(2) YA Edan starts a cosplay ("costume play") club called SEW: Superheroes Everywhere. In addition to drama within SEW--from sniping among members and a love triangle to sexual objectification and a false accusation of theft--Edan also weathers turmoil at home. Edan's frustrations at not having her passions taken seriously are relatable, and interactions among the casually diverse SEW crew make for a mostly breezy, diverting read.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2017

(2) YA The life of Tula Bane (Tin Star), the only Human inhabitant of Yertina Feray Space Station, is upended when a vital medicinal plant is discovered on the planet the station orbits. Castellucci's robust galaxy is convincing, with a gutsy heroine who must navigate interspecies politics and affairs of the heart, while grappling with what it means to be Human.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2015

(3) 4-6 Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens series. Illustrated by Phil Noto. Franchise fans hungry for female heroes will relish Moving Target, in which Leia undertakes a decoy mission after the Rebel Alliance is ousted from Hoth. In Smuggler's Run, an old smuggler relates a story he's heard about Han Solo and Chewbacca (savvy fans will guess the man's identity). Occasional black-and-white, red-accented illustrations accompany the quick-paced tales featuring strongly developed characters. Review covers these Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens titles: Moving Target and Smuggler's Run.

Reviewer: David Elzey

(2) YA After being beaten then abandoned by charismatic cult leader Brother Blue, fourteen-year-old Tula Bane, a Human (and therefore a lesser life form), must fend for herself on an isolated space station. Life as she knows it turns upside-down when three Human teenagers arrive. Castellucci's distant future setting is cleverly conceived and satisfyingly consistent in this riveting page-turner.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2014

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Sara Varon. In an appealingly hybrid design--part graphic novel, part picture book--cartoon illustrations in spring colors follow two duck neighbors on their path to discovering they have more in common--like an aversion to migrating--than first they thought. A lively friendship story that shows it's more fun to be different than "normal," and most fun of all to be different with a buddy.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2013

(4) YA Illustrated by Nate Powell. Fifteen-year-old Tessa's envy of her pretty younger sister Lulu intensifies after her crush, Charlie, becomes Lulu's boyfriend. This sibling-rivalry story alternates chapters of realistic prose and graphic novel panels that cast Tessa as the snake-haired Medusa. When Lulu drowns, Tessa struggles to deal with her grief and guilt. The relationship between the parallel narratives isn't always clear, but the story's raw emotion will resonate with teens.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(2) YA Not only does sixteen-year-old Mal believe he was abducted by aliens four years ago, he also meets Hooper, who claims to be an alien yearning to go home. This mystery is at the heart of the novel: are their stories true? With its strong voice and aura of mystery, Castellucci's brief novel offers a unique take on finding a place in the world.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2011

(3) YA Rose is a lonely dancer with a "black cloud over [her]." Then, one unexpected night, she and Russian neighbor, Yrena, also a dancer, take off for a life-altering voyage of discovery in their native New York City. The vivid characters' adventure is engrossing, while the 1980s setting and Reagan-era references add a historical thread that will appeal to even post-eighties-born teens.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Julia Denos. A girl must cope with the death of her beloved grandmother, who taught her to garden and whose gardening gloves she ultimately claims as a memory-sustaining keepsake. At times Castellucci strains for a child's voice; still, the text is moving and the watercolor, pencil, and digital collage illustrations are awash with emotion.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(2) YA Illustrated by Hope Larson & Bryan Lee O'Malley. This short story collection celebrates all things nerd, capturing the obsession, alienation, anachronism, and intellectualism of what it means to embrace geekdom. M. T. Anderson's contemplative "The King of Pelinesse" and Scott Westerfeld's hard-boiled "Definitional Chaos" are standouts; one-page "How to..." comics separate each story. Exploration of universal themes in original settings brings infectious enthusiasm to what is obviously a cherished topic.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2009

(2) YA Illustrated by Jim Rugg. Despite their victory in The Plain Janes, the community-art champions and odd-girls-out face even greater challenges in their second graphic novel. The authorities close in as they struggle with community relations, internal conflict, and romantic and family woes. Text and art complement each other with precision and wit, focusing and amplifying the story's emotional content without overstating it.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2008

(3) YA Canadian straight arrow Katy is bummed to be spending time in LA with her estranged father, an aging punk rocker known as The Rat. Rocker girl Lake calls Katy "Beige," but Katy's summer becomes more colorful than expected. The book paints an empathetic and entertaining portrait of a teenager getting to know her recovering addict dad and a new side of herself.

Reviewer: Lauren Adams

(1) YA Illustrated by Jim Rugg. In Boy Proof, Jane was injured in a terrorist attack. Now her family's moved to suburbia, where Jane forms P.L.A.I.N. (People Loving Art In Neighborhoods) and plans "art attacks" while continuing correspondence with a comatose man. The graphic novel's core is Jane's struggle to see the world's beauty. Rugg's warm gray-scale scenes convey the drama, impact, and joy of unfettered expression.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2007

(2) YA Victoria, a Los Angeles teen who renames herself Egg, describes her style as "post-apocalyptic." She has a tough-girl attitude to match her shaved head, piercings, and colored eyebrows, all of which she believes renders her "boy proof." Castellucci's brooding, smart, self-confident narrator gives an edge to the geeky sci-fi fan stereotype, as well as a warts-and-all glimpse into Hollywood.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2005