The Moon Prince

When orphaned siblings Max and Molly M’Chawi flee their home amid an oppressive New Jersey monarchy, they find themselves aboard a dirigible en route to the moon. Disembarking the aircraft, the siblings rescue Prince Grakko, a Latin-speaking humanoid vampire bat, from a violent altercation and encounter the Groos, a species of mechanically savvy apelike creatures with blue fur. As they travel along the moon’s surface, the tweens must evade massive spiders that sing in iambic meter, human pirates warring with Prince Grakko’s people, and their own pursuers, recently arrived from Earth. The pair soon learn about their mysterious ancestors; unearthing this knowledge allows Max and Molly to unlock powerful abilities, which they use to help the moon’s citizens diffuse their increasingly volatile disputes. Uncanny, otherworldly illustrations by Mutch (The Rough Pearl) convey character conflicts heightened by prejudice and systemic inequality. The result is an ambitious and lengthy graphic novel—inspired by the Eurocentric tales the creator consumed in his youth and updated for a more inclusive present, as addressed in an introduction—that’s equal parts steampunk adventure, mystical fantasy, and contemporary allegory. Human characters are depicted with varying skin tones. Ages 12–up. (Aug.)