Candlewick January 2027 Solicitations

Creative Team

• AKaeti Vandorn

Description

Adorable nocturnal animals take over the town while everyone else is sleeping in this candy-colored early graphic novel by an Eisner-nominated comics artist. When the sun goes down, most everyone in cozy Small Town falls asleep. Goodnight birds! Goodnight puppies! It’s sleepy time for all the cute cuddlebugs. Except for creatures like Kitkin, a cat who sleeps during the day and stays up at night. Kitkin’s adventures are just beginning, and tonight she’s headed to the movies with her friend Olive the owl. Kitkin tends to run late to everything, but she’s determined for them to make it to the movie on time. So, Kitkin and Owl take a “shortcut.” They figure the town will be quiet and peaceful at night—no problem! Little do they know that there are a lot of other Small Town creatures hanging around. Their path slows them down, but the friends they make along the way are totally worth it. I Like to Read Comics® are perfect for kids who are challenged by or unengaged in reading, kids who love art, and the growing number of young comics fans. Filled with eye-catching art, humor, and terrific stories, these comics provide unique reading experiences for growing minds. Like their award-winning I Like to Read® counterparts, these books are created by celebrated artists and support reading comprehension to transform children into lifelong readers.

Creative Team

• ANicole J. Georges

Description

The story of a girl named X-Ray, her pet chicken, a life-changing queer crush, and her journey to finding the place she belongs from the Lamba Award-winning graphic novelist behind Calling Dr. Laura . Xenia, nicknamed X-Ray, loves just one thing in this world. Her pet chicken (and best friend) Manicotti. So when her mother’s new boyfriend threatens to get rid of Manicotti, there’s just one thing for X-Ray to do. Fake her own death and live life on the run with Manicotti. But when the two get separated in the wilds of Oregon, X-Ray thinks all is lost. Until she meets Koko, that is. Together they’ll go on an adventure that will see them crashing funerals, playing talent shows, fighting bullies, and, above all, saving Manicotti. Inspired by so many children’s classics—think Matilda and David Copperfield , A Little Princess and A Series of Unfortunate Events—that feature either feature mean adults or a world where children have to survive on their own, The Ballad of X-Ray and Koko movingly explores similar themes of agency, disappointment, and resilience. Nicole J. Georges’s at once wry and heartfelt voice and her spirited illustrations bring to life an unforgettable cast of characters in X-Ray, Manicotti, and Koko.