K. O'Neill is an amazing graphic novel artist and author. This book is a wonderful young adult coming of age novel and shows character growth. Great for middle school and up collections.

“It gets a bit tirin’ tryin’ to prove yourself to others…I reckon it’s best to please yourself first, and the ones who love you will get it.” As always, anything K. O’Neill writes is magical and meaningful. I loved following Rowan and Leonne on their journey. Just a solid, wholesome graphic novel that readers of all ages will love! I just want to live inside all of O’Neill’s stories, and I loved that they included some of their sketches and what they were inspired by 🩵✨

A Song for You and I is such a positive book! I loved the illustrations and the gentle fantasy vibes. Rowan's growth throughout the book was amazing, and it honestly reminded me while reading to take my time and enjoy the small things. This book is very much in line with the style of the Tea Dragon Society books also by K. O'Neill and is just as lovely.

Thanks to NetGalley, K. O'Neill, and Penguin Random House for the chance to read and review. My opinions are my own.

What a sweet story! The characters are fully fledged with their own complex stories and hurdles, I loved the message of trusting yourself and building strong friendships from that foundation. Rose's journey felt so so familiar to mine, but not one I often come across- which was exciting and it felt great to be represented! Loved the artwork, the setting, and all the messages.

Everyone starts off a bit shallow and annoying, but it doesn't take long for the story and characters to become complex and layered. Beautifully well done example of natural feeling character growth.

I loved this author already, but this graphic novel is amazing. I can't wait to see how much my library loves it as well.

Rowan has always wanted nothing more than to become a ranger and protect their village. However, after a moment of over eagerness injures their horse, they are assigned a final mission that has them questioning if they're worthy of this dream. Along the way, they grow closer to their charge, a bard named Leone who has his own insecurities, as they see the world and become more comfortable in how they wish to present within it.

"A Song for You and I" is the definition of a comfort read. The plot is just sparse enough that readers will easily find themselves getting lost within the pastoral illustrations as I imagine the characters are on the page. This is gently supported by the moral through line of self discovery and actualization that carries the story to the end.

As a massive K. O’Neill fan, I am always surprised at their ability to tackle hard feelings in their work. Rowan is training to be a ranger and struggling with their identity and ability to protect those around them. While Leone loves to play the violin, but doesn’t want to play for an audience and struggles with how others will interpret their art.

As usual, the art is stunning and perfectly contributed to the storyline. I actually loved how the art played a much larger role towards building the story, as a majority of the panels were without text. Overall, this graphic novel was a delight and I can’t wait to get a hardcopy to see the artwork as it was meant to be viewed.

Thank you to Random House Children and NetGalley for an early copy.

I always look forward to picking up a new K. O'Neill. As always, A Song for You and I features O'Neill's characteristic lovely artwork, soft character-driven stories, and uniquely imagined fantasy lands. The story in this book was a little sparer than I'd prefer, but the pastoral scenery throughout (and the coloring!) was so beautiful. 3.5 stars

TW: gender dysphoria, animal injury

K. O'Neill's work (The Moth Keeper, The Tea Dragon series, Aquicorn Cove, Princess Princess Ever-After) is always a bit of a to-do. Beautiful, amazing draftsmanship; contemplative and expansive natural settings; personal growth through kindness and compassion—and this book is no exception.

Similar in framing and style to The Moth Keeper, A Song for You and I follows Rowan (going at this time in the story as Rose), a ranger in training awaiting their final assignment of the year to determine whether or not they get to carve their name as a member of the Rangers, which comes off as a bit as an order or peacekeepers/caretakers between humans and nature (think Aragorn as Strider in Lord of the Rings, if he had a pegasus horse). Rowan is assigned to The Meadow, a very low stakes assignment for which the other trainees tease them, and involves frequent encounters with violin-playing shepherd Leone, who Rowan scorns as lazy. During a storm, Rowan's pegasus mount Kes is injured an unable to fly trying to rescue Leone, and they're both grounded and lose trust in each other.

With some doubt as to whether or not Rowan will be allowed to carve their name at the end of the assignment, they travel with Leone to deliver wool to some neighboring communities, and they begin to grow closer as Kes recovers along the trip. Rowan and Leone both grow through the journey as Rowan realizes they don't want to carve the name Rose, and start to go by Rowan. At the same time, Leone confronts memories of discouragement from friends and family in picking music as a career path. A short coda shows them meeting years later, Rowan as a Ranger and Leone as a musician.

K. O'Neill's work has often felt like (and visually emulated) the pastoral elements of Miyazaki films, the moments between the high drama, and A Song for You and I probably leans into this aesthetic the most, with pages devoted to traveling grassy plains, and sunswept meadows. It also follows their trend of queer inclusive, gentle stories of self-discovery; these worlds aren't free of conflict, but the stories being told are often on a more personal scale with higher internal emotional stakes, and this one is wonderfully subtle as we see how Rowan and Leone's actions influence one-another; Leone wearing a dress without shame is a subtle catalyst for Rowan's own voyage of identity self discovery, and a trip to see musicians together in a larger city pushes Leone to overcome the shame of being ridiculed when they first wanted to share their love of performing.

A beautiful, gentle story of self discovery and growth.

(Opinions are my own and do not represent my institution).

What an absolutely gorgeous book.

A Song for You and I is the story of a ranger and a musician, both of whom are struggling with parts of their identity and how they want to express themselves- one through the music that they love and one with their expression of gender. As an artist who finds themselves very affected by the things people say about their art and someone who also has been exploring their gender identity and expression, I was excited to find both topics covered in such a lovely way.

