Lunar Boy by Jes and Cin Wibowo

 

Over the past two days, I read Lunar Boy by Jes and Cin Wibowo. This science fiction graphic novel is about Indu, a transboy who is found on the Moon and adopted by an astronaut captain, Dariya Muliadi. For the next several years, he lives with Dariya on a spaceship called the Eyesun, but when she gets married to her friend, Crisanto, they move to New Earth. On New Earth, he struggles to connect with his stepfamily, which includes two siblings, Alon and Lastri. School is also challenging because the other kids think he's weird and he doesn't speak Bahasa Indonesia well and has to work with a peer tutor, Aminah, after school. Although he develops a crush on his pen pal, Noah Wong, he's not sure if Noah likes him back. Meanwhile, he can't talk to his mom about his feelings because she's always busy. As time goes on, he occasionally hears the Moon call out to him whether he's awake or dreaming, and when he is desperately lonely, he begs the Moon to take him back. Although Indu wants to leave immediately, the Moon agrees to bring him home on the first day of the New Year. As he continues to adjust to his new life on New Earth by beginning to make friends and bond with his new family, he has to decide where he truly belongs when the Moon calls again.

This was such a beautiful story. I loved it so much. The illustrations were vivid and gorgeous, and the main character, Indu, was so relatable. Like him, I moved when I didn't really want to and had to adjust to what felt like a whole new life at the time, even if I can't imagine living anywhere else now. I thought his crush on Noah was adorable and it was sad when Noah stopped talking to him. I didn't understand why (until later in the story) because it was one of the few things that was going well for Indu. On the other hand, I enjoyed the incorporation of Indonesia culture and it made me really happy when things turned around for Indu. I especially liked how he connected with his stepdad, Crisanto, and stepsister, Lastri. His stepbrother, Alon, was definitely harder for Indu to figure out and it took the help of his peer tutor and Alon's girlfriend, Aminah. Overall, Lunar Boy shows how change is good, which is one of main themes of the story, along with family and discovering your identity. Any kid who is experiencing change in their life or enjoys LGBTQ+ stories should read this book.

Finn and Ezra's Bar Mitzvah Time Loop by Joshua S. Levy

 

Yesterday, I finished reading Finn and Ezra's Bar Mitzvah Time Loop by Joshua S. Levy. This science fiction novel is about Finn and Ezra, two boys who become stuck in a time loop over the weekend of their bar mitzvahs, which just happen to be at the same hotel in New Jersey. Ezra comes from a big family, having four siblings, and feels ignored, while Finn is an only child doted upon by his parents even though he doesn't have any real friends. Although they don't have much in common, both boys are unexcited about reliving their bar mitzvahs over and over again and just want to move forward and grow up. After they meet each other and realize they're not alone, they come up with different schemes to break the loop. Despite trying everything they can think of, nothing works and they get more desperate and frustrated with each plan. As they believe they're getting closer to finally being free from the time loop, they begin to realize they may have to deal with their real life problems first.

I enjoyed this book so much. It was exciting and funny, but at the same time, there were truly moving moments, especially as the story gradually revealed the challenges that the families of Ezra and Finn were facing. The different plans that the two boys devised were absolutely hilarious, and I was surprised when some of them actually worked. It made me feel bad, though, when they hurt the people they cared about with their schemes. They also got in trouble a lot when they weren't successful. It was obvious how frustrated they were getting, particularly when they clashed with each other. There was even a plot twist towards the end that made a lot of sense in hindsight. Additionally, I liked how the author incorporated the Jewish ritual of bar mitzvah and how family was an important theme through Finn and Ezra growing to appreciate their families over the course of the story. The end was delightful and there was one final reveal in the last chapter that completely shocked me. I never thought Finn would actually be right about one of his theories. I had a great time reading Finn and Ezra's Bar Mitzvah Time Loop and I'd recommend it to any kid who enjoy humor, family stories, and/or science fiction.

The Girl Who Sang by Estelle Nadel & Sammy Savos

 

This morning, I finished reading The Girl Who Sang by Estelle Nadel & Sammy Savos. This graphic memoir is about Estelle, a vibrant Jewish girl once known as Enia Feld who lived in the small Polish village of Borek with her family and enjoyed singing. In 1939, shortly before she turned five years old, the Nazis invaded Poland and everything changed. Within four years, her parents, her older sister Sonjia, and her oldest brother Moishe were murdered by the Nazis. As time went on, Enia and her two older brothers, Shia and Minashe, had to rely on their neighbors to hide them. She even lost her voice. When the war was finally over, the three siblings crossed multiple European borders to the Ranshofen Displaced Persons Camp in Austria before they journeyed across the Atlantic Ocean to New York City.

This book was absolutely breathtaking. From the very beginning, I found myself caring deeply about Enia and her family. It was devastating when she lost multiple members of her family over the years and I wondered how she, Shia, and Minashe would survive. They had multiple close calls over the years and even decided to separate for a short period of time. What was most scary was when Enia and Shia were imprisoned in a basement jail cell and there was only a small window that they could escape through if they could reach it. Although Estelle's story is definitely dark at times, it ends with hope and shows the strength of family in the face of impossible odds. I also loved the beautifully detailed illustrations and really enjoyed learning more about the illustrator's process in the Behind the Scenes! section towards the end of the book. Additionally, the backmatter includes an afterword, notes from Estelle and Sammy, photographs, and resources. On the whole, The Girl Who Sang is a wonderful choice for anyone with an interest in the Holocaust and survival stories.

Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All by Chanel Miller

 

Yesterday, I finished reading Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All by Chanel Miller. This illustrated mystery novel is about Magnolia Wu, a ten-year-old Chinese American girl who pins lost socks to a bulletin board at her parents' laundromat in New York City, even though no one seems to notice the socks, nor Magnolia herself. After she befriends Iris Lam, a new girl from California, while celebrating her birthday during the summer, they decide to explore the city to solve the mystery of each missing sock based on Iris's plan. As they go to different places in the city, including Washington Square Park, the subway, a barbershop, a diner, a knitting shop, a plant store, a pizzeria, and a bookstore, and question the people they meet to determine the owner of each sock, they make discoveries about themselves and the world around them.

It was an absolute pleasure reading this book and I would almost describe it as cozy. Most of the story was cute and funny and I loved Magnolia and Iris's adventures to solve the sock mysteries. That's not to say there weren't serious moments in this story, making it feel more real. The two girls have to deal with anti-Asian American racism and get into an argument after Iris thinks Magnolia would rather be friends with another girl, Jessica. However, what I really liked was the eclectic mix of people they met. Some of the mysteries were easy for Magnolia and Iris to figure out, while others were more difficult. I particularly enjoyed their adventure to find the owner of the flamingo sock because Magnolia learned more about her mom and it showed a hidden depth to a character who wasn't always very nice to Magnolia. I also thought Magnolia's crush on Luis was adorable. By the end of the story, I was very satisfied and appreciated the growth of Magnolia's relationship with her mom and her friendship with Iris. Additionally, there is an author's note about her inspiration for writing Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All. Anyone who likes mysteries with low stakes or stories of friendship, family, and community should read this book.