(1) YA A funny and fast-paced feminist adventure masterfully told through the comics medium. This alternate-Victorian-era fantasy opens after Jane's parents' death. Since women can't own property, the family estate and fortune will pass to Jane's odious male cousin -- who gives her a week to pack her bags and leave. Unless she can secure a dowry via marriage, she will be penniless as well as homeless. Jane, along with everyone in her seaside village, buys into the dominant and oppressive standards of beauty; she's realistic about the fact that her appearance leaves her with few marriage prospects. While she may be considered plain, Jane is exceedingly clever: she proposes marriage to Peter, a gorgeous fisherman forced into the trade by his toxic father. "We both have problems, and this would solve them." But those plans are thwarted after Peter is kidnapped by a man-eating mermaid, and Jane embarks on an epic undersea journey to rescue him. Along the way, she meets folkloric creatures (selkies, crones, a water demon, etc.) and gains knowledge and the confidence to challenge societal norms. Brosgol's (Be Prepared, rev. 5/18; Anya's Ghost, rev. 7/11) magical story is full of quirky and indelible characters; smart surprises and plot twists; and laugh-out-loud dialogue. Stellar world-building and cinematic cartooning effectively pace the narrative, building suspense and emphasizing moments of horror. Textured colorwork adds further depth to plot and setting, and an author's note invites readers to interrogate the worlds (both real and fictional) with which they come into contact.

Reviewer: Elisa Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2024

(2) 1-3 Detective Sweet Pea series. When Parkville's prized Golden Chew Bone goes missing, the town's quirky enclave of animal residents is sent into a tailspin. Sweet Pea, a blue-gray dog with a strong sense of smell, reluctantly accepts the case; after all, "without the Golden Chew Bone, there will be cavities!" More artist, herbalist, and local historian than detective, Sweet Pea enlists several friends to scour the town for clues and culprits. A side story regarding the past triumphs and tribulations of Sweet Pea's great-aunt (depicted in old-timey sepia) provides inspiration for tackling the present-day mystery. Suspicious behaviors, mild grudges, and biases (e.g., diurnal versus nocturnal animals) all serve as effective red herrings, leading to a satisfyingly zany conclusion. The chunky ink lines, vibrant colors, helpful emanata (motion lines, arrows, teardrops, sound effects, etc.), and organic dialogue of Varon's signature cartooning all contribute to a pleasurable, seamless reading experience. The mostly three-tiered, horizontal-panel layouts result in a swiftly paced story; while periodic single- and double-page splashes are chock-full of detail, regularly punctuating key dramatic moments. A clever, fourth wall-breaking coda features a cartoon Varon introducing readers to the real-life pets that inspired the story's characters (photographs included). The final pages of the book present Sweet Pea with several new mysteries to solve, to which the newly crowned detective of Parkville responds with an enthusiastic, "Let's go!"

Reviewer: Patrick Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2024