Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

Sink or Swim! by Meggie Ramm is a delightful and heartwarming graphic novel that tackles important themes like facing your fears and making new friends, all within the quirky, enchanting world of Spooky Island. Batcat, the lovable half-bat, half-cat protagonist, returns for another whimsical adventure alongside their ghostly roommate, Al.

In this instalment, Batcat is looking forward to some peaceful solo time at Mermaid Lagoon but is quickly pulled into a mystery when the mermaids’ tails lose all their colour. What follows is a charming, humorous journey where Batcat must overcome their own anxieties to solve the mystery, meeting a host of zany characters along the way. Ramm’s vibrant illustrations and sharp wit make this story both visually captivating and emotionally resonant.

With its focus on courage, friendship, and self-discovery, Sink or Swim! is a perfect read for children and adults alike. It’s a fantastic continuation of the Batcat series, offering a blend of comedy, adventure, and valuable life lessons. A must-read for fans of fun and heartfelt graphic novels!

Such a cute read! I love when graphic novels can convey life lessons with their short dialogues and artwork. And the main character in nonbinary! Batcat is looking for some me-time. As much as they love their ghost roommate, they want some quality time for themselves. Batcat decides to head to the beach for some quiet relaxation. But when they get there, the beach is filled with mermaids! They are all upset because their color was stolen from them. Batcat goes out into the sea, even though they have a fear or water to try to figure out the mystery so they can have the beach to themselves.

It's good to read that me time is important to recharge. Not everyone can spend hours and days on end with others and not feel drained. It's important to know it's okay to decline invitations and think of yourself first.

Batcat is a cutie, and I had to come back for more! In this second adventure, our adorable pink ball of a hero is trying to enjoy some "me time" but instead ends up helping a wailing beachful of mermaids figure out why their tails are losing color. While I did enjoy this story, it just didn't quite have the charm of the original introduction to Batcat. We do meet some new friends who lurk around Spooky Isle, and of course, Batcat's roommate Al is around for parts of the adventure. There's a kind of cute recurring gag between Batcat and the narrator in this one.

There are some fun bonus materials at the end of the book, including tutorials on how to draw the main characters and how to make your comic book characters move and feel. There is also an explainer page of "nonbinary facts," since Batcat is nonbinary!

Review posted on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5828369052

My daughter is in her graphic novel era and she absolutely loves these!

She is a young reader but gravitates towards graphic novels and these hit all the notes for her. She loves the colors and illustrations.

This is a series we will continue to check out



I received an ARC of this book and am leaving my review voluntarily

Batcat Sink or Swim is the second graphic novel featuring everyone's favorite BatCat hybrid by Meggie Ramm. Released 16th April 2024 by Abrams on their AbramsKids imprint, it's 96 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats.

This is a delightful mystery adventure appropriate for all ages. When Batcat visits the Mermaid Lagoon, he finds the residents very upset. Their tails are losing their shiny rainbow colors and turning grey! They promise to give Batcat their world-famous fish tacos if he can get to the bottom of the mystery.

Batcat's adventures continue through an exciting and satisfying denouement.

The format is a modified 4 panel comic/graphic novel page setup with clear and *very* colorful and appealing art and easy to read dialogue bubbles. For such simple characters, the author/artist does an amazing job with expressive facial and body emotions.

Although it's the second book in a series, it works perfectly well as a standalone and doesn't need to be read in order.

Four and a half stars. Really wonderful. This would be a great choice for public or school library acquisition, home use, and gift giving.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

My daughter read this in one sitting. She said she liked the first Batcat book better, but this one was still enjoyable. At the end it includes a little lesson on what nonbinary means and how Batcat has different pronouns. It was a cute little introduction.

Batcat returns!

Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me an ARC of this - I absolutely adored it!

I just love the character of Batcat so much.

The colours are so vibrant, and I just love reading about Batcat.

I really hope there's more of Batcat to come!

