A Little Step Vol. 1

Gr 8 Up–An emotional manga series that follows two creative students in Hong Kong. Lau Yu Kiu, an art student struggling to draw under pressure, finds inspiration when she hears Lee Hou Yuet playing his guitar. The two soon coordinate their efforts to try to win their school’s annual festival contest, which promises a hefty scholarship for Lau Yu and a chance for Lee Hou’s family to finally accept his dream of becoming a famous musician. This first volume tackles themes such as difficult family dynamics, the daunting expectations of high achievers, and feeling isolated as a young adult, closing with a cliff-hanger that will leave readers eager for more. Tying the story together are truly stunning watercolor illustrations, consistent with the themes of the text. Though the character art is simple, it manages an expressiveness that manga fans will recognize and adore. In fact, the distinct absence of prominent line work leads to an art style that flows smoothly and freely, bound only by shadows and shifting colors. When it comes to more detailed panels, the colors continue to do the heavy lifting, though line work does make more of an impression in such scenes. Almost exclusively using white, light red, yellow-green, blue, and indigo, author and artist Szeto skillfully creates gorgeous gradients throughout the manga. The artwork has a natural flow that draws readers’ eyes through each panel, allowing for beautiful and interpretive storytelling, similar to manga titles such as Blue Period, Whisper Me a Love Song, and Your Name.