Navigating with You

Gr 6 Up–Day one at a new school brings an unexpected surprise for Neesha: a friend with a shared interest in the manga series, "Super Navigator Nozomi." Neither Gabby nor Neesha have finished it though, and so they establish a book club to locate and discuss the full set. When reading each volume, the style switches from an earth-toned western aesthetic to that of a 1980s manga, complete with screentones and starry-eyed shoujo protagonists. While this story-within-a-story pivots to sci-fi, it is replete with parallels to the girls’ own story. Through their authentic discussions about manga and their pasts, their budding feelings grow for each other as they confront their insecurities. Gabby may be a big-hearted, bi Latinx, but her trauma and toxic boyfriend weigh heavily on her heart. Neesha, on the other hand, often faces prejudice from people who only see her cerebral palsy and not the strong-willed, gay, geeky girl she is. Between these two, Whitley has cultivated wonderfully complex characters who actively support and heal one another. Because of this, just like the early shoujo manga this comic pays homage to, it too may help young readers navigate their own losses, loves, and lives.