Stars in Their Eyes by Jessica Walton (Introducing Teddy) and Aśka (This Is Not a Book) is a delightful graphic novel that sweeps up readers in an intense, whirlwind queer romance. Six years ago, 14-year-old Maisie had cancer and a lower-leg amputation. Now she spends a lot of her time managing pain flares, and "super-inspired" people who are impressed when she does everyday things. Maisie is excited to attend her first fancon, where she meets 15-year-old Ollie, a cute nonbinary volunteer. When Maisie takes a timeout, Ollie tags along, and the pair quickly become "comfy" with each other.
Walton adeptly uses their lived experiences as a disabled, bisexual, nonbinary person to explore queerness, disability, and anxiety. They show the issues some disabled people regularly face through Maisie's inaccessible hotel bathroom and phantom limb pain. Aśka's artwork expresses Walton's text with accuracy and breadth, while adding to the humor and joy with bright colors and visual insider jokes. Winsome art combined with Walton's joyful, charming story creates a celebration of identity, community, and love. --Lana Barnes, freelance reviewer and proofreader