This graphic novel was so fun and cute and I think just because of this imagery alone, kids would be drawn to it. My only thing was is that on the author's Instagram, it seems like she draws herself as Meesh but adult vers.?

✰ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛs ✰
- if you’re looking for a cute and fast adventure story, here she is~
- i really dig the art style and overall color palette. Plumeria city?? Gorgeoussss 💖🤍
- Even though Meesh is different from all her peers for liking cutesy things rather than acting like other demons, i liked how strong she was despite it.
- Equally liked how discrimination was displayed and settled between the fairies and demons 🤍
- i need this series to have more Chai please!!! What a good wolf boy, the best character 1000%
- Kinda wish the bullying issue was better resolved between characters, felt like that could’ve been tied up a lil more
- I didn’t catch one of the plot twists which is fun~ makes me curious about the next book!
- Overall i think kids would really jive with this one- younger me woulda loved Meesh with my whole heart 😂 as an adult i think you’d appreciate the art and messages in the book

ʕ •ᴥ•ʔ ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

This was such fun! Great illustrations and a good story! I look forward to more in this series and recommending it to my library kids!

4 stars

"Meesh the Bad Demon #1" by Michelle Lam is an exciting and imaginative graphic novel that introduces readers to a world of demons and adventures. Lam's storytelling prowess shines as she weaves a tale of mischief, friendship, and the unexpected. The book's vibrant illustrations and relatable characters create an immersive reading experience that resonates with young readers. Lam's ability to capture the essence of childhood curiosity and imagination adds depth to the narrative, making it a captivating read for children and fans of graphic novels. "Meesh the Bad Demon #1" is an enchanting journey that invites readers to embrace the magic of the supernatural in a fun and engaging way, leaving them eager to follow Meesh's mischievous escapades in future installments.

This was a cute, light-hearted read about friendship and learning to love oneself. The art was eye-catching and the plot was very fast-paced, which helps to keep attention. I do feel like the plot was perhaps a bit too fast; I think the messages that the author was trying to convey would have been better served by slowing down the plot a bit. However, I do still think the book was successful in conveying its messages and they can be further explored in future books. My final critique is the ending. I understand that another book is being created; however, the large cliffhanger at the end of the book after the completed narrative left me feeling very unsatisfied, and I imagine the target audience would feel the same. Overall, I would not hesitate to recommend this to young graphic novel readers with the caveat that they will likely want the next book immediately!

We have a pretty good idea, from the title alone, what this book is going to be about. The set up is clear - demons and fairies separated in different communities and different attitudes. Meesh, though a demon, likes more typical fairy pursuits. So we're headed into a plot about learning to be happy with yourself, proud of your abilities, everyone has abilities to contribute, that sort of thing. A straightforward story suitable for young readers.

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

My Review:

I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher via TBR and Beyond Tours in exchange for an honest review and place on this blog tour – thanks!

This was an absolutely adorable debut graphic novel. It was a quick read and one that I am quite certain many middle grade readers (and older) will adore. It is the beginning of a series and I am anxious to see where this series ends up.

Meesh is a bad demon, in that she really does not want to be a demon. She doesn’t like being mean, she wants to be like her favourite fairy, Princess Nouna and help people with her powers. And when her community is targetted, Meesh manages to escape and begins her quest to help others in anyway she can.

The characters in this book have so much life in them. They were all very smol, naive, but slowly learning about the world that they exist in. Lam does an excellent job at showing their character development across this book as they are exposed to the history between fairies and demons and other creatures.

This book gave me the same vibes as She-Ra and the Princesses of Power does: its a story about defeating evil with the help of your friends and discovering your place in the world. Meesh would make an excellent animated television show and I hope that one day it gets that treatment.

All in all, this was a really fun read and really did not feel like it was over 300 pages. It was a fast paced and engaging read, filled with the cutest characters and some really interesting world building. I know I will anxiously be awaiting the second book!

Meesh the Bad Demon releases March 21st, 2023

Kids can definitely use the lesson of "there's no one right way to be." I felt that the ending was abrupt, but that's common in series that intend to follow up on a cliffhanger. Well-developed protagonist who forms a touching friendship with her personal hero - who then comes to see Meesh herself as a hero. Definitely won't be forgetting this story any time soon!

I thought this book was cute, and a good reminder not to judge others by one part of who they are. The illustrations are good and I liked the color scheme as well.

Hello Again!

I have been reading a lot lately and I have found that grabbing a graphic novel or manga in between some longer reads really helps me stay out of a reading slump. Recently, I received an E-ARC (thank you so much to the publisher for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest opinions) for a new graphic novel called Meesh the Bad Demon. I believe this is going to become a series, and I have to say I really enjoyed volume one, so I will definitely be checking out volume two when it arrives! But for now, let’s jump into volume one.

