SEPT. 2, 2021, (SEATTLE, WA) — A story about friendship, new beginnings, and doing what you love, no matter what. Feiwel & Friends, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, is proud to announce the all-new middle-grade OGN, Bounce Back, written, illustrated, and colored by New Jersey-based manga artist Misako Rocks! (Rock and Roll Love).
Lilico, with the help of her cat, must learn to adjust to a new country, a new school, and new pressures in this middle grade graphic novel from author/illustrator Misako Rocks! about finding your team and finding yourself.
Lilico’s life in Japan is going well. She has great friends and is the captain of the school’s basketball team. She’s happy!
Then comes her parents’ news: they’re moving to America! Before she knows it, Lilico finds herself in Brooklyn, New York, forced to start all over. And that won’t be easy with her closest friends thousands of miles away or a school bully who immediately dislikes her.
Luckily, anime-loving Nala and Henry eventually befriend Lilico and with help from them—along with her guardian spirit who looks a lot like her cat, Nico—Lilico just might figure out where she fits in.
“Manga has become a part of American pop culture,” said Misako Rocks!. “As a Japanese artist, I’m amazed by (and happy about!) this phenomenon. Despite all that, I’ve been asked countless times by parents of my manga students and librarians where they could find an age-appropriate manga book. Even though there are manga books for every age in Japan, the majority of manga in the U.S. are for teens and adults. Now I’ve created the story of Bounce Back, which kids can relate to, and which encourages them to challenge themselves. Books have the power to make a big impact on people’s lives. I want Bounce Back to do that for kids, and I can’t wait for them to read it and share their stories with me as well.”
Misako Rocks! previous comic was featured in the New York Public Library’s Best Books for Teens List in 2020. She teaches manga drawing classes in New York City as well as at the New York Metropolitan Museum. Check out the Misako Rocks! Instagram page for more information.
For Fans of Shannon Hale’s Real Friends and Kayla Miller’s Click, Bounce Back hits shelves October 19th. Letters by Marissa Asuncion
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