2020
WISE Score
Amazon
A visual masterpiece where a girl with heavy anxiety and a very buff, very optimistic 'axolotl' man save a world that's literally losing its light.
4.8
4.8View →Our reviews and ratings are 100% unbiased, but as an Amazon Associate, Screenwise earns an affiliate fee if you buy a book or game by clicking one of our links. We don't get any credit if you just Google it instead :)
Lightfall is one of the best graphic novels of the 2020s, period. It manages to be a high-stakes fantasy epic while feeling like a warm hug.
Most 'adventure' stories for kids rely on the hero suddenly becoming fearless, but Lightfall lets Bea be scared and capable at the same time. It’s a beautiful, essential addition to any kid's bookshelf, especially those who feel like they're 'too nervous' to be the hero of their own story.
Targeted at the 8-12 middle-grade sweet spot, but the art is so high-quality that older teens and parents will actually enjoy reading it too.
The core of the story is an incredibly supportive friendship between a girl struggling with deep anxiety and a relentless optimist. It models emotional honesty without being cheesy.
The world of Irpa is a visual feast. It’s Ghibli-level world-building with unique lore about a world lit by artificial suns and populated by 'Pig Wizards' and extinct axolotl-like warriors.
It’s a fantasy adventure, so there’s peril and some spooky 'shadow' monsters that might creep out very young kids, but there’s zero profanity, fanservice, or mature content.
It’s a masterclass in representing mental health for kids. Bea’s anxiety is depicted as physical vines that tangle her up—making a complex internal struggle visible and easier for kids to talk about.
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