SPOILERS AHEAD

Meesh is a young demon, she attends school every day and lives with her grandmother. However, Meesh is not very good at demon activities, but she does love many other things. One day when Meesh is on the way to school (running late again), a classmate who also bullies Meesh a lot is sent to find her. When they find one another, they get into a small fight and Meesh ends up rolling down the large hill that the school is located on. When Meesh gets to the bottom of the hill, she notices something weird is happening. The lava river is turning other demons into statues! Meesh is not sure what to do but she gets up and starts running. First she runs to where her grandmother works and finds that her grandmother is turning into one of the statues. Meesh is terrified but she decides that in order to get help she will need to leave the demon world. Will Meesh be able to find the help she needs?

I absolutely adored this graphic novel. The story was very good and the art was gorgeous. There were several pages that I felt popped off the page and would make amazing artwork to hang in a home or anywhere else. Meesh and her grandmother have an amazing relationship/family dynamic. I was also very intrigued by the mystery aspect of this story. I can not wait to see where Meesh’s story heads next!

Goodreads Rating: 5 Stars

***Thank you so much to the publisher for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

This was a fun and enjoyable story following Meesh and her journey to help her people. This is a middle-Grade Graphic Novel which was new to my normal reading but it brought back so many fun memories of being a kid and the type of thoughts we used to have. The story was light-hearted and even though this is a middle-grade book there are still themes that you can relate to which made the novel so much more enjoyable. Overall, I would highly recommend this book and I am excited to follow the series

Thank you Knopf Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for the advanced electronic review copy of this adorable book. This gorgeously illustrated story is about friendship and working together to solve problems. Can’t wait to share it with my students!

This was an incredibly cute read. Meesh wants more than anything to be a fairy. She’s ‘bad’ at being a demon; she loves flowers and wants to look at rainbows, rather than puking acid. And her school bully is sure to remind her about her flaws. Luckily she has the support of her Grandma, and their little unit stumbles through despite things being hard.

When she comes face to face with the fairy world after a disaster in her own town, all her dreams burst to life… until she’s unveiled as a demon in disguise. The long time mistrust between the demon and fairy communities means that everyone panics at the sight of her, rather than rushing to help. That doesn’t stop her absolute idol, the fairy princess, being sucked into the portal with her however.

The illustrations compliment the story wonderfully, allowing you to be fully absorbed in the story of a demon who just wants to be different, and finally finding the joys when she becomes comfortable in her skin, making friends along the way. Seeds are placed for a larger storyline in both text and illustration, leaving the reader curious for the bigger picture, ready for volume two.

I see some of my elementary students liking this, especially those who only read graphic novels and no other format. However this book just wasn't for me, I ended up DNFing around a third of the way through. It wasn't keeping my interest even though I really wanted to like it. I think the premise is really cute: a demon who doesn't feel like a demon and is ostracized by her peers for being different -- a really great message since I assume she eventually will save her school/village which is overrun by poisoned lava.

Between the illustrations, the story and the character, I am all in with this series. I already have a good dozen kids that I need to get this in the hands of.

For Libraries: A fantastic addition to your juvenile graphic collections. Seriously, buy it!

I have mentioned on a lot of my reviews how much I love a graphic novel especially if it is a Middle Grade and the reason being you can convey a lot of messages in a short time. For me Meesh The Bad Demon is a fine example.

The main character Meesh was so adorable and I loved the play on the words that title gives which made me more intrigued.

If you want an adventure with characters who normally would not be seen together then you need to read this book, if you are hankering for that cosy feel then read this book.

I for one will be continuing on with the series and can't wait to see what happens next. For all these reasons I am giving Meesh The Bad Demon 4 stars.

Meesh the bad demon is a cute and heartwarming debut graphic novel by Michelle Lam. This story is about accepting who you truly are to yourself. We can't expect people to accept us when we are in denial, right?

Meesh is a twelve-year-old demon in the demon city called Mount Magma. Meesh doesn't like the characteristics of demons. She loved the pink colour and had an interest in tending flowers rather than learning how to breathe fire or how to puke acid. I love how the author included the great theme of finding oneself and accepting who we are in a *cute* fantasy setting.

In the eyes of her friends, she was not a perfect demon, so they termed her bad. When Mount Magma falls into danger, Meesh sets out on her journey to save it. But when she arrived at a fairyland called Pulmeria City to seek help, she was kicked out of it because they saw her appearance as a demon and termed her bad. At last, she proved them all wrong. Despite being a demon, she protected the people of her hometown.

All the characters are so perfect and cute. I loved Meesh's relationship with her grandma. Even though their conversations were only a few pages, the author conveyed how her grandmother loved and supported her.

