Meesh is a demon who fancies herself a fairy princess and would rather tend to flowers than attend fire-breathing and acid-puking classes at demon school. After a scuffle with some other kids at school, she discovers that her community's lava is poisoned and everyone is turning to stone. She decides to go to Plumeria, where the fairies live, to get help, and a mishap leaves her and the fairy princess stranded and out of reach. The demons and fairies have a long antagonistic history that puts this new alliance to the test, but once Meesh and new friend Nouna see the big picture, they realize everyone wins when they put their differences aside. This comic is beautifully illustrated with simple, cartoon drawings and pastel palettes, and it's as much about accepting other folks who are different as it is about loving and accepting oneself with all of one's strengths and weaknesses. The story has something for everyone: fairy princesses, unicorns, demons, werewolves, and high adventure with a cast of brave kids.

In this touching graphic novel debut, Lam subverts well-worn fantasy tropes to craft an inaugural adventure that empathetically addresses themes of acceptance and friendship. Tween demon Meesh lives in the fiery depths of "Mount Magma: Home of the Demons, Land of the Lava," where she is often bullied by her fire-breathing, acid-puking classmates for her love of all things pink and sparkly. Raised by her lava factory worker grandmother, Meesh aspires to be just like her idol, tween fairy Princess Nouna of Plumeria, a reality TV sensation. After an unexplained incident turns all Mount Magma denizens, save Meesh, to stone, Meesh seeks help from the Plumerian fairies to restore her world, finding that what she encounters in Plumeria is vastly different from what she anticipated. Adorably designed characters sporting animated expressions populate imaginative landscapes rendered in ominous dark purples and reds and otherworldly pastel pinks and yellows. Indulging in familiar archetypes, Lam thoughtfully addresses the central conflicts--which examine demons vs. fairies and expectations vs. reality--via conversational dialogue and tenderly developing friendships, making for an accessible morality tale and a not-to-be-missed romp. Ages 8--12. Agent: Chelsea Eberly, Greenhouse Literary. (Mar.)

The odd girl, or rather demon, out forms an unlikely group of friends who band together to save her community and celebrate each other's differences. At Mount Magma Middle School, students attend classes at night where they practice breathing fire and molding lava. How could they not? Mount Magma is a community of demons! But young Meesh, who lives with her hardworking grandmother, would rather be a fairy and enjoy all things pretty and bright like her TV hero, Princess Nouna. She is teased and bullied at school for her preferences, but school takes a back seat to survival when a disaster turns everyone but her to stone. Meesh's journey takes her to Plumeria City, the floating land of fairies, in search of help. There, she not only meets Princess Nouna, but sees how fairy reality compares to her idealized version. Among magical MacGuffins and fantasy realms, central themes around friendship and understanding take shape. Cute manga-style faces and enthusiastically clumsy flight sequences endear the cast to readers gradually and organically. As this is the first book in a planned series, not every character has a full arc, but readers will look forward to revisiting Meesh and her friends. Meesh is light-skinned with glossy black hair; the other cast members have diverse skin tones. Watching children overcome ingrained prejudices is as magical as any winged or fire-breathing creature. (Graphic fantasy. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Gr 3--6--Twelve-year-old Meesh is a demon who would much rather spend time with her grandmother and care for flowers than learn to breathe fire or sharpen her horns. Bullied by her classmates for not being "demonlike" enough, Meesh spends most of her time watching fairy programs, but her world is upended when mysterious toxic lava turns everyone in the underworld to stone. Alone and frightened, she heads for Plumeria, the magical fairy realm, and finds herself in an uneasy partnership with Nouna, the star of Meesh's favorite show, and an unlikely group of allies to save the underworld. The first in a series, this graphic novel is a heroine's journey with strong middle-grade appeal. The manga-inspired illustration style features adorable and expressive characters and plays with the magical girl genre; Meesh and Nouna use ancient talismans to channel their powers and represent the popular light versus dark tropes familiar to manga and anime fans and fantasy readers. Characters have fantasy mainstays like wings and horns and present with different skin colors. The fantasy story addresses compelling real-life issues including bullying and subverting stereotypes. VERDICT An excellent first purchase for middle grade collections.--Rosemary Kiladitis