I read this book pretty much in one sitting - only taking a break to eat something and then jumping right back into it. In this graphic novel, we follow Addie, whose family has gone through some pretty drastic changes recently. Her dad's job is taking them across the country for the summer while he helps grad students work on VR headset projects. Addie doesn't really want to make new friends but she begrudgingly does so with the boy across the hall, Mateo. As she gets to know Mateo and the grad students that her dad works with, Addie opens up and learns about empathy, forgiveness, and friendship.

Overall, this was a fantastic graphic novel that made me cry multiple times. I loved all of this but mostly I really loved Addie. She was a great character that I feel most people can relate to in one way or another. I would highly recommend that people check this book out!

Addie spends a summer learning about virtual reality and works through some of her own issues with loneliness and grief while finding a way to help others. At the center of this book is a college lab where a group of students are spending the summer developing virtual reality programs and hoping to earn grants. Addie's dad is their supervisor, so she gets to be one of their beta testers along with her new friend Mateo. In addition you will learn about moon trees and their amazing story. The narrative is engaging and filled with enriching content. Colorful illustrations complement the story and bring it to life. This one is sure to fly off the library and bookstore shelves this spring and summer.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

I really enjoyed this graphic novel that covered loss, trauma, mental health, addiction, and friendship all against a backdrop of virtual reality (VR). I haven't had much experience with VR, although one of my students had a pair that he shared with me and I was amazed at how far it has come since I was in school! I'm not sure how accurate the technology portrayed in this novel is, but I imagine it is possible. I particularly appreciated the short history of the author (also provided in graphic form) that charted her love of all things technological including VR.

I loved the story, the messages, and the illustrations, but as talented as the artist is, I feel that we couldn't fully appreciate the sense of wonder with VR. Unfortunately, I do not have access to VR equipment, so I have to use my imagination. I loved one of the ways the author used VR in this book with the hospital and her note mentions that they really do that, which is awesome. Overall, I loved this story, and I believe this book is perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier, Jerry Craft, or Shannon Hale.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to Random House Graphic and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Twelve-year-old Addie, named for a 250-year-old tortoise, is having a rough time ever since her mother’s accident. When her father gets a summer job at a university on the other side of the country working with several grad students’ virtual reality projects. Addie meets Mateo who lives across the hall from her and they learn to share each other’s interests. Mateo is working on a pay-it-forward project and helps pull Addie out of her shell. The VR projects go beyond gaming, helping cancer patients and elderly man revisit his homeland. There are hints of what happened to Addie’s mother, which is not revealed until the end.
I don’t read a lot of graphic novels but I really enjoyed this one. Because of the sensitive nature of Addie’s mother, I would recommend this graphic novel for grades 5 and up.
#Lo&Behold #NetGalley

Thank you Random House Graphic and NetGalley for the advanced electronic review copy of this fabulous book! This is a great story about friendship, overcoming challenges, hope, and VR. Amazing illustrations truly bring the story to life and it was wonderful to learn about the wide potential of VR in various aspects of science, medicine, and everyday life. I definitely recommend this book to the upper elementary (4-5 grade) and middle school.

I absolutely loved Lo and Behold, such a great middle graphic novel. The storyline will definitely capture and keep the attention of teenagers since it revolves around the use of virtual reality (VR). With so much technology readily available to our teenagers, they will easily relate to this storyline. The book also teaches lessons about empathy, dealing with sadness, friendship, and perseverance; but it’s not preachy, the lessons are very subtle. Lo and Behold does briefly touch on serious topics such as prescription drug addiction and the loss of a child. Also, I appreciate the diverse group of characters, they are relatable to young readers of different ethnicities. The main characters Addie and Mateo were amazing, but I have to admit that Shay is my favorite character. He is a tall, tan, blonde surfer-looking college student working on a virtual reality program to integrate exercise into playing virtual reality games. The graphics are vivid and the narrative bubbles are easy to read. I can see my kids binging this book, it’s a book I will gift to teachers at my son’s middle school. I loved the author’s note at the end of the book, it’s obvious that this story was a very personal one for Wendy Mass. It was so great to read her “Short History of Gadget Girl” at the end of the book. The timing of the publication for Lo and Behold will be perfect, considering that Apple supposedly plans on announcing its new AR/VR Headset in June 2023.

“Mom’s early wish for me came true. I see wonder everywhere now. I’d just forgotten to look for it.”

Twelve-year-old Addie has grown up seeing the possibilities and wonder in life. That’s easy to do when you’re named after a 250-year-old tortoise, but ever since her life was flipped upside down, she’s had trouble seeing anything but darkness. When her dad’s summer job involving virtual reality moves them across the country, Addie doesn’t really want to do anything but work on her picture book about her namesake. But the summer has other plans, and soon Addie meets her neighbor Mateo and is caught up in an exciting project. Virtual reality has never seemed that interesting to her before, but with the help of a VR headset, she’s suddenly fighting ghosts, playing paintball, cooking omelets, and seeing the world in entirely new ways. And when she and Mateo combine forces on an idea literally out of this world, Addie realizes that she’s actually having…fun. But will there be enough time for them to finish what they’re working on? Or will the summer come to an end before they can?

Like Addie, I’ve never had much interest in virtual reality before. It seems really fascinating, but I’ve always preferred to escape into books instead. But after reading this graphic novel, I want to get my hands on a VR headset and start exploring right away! LO AND BEHOLD is a fun middle grade graphic novel with an emotional core that really hits home. Since Wendy Mass is one of my favorite authors, I knew the story would be phenomenal, and I was not disappointed. But what I didn’t expect was to be blown away by Gabi Mendez’s graphics and Cai Tse’s colors! All of the elements work so well together, creating a literal masterpiece. With friendship, cool technology, and a brilliant twist I absolutely didn’t see coming, what’s not to love?