Meesh's friendship with Princess Nouna of Pulmeria City was so heartwarming. Xavier and Chai played a significant role in supporting both girls. With the help of her new-found friends, she achieved the unachievable.

The illustrations inside the book were so damn cute, and I spent a perfect amount of time staring at the detailing. The cover of the book is so well done. The book ended in a "to-be-continued" way, and I can't wait for the second book.

Overall, a sweet-cute book with a powerful message of accepting yourself and doing good despite others' opinions.

This was such an adorable story! The artwork was beautifully done and I enjoyed each and every frame. I’m so glad I’m finding a love for middle grade graphic novels because I’ve enjoyed every one that I’ve read so far.

Meesh is a demon who can’t breath fire or fly but loves watching her favorite tv show about a fairy princess named Nouna! She gets a bit bullied at her school for loving flowers and getting sick when trying to learn how to use her own stomach bile as a defense mechanism. When she gets in a scuffle with a fellow student, she finds herself to be the only survivor when her home of Mount Lava and it’s residents suddenly turn to stone. The only thing she can think to do is to find Nouna, the Fairy Princess, to save her city!

Nouna is hosting an epic birthday party when a demon named Meesh makes her way into the party and causes a stir. When Meesh’s identity is revealed, Nouna is determined to show her mother that she can take care of herself by defeating the demon on her own. But her mothers interference casts her and Meesh through a portal to an unknown place. Now she’s lost the ruby that gives her power and has to learn to work with a demon.

Follow these two young girls as they learn that not everything is as it seems on the outside and that they may have more in common with each other than they would have ever thought. Each one of them learns they have powers outside of what is expected of them and that working together is exactly what needs to happen in order for both of them to get what they want. With the help of two more friends, these two girls take a journey together and find more than just friendship!

This was such a cute read!! I absolutely love the cover and honestly, I'm happy that the adorable style, colors, and designs are consistent throughout the book. I think there's a lot going on but generally I enjoyed the story, the mystery, and the friendship! I can't wait to see what happens next

I read this book as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours. Special thanks to Knopf Books for Young Readers for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 4.5 stars rounded up!

TL;DR: The minute I finished Meesh the Bad Demon I immediately wanted more! I loved this illustration style so much. All of these characters were ridiculously adorable and it made the story even more fun to read. Meesh was an adorable demon who simply wanted to be good and I loved following her as she journeys beyond her world to save her home, makes unexpected friends along the way, and learns to love who she is. This is a story about being yourself, not judging others based on differences, and most importantly, it's a story of friendship. It's a funny, heartwarming and hopeful read!

First of all, I need to talk about the illustrations. I've never heard of or seen any of Michelle Lam's work before but now that I have I want to read everything she's ever illustrated because I absolutely loved her style! It's freaking adorable and I loved the way she was able to so clearly translate all the emotions through the character's expressions. It was this expressiveness that made it easier to connect and empathise with Meesh, Nouna, and even Xavier!

Meesh is an adorable young demon who loves flowers, the faerie TV show called Princess Nouna, and simply being good. She gets bullied in school for being a 'bad demon' because she's unable to do all the things a demon *should* be able to do. Thankfully, she had a really wonderful relationship with her grandma whom she lived with. Their relationship was so heartwarming and supportive, and I loved how grandma encouraged her to just be herself regardless of how others will think of her at school. She's such an easy character to root for as she's shouldered with the responsibility of finding help to her save her grandma and her home.

Things get off to a rocky start when she encounters Princess Nouna in the faerie realm but not everything is as it seems with the perfect on-screen princess. Nouna was an interesting character who also had secrets about herself that she kept from the public. Meesh and Nouna weren't perfect but I love how they tackled the preconceived notions they had of each other and by overcoming these differences, they formed a beautiful friendship full of positivity and encouragement. It's not a conflict-free friendship either but they don't hesitate to step up for each other when the time comes. Xavier was also an interesting character as the bully because we see his own insecurities get exposed (although that's obviously no excuse for bullying). I do wish that his bullying was addressed rather than ignored due to what happened in the demon realm though but I'm looking forward to seeing how his character will change as the story progresses.

There were some moments where I felt the story jumped around a bit when it came to the world-building and particularly the history between the faeries and demons. Although I can sense that the tension between these two races will have a more prominent role in the story moving forward, it did feel a little shoehorned in as the history is only introduced halfway through the story rather than at the beginning. That said, I'm really looking forward to seeing this history explored more in the future and I can't wait to also see how it might connect to other storylines that were touched upon in this book.

Overall, I thought this was a great introduction to a new MG fantasy graphic novel series. I'm excited to see where Lam will take the story and how these more serious themes will be explored in the series and I can't wait to follow Meesh and her friends on their adventures ahead!