I love all of Faith Erin Hicks' graphic novels and this one is no exception. Juniper wins a scholarship to an elite boarding school, but she finds much more than just he academic rigor she was hoping for.

Faith Erin Hicks updates an early work with new art and an intriguing story of outsiders becoming friend at a boarding school. Full of laughs and adventure, it is a heart-warming tale of opening up and trusting people to be on your side. Highly recommend for fans of Hope Larson’s Chiggers and Raina Telgemeier.

While I love Faith Erin Hicks artwork, it was a bit difficult to appreciate it with a low resolution. This will not affect the rating, though, since it was an early copy (thanks Netgalley and First Second Books!).

One Year at Ellsmere is, in all, a story about not really fitting in, finding friends and let you define you.
What I liked about this graphic novel was the fact that everything wasn't black and white. The main characters aren't flawless and the mean people aren't bad through and through. There's bullying and there's sadness. But there's also friendship and mysteries and magic.

Not my favorite of Hicks, but a nice read.

3 of 5 magical forests

/ Denise

One Year at Ellsmere by Faith Erin Hicks is being rereleased with reworked art and full color on July 14 2020.
It is a middle-grade friendship story from one of my favorite graphic novel authors for this age group. When studious thirteen-year-old Juniper wins a scholarship to the prestigious Ellsmere Academy, she expects to find a scholastic utopia. But living at Ellsmere is far from ideal: She is labeled a “special project,” Ellsmere's queen bee is out to destroy her, and it’s rumored that a mythical beast roams the forest next to the school.

One Year at Ellsmere is not completely unexpected by fans of the author or genre. Middle grade and boarding school often go together, but as usual Hicks makes even the 'bad guy' a character that readers know is not wholly bad, despite their actions and the emotions that they often inspire. I love that Jun and Cassie are the main players, but they are not perfect rather they have the same fallibility that some readers might relate to. I really like that they are so different, and while they do make mistakes they are willing to own up to them and do better. They seem to recognize that others are equally fallible and that the things they do might come from a place of insecurity or pain rather than just being evil. The forest addition is lovely, and adds a jumping off point for interesting future stories, but it felt a little unnecessary to me. A fun twist, which adds a little mystical something, but I thought it could have been played in several other ways. Hicks remains one of my must reads authors, and I will continue looking for their work because even when it is not exactly perfect n my eyes, it is still pretty awesome.

One Year at Ellsmere is a perfect example of why I became a fan of Hicks in the first place. The story and art are perfectly matched, and offer a story that is engaging, entertaining, and hits readers in the feels.

I'd actually read this story once before, under the title The War at Ellsmere. I was interested to see what changes Hicks made with this new edition. It's still not my favorite of her books. The resolution comes sort of out of nowhere. But the art is much improved this time around. The lines are lighter, allowing more detail in expression, body, and posture. The perspective angles are more artful.

One Year at Ellsmere is obviously an early for from Faith Erin Hicks. Between this and her newer works there has definitely been tons of growth as an artist and writer, but One Year at Ellsmere is still a good read. It's not my favorite of her works, but it's still enjoyable and will be popular with patrons who like her other works.

Originally published in 2008 as The War at Ellsmere (thanks, ComicBeat!), Faith Erin Hicks's boarding school story gets some updated art and some color. Juniper is a new student at the prestigious (read: snobbish) Ellsmere Academy, an exclusive boarding school where she - daughter of a single mother with thrift store clothes - is quickly labeled "the project" by the school's Queen Bee, Emily. Juniper and her roommate, Cassie, quickly bond over being outcasts in a school full of Mean Girls; something that helps Juniper as she endures Emily's brutal bullying. Running through this boarding school story is a touch of magical realism surrounding the forest next to the school. I loved the character development, the fantasy touch with the forest story, and how both elements come together to make yet another great story from Faith Erin Hicks.

