Booklist starred review
Sara's Rating: 9/10 Suitability Level: Grades 9-12 Publisher: Yen Press Publication Date: Dec 9, 2025 ISBN: 9798855430301 (Paperback) Tags: Rating: 9/10, Suitability: High School, Manga, Romance, LGBTQ+, Fantasy, Supernatural, Yen Press
0 Comments
After an intense year and the burn out that followed, Angelica is easing back into having responsibilities by interning at the local community theater. This winter, they're reviving a classic and honoring a community favorite play, The Bear Prince, which includes Peri the Bear. The Bear Prince was one of Angelica's favorite plays as a kid, and Peri was her favorite character, so she can't wait to start her internship and help put together the production. But also, Angelica has been messaging someone through the theater's social media page over the summer, someone claiming to be Peri. She knows her childhood dreams aren't reality, but it's also been nice to have someone to talk to...
Fujinaga’s lifelong dream has been to become an actor on the screen — whether TV or film — but feedback at auditions and from his theater troupe is much the same: his overacting is distracting and scene-stealing. Then he meets Keito, a freshman who is Deaf and utilizes Japanese Sign Language, hearing aids, and lip reading in order to communicate with hearing people. Fujinaga begins learning signs from Keito and eventually expressing language in unique ways, drawing on his acting ability and connecting with Keito.
Haebom & Taesung have become adoptive brothers after Haebom’s parents died tragically in a car accident and Taesung’s mother agrees to take Haebom in. But this upsets Taesung, and they spend the next several years avoiding each other. Now, it’s senior year, and the two are in the same class. So are Haebom's bullies, and Taesung gets a front row seat to the tormenting Haebom gets on the daily. Taesung, the smart, beautiful, athletic, and popular class darling, must choose whether he'll let Haebom continue to be picked on or if he'll use his power and influence to help Haebom start standing up for himself.
Illustrated by Kiki Emoda
Booklist review Sara's Rating: 8/10 Suitability Level: Grades 7-12 Publisher: Vertical (Kodansha) Publication Date: Nov 25, 2025 ISBN: 9781647294984 (Paperback) Tags: Rating: 8/10, Suitability: Middle School, Suitability: High School, Manga, Art, School Life, LGBTQ+, Romance, Kodansha
School Library Journal review - part of Fall 2025 Manga Fiction Series, "Hidden Identities and True Love"
Sara's Rating: 8/10 Suitability Level: Grades 7-12 Reviews of previous volumes in this series: vol 1 Publisher: RH Graphics Publication Date: Nov 4, 2025 ISBN: 9780593902950 (Paperback) Tags: Rating: 8/10, Suitability: Middle School, Suitability: High School, Manga, School Life, LGBTQ+, Romance, Friendship, RH Graphic 
Hime Sakuragaike and Akira Yonezawa have been friends since childhood. Going into high school, Akira decides to live her true self, the self she has only told to Hime up to this time. She has decided to live and dress as a girl. Hime is fiercely protective of her best friend, but her feelings may be more than just friendship and protectiveness. Fighting through the peers who tease and don’t accept Akira are two girls who want to become Akira’s friends: Yukka Ishiyama and Anzu Taneno. Hime questions their intentions, but Akira is relieved to have more girl friends.
Adapted and illustrated by Eita Mizuno
One day, urban explorer and legends enthusiast Sorawo discovers a mysterious door that leads her to a world where the unexplained can become reality. There, she meets Toriko, a beautiful and deadly you woman searching for her best friend who got lost in this Otherside. The two agree to explore together as there are dangerous and paranormal monsters that defy logic and take over one's senses. Toriko reveals she explores the Otherside while armed with a gun, which startles Sorawo at first, but starts to make more sense the more they encounter deadly and unexplainable phenomenon. |
About MeI've been reading manga and comicbooks for years. Now, I write reviews and other helpful things for School Librarians, teachers, parents, and students. Search this site
Ratings, Audience, and Subject Tags
All
Archives
January 2026
|
© 2025 Sara Smith |
|
|
