Cartoonist Niki Smith is again with a brand new graphic novel, The Golden Hour. First introduced final yr, Smith’s newest is due out in October, and at the moment The Beat is proud to current a primary take a look at the quilt for the forthcoming ebook.
Right here’s how writer Little, Brown describes the ebook, launched beneath their predominant Books for Younger Readers imprint:
Combating nervousness after witnessing a harrowing occasion of gun violence, Manuel Soto copes by images, utilizing his cell-phone digicam to search out anchors that maintain him grounded. His days are a lonely, latchkey monotony till he’s teamed together with his classmates, Sebastian and Caysha, for a gaggle mission.
Sebastian lives on a grass-fed cattle farm outdoors of city, and Manuel finds solace within the open fields and within the antics of the new child calf Sebastian is hand-raising. As Manuel aides his new pals of their preparations for the native county truthful, he learns to open up, confronts his deepest fears, and even finds past love.
The Golden Hour is the newest graphic novel from Smith, who has additionally contributed to publications from The Nib to Beyond: The Queer Sci-Fi & Fantasy Comic Anthology, amongst many others. Smith’s first graphic novel, Crossplay, was launched by Iron Circus Comics in 2018, and her most up-to-date ebook, The Deep and Dark Blue, was revealed by Little, Brown in January of final yr; amongst different accolades, the ebook was lately included on this yr’s ALA Rainbow Book List of the highest 10 titles for younger readers.
The subject of youngsters coping with the aftermath of gun violence is, sadly, one which’s develop into more and more related over the previous a number of years, and it appears like simply one in all many themes that Smith can be exploring within the new ebook. The cartoonist has additionally shared a couple of teasers for the ebook by way of Instagram, and the inside art work appears to be like great.
The Golden Hour is due out from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers on Tuesday, October 26th, 2021.