I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this book ahead of time to give an honest review. One Year at Ellsmere to be a good fit for lower readers in middle grades and perfect for upper elementary. I enjoyed the main character Juniper, and found her to be smart and cunning. Attending a gothic styled school on scholarship, while trying to take down new enemies like Emily was not easy for her. I found her roommate Cassie to be unique and fun, but found myself wanting more from her throughout the book. It touches on bullying and overcoming obstacles that stand in your way, while also teaching forgiveness.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
I think the opening is so strong that the ending feels so lackluster in comparison. Too rushed and short at the same time. I would be okay with this book getting a sequel because I like the world and its character, but I would hope that the pacing would be greatly improved.

A really interesting graphic novel with a hint of fantasy that delves into issues of ambition, kindness, memory, and what competition does to you. I'm a big Faith Erin Hicks fan, and this graphic novel did not disappoint. It lovingly winks at all of the tropes of boarding schools and a lower-class outsider confronting the entitled, ambitious, evil (?) queen bee while utilizing them to good effect and examining just what you can lose and gain when you give your all in competition. Loved the characters (especially the self-aware evil henchwomen) and the ending sets things up nicely for a sequel. Highly recommended!

Thank you to FirstSecond for this advanced reader's copy in exchange for my review. First off, I am a huge fan of Faith Erin Hicks' middle grade and YA comics, and I've enjoyed seeing her illustration style & partnership with Hope Larson (the original illustrator) evolve over the years.

The First Year at Ellsmere is about Jun, the first scholarship student starting her freshman or sophomore year in at a highly selective private girls boarding school housed in a gothic manor. Jun is sassy and not afraid to speak her mind, in contrast to her fast friend and roommate Cassie, whose entire personality can be summed up as quirky and shy. I wish she had more substance: this book gives me a bit of the feeling of Nameless City--our main characters are archetypes, as is Jun's nemesis and resident smart mean girl Emily, who can't handle the idea of not being #1 (Emily gives me some Blaire from Gossip Girl vibes), and reminds me of queen bees from school. I love how confident Jun is, and I feel other readers will enjoy her ready comebacks, but I feel the moments in which she's vulnerable and expresses self doubt get really glossed over, and that she doesn't get much chance to explore her feelings, especially about the role of losing her father at a young age. The dialog is outstanding and feels like it will suite younger teens well.

While I appreciate that Hicks wanted to revisit and update the War at Ellsmere, I felt like this book didn't quite live up to the standard of her storytelling that I've become accustomed to. This plot is pretty straightforward and left me wanting more, and I feel pacing is an issue. The book is off to a strong start, but then feels like it careens at breakneck speed towards the end. Also, Hicks shoehorns in magical elements that feel pretty out of place with the overall tone of the story, which otherwise doesn't give me much of a magical realism vibe.

I do love a YA that will really suit 7th-9th graders, and this is one of them, so I do see myself recommending it to younger teens.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel about Jun starting a new private school that looks like Hogwarts as a scholarship student only to be picked on by a popular girl who feels threatened by Jun’s intelligence. Her friendship with Cassie was so sweet and I love anything with unicorns. This is a story about personal growth, standing up to bullies, knowing your self-worth and giving second chances, even when they probably don’t deserve it. I loved the art lesson at the back of the book too. Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Like many other stories, One Year at Ellsmere begins with the first day at a new school. Juniper, the first scholarship student at the prestigious boarding school is determined to prove to herself and everyone else that she is smart enough to be there and to pursue her goals. After standing up for her roommate, Jun finds herself in a battle with the queen bee of the school. What starts as slights and academic competition, turns into something uglier.

The heart of One Year at Ellsmere is definitely the friendship between the main character, Juniper, and her sweet and imaginative roommate, Cassie. Cassie also brings the more fantastical elements of the story onto the page, rambling about aliens and recounting local folklore about the woods surrounding the school.

Although, we don't get the satisfaction of change and redemption for the bully, One Year at Ellsmere is ultimately a story about how each person has separate and different inner lives and history... and beyond that about finding friendship and belonging.