Content Warnings: Addiction, death of a loved one, mentioned car accident, hospitalization, blood, mentioned bullying, needles

(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)

I want to scream "READ THIS BOOK!" from the rooftops of my library building because THIS BOOK DESERVES ALL THE PRAISE! Honestly, a book with graphics this beautiful and a story so gloriously written deserves to be #1 on ALL the lists. I will definitely be buying and donating a copy of this book to my library so that others can enjoy this graphic novel.

I think this might be a cute graphic novel for some kids, it might have them process various emotions like grief, but this one just wasn't for me. I made it to page 50 before DNFing, it just did not hold my attention like I wanted it to.

Wendy Mass books never disappoint! The blurn really doesnt do it it justice though- that should be reworked.

This is both a teachable, life lesson forward story as it is representative of kids' experiences that are often hidden from view. In this story, the main character's mom is not present, but it's the mystery of where she is when it is slowly shared over the course of the book that after an accident she got addicted to pills and then eventually (spoiler in my notes).

Dad works in future technologies and for the summer is taking her to live on a campus where VR is going to be worked on. She meets a boy Mateo there too. While she hides behind virtual reality, she also needs to come to terms with her current family situation. She distracts herself by going to an alternate place, which can be helpful for seniors or to make empathetic connections as is mentioned in the book several times, but ultimately she finds solace and connection to move on too.

It's a mix of ethics, technology, and still the power of human connection. It's got the bright, cartoony, but not overly done graphic style that works so well in middle grade. She's also on a quest to learn more about space and find a moon tree to connect what's among the planets and stars to what's down below.

It's a wonderfully moving, albeit different type of story that's both comforting and informative.

This is not only a fun, vividly illustrated graphic novel about the merits of VR, but also a sensitive portrayal about struggling with loneliness, grief, separation from a parent, and having a family member with an addiction. I think readers will see themselves in Addie as she struggles to adapt to her dad's summer work environment and tries to, paradoxically, find a way to belong and also isolate herself on the college campus. I didn't have a chance to check out the other VR resources author Wendy Mass mentions, but I'm sure they enhance the story and provide ample opportunity for further research.

Overall, this is sweet, delightfully nerdy, and poignant and would appeal to middle-grade, YA, and adult readers alike.

I love this. It deals with grief and growing up as a teenager in a not so harmonious family. It revolve around second chance and the nature of giving. Sending benefits and joys to others. I love the friendship dynamic. The boundaries they share with each other.
This book tells a lot around virtual reality (VR) which I'm not so familiar at first. AND IT GAVE MANY EXCELLENT INSIGHTS. Not in a patronising way ofc. It was quite informative and entertaining. I love how they make the VR project into something lovely for the kids in the hospital 💖 an enjoyable journey.

OH and I'm a fan of the artstyle 😍 super eye pleasing 😭👌👌👌

Kids love graphic novels. They also love VR. And technology. this is a great combination of the two. I love that there are big issues in the story. Understanding empathy is a huge concept for kids and I love how it was addressed. I’m adding this to my purchase list.

This is perhaps my favorite graphic novels that I've read this year. I absolutely loved the illustrations by Gabi Mendez and color by Cai Tse, and Wendy Mass's deep adoration of VR really shines through this poignant story about how technology can be a force of good and healing when used with the right intentions to cultivate community and empathy. From page 1, I was blown away by how dynamic the illustrations were. I loved the cast of characters. I loved the friendship between Addie and Mateo and how they were able to use technology to help each other handle their respective grief. I also loved the cast of lovable characters. Finally, I loved the Moon Seeds thread, and can't wait to visit our local one here!

In this first graphic novel from bestselling author Wendy Mass and debut illustrator Gabi Mendez, Addie and her dad take a 6-week summer trip to Spring Haven University, where he is working on futuristic VR technology. Addie has built an emotional wall around herself ever since her mother's departure. After a bike injury, her mom became addicted to pain meds and withdrew from her family, and Addie and her father are struggling to communicate in the aftermath. At Spring Haven, Addie plans to lose herself in VR toys and avoid making connections, but her neighbor Mateo's cheerful humor and big heart begin to draw her out of her shell.
Full of fascinating tech applications and appealing characters, this book is heartwarming and thought-provoking.

This middle grade graphic novel really spoke to me. Dealing with an absent parent, addiction, moving to a new place, grief - all these heavy things, it also brought the themes of redemption, empathy, and making new friends, through the stunning power of virtual reality and AI.

Recommending for middle schoolers who are going through Big Things, the people who love them, and anyone who wants to learn about transformational technology.

Wendy Mass was the author of my childhood, and seeing Mass dive into the world of graphic novels had me feeling like a kid again! This story is equal parts heartbreaking and adorable all wrapped up in a big, virtual hug. I am so excited to have learned more about virtual reality and the many ways it can be applies. Particularly looking forward to exploring the augmented reality aspects of the book!

I was sent a print copy for review and it has been so much fun reading it here on NetGalley in full color. Will be writing a better review on Goodreads!

Addie is a girl dealing with loneliness and loss. Her dad takes her on a summer trip to a college campus where he has students working on virtual reality projects. On campus Addie meets Mateo and, with the help of virtual reality, they both find a way to look outside themselves and begin to heal.

A great story for anyone trying to process big feelings in healthy ways, and a great example of forgiveness and friendship.