Middle Grade Fiction – Graphic Novel – Fantasy – Friendship – Ages 8-12

Illustrated by:Kelly Fernndez

Published: 11/2/2021

International Latino Book Award, Silver Medal Winner

Washington PostBest Children’s Book of the Year

Kirkus ReviewsBest Book of the Year

Amazon Best Book of the Month

American Library Association Best Graphic Novel for Children

American Booksellers Association Indies Introduce Pick

American Booksellers Association Indie Next Pick

Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

Get Published by Graphix Contest Winner

A funny and heartwarming middle-grade graphic novel adventure about friendship, defying expectations, and finding your place.

Manu and her best friend, Josefina, live at a magical school for girls, and Manu is always getting into trouble. The headmistress believes that Manu has the potential to help people with her magic, but Manu would rather have fun than fall in line. One day, a prank goes seriously wrong, and Josefina gets angry and wishes for Manu’s magic to disappear… and it does. Manu uses a dangerous spell to restore it, but it makes her magic too powerful and nearly impossible to control. Great power comes at a cost, and it may be a price that Manu isn’t able to pay!

AUTHOR BIO:

Kelly Fernndez makes comics that are inspired by her daily experiences, Dominican heritage, and American culture. Her work has been featured in comics anthologies, and she won a Chicago Alternative Comics Expo Cupcake Award for her minicomicCuidando. Kelly is a winner of the Get Published by Graphix contest, andManuis her debut graphic novel. She lives in Queens, New York, and you can visit her online at kellyfernandez.net.