Sunflowers and Lavender

Gr 7 Up–Set in Australia, Valais’s debut graphic novel is a lively meet-cute romantic comedy with fun plot twists. Sixteen-year-old Penny has been head over heels for ­musician Bianca from the moment she locked eyes with her at the supermarket. In fact, Penny is so smitten she confesses her love at first sight, then promptly runs away. As fate will have it, the two run into each other again at the coffee shop Bianca and her friends work at, but in a shock, Penny runs away again, this time leaving her backpack. This spirals into a series of twisty events that include dognapping, broken coffee machines, love notes, and cakes at concerts, all eventually leading to a sweet finale. Valais’s artwork is colorful with a lovely pastel palette and recognizable character designs. Readers will find this story easy to digest but may be left wanting more from Penny and ­Bianca’s love story. Moreover, there is a lot of room for character ­development from both the protagonists and secondary characters. ­