49 Days

In Buddhist tradition, a person is in a transition state called bardo for 49 days after death. This graphic novel opens on “Day 1.” Korean American Kit wakes in a lonely landscape of rocks and water with a map, a distant destination marked by an X.

Safiyyah’s War

In Nazi-occupied France, Safiyyah and her family (Algerian French) live in an apartment in the Grand Mosque of Paris, where her father, Baba, and uncle, Ammo Kader, work. The presence of German soldiers in the city streets has everyone on edge, but Baba is particularly tense. His efforts with the Resistance—hiding injured Allied soldiers and making fake identity papers for Jews, saying they’re Muslim—puts his family at great risk.

Poetry Comics

A collection of original poems full of quiet surprises and small moments of pleasure is presented in comic format. Organized around the seasons, many of the short poems explore familiar scenes and subjects (e.g., nature, swimming, back to school, snow), but offer the delight of the unexpected in moments of reflection, fresh observation, and wondering.

With a Little Luck

High school junior Jude has a big, loving family; a supportive, insightful best friend in talented songwriter Ari; a love of drawing and creating D&D adventures for his friends; and a fear of asking out Maya, whom he’s had a crush on since 7th grade. Why set himself up for rejection?

Ferris

Emma Phineas Wilkey, 11, born beneath a Ferris wheel on the county fairgrounds, has been “Ferris” ever since. “Every good story is a love story,” says Ferris’s grandmother, Charisse, who delivered her. But Charisse has heart problems and is spending more and more time resting, which worries Ferris. Charisse is also communicating with a ghost.

The Blue Pickup

Ju-Girl (Black) loves spending time with her granddad, who runs a garage. “I help him fix radiators, switch out batteries, and even change a car’s oil.” Her favorite thing is organizing Granddad’s socket wrench set. When they take a break, they sit on the gate of his old Blue Pickup, where she drinks Ting and listens to Granddad’s stories of when he—and the truck–were both younger, and he drove to jobs around the island.