Maisie and her mom are attending Maisie’s first fan convention, where teenage Maisie (brown-skinned) is looking forward to meeting her favorite actor on her favorite show, Midnight Girls. Like Maisie, Kara Bufano is an above-the-knee amputee with a prosthetic leg. It’s meant a lot to Maisie, whose leg was amputated due to childhood cancer, to see a TV character who is an amputee played by an amputee. On the first day of the con, Maisie meets nonbinary Ollie (white), who is attending with their dad. Ollie’s favorite show is Twisted Beasts, and they are excited about meeting the nonbinary actor playing the first openly nonbinary character on TV. The con is sometimes overwhelming for Maisie, who lives with fatigue and chronic pain. Luckily, Maisie’s mom, like Ollie’s dad, knows the ins and outs of con culture (both parents are charmingly enthusiastic in their geekiness) and Maisie makes use of the quiet rooms when she needs to. When Maisie and her mom and Ollie and their dad end up at the same panel discussion, Maisie and Ollie begin to forge a connection, one that blossoms into romance. The terrific dynamic between Maisie and her mom underscores both their lively, loving relationship and the matter-of-fact reality of Maisie’s disability, while Maisie and Ollie’s exchanges captures the excitement of new romance. The fan con setting is perfect for creating organic yet eager conversations about the importance of media representation in this entertaining graphic novel. (Age 11 and older)

A Stonewall Honor Book

In this lighthearted YA romance, Maisie and Ollie discover that nothing beats the feeling of falling in love for the first time.

Maisie is on her way to Fancon! She's looking forward to meeting her idol, Kara Bufano, the action hero from her favorite TV show, who has a lower-leg amputation, just like Maisie. But when Maisie and her mom arrive at the convention center, she is stopped in her tracks by Ollie, a cute volunteer working the show. They are kind, charming, and geek out about nerd culture just as much as Maisie does. And as the day wears on, Maisie notices feelings for Ollie that she's never had before. Is this what it feels like to fall in love?

Perfect for fans of Heartstopper and Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me, this graphic novel debut is a fresh, one-of-a-kind story that celebrates the excitement of meeting someone special for the first time.