Review by Booklist Review
Composed of two stories, this follows classmates Nadia, Priya, Aqilah, and Yong Qiang through their creative projects in secondary school. The first story focuses on Nadia, an artist, and Priya, a gamer, girls from different backgrounds who are teamed up for a school science project about climate change. They decide to make a game, but their different approaches and motivations lead to conflict. Gradually, they each learn to value each other's talents and eventually form a solid friendship. The second story centers on Aqilah and Yong Qiang; while the teens are dealing with personal issues, they're pouring their energy into helping the school librarian build a makerspace for students. Tensions take a toll on their friendship, but it comes back stronger as they resolve their differences. These meaningful, touching stories about collaboration, creativity, and growth are vibrantly drawn with bold colors and a deep understanding of how to communicate emotion, as well as a keen sense of realistic cultural diversity. Libraries serving middle school students, especially those active in their own makerspaces, will appreciate this grounded, empowering story.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 4--6--Readers are introduced to a group of friends who find joy in creating new things. In the first of two stories, Nadia and Priya--new students at Pangolin Secondary School--team up to make a video game about climate change. In the second story, Aquilah and Yong Qiang take center stage as they help the school librarian form a makerspace. Pantoja's cheery art fits the mold of many school-centered graphic novels, with the addition of vibrant facial expressions reminiscent of manga artwork. While the combination of relatable characters and the demand for realistic graphic novels will make this an easy book to recommend, the transition between the two stories is jarring, particularly with the second story chronologically taking place before the first. The setting is never made clear, though references to Malaysia and the Philippines in the glossary imply that this story takes place in Southeast Asia. The book features a diverse cast with varying skin tones, faith backgrounds, and abilities. Extensive back matter featuring video game design processes and an interview with a clothing designer will help draw connections between the story and real makerspace activities for young readers. VERDICT This graphic novel will be popular in libraries with makerspaces as well as with kids who are passionate about STEM and friendship stories.--Annamarie Carlson
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Two sets of friends navigate challenging life circumstances while attending Pangolin Secondary School, where their resilience and creativity are put to the test. When nervous new student Nadia Tan is assigned to work with classmate Priya Kumar on a science project, Nadia is hopeful that they can win the first-place cash prize to help her financially struggling family. Meanwhile, reserved Priya shuts the world out due to her parents' constant fighting. A year and a half earlier, Aqilah Zuraidi and Fu Yong Qiang reconnected after spending years apart. Yong Qiang is learning to accept that life is different now that he's a wheelchair user, and creative overachieving hijabi Aqilah faces the stress of trying to do too much. The varied layouts of the pages, which include the use of open panels, panel breaks, and design elements that enhance characters' expression of emotions, provide substantial visual detail for readers to pore over. The two stories in this graphic novel, presented in reverse chronological order, are colored in a soothing, rainbow-hued, pastel palette that matches the easygoing feel. Despite the potential for heaviness given some of the serious content, the gray-shaded scenes that are fraught with conflict quickly make way for happy resolutions. The ethnically diverse cast reflects a vibrant Southeast Asian setting, and an interview with adaptive-wear designer Claudia Poh offers fascinating insights into work that considers the needs of different users. Sweetly sincere feel-good stories exploring relationships and maker culture. (glossary, about the characters, behind the scenes) (Graphic fiction. 9-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