(If you are like me and love to see creative processes, look up the original version of this comic, first titled The War at Ellsmere. One of Faith Erin Hicks' first books, War at Ellsmere is done in her earlier style and she completely redrew the story for this publication.)

One Year at Ellsmere is a small little graphic novel with a simple story. It touches on bullying and fitting in through an easy to understand story. Faith Erin Hicks' reissue of an older story is suitable for middle grade readers who are just starting to age out of younger titles.

The art in this book was very good. Faith Erin Hicks is a really talented artist and graphic novelist. I enjoyed this book and I am excited to pass it on to some tweens at my library. I think they will really enjoy this one- they LOVE graphic novels, and something like this won't stay on the shelf.
One of my favorite parts of this was Cassie. I liked her as a character and I loved the way that she was drawn. Her curly hair was depicted realistically and very pretty at the same time.

I really loved this book! Sure, I'm always a fan of middle-school-drama-comic-books, but I loved the 'spookier' or more mystical elements worked into this one. I maybe with it had either committed more fully to fantasy/supernatural or just not had any fantastical elements, but I still found the book wholly enjoyable. What really did it for me was the dry/sarcastic humor of the main character. Wouldn't trade that for anything! Overall, there's little I'd change about the book and would rate it 4.5, if half stars were a thing here.

I liked the story, the friendship and dealing with bullies and all of that. I liked the idea of the magic, but I just felt like it became part of the story in the eleventh hour. I know it was mentioned earlier, but it seemed like it could have been used in a different way. I’m all for magic, but there needs to be more development on those aspects of plot.

Juniper has been given a scholarship to come the exclusive Ellsmere Academy for Girls. She’s excited for the boost this will give her getting into colleges. Her roommate is nice and welcoming, but some of the other girls think she doesn’t belong and go out of their way to give her a tough time. Jun isn’t a pushover, but anyone gets worn down after months of unkindness. Will she be able to stick it out, or will the mean girls push her out?

For the most part this is a pretty typical scholarship boarding school student story, but there’s 2 little twists. One is the way Juniper sticks up for her roommate, who though wealthy, is also the brunt of a lot of hassling from the other students. It is great to watch how Jun helps her roommate and vice versa. The second twist has to do with folklore about the woods around the academy and the Ellsmere family who originally owned the castle that became the school. It plays into the story more than just as a background atmospheric tale. I liked the resolution of the story. It was a good mix of justice, realistic outcomes, and mercy. (Sorry for the vagueness, but I don’t want to spoil things.) I've seen this advertised as middle grade, but the students appear to be in high school. I'd say it is good for either middle grade or YA readers. Recommended for those who like underdog stories, boarding school stories, and graphic novels.

Notes on content [based on the ARC]: No language issues. No sexual content. There’s some verbal bullying and psychological bullying going on. One punch and another tackle, but nothing more serious.

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Jun starts at a new private school on a scholarship, and has to endure the usual popular rich girls who want her gone. However, on top of drama with other students, Jun has to deal with a possibly sinister force lurking in the forest surrounding the school.

This was a really great graphic novel. I loved the art style and I think they characters were amazing. Jun's snark was great and Cassie is precious. Their friendship was so sweet and I love how they supported each other. I also think the way that the bullying and animosity between Emily, Cassie, and Jun was presented was very complex and added an extra layer to the story.
I really liked the magical realism present with the creature in the forest. I do think that it would have been cool to have more information about Cassie and her connection to the forest and the creature, but overall it was really well done.

Juniper is the first scholarship student at the prestigious boarding school Ellesmere Academy for Girls. Her roommate is Cassie - a student the mean girls call Orphan. Jun refuses to be intimidated by the mean girls and sticks up for Cassie. The girls form a strong friendship and help each other with schoolwork and family. The story is told with humor, bravado, and a touch of magical realism as Jun and Cassie navigate their time at school while coping with threats, taunts, and malicious pranks. The artwork is so well suited to the story and as lovely as you'd expect from Faith Erin Hicks. I look forward to recommending this book at my middle school library. I'm sure it will fly off the shelf.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.