taproot: a story about a gardener and a ghost

Do you participate in your library’s summer reading program? I always do, ever since I found out that the Arlington Public Library allows adults to sign up. I live in a major metropolitan area, where there are many library jurisdictions that allow reciprocal membership as long as you live in the area, and so I conveniently have several library memberships. This year, I decided to go the extra mile and participate in several summer reading programs. Yes, I am laughing at myself. Anyway, I spent a lot of time in libraries this summer, and during one visit I checked out and read Keezy Young's young adult fantasy graphic novel from 2017, Taproot: A Story About A Gardener and A Ghost.

 

Blue has been living as a ghost for a year when he meets Hamal, a beautiful and sweet gardener who has the ability to see and communicate with ghosts. Together, their friendship develops into something more, but being a ghost, Blue can never truly be connected with Hamal.

When Blue realizes Hamal’s strange ability may be putting him in danger, Blue has to find a way to protect him--even if it means leaving him.

Taproot is a sweet, gentle, and cozy story about a gardener, Hamal, who just so happens to be able to speak to ghosts. He also has a way with plants, and is hiding a secret: he’s in love with Blue, a ghost who will eventually have to leave (and who incidentally loves him back, but is trying to set him up with other people to ensure his happiness!). Hamal’s work in the greenhouse is the backdrop for many interactions to start the book, but the little town he lives in and its other landscapes form much of the rest. Hamal’s ghost friends are rendered in flat blue to signify their unreality, but the rest of the book is vibrantly layered, with amazing detail.

The highlights of this book are its lush, gorgeous artwork, and warm heart. There are queer characters here, but the point isn’t their queerness – Taproot is a story about forming real, lasting relationships (platonic and/or romantic), and adding good into the world, in whatever little ways are available to you. I found it a refreshing palate cleanser after a couple of books I wasn’t keen on, and then one that made me cry. Cozy comfort is not to be trifled with!

In all, Taproot is a delightfully cozy story that features light spooky elements, a sweet hint of queer romance, and marvelous illustrations.

Recommended for: fans of Kay O’Neill’s Tea Dragon Society series, Tillie Walden’s On A Sunbeam, and other earnest and cozy speculative stories (with great art!).

atana and the firebird

I can’t remember now how I heard about Vivian Zhou’s middle grade fantasy graphic novel Atana and the Firebird, but I was halfway to loving it by reading the title.Then I took a look at the cover art, and it was all over. Zhou’s cover is one of the most stunning I’ve seen – with beautiful color and a clear nod to its fantastical characters and setting. Luckily, the story inside the cover is an excellent adventure to match!

Atana’s island may be quiet and peaceful, but mostly, it’s lonely. With the outside world full of magic hunters who would stop at nothing to capture a mermaid like her, Atana has never been brave enough to swim far from her island’s shores and seek the answers to her mysterious past—until a firebird named Ren unexpectedly crashes into her life.

Ren’s arrival does not go unnoticed, as it has been hundreds of years since a firebird last landed on Earth. Determined to both protect Ren and finally chase the answers she’s longed for, Atana embarks on an adventure that takes her and the firebird to strange new islands and entangles them with the powerful yet secretive Witch Queen.

Generous though the Witch Queen’s offer of protection may be, an invitation to the Blue Palace can’t come without a price. And while the Palace’s splendid halls and library might hold the key to Atana’s past, will she be willing to pay the cost when it risks her chance of a bright new future?

Atana is a mermaid, but a strange one: she lives alone, on land, and is exiled from her people. It turns out that is because she is a subject of prophecy. The titular firebird, Ren, is adventurous and independent, and runs away from her flock to explore earth rather than watch it from afar (firebirds are from space, apparently). The two meet mid-ocean, Atana offers her services as a guide to libraries, palaces, and wherever Ren wants to go… and from there it’s action, action, action!!!

Atana and Ren are big-hearted heroines, but not everyone around them has such pure motivations. They meet Cosmos, a palace witch guard in training, who wants to find her sister, adults with murky motives, and are chased at multiple points by guards/pirates/etc. who use interesting magic-fuelled tech. Atana and Ren’s story is an exciting, travel-filled narrative with a bit of a twist, and the start of a fun adventure series, with a sprinkling of mythology and legend mixed in. It briefly explores ideas about belonging, personal autonomy, and friendship, but as a series-starter is focused on action over deep conversation in dialogue.

