Aquicorn Cove

by K. O'Neill

Overview

"Enchanting." - KIRKUS

Unable to rely on the adults in her storm-ravaged seaside town, a young girl must protect a colony of magical seahorse-like creatures she discovers in the coral reef.

From the Eisner Award-winning author of The Tea Dragon Society and Princess Princess Ever After comes AQUICORN COVE, a heartfelt story about learning to be a guardian to yourself and those you love.

When Lana and her father return to their seaside hometown to help clear the debris of a big storm, Lana remembers how much she’s missed the ocean—and the strong, reassuring presence of her aunt. As Lana explores the familiar beach, she discovers something incredible: a colony of Aquicorns, small magical seahorse-like creatures that live in the coral reef. Lana rescues an injured Aquicorn and cares for it with the help of her aunt, who may know more about these strange creatures than she's willing to admit. But when a second storm threatens to reach the town, choices made many years ago about how to coexist with the sea start to rise to the surface. Lana realizes she will need to find the strength to stand on her own, even when it means standing up to the people who she has always relied on to protect her.

"Highly recommended for all-ages graphic novel collections, especially those where O'Neill's earlier works are popular." - SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (starred review)

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781620105290
Publisher:	Oni Press
Publication date:	10/16/2018
Pages:	96
Sales rank:	65,691
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	7 - 11 Years

About the Author

K. O'Neill is an Eisner and Harvey Award-winning illustrator and graphic novelist from New Zealand. They are the author of Princess Princess Ever After, Aquicorn Cove, The Tea Dragon series and Dewdrop, all from Oni Press. Their books reflect their interest in tea, creatures, things that grow, and the magic of everyday life.

Editorial Reviews

"Aquicorn Cove is a magical delight. I barely put it down before my twelve-year-old niece had claimed it for her own. It weaves a story of loss and resilience with minimal words and charming illustrations. You'll fall in love with these characters and the world they inhabit. And like Lana, you'll want to do everything you can to protect it."

Elissa Sussman

"Aquicorn Cove is a story with strong, smart female characters who realize their impact. Katie O'Neill creates beautiful, heartfelt worlds that you will want to live in."

Nidhi Chanani

"Aquicorn Cove is the charming, exquisitely illustrated, and LGBTQ focused book I would have loved as a kid. It’s full of wonder and magic and yet still manages to tug at the heart at the same time."

Tillie Walden

"A beautiful, LGBTQ-friendly conservation fable."

Powell's Books

"Aquicorn Cove is a lush, tender tale of grief and environmentalism."

AV Club

"Aquicorn Cove is as much as a love letter to the ocean as it is an invitation to participate in its protection.

Maris Wicks

★ 07/01/2018
Gr 3–6—An enchanting and allegorical modern fairy tale with an environmentalist message. Lana and her father return to their seaside hometown to visit her aunt Mae and help clean up after a bad storm. At the beach, Lana finds a hurt baby aquicorn (think: seahorse/unicorn combo) and gains the favor of the adult aquicorns in the cove by assisting it. Lana learns more about the magical beings who live in the coral reef, Mae's connection to them, and the factors that threaten both the reef and the humans' way of life in the village. Much of the book is devoted to Mae's backstory and her evolving relationship with Aure, the female humanoid guardian of the reef, and there are hints of romance here. O'Neill balances the protagonists well as young Lana also has a satisfying character arc and active role in the story as she copes with her mother's death. The illustrations feature a palette that's just a shade too beautiful and vibrant, which makes the aquicorns and Lana and Mae's quick acceptance of the fantastical seem more normal. VERDICT Highly recommended for all-ages graphic novel collections, especially those where O'Neill's earlier works are popular.—Kacy Helwick, New Orleans Public Library

School Library Journal

2018-07-24

O'Neill's third solo graphic novel delivers an eco-feminist message with her signature gentleness and warmth.

Lana and her dad haven't been back to their seaside hometown since her mother died during a storm. After yet another storm hits the cove, however, the duo return from the city to help clean up the small town and see Lana's aunt Mae. Visiting the beach for the first time in years, Lana is awed to discover a colony of Aquicorns—magical sea creatures that as babies look like sea horses and when grown look like winged mer-unicorns. Lana soon learns that the community's overfishing and use of plastic nets is affecting the tempestuous weather, destroying the cove's reef, and slowly killing the colony of Aquicorns. As another storm brews, Lana learns that her community's adults have been willfully ignorant of their destructive way of life, and she takes it upon herself to convince her aunt and their community to create a sustainable and harmonious future. O'Neill's art is soft and expressive, with a bright, warm color palette and lush landscapes. Lana has peachy skin and red hair, Aunt Mae has brown skin and black hair, and her small community is full of diverse skin tones and hints of diverse attraction.

Readers will eagerly dive into O'Neill's latest world. Enchanting. (Graphic fantasy. 7-11)

Kirkus Reviews