In this graphic novel sequel to the Stonewall Award honoree Beetle & the Hollowbones, goblin Beetle, skeleton Kat, and ghost Penny are getting ready for the Chimera Carnival, where giant dragons showcase their magic. But one dragon gets injured, others are disappearing, and Beetle’s magic is making her change in ways she doesn’t like. Not only that, but Kat’s parents are back in town, with overbearing expectations and a bias against her and Beetle’s lesbian identities and burgeoning romance. Can the friends figure out what’s happening to their town and to their selves and set things right?
Once again, author/illustrator Aliza Layne blends fun and original worldbuilding with characters who are supremely relatable despite their inhuman identities. Beetle’s fears about personal change will likely resonate with many tweens, and the thread about coming out both individually and as a couple is thoughtful and nicely paced, an integrated part of the larger story without being the main point. Secondary characters like Beetle’s Gran and doctors Evelyn Drake (a dragon), and Delia Darlingtonia (a vampire), are well-drawn (literally and figuratively), with their own viewpoints and motivations. Fans of both romances and spooky stories are likely to be pleased.
Highly recommended.
