Reinberger Review: Aquicorn Cove

Aquicorn Cove by K. O'Neill
Author:
Publisher:
Published: October 16, 2018

The author/illustrator of Tea Dragon Society and Princess Princess Ever After returns with Aquicorn Cove, a graphic novel that tells the story of Lana, a young girl grieving the loss of her mother who returns to the Island her family is from to help with relief efforts after a storm. While there, she discovers a magical community beneath the sea with mermaids and magical seahorse-like creatures called aquicorns. From them, she also learns of the harm that has been done to the ocean.

Fans of O’Neill’s previous work who expect Aquicorn Cove to be like their previous work might feel let down. The world building, while there, is alot lighter in this comic than Tea Dragon Society and the LGBT representation is much more subtle and is not a focus of the plot but it’s still a delightfully heartwarming story. Aquicorn Cove moves gently from panel to panel, resting on small moments, and invites the reader to soak up the details of the world, but doesn’t hesitate to share some of the harder realities of grief and climate change. Young readers might feel that climate change is too big an issue for them to confront in any meaningful way, but as they read the story, they learn along with the characters that they have the power to create change in their communities.

Audience: Grades 4-6/Ages 7& up

Review by:
Emily Bennett (she/her)
MLIS Student, Kent State University iSchool

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