Beetle & the Hollowbones is a wonderful new graphic novel for readers under 13. Revolving around young teens teaming together to save both the local mall – and a friend in the process – in Layne’s hands the story unfolds with vivid color schemes and delightful and expressive characters.Beetle features the genre’s typical fare with magic and supernatural elements, and lessons learned while the kids save the day.
There’s even a long-overdue kiss between two teens discovering they are in love. What is refreshingly different, though, is the casual manner in which Beetle & the Hollowbones normalizes and affirms queer kids, gender fluidity, and ethnic diversity.The story revolves around the protagonist Beetle and her efforts to balance teen life.