Friendship to the Max (Lumberjanes #2)

Gr 5 Up--Jo, April, Mal, Molly, and Ripley, aka. the Lumberjanes, continue their adventures at Miss Quinzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet's Camp for Hardcore Lady Types with as much verve and panache as in the first volume. Collecting issues five to eight, this work follows the five friends as they confront crazed dinosaurs, possessed insects, and competitive Greek deities. Some unanswered questions from Lumberjanes Vol. 1: Beware the Kitten Holy (BOOM! Box, 2015) are cleared up--many of the bizarre goings-on are due to a sibling rivalry between Apollo and Artemis, who have been disguised as campers. As the pals try to aid Artemis in her disagreement with her brother (against their wills), they also struggle with first crushes, friendship troubles, and self-doubt. The creators balance the supernatural high jinks and summer camp standbys (anxious counselors and Capture the Flag) along with poignant coming-of-age moments with a deft and thoughtful hand. The variety of the panels reinforces the energetic pace of each tale, and the psychedelic color palette against forest greens in outdoor daylight scenes and grays and dark blues of nighttime scenes will delight reluctant readers and make graphic novel fans out of neophytes. The feminist leanings of the dialogue, the field guide snippets that open each chapter, and back matter filled with variant covers are the icing on the cake. VERDICT A must-have for all graphic novel collections.--Shelley Diaz, School Library Journal