A Song for You and I is a heartwarming, coming-of-age graphic novel that features K. O'Neill's gorgeous art style and unique storylines. I have enjoyed all of O'Neill's graphic novels, and this one is no different. I love the unique storyline of the rangers and the beautiful (full color!) world they live in. The landscapes are stunning (especially those at the end), and I love the dual-page spreads. This novel has such good casual lgbtq+ representation. I enjoy the relatively sparse text, as it makes the reader rely more heavily on the images - and O'Neill has the superb ability to convey emotion/meaning through expressions. I didn't love the font - it looked out of place, as the speech bubbles and composition borders have a drawn-line quality. A more handwritten-appearing font would have been more cohesive. I also found the plot a bit meandering in the middle, but I didn't mind wandering in such a beautiful world. Cheers to everyone involved in this gorgeous graphic novel.

This one was just as adorable as the Tea Dragon Series. I loved every page and think that readers of all ages would enjoy this beautiful illustrated story!

Another great graphic novel by K. O'Neill. Usually, I'm not a fan of slow paced graphic novels, but K. O'Neill's pace made the story into a sweet lullaby. The author's art and character design is lovely as always. This is a great recommendation for young readers looking for Studio Ghibli-esque books, and most of all young readers who are great fans of The Moth Keeper and The Tea Dragon Society.

So cute! So dreamy! So cozy and comforting and beautiful! Every panel was gorgeous and made this slow-paced story wonderful.

This is a wholesome, heartwarming, beautiful book that I think everyone should read. I would love to see it animated, but it's so well done that I could imagine the art move and the sounds of the story in my head. K. O'Neill is one of my autobuy authors, and it was such an honor to read this book as an ARC. I will definitely be picking this book up for myself, and I can see myself gifting this book to people I love as well.

This was adorable. Everything you would expect from their work. I am a huge fan of everything they create so I had very high hopes for A Song for You and I. It did not disappoint. The art was cute the story was sweet and it had excellent lessons in acceptance. Can't wait to read this again and again.

5 stars

This is a gentle read. There is space on each page free of dialogue but with lovely illustrations full of nature. This is perfect for reluctant readers and those who need a pause from reality. There is a bit of conflict and drama with Rose/Rowan's journey to becoming a ranger and forming a relationship with their horse, but it is not so high stakes that the reader feels anxious. A fantastic read for classrooms and public libraries alike.

I loved this graphic novel. The storyline was fantastic and the art was beautiful. A great portrayal of growth, learning from your mistakes and courage. I did feel like it ended all of a sudden , but that isn't much of a downside, just a surprise.

This was absolutely delightful. I love how soft and cozy K. O’Neill’s art and stories are, and this was no exception. The only thing I can complain about is that I didn’t want it to end.

It's been wonderful following the author, K's, story telling journey through their books. Each previous story has felt so gentle and reassuring and this graphic novel is no exception. I really connect with the characters and like the meandering progression of the story. I also absolutely adore the artwork and story's setting. I am greatly looking forward to purchasing this book when it's released and to reading more of their stories in the future.

No one does gentle graphic novels quite like K. O'Neill and A Song for You and I is no exception. Lovely illustrations pair perfectly with the story of two kids trying to find their places in the world. This is a middle grade graphic novel, so theres a bit more at stake than in some of O'Neill's other works, but it still maintains the same cozy feel that we've grown to expect. I'd love to see a followup to see how the characters thrive on their chosen paths.

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).