Skim, Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki

Much like their more well-known graphic novel, This One Summer, Skim is an unflinching look at the realities of being a teenager; an open acknowledgment of just how cruel and nasty a lot of it is. But melancholy though it is, there’s also a wonderful sense of tenderness and even nostalgia. I hated being a teenager, but even I felt a touch of that sweetness, watching this Goth Wiccan worry over her tarot pack and negotiate the increasing annoyance she felt at her supposed best friend. It’s a lovely rainy afternoon read.