"pitched as A Goofy Movie meets Spirited Away, about a nonbinary teen and their mother who, during a contentious road trip, take a wrong turn that lands them in the realm of the spirits, where they are surrounded by trickster spirits who aren’t so keen on human trespassers, with no obvious way out,"

They hit it on the nail with that one! As a big fan of Studio Ghibli, this warmed my heart just as much as the movies!

If you have a nonbinary person in your life who is struggling with using their correct pronouns....this is the book for them!

If you want a graphic novel with great non-binary rep, messy but realistic familial relationships, and spirits galore, this is the graphic novel for you. I really loved Misha’s journey and their mom’s journey because both of them just felt like actual people you might meet. While the reasons Misha’s mom is struggling are revealed, none of it ever felt like an “excuse” and you can empathize with both mother and child. The PPD rep was small but important. Misha’s growth over the course of the story was excellent. I really loved how they learned to speak up for themself and opened up to building a stronger relationship with their mom going forward. The art is magical and mystical. It really felt like I was journeying through the spirit realm along with them. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

This was a fun read! I love the art style and all of the characters and how they are portrayed. I also really enjoyed watching the progression of Misha and their mom's relationship. This will definitely be on our shelf!

Love, Misha is a graphic novel about a road trip gone wrong. Misha and their mom head out and quickly find themselves in a sprit world, due to them being lost in more than just the literal sense. Misha feels abandoned by their mom who was mostly absent during their childhood, and didn't adjust well to Misha coming out as nonbinary. The two butt heads as they follow a wolf spirit, not realizing their relationship is what brought them there. This is a story about relationships and how to mend them even if things aren't perfect. I loved the art style and all the different characters we meet along the way. Thank you to First Second and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book because it seemed like it would be a normal slice-of-life graphic novel, but delved into topics of self-realization, gender realization, regret, and character growth. I also like that the end was left sort of open for a sequel. I would love to learn more about the spirit realm and the spirits there!

This is a lovely book in multiple ways. It is drawn beautifully- with gorgeous panels featuring imaginative landscapes and characters. It is also a great story, which is heartfelt and moving. I like the fact that everything is not perfectly resolved as the book ends. I think many of students would love this book.

Love, Misha follows Misha, a non-binary teen on a road trip with their mom (Audrey), who has been an inconsistent presence in their life. Audrey is supportive of Misha's identity on paper, but is struggling with pronouns and support, Misha is struggling to express to Audrey how her dismissive attitude is impacting them.

A few wrong turns land Misha and Audrey in a spirit world where they don't know who they can trust to help them get back.

Along the way, they encounter memorable characters and grow closer together.

A queer story about parent/child drifting apart and coming back together after major hardships. While the story is fantastical in it's elements, at it's core, it's about two coming back together, admitting their faults, and still fighting to love each other and commit to growing.

I thoroughly enjoyed getting to see the world be built from the perspective of outsiders at odds with each other. There are definitely hard moments to read, especially experiencing being misgendered frequently.

Beautiful Ghibli-esque book! I could definitely see this as an overarching series between the main character and their mother. I loved the dark twists and turns of the spirit world, and that the way for people to find their way back was not to be lost with themselves and those they love.

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5

An absolutely beautiful story told in stunning illustration that hits a lot of notes that many queer people will certainly relate to. Definitely a book to recommend to libraries and for your personal shelves!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for me to review!

This is Studio Ghibli levels of cute and mystical with a big big focus on gender identity and family dynamics!! The art is ADORABLE and the storyline (while a bit predictable) is well developed and wraps up nicely.

If you have a nonbinary person in your life and are struggling with using their correct pronouns, READ THIS BOOK.

And then go use their correct pronouns. :P

10/10, very cute, Odun is bae, etc., etc...

Loved this and can't wait until it comes out and I can share it at the library! Would recommend to the middle and high school age range. It hits a lot of notes that kids are looking for, like a parent-child relationship that is difficult, to say the least, an adventure through an imaginative magical world, and messy, multidimensional characters that aren't purely evil or good. I thought the comparisons to Spirited Away would set me up for disappointment, but I think they're actually pretty apt, I just wish we got to spend more time in the spirit world. One book wasn't enough!