In this captivating debut YA graphic novel, two 8th-grade best friends become more than friends, which is great till entering high school complicates matters. Faced with early mornings, bullies and homework, Amber and Nico cling to each other, neglecting their friends. Then a sleepover literally turns into a dream. Will they ever want to wake up?

First off, there’s no sex in this novel. It reads like a middle-grade story in which two friends with crushes on one another end up daring to confess romantic interest, which leads to a little kissing and hugging.

Meanwhile, the reader gets to plod through 314 pages of their ordinary lives – jumping into a pile of leaves, ice skating, swinging on a swing set, doing a carnival ride, riding on the school bus to a beach (field trip), walking on a pier, eating pizza.

Then there’s a sliver of plot involving how they’re so caught up in each other that their friends are hurt. And they do a sleepover (a mom makes sure nothing untoward occurs) during which magic realism suddenly happens: They enter into a dream and are unsure how to exit it.

The drawings are beautiful. They slow down all the “slice of life” moments that aspire to serve as the storyline. As in, slow it down almost too much. Then again, that’s the only reason you’d pick up this book: stunning images that float you through a dreamscape, and typical pre-teen angst and activities.

Though it is being promoted as a young-adult graphic novel, and the kids transition from eighth grade to high school, I’d positively categorize it as middle grade. Finally, if the above summary piques the interest of a middle schooler with romantic sensibilities and a love of graphic novels, go for it. Enjoy, especially the artwork.
– Pam Withers