Speak Up, Santiago!
by Julio Anta and Gabi Mendez
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Release date: March 4, 2025
Content: There is some acting mean on the part of the main character. It’ll be in the Middle Grade Graphic Novel section when it comes out.

Santiago is the child of first-generation immigrants, which means he was drenched in his Colombian heritage. Except he didn’t learn Spanish, which means he doesn’t have much of a relationship with his Abuela, who doesn’t speak much English. So, the summer before seventh grade, his parents send him to live a month with his Abuela, hoping to help Santi become more comfortable with his Spanish. While there, he meets friends and joins a soccer team. He makes mistakes and gets insecure with his ability to speak Spanish, but in the end, he realizes that it’s the connection with his Abuela that’s the most important thing.

This one was delightful. I love that a good portion of it was in Spanish (with translations for those of us who aren’t fluent) and that Santi worked hard to communicate in Spanish. I liked that there was some conflict between those who are native speakers and Santi, and that the struggled with that. I also liked the friend group he found while he was at his grandmother’s; they were an interesting group of kids, ones I’d like to see more books about (which I think the authors are planning).

A good, solid, graphic novel for kids.

Sword of the Champion
by Eric Lide
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Release date: March 11, 2025
Content: There is some violence, but it’s mostly cartoon-y. It will be in the MIddle Grade Graphic Novel section when it comes out.

Orin is in training to be a knight in his town, when he suddenly becomes the Chosen One of the Goddess, tasked to defeat the evil Fiendlord. He is joined on this quest by an entrepreneurial sorceress and together – with a couple of fiends they pick up along the way – they set out to get the Sword of Champions and head to defeat the Fiendlord (who is mostly just trying to impress his teenage daughter).

It’s a silly book, this, but one that is a lot of fun to read. It reminded me strongly of a Dungeons & Dragons campaign for kids, with a lot of low-level fighting to level up, and some huge monsters to defeat at the end. There is a bit of a message about self-confidence and believing in your own abilities, but mostly it’s just silly fun.

Perfect for those who feel a hole in their lives now that Amulet and Zita are done.

Dear Dad
by Jay Jay Patton with Kiara Valdez and Marika Jenai
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Content: There is talk of an incarcerated parent. It’s in the Middle Grade Graphic Novel section of the bookstore.

Jay Jay is nine, and her dad is in jail. she doesn’t really have much of a connection with him; it’s expensive to call, and sometimes the letters don’t get to him. So, when he is released and gets a job coding – something he learned to do while in prison – he teaches Jay Jay and then together they create a website and an app that will connect those who are incarcerated with their families.

It wasn’t a bad graphic novel; I just wanted something more. I wanted it to be less about the journey to creating an app – which is great, I’m glad they did! – and more about her feelings about having a dad who is in jail, and the conflicts after he’s released. There was some, but it was really glossed over. Jay Jay also moved in the middle of the book – from Buffalo to Florida – and I wanted more about the adjustment she had to make. It just wasn’t quite enough of a book for me.

Which is too bad; the subject it quite important.