Bloom

by Kevin Panetta and Savanna Ganucheau

[dragononabook]

This was a really sweet graphic novel, although I've gotten to the point where that's what I expect from First Second.

It follows Ari, who wants to leave the family bakery and go to the city with his band, and Hector, who is going to be his replacement. It explores themes of belonging and love in a delightful art style, and in a delightful way.

There's a lot of bookending, which worked super well, and the art added a lot thematically to the story, enhancing in a way that wouldn't have worked in another medium. The art choices also really helped reflect emotion, especially the use of flowers as part of the frame.

I really enjoyed this, and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a really sweet story in a really sweet format.