Stargazing, written and illustrated by Jen Wang, colored by Lark Pier

        Wang, J., & Pien, L. (2019). Stargazing. First Second. 

Jen Wang and Lark Pien’s Stargazing is a beautiful middle grade graphic novel about friendship, imagination, and overcoming differences to show care for each other. When Moon moves into the house next door, Christine isn’t sure they’ll ever get along, much less become friends. Yet as the book goes on, that is exactly what occurs, and Christine ultimately learns an important lesson about overcoming differences and friendship. 

This powerful tale is told through colorful, effective artwork created by Jen Wang with a mechanical #2 pencil and a Uni Jetstream Ballpoint Pen, and colored by Lark Pien using photoshop. The text is also written by Jen Wang, and the art and text go well together, as reflected by the fact that they were created by the same person. The text appears to be size 12, and its font is a playful yet readable one that is reminiscent of comic sans, and that complements the art style by using the same gentle, rounded lines as the art. 

The art is very colorful and appealing. Jen Wang portrays her characters and settings using a cartoon style that brings the book to life. Though the style is exaggerated slightly, giving Christine a rather large forehead and Moon a noticeably upturned nose, these “flaws” bring a touch of realism to the work. Lark Pien’s color choices bring out the work in neutral to bright shades, depending on the scene, mood, and setting. For example, while Moon shows Christine her drawings in one scene, they come to life around Christine and Moon in bright, beautiful shades that light up the pages. While anxiously awaiting news later in the book, Christine’s house is done in beige and pale blue, effectively sucking out the joy that Moon brings to the page. Christine’s life and Moon’s imagination is represented perfectly by the whimsical, charming art style. 

The plot follows Christine as she meets and slowly develops a friendship with a fellow Chinese American girl, whose name is Moon. Moon and Christine are very different people, yet their friendship develops naturally and realistically throughout. The plot takes a sharp twist at the climax that is sure to send readers of all ages reeling in all the best ways. Though this plot twist doesn’t immediately make total sense, the readers will understand the shift in the narrative by the end of the book. 

Sadly, this book is not part of a series. That being said, Jen Wang is an accomplished writer and illustrator who readers will be able to follow to such titles as The Prince and the Dressmaker, Lumberjanes, and Koko Be Good if they are intrigued by this delightful graphic novel.