the press, classes, clubs, the school paper. And most of all, they get everyone they know to read the book: Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi.

Told from multiple perspectives, based on extensive interviews with the real-life students and teachers who were affected, and written by the librarian who exposed key information about the Chicago Public Schools censorship decision, Wake Now in the Fire is a fictionalized account of a true event that galvanized a community. With illustrations by Alex Award-winner AJ Dungo that perfectly capture the everyday joys, heartbreak, and stresses of high school, this graphic novel is an inspiring portrayal of student activism taking on one of the most urgent issues of our time, and a passionate reminder of why protecting the books we love matters.

My Thoughts 

The book is an enjoyable and fast read despite its 466 pages. My initial thought is that the slang terms the students used may not be understood by some readers, especially international readers. Some of these words are explained but not all of them. 

I was amazed at the students' passion concerning censorship. I am trying to remember if my peers had such passion but high school was too long ago for me to remember. These kids are smart. They organized a school walkout and a library sit-in. Also, they shared their thoughts on social media, in the school newspaper, and with newspaper journalists. I cannot image staging a walkout from classes in order to protest. Times have changed.

I should have known about this event when it occurred but I do not remember it. The story could have been told in fewer pages. There is alot of dialogue between the students that could have been cut. Each of the characters' lives are presented. While this was interesting I'm not sure if it advanced the plot.

All in all, Wake Now in the Fire is an entertaining read. I am rating it 4 out of 5 stars.

DreamOver

Dreamover is a 2025 graphic novel written for kids aged 13 through 17. It is cartoonist Dani Diaz's debut YA graphic novel. The story is about two best friends who become a  romantic couple. When one sleepover literally turns into a dream, they don't want to wake up.

Synopsis

Amber's a headstrong goofball with a temper. Nico's a shy, self-conscious emo boy. But they've been best friends since third grade, and she can't hide her feelings for him any longer. At the end of their eighth-grade beach trip, she confesses... and the feeling is mutual! Thus begins a glorious, blissful summer of first love.

But once high school starts, life gets more complicated. Faced with early mornings, bullies, homework, and other stresses, Amber and Nico cling to each other, neglecting their friends. Soon, Amber starts to wish she and Nico could escape from it all.

One night, as they fall asleep playing video games, Amber gets her wish...

My Thoughts 

Dreamover is light reading. The story accurately portrays a young teen's first love. It is set during the early days of the internet, when teenagers talked all night over instant messaging. The characters enjoy playing games, having sleepovers and teasing each other. Nico and Amber are the lovebirds. They have been best friends for years and along with friends Drew, Stella and Grace they spend all their free tine together. Drew starts feeling left out as Nico and Amber draw closer together. Fortunately, Nico and Amber are able to see how their relationship has impacted their other friends. The two need to decide whether they want to spend more time with Drew, Stella and Grace Parents, there are some kissing drawings but no profanity. After all, this YA book was written for kids aged 13 and up.

4 out of 5 stars 

Olive

Olive is a coming of age story in a graphic novel format. Olive is autistic and frequently escapes to her inner world where she meets an astronaut. Olive then embarks on a real world journey to save him. Of course, no one believes her. Olive was originally published in 2024 in French. The story was translated into English and published in 2026 by Abrams ComicArts. 

Synopsis  

A fantastical coming-of-age graphic novel involving love, loss, and found family, centered around a determined autistic heroine who refuses to make herself fit neatly into other peoples’ space

Wherever she is, Olive has never quite fit in, and living in a dorm room for the first time is no exception. To get away from the bullies, annoying teachers, and her parents, Olive escapes alone into her own vast world of vivid landscapes and fantastical inventions—until she gets an unexpected visit from a mysterious astronaut.

Could the astronaut in her inner world be the same astronaut who recently crash-landed on earth without a trace? Night by night, Olive watches his health fade and becomes more and more certain that she has to take action.

When no one believes that she knows how to save him, she joins forces with her plucky new roommate to unpack the clues from her inner world and venture on a journey to real-life countries she’s never been to before—all to save an astronaut who, as far as she can recall, she’s never met.

My Thoughts 

I enjoyed reading this story. It captivated my imagination and kept me reading until I finished it in just one sitting. I didn't quite understand that Olive was autistic though. It makes alot of sense now that I have finished reading the book. Olive's character was presented as a loner which I readily accepted. My thoughts were that Olive was introverted with a severe social phobia. I should have realized that she was autistic given her inability to be around other people. 

