From Powells.com
Hot new releases and under-the-radar gems for adults and kids.
Staff Pick
Katie O'Neill does it again. Her stories give us big and important ideas with the kindness that a person of any age can love. Her characters represent everyone. I keep falling in love with every page and word. Recommended By Doug C., Powells.com
Aquicorn Cove is an exquisite, oceanic gem! O'Neill's illustrations transport the reader to a small seaside village where our protagonist, Lana, discovers some magical creatures while cleaning up after a destructive storm. Will the villagers be able to save the symbiotic relationship they've shared with the reef and the Aquicorns for hundreds of years? With a little teamwork and open communication, there's always hope. Recommended By Haley B., Powells.com
Katie O'Neill has done it again with this absolutely breathtaking fairy tale about the the beauty of our ocean and our obligation to protect it. Her art stuns and her bold colors shine in a narrative that brims over with love, set in a fantastical and queer world where children and people of all ages can feel like they belong. Aquicorn is a place to play in the sand, dip your toes in the foam, and let your imagination go deep and wild. Recommended By Cosima C., Powells.com
Lana and her father moved when her mother was lost at sea. Finally back to help her beloved aunt clear storm debris, Lana finds an injured aquicorn — a magical seahorse that lives in the coral reef. The reef and the town are out of balance and in danger; can they learn to coexist? A beautiful, LGBTQ-friendly conservation fable. Recommended By Madeline S., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
From the award-winning author of PRINCESS PRINCESS EVER AFTER and THE TEA DRAGON SOCIETY comes AQUICORN COVE, a heartfelt story about learning to be a guardian to yourself and those you love.
When Lana and her father return to their seaside hometown to help clear the debris of a big storm, Lana remembers how much she's missed the ocean — and the strong, reassuring presence of her aunt. As Lana explores the familiar beach, she discovers something incredible: a colony of Aquicorns, small magical seahorse-like creatures that live in the coral reef. Lana rescues an injured Aquicorn and cares for it with the help of her aunt, who may know more about these strange creatures than she's willing to admit. But when a second storm threatens to reach the town, choices made many years ago about how to coexist with the sea start to rise to the surface. Lana realizes she will need to find the strength to stand on her own, even when it means standing up to the people who she has always relied on to protect her.
Review
"Aquicorn Cove is the charming, exquisitely illustrated, and LGBTQ focused book I would have loved as a kid. It's full of wonder and magic and yet still manages to tug at the heart at the same time." Tillie Walden, author of Spinning and On a Sunbeam
Review
"Aquicorn Cove is a magical delight. I barely put it down before my twelve-year-old niece had claimed it for her own. It weaves a story of loss and resilience with minimal words and charming illustrations. You'll fall in love with these characters and the world they inhabit. And like Lana, you'll want to do everything you can to protect it." Elissa Sussman, author of STRAY
Review
"Aquicorn Cove is a story with strong, smart female characters who realize their impact. Katie O'Neill creates beautiful, heartfelt worlds that you will want to live in." Nidhi Chanani, author of Pashmina
Synopsis
"Enchanting." - KIRKUS Unable to rely on the adults in her storm-ravaged seaside town, a young girl must protect a colony of magical seahorse-like creatures she discovers in the coral reef.
From the Eisner Award-winning author of The Tea Dragon Society and Princess Princess Ever After comes AQUICORN COVE, a heartfelt story about learning to be a guardian to yourself and those you love.
When Lana and her father return to their seaside hometown to help clear the debris of a big storm, Lana remembers how much she's missed the ocean--and the strong, reassuring presence of her aunt. As Lana explores the familiar beach, she discovers something incredible: a colony of Aquicorns, small magical seahorse-like creatures that live in the coral reef. Lana rescues an injured Aquicorn and cares for it with the help of her aunt, who may know more about these strange creatures than she's willing to admit. But when a second storm threatens to reach the town, choices made many years ago about how to coexist with the sea start to rise to the surface. Lana realizes she will need to find the strength to stand on her own, even when it means standing up to the people who she has always relied on to protect her.
"Highly recommended for all-ages graphic novel collections, especially those where O'Neill's earlier works are popular." - SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (starred review)
About the Author
Katie O'Neill is an illustrator and graphic novelist from New Zealand. She is the author of Princess Princess Ever After and The Tea Dragon Society, both from Oni Press. She mostly makes gentle fantasy stories for younger readers, and is very interested in tea, creatures, things that grow, and the magic of everyday life.