"...It gets a bit tirin', tryin' to prove yourself to others. Some people are just never gonna see you the way you want to be seen, y'know? I reckon it's best to please yourself first, and the ones who love you will get it." Like, I'm not crying, you're crying. I needed this so much.

This graphic novel feels like taking a long stroll. The gorgeous landscapes, the beautiful animals, the chapter covers that all feature an animal or nature scene- it all felt like I was taking a much needed mental vacation. It definitely falls into the cozy story category with the story being very simple and the stakes being on the lower end and dealing more with relationships with others. It was exactly what I needed with everything that is going on in the world lately.

Not to mention, the art is spectacular. Plus, I'm a horse... girl? Person? Through and through and the fact that there are flying horses almost in every single panel was enough in and of itself to make this immediately one of my favorite things ever. Each illustration was just... *chef's kiss*. I want to hang this whole book on my walls.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Random House Graphic for the DRC!!! I will definitely be buying myself a physical copy to drool over.

I will read absolutely anything K. O'Neill writes with joy, and this new graphic novel is another winner. It speaks to anyone who has ever second-guessed themselves or lost who they are. Two young people, both uncertain in their way, manage to find the answers they seek with each other's help. Very sweet story, with beautiful art and a hint of the fantastic.

A Song for You and I is a sweet, cozy read that reminds me of curling up under a pile of blankets on a rainy day and clutching a mug of hot cocoa while watching a movie that I know has a happy ending... but I still cry in the middle.

The fantasy setting is gorgeous, and it provides a lovely backdrop for Rowan and Leone as their friendship develops. I don't want to give too much away, so I'll just say that neither character was who I expected/assumed at the beginning of the book. The characters grow/unfold organically, and there's something beautiful in how they protect and offer up their vulnerabilities.

This book will absolutely be joining my class library, and I can't wait to get it into students' hands. Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this gorgeous book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I’ve been enamored with K. O’Neill’s work since my best friend introduced me to the Tea Dragon series, and I have not read a miss from them yet. This is another beautifully written and illustrated story that had me smiling, saying awwww, and choking up. It’s really just a lovely story of two people discovering who they really are and coming into their own. If you’ve liked the author’s previous works, you’ll love this one, too.

I've been wanting to read a graphic novel by K O'Neill for quite a while. I'm so glad NetGalley gave me the opportunity to read this one before publication.

The story is about a young ranger student who is already so accomplished that when given final assignments, gets an easy one because there's nothing left to prove to the teachers. The student is assigned a peaceful meadow to look after while fellow students are given challenges in dangerous territory.

This book is more about recognizing your true self, overcoming imposter syndrome, and living your best life. Definitely recommended.

Being a ranger means action, adventure, and protecting the weak, but in an effort to prove themselves, Rowan takes an unnecessary risk and their flying horse Kes gets injured. While Kes heals, Rowan is assigned to a slower duty, joining lackadaisical sheep hearder Leone on errands across the outlying lands. Will the two learn from each other and gain the courage to embrace their true identity and chase their dreams?

Oh gosh, I adore the lushness of K. O’Neill’s illustrations. Nature, the trees, rivers, mountains, even clouds, are practically characters unto themselves. I could get lost in the world they create. And the journey that we go on with Rowan and Leone is so heartfelt and sweet. They are two young people experiencing the world and finding themselves in a way that is incredibly relatable, even if you don’t have a flying horse as your best friend. I absolutely cannot wait to recommend this book to anyone who will listen.

Well, that was perfect and everything I needed! If you are needing a story about growth as an individual and finding out who you are, this is the book for you. K O'Neill is so good at weaving stories that make you feel something, and this one does just that. The illustrations are absolutely stunning, and the characters even more so!
I highly recommend this one, and I'm gonna make sure we add this one to our collection!

5/5

A Song for You and I is a lovely, heartfelt adventure about two young people discovering themselves and each other. It is a quiet, warm adventure, but an important one at that. I found the art style to be captivating and served the story well. This should do well for fans of Studio Ghibli films, adventure stories, and those looking for queer representation. I will be purchasing a copy for my collection!

I'll read anything by K. O'Neill. This book felt very comforting, from the artstyle to the story. I'll definitely be recommending this once it's released.

Thank you to Net Galley and Random House Children’s for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

K. O’Neill has done it again. They have whisked me away to a tender world of imaginative fantasy. O’Neill’s stories and characters are always so comforting and the illustrations never fail to take my breath away. Rowan is a character I will hold close to my heart for a long time to come.

I fell in love with Mothkeeper and the Tea Dragon series. I can’t wait to add A Song for You and I to my collection and read it to my children someday.

These are the stories of acceptance and kindness and understanding we need right now. I’m so in awe of O’Neill’s work and can’t recommend them enough.

Pre-order this now! 5 stars / 10 out of 10

I absolutely adore everything K O'Neill ever does. However, this title felt a little hollow for me. The art was beautiful as always, and I absolutely appreciated the message and story being told. It just felt like there needed to be a little more character fleshing out. I appreciate the softness of the plot, but I wish there was a little bit more to it. I will always read and recommend their work, but this one was the first that I struggled to fully get in to the read. I'm very glad that this book exists because I think it will be really great to recommend to younger readers, which is its true audience, but their other work appealed so nicely to adults as well that I was little sad this one didn't as much. I still enjoyed it, and I will definitely recommend it, I just wish it had just a little more.