Olive felt the need to escape the pressures of school bullies and daily life so she frequently retreated into her head, which she populated with a rubber duck named Noel and a transparent whale named Rose. I am not autistic but believe that the story realistically shows an autistic person's lived experience. We see Olive retreating daily into herself. When reality overwhelms her, she goes to her safe space, the world she created in her mind. The school Olive attends is located in Paris. The school accommodated her disability by allowing her to live in a room by herself. When Olive’s grades plummet the school forces her to have a roommate. Charlie is the roommate's name. 

The outer space setting was beautiful. It was colored in dreamy bright blues which is not what space actually looks like. The school setting was similarly nice, however, the dorms were untidy. Students tried to fit all the comforts of home into their dorm rooms and consequently they were cluttered. I liked this setting because it was cozy. I can remember my own college dorm looking the same way. 

Parents, there are no sexy drawings or scenes so I can recommend the book for kids as well as adults. It's simply a great story. 5 out of 5 stars.

As I Dream of You

As I Dream of You was recently published on May 5,2026. The graphic novel is somewhat dark as it deals with grief and finding the strength to let go in order to keep on living. I would call it a romantic tragedy.

Synopsis 

Franny and Sam are each other’s entire world. So what do you do when your world ends? Frozen’s Jennifer Lee and Lunar New Year Love Story’s LeUyen Pham deliver a tour de force young adult romance with a supernatural twist.

Falling in love is supposed to hurt. That’s what Franny and Sam, two cynical teenagers raised on tales of heartbreak and loss, have come to understand. Yet when they fall for each other, they find the reality of love is something else entirely: it’s electrifying, all-encompassing, and easy. Theirs is a love that can conquer anything…perhaps even death.

But Franny and Sam’s quest to stay together—no matter the cost—soon blurs the line between reality and fantasy, and their shared dream threatens to turn into a nightmare.

My Thoughts 

My initial thought concerning the book is for parents. There are many sexy scenes and drawings that they may not want their kids exposed to.

Franny and Sam had a romance for the ages. They are high school juniors. Halfway through the story Franny dies in an accident. Sam cannot handle his grief and he descends into darkness where he believes he is meeting Franny in person. He also wants to kill himself so that they can be together again. A new friend talks him through his feelings.

The drawings match the grief Sam feels. I thought they were dark, not pretty at all, but this seems to be a minority opinion among book reviewers. 

While the book has received high praise I did not care for it. The storyline was written well though. It just wasn't my cup of tea. 3 out of 5 stars.

Until We Meet Again

Until We Meet Again by Lily Kim Qian is her debut graphic memoir about a young woman's search for identity and belonging as her family moves between Canada and China. The book was recently published on April 21, 2026 and is geared toward kids aged 14 - 18.

Synopsis 

Lily isn't sure where home is anymore. Her family is constantly on the move, resettling in different towns across Canada and, eventually, in Shanghai, China. Her father plays the role of primary caregiver while her mother is absent for long periods of time. When she reappears, her strange behavior turns Lily's life upside down. As Lily enters her college years, she strives to better understand her family and her place in the world. But can she escape the inherited trauma passed down by her immigrant parents?

My Thoughts

Lily did not like living with her mother who had schizophrenia. Her mother was always screaming and created a hostile home environment. After her father filed for divorce there was a custody battle which he won. Lily was thrilled not to have to live with her mom but there still wasn't much stability. Her father was constantly moving them to new cities in Canada. It is easy to see why Lily became accustomed to making friends easily but not really feeling like she belonged anywhere.

Both parents had immigrated to Canada from China. Eventually Lily moved with her father to Shanghai where her mother was living with her parents. She was in the eighth grade at this time. Throughout all of this upheaval Lily found a way to express her thoughts about her life via drawing. She decided to pursue illustration as a career. Lily eventually created this graphic memoir to confront the trauma and parental abandonment that she experienced.

Lily seemed to adjust well to all of the situations that she was thrown into. She made a stable life for herself but I am sure that she suffered in some way from her childhood. When her grandparents passed Lily wished that she knew them better. She felt a loss here.

Until We Meet Again is a lovely memoir of the author's life. It has beautiful drawings colored with bright colors. The pages contain more drawings than narrative. Most pages just have one sentence. Parents, note that there are no sexy scenes or drawings. I enjoyed reading this graphic memoir and am rating it 5 out of 5 stars.