School Library Journal Review
Gr 7 Up--Seventeen-year-old Boo's active imagination springs to life on the pages of this sweet graphic novel that mixes romance with the realities of addiction. Boo, balancing school, a part-time job, and a complicated home life, escapes her circumstances through her daydreams. Her bicycle transforms into a horse and carriage, her gossiping classmates become comedic monsters, and her work uniform is refashioned into a ball gown. But even her imagination cannot free her from her mother's alcoholism, which forces Boo to assume the role of caretaker and leaves her with flashbacks of traumatic memories. When a new girl, Mimi, arrives at school and takes an interest in Boo, Boo has to decide if she can trust Mimi enough to connect with her in the real world instead of escaping to the fantasy inside her mind. This full-color graphic novel uses pink and teal tones to create a dream world for Boo that is cute and whimsical, while still capturing the darkness of her home life. Boo is drawn with light skin and pink hair; other characters are portrayed with various skin tones and body types. VERDICT An endearing graphic novel that will appeal to readers who enjoyed Moonstruck, Lumberjanes, and Heartstopper.--Emily Yates
Kirkus Review
A teen works her way through anxiety, bullying, and her mother's substance abuse but also experiences love in this coming-of-age series opener. Boo Meadows, a robustly imaginative fat 17-year-old with pale skin and red hair, wishes she were a fashionable, magical monster fighter. In reality, she's an ordinary high school senior who works as a waitress and can't seem to stay focused in class. Her awkwardness isn't helped by her classmates' unkindness or the fact that she's the one keeping her family afloat financially due to her mom's persistent issues with drugs and alcohol. When Mimi Rosero, a new girl with brown skin, green hair, and an ultra-cool attitude, moves to town, Boo can't believe they could ever become friends. This budding, possibly romantic, relationship provides the hopeful emotional core of this graphic novel. Despite its pastel color-scape, the story depicts weighty themes such as parental abandonment and mental health issues. The book has some viscerally tragic moments, and this opening volume offers no easy resolution and an ending that feels somewhat arbitrary, but the quick pace, inclusive cast, and inviting illustrations will make it appealing even to reluctant readers. Teens will be curious to see where the next entry of this series, which launched on Tapas Media, will take this intimate, unflinching, and vividly drawn tale. Realism that doesn't shy from heavy subjects, portrayed with imagination and heart. (Graphic fantasy. 12-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Boo is a magical girl in nowheresville. She flies through the night, bravely casting down monsters with magic, and then slowly sails back to earth. But that's all in dreamland; her real life is full of fears like high school, waitressing at work, and a mom who--well, Boo is not ready to talk about her mom just yet. Enter supercool Mimi, a new girl in her grade who will take her to the moon and encourage her to reach for the stars. While Boo's time in dreamland may be fleeting, her time with Mimi is impactful. Sunny and Gloomy have created a poignant and meaningful story about a magnificent girl trying to both live with and escape from trauma and parentification. A palette of cherry blossom pink and bamboo greens is a great fit for fashionable, striking Boo, whose evanescent daydreams sparkle. Not everyone is ready to share their story yet, and by placing Mimi's confidence beside Boo's reluctance, young readers can gain a better understanding of the wide variety of trauma responses. A strong choice for social-emotional learning.