Zhou created her illustrations in Adobe Photoshop, and they do have that digital-drawn feel. Unfortunately, the bright, layered, and saturated art of the cover is a one-off – the book’s color palette is pastel with only a few pops of color. Most pages contain several small panels, so the narrative feels fast-paced and urgent. Only a few page spreads focus on landscape – the focus of the art is on figures/characters and their interactions with each other. While the art of course is central to the story, it is simple and a bit stark.

In all, Atana and the Firebird is a sweet and enjoyable fantasy adventure story for young readers, with hints of an interesting series to come. Its sequel, Atana and the Jade Mermaid, is next on my to-read list!

Recommended for: fans of Kate Wheeler's Goat Magic and Kat Leyh’s Snapdragon, and readers who are into adventurous and magical middle grade books.

soul machine

I try to keep on top of new graphic novel releases for two reasons. One, they are by far the most popular reads in my classroom library. My students gobble them up during choice reading time. Two, I personally love a good sci-fi or fantasy story, and some of the best new work in that genre is produced in graphic novel format. So when I found out about Jordana Globerman’s Soul Machine, I placed a pre-order. It didn’t hurt that it was during Barnes & Noble’s preorder sale, either!

Chloe and her older sister make souls by hand in an empty old house in the countryside. When their supply of breth—the raw material needed to make souls—runs dry, the evil MCorp tries to force them to franchise and make synthetic souls instead. Chloe sets out to the big city in hopes of finding a new source. And maybe a way to modernize their business that Lacey is so determined to keep in the past.

On a journey to find a real breth crop, untouched by MCorp’s greedy hands, Chloe uncovers long-buried family secrets—and starts to question whom to trust and what reality even is.

A beautifully rendered debut, Soul Machine is at once a metaphysical science-fiction story and a nuanced exploration of big ideas: spirituality, family, consciousness, and connection, but also unscrupulous consumption, megacorporations, and how egomaniac entrepreneurs impact our lives.

Soul Machine is the story of two sisters, Chloe and Lucy, trying to carry out their parents' wishes and rescue their dying family business (and failing). Their parents are dead or disappeared, and while younger sister Chloe is full of optimism about answers, and ready to charge out into the world to try and find a way to keep the business afloat, Lucy – who has been Chloe’s de facto parent – is more skeptical. They are insulated in the countryside, but in the city, MCorp reigns through monopoly and is promising an artificial counterpart to their family’s handmade product: souls. When Chloe reaches the city and encounters two very different women, she begins to doubt the story of her family that Lucy has always told her, and to doubt her way forward for the world. What will happen next?

My honest opinion is that this book was trying to be and do too many things, and so it succeeded at none of them. The story started with sisterly combativeness, which didn’t ring true from the very beginning – there wasn’t enough emotional depth evident (especially on Lucy’s side), and the dialogue was awkward before the sisters separated and the plot moved forward. Which leads me to my second issue: DIALOGUE in general. One of the ways dialogue was mishandled was in the character of Maya, the ever-present figurehead of MCorp, which seemingly controlled the consumer-based society. Maya as a figurehead seemed to embody physical perfection, a la the Kardashians, as well as a tech mogul position (think Mark Zuckerberg). She is meant to be a satirical caricature, which, fine. However, to signify her actual incompetence – in other words, to break down the stereotype of a creative genius founder – Maya uses slang. Words like “boo” and “okurr” pop up in her speech bubbles. This usage of AAVE (African American Vernacular English) in a narrative in which there are no major people of color is racially charged in a bad way.

Author-illustrator Globerman is also trying to set up a classist hippie (who wants to dictate who deserves a soul) vs. capitalist robber baron hate match. Given that the story is told from Chloe’s POV, and she has serious gaps in her understanding of the issues at hand, info-dumping is necessary, and for both sides it comes off at times as villain (or antihero) monologuing. The insubstantial feel of the “science” in the book and its lack of emotional heart combine with the above and muddle the message overall. The attempt is ambitious, and I applaud it – we need more young adult and middle grade books that delve into the “big” problems of society. However, I don’t think it coheres in Soul Machine.