I love BatCat! This had me truly laughing out loud and has reignited my desire to read more graphic novels for fun. Sometimes you just need a fun adventure about helping mermaids figure out why their once colorful tales are turning grey! Even the ending was a wonderful surprise. This book also teaches about what nonbinary is/means in a simple, straightforward way. It does not preach or stand on any soapbox preaching any worldview. I think this makes for an excellent tool to help young people understand others in the world. Plus, it has a tutorial at the end for how to draw BatCat! This is a MUST for libraries, young readers, and adult readers alike!

Cute. Not quite as cute as the first one, but definitely still delightful. I like the inclusion of the how to draw the characters pages.

I highly recommend this title for anyone of any age, but especially kiddos between ages 5 and 9. This graphic novel, at an early or transitional chapter book level, speaks volumes about non-binary folks and those who use they/them pronouns in a casual, warm, not didactic fun way. The plot of the story surrounds Batcat solving a mystery, facing fears, and being a helpful friend. The plot is not a coming out story, but one of joy and found family. The author includes in the beginning of the ARC (and hopefully the finished copy) a note to readers about invisible fear and how frightening it is the be a queer person in the world right now. Also included is page at the end of the title with quick fun facts (explain in a fun and silly way by Batcat) about being nonbinary. I hope that Batcat’s story reaches those feeling alone or afraid for any reason and helps them reach out to a friend to help them through.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Sink or Swim! I read this with my 8 year old son and we both really enjoyed it! The art is adorable and it was such a cute story. Great follow-up to the first BatCat graphic novel.

Batcat fans will celebrate this sequel with such fun and bubbly artwork! The story is so relatable, even though it's about a Batcat and a ghost who are roommates. They enjoy spending time together and being friends, but Batcat wants some alone time too.

I received an advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
It's another Batcat adventure for them and their friends. This time, Batcat wants some alone time for themselves at the beach. However, the beach is filled with skeleton mermaids who have lost their color and shine. It's now up to Batcat to travel the seas to find the culprit who's taken the colors of the mermaids.
Hilarious as much as the first volume, Batcat and their friend Al, the ghost, try to figure out why the skeleton mermaids have been turning grey. From flying fish to a hungry kraken, Batcat only wants a me-time vacation. I enjoyed the story overall and can't wait for their next adventure.

I adored the first Batcat book and this one is no exception! Batcat struggles with having a roommate and wants some alone time. When they go to the beach to find it they find the beach is full of crying mermaids who have lost their tail colors. Batcat has a reputation for being a problem solving adventurer and is roped into finding help for them. This was such a fun adventure with beautiful drawings and an added bonus of a page in the afterward that explains what non-binary is to the younger audiences reading. So well done and I look forward to more adventures of Batcat!

Batcat had an excellent adventure in volume 1, and now they (and there is a section on non-binary facts in the back of the book) are back living with their ghost friend, Al, but craving some alone time. Batcat heads to the beach to relax and read (but not swim). They finds that the coast is packed with skeleton mermaids. I have never considered skeleton mermaids, so this experience was new. The skeleton mermaids are upset because they are losing their vibrant colors after getting stung by something. Batcat begins their hunt to find out who is stealing the mermaids' color. Of course, things don't go quite as planned and Al joins in the quest. Fish tacos are involved, and this book is sure to be a hit with young readers.

A graphic novel so vibrant you won't want to put it down!!
BatCat and his ghost friend Al are back at it again with their courageous adventures in- Sink or Swim! This page turning graphic novel will have you GOL (giggling out loud). The storyline is certainly one-of-a-kind with the most unique characters you will ever read about.

And the graphics are so VIVID!! The illustrations take you to the world you only dreamed about. A world of mermaids, krakens, ghosts, vampires and of course TACOS!!!

Get your hands on Batcat Book #2 as soon as you can. You won't regret it :)

Grateful to have received a digital copy of this book from ABRAMS Kids, Amulet Books.