Lo and Behold (Lo and Behold #1) by Wendy Mass, Gabi Mendez
Published by Random House Graphic on May 2, 2023
ISBN: 0593179633
Pages: 224
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Graphic Novel
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads

This middle grade graphic novel packs a lot into the plot. In the prologue, Addie is a happy kid with a mom and a dad, but then her mom has an accident which leads to her absence in Addie’s life. Mass is purposely vague about the whereabouts of Addie’s mom, has she died, is she in the hospital? Chapter one starts a year later, summer time, and Addie and her father, a futurist, are traveling across country so that he can work on a virtual reality project at a prestigious university. With a futurist for a father, Addie is familiar with tech toys and tools. Her father’s team is working on cutting edge projects to solve real-world problems or to help people, and they hope the projects will be funded by grants.

Addie meets gregarious, outgoing Mateo, who serves as a foil to her reserved nature. She is hesitant to let Mateo in to her thoughts and her life story, but as the book progresses, Addie learns that she is not alone in her sadness; even outgoing people can harbor painful pasts and family trauma. Mateo, and the kind college students, craft a virtual reality (VR) program for Addie based on her love of space, moon seeds & trees in particular (explained further in the author’s note), and Addie learns to let joy back into her life. The reader learns what has happened to Addie’s mom and there is a satisfying conclusion. The story is personal to Mass and is well-told. Those who have trouble with inference or following a more complicated plot may be a little confused with all of the threads, but they are neatly wrapped up if they stick with it. Give to fans of realistic fiction graphic novels in grades 5-8.

Reviewed by by Jill O’Connor, Falmouth Middle School