My one major love in this book = the illustrations. Globerman’s art, with distinctive inking and panels colored mostly in shades of either pink or blue, are beautiful, interesting, and add depth. The book is worth rifling through for the art alone. I will certainly be keeping my eye out for Globerman’s work in the future.

While this satirical and metaphysical young adult graphic novel did not work for me, some will enjoy its engrossing art, and its attempt to tackle major societal issues.

Recommended for: fans of graphic novel art, ambitious science fiction ideas, and satire.

goat magic

Kate Wheeler is a familiar artist – I’ve been following her adventures on Instagram for years. So I was very excited to see her publicize her debut middle grade fantasy graphic novel. One of my favorite genres, from an author I know I like? Bless. I read it right away and loved it. Goat Magic is out today from Oni Press!

Trill, a spirited goat herder with a unique ability to communicate with her flock, yearns for a life beyond mountain pastures. Her “goat magic” feels common compared to the sorcery taught in the city’s prestigious magic schools, which are off-limits to her. Meanwhile, Princess Alya, known as the “Ordinary Princess” and heir to the kingdom of Capeya, doubts her own royal potential.

Their worlds collide when an assassination attempt on the queen leaves Alya cursed to transform into a black goat each sunrise. Seeking refuge in Trill's goat herd, Alya discovers her new friend's hidden talent is her only hope to break the spell. Together, they embark on a perilous journey back to the castle, facing treacherous foes and uncovering a web of betrayal and rebellion.

As Alya battles to reclaim her throne and restore order to Capeya, the girls discover a deep connection, their shared experiences forging an unbreakable bond. When Alya comes face to face with the ones who betrayed her, will she have what it takes to take back the crown and rule an unstable kingdom? Will Trill find confidence in her magic and the growing affection she has for her friend?

With fast-paced action, enchanting magic, and a budding romance, Goat Magic is a captivating graphic novel perfect for fans of fantasy adventure.

 

Goat Magic opens on the humble farm where Trill and her mother keep a herd of goats. They live out in the Faces, a remote, magical part of the country where the rock formations look like ancient gods have been frozen in rest. Trill is off to the market by herself for the first time – a bit (adult!) step. At the same time, there is unrest within the royal family, as the heir to the throne, Alya, doesn’t have any magical abilities, and hence has been dubbed “The Ordinary Princess.” On a diplomatic trip, Alya’s mother, the Queen of Capeya, is attacked, and Alya herself is cursed – she becomes a goat during daylight hours and reverts to human form by the light of the moon. You can probably imagine what happens next: Alya meets Trill, observes her unique goat-herding magic firsthand, and has lots of her beliefs challenged by the experience. In addition, first love is in the air…

Wheeler says in the afterward and on social media that she was inspired by classic fantasy adventures from her childhood reading. It shows – mostly in good ways. The plot is a bit formulaic (think the hero’s journey), but the magic and world building feel refreshingly unique. Wheeler also includes very satisfying details about food, myths, and familial relationships – the things that round out and flesh out any culture or story and make them more believable. And lest I forget to mention them, the adorable goat characters also each have their own personalities and foibles.

The vibe of the book overall is The Witcher-meets-Studio Ghibli, and I know it will be a huge hit with the 9-12-year-old set as well as an older crowd. Wheeler’s art and “style” remind me quite a bit of the excellent Kay O’Neill (The Tea Dragon Society and The Moth Keeper) and Wendy Xu (Tidesong) – with good use of color, lovely landscapes, and expressive character faces.

In all, Goat Magic is a fantasy mystery wrapped in an adventure. It has notes of The Well (journey to remove a mysterious curse, budding sapphic romance) and classic fairy tale The Goose Girl (transformation tale). It's a quick, satisfying adventure into a novel world. I would love to read more adventures set in Capeya, or whatever Wheeler has up next!

Recommended for: fantasy readers ages 9 and up, and anyone interested in fantastic worldbuilding and fun and energetic graphic novel art!

 

Fine print: I received an advanced digital copy of the text from the publisher for review consideration. I did not receive any compensation for this post.