Their latent feelings are rekindled against the backdrop of witchcraft, untested magic, occult rituals, and family ties both new and old in this enchanting tale of self-discovery. Pursued by dark forces eager to claim the magic of wolves, and out of options, Tam turns to Nova for help. As a werewolf, Tam has been wandering from place to place for years, unable to call any town home. One fateful night, she follows reports of a white wolf into the woods and comes across the unexpected: her childhood crush, Tam Lang, battling a horse demon in the woods. She works at her grandmothers’ bookshop, where she helps them loan out spell books and investigate any supernatural occurrences in their New England town. Nova Huang knows more about magic than your average teen witch. (Mar.Mooncakes (2019) : Get the brand-new, deluxe hardcover collector’s edition of the bewitching Mooncakes graphic novel, featuring a gorgeous new cover, introduction by Sarah Kuhn, and more! A story of love and demons, family and witchcraft. This beautifully told and brutal story strikes home. Mooncakes is also the full-length debut of illustrator Wendy Xu, who is based in Brooklyn. Walker is passionate about disability representation and accessibility in science fiction, and she has spoken on this topic (and others) at a number of conventions (Walker, n.d.). “When I’m not there, promise me you’ll only think about the good times we’ve spent together,” she says in one rather devastating moment. Mooncakes, co-created with illustrator Wendy Xu, is her debut graphic novel. In one scene, with her depression at bay, Marie and Bastien hike in the woods and she teaches him about wildlife and comforts him when he’s scared. But despite the limited relief of these fantasies, Bastien just wants his mother to be present.

As Marie gets electroshock therapy, for instance, Bastien envisions the superhero Wolverine strapped to a table for experimentation, and that his mother also will evolve into a superhero. Espé’s artistic virtuosity shines when depicting how Bastien uses his imagination as a defense. Often, he is relieved not to be around her, even as he misses her. Espé’s expressive linework and color choices-some sections are hued with greens, others blues, but the panels where Marie is overcome by her rages are red-convey Bastien’s shifting emotions as he watches his mother deteriorate. Eight-year-old Bastien witnesses his mother, Marie, cycle through psychiatric facilities and treatment plans, none of which do more than provide a temporary respite from her mental illness, while his father and grandparents struggle to handle her episodes.

Espé’s heartbreaking graphic novel gets at the insidious nature of depression and how it is inexplicable to those not in its grasp.