Meesh the Bad Demon #1: (A Graphic Novel)

by Michelle Lam

Overview

A tale of unlikely heroes and myths is made real in this debut graphic novel series about a “bad” demon trying to find her place in the underworld. But she’ll have to save it first!

Meesh is a bad demon. “Bad” in that she always sees the good in those around her—which isn’t how a demon is meant to feel or act. 

Bullied by the other demons, twelve-year-old Meesh is more likely to be found reading magazines from Plumeria City—the fairy realm—and fangirling about the fairy princesses.

But when disaster strikes and all of demon-kind is threatened, Meesh must journey to other worlds in search of help.

As luck would have it, she meets a fairy princess right away. Things in the fairy realm aren't so perfect either, though. As Meesh makes surprising new friends and unites a band of outcasts, she learns there's much more to being a demon than she ever realized. And learning to love herself might just uncover the secret to saving her home.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593372890
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	03/21/2023
Series:	Meesh the Bad Demon , #1
Sold by:	Random House
Format:	eBook
Pages:	304
Lexile:	GN480L (what's this?)
File size:	83 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

 MICHELLE LAM is a Los Angeles-based story artist who has worked with animation studios such as Netflix Animation, Glen Keane Productions, Tonko House, and more. In Meesh the Bad Demon, her first graphic novel, she pulls her Chinese American childhoos experiences into fantasy so kids can see themselves in the adventure—and realize that you're truly powerful when you love yourself, despite your inner demons.

Editorial Reviews

★ 01/16/2023

In this touching graphic novel debut, Lam subverts well-worn fantasy tropes to craft an inaugural adventure that empathetically addresses themes of acceptance and friendship. Tween demon Meesh lives in the fiery depths of “Mount Magma: Home of the Demons, Land of the Lava,” where she is often bullied by her fire-breathing, acid-puking classmates for her love of all things pink and sparkly. Raised by her lava factory worker grandmother, Meesh aspires to be just like her idol, tween fairy Princess Nouna of Plumeria, a reality TV sensation. After an unexplained incident turns all Mount Magma denizens, save Meesh, to stone, Meesh seeks help from the Plumerian fairies to restore her world, finding that what she encounters in Plumeria is vastly different from what she anticipated. Adorably designed characters sporting animated expressions populate imaginative landscapes rendered in ominous dark purples and reds and otherworldly pastel pinks and yellows. Indulging in familiar archetypes, Lam thoughtfully addresses the central conflicts—which examine demons vs. fairies and expectations vs. reality—via conversational dialogue and tenderly developing friendships, making for an accessible morality tale and a not-to-be-missed romp. Ages 8–12. Agent: Chelsea Eberly, Greenhouse Literary. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

★ “A not-to-be-missed romp.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ “The manga-inspired illustration style features adorable and expressive characters and plays with the magical girl genre.” —School Library Journal, starred review

“Watching children overcome ingrained prejudices is as magical as any winged or fire-breathing creature.” —Kirkus Reviews

“The story has something for everyone: fairy princesses, unicorns, demons, werewolves, and high adventure with a cast of brave kids.” —Booklist

"Magic, adventure and danger" —Shelf Awareness

From the Publisher

★ 02/01/2023

Gr 3–6—Twelve-year-old Meesh is a demon who would much rather spend time with her grandmother and care for flowers than learn to breathe fire or sharpen her horns. Bullied by her classmates for not being "demonlike" enough, Meesh spends most of her time watching fairy programs, but her world is upended when mysterious toxic lava turns everyone in the underworld to stone. Alone and frightened, she heads for Plumeria, the magical fairy realm, and finds herself in an uneasy partnership with Nouna, the star of Meesh's favorite show, and an unlikely group of allies to save the underworld. The first in a series, this graphic novel is a heroine's journey with strong middle-grade appeal. The manga-inspired illustration style features adorable and expressive characters and plays with the magical girl genre; Meesh and Nouna use ancient talismans to channel their powers and represent the popular light versus dark tropes familiar to manga and anime fans and fantasy readers. Characters have fantasy mainstays like wings and horns and present with different skin colors. The fantasy story addresses compelling real-life issues including bullying and subverting stereotypes. VERDICT An excellent first purchase for middle grade collections.—Rosemary Kiladitis

School Library Journal

2022-12-14
The odd girl, or rather demon, out forms an unlikely group of friends who band together to save her community and celebrate each other’s differences.

At Mount Magma Middle School, students attend classes at night where they practice breathing fire and molding lava. How could they not? Mount Magma is a community of demons! But young Meesh, who lives with her hardworking grandmother, would rather be a fairy and enjoy all things pretty and bright like her TV hero, Princess Nouna. She is teased and bullied at school for her preferences, but school takes a back seat to survival when a disaster turns everyone but her to stone. Meesh’s journey takes her to Plumeria City, the floating land of fairies, in search of help. There, she not only meets Princess Nouna, but sees how fairy reality compares to her idealized version. Among magical MacGuffins and fantasy realms, central themes around friendship and understanding take shape. Cute manga-style faces and enthusiastically clumsy flight sequences endear the cast to readers gradually and organically. As this is the first book in a planned series, not every character has a full arc, but readers will look forward to revisiting Meesh and her friends. Meesh is light-skinned with glossy black hair; the other cast members have diverse skin tones.

Watching children overcome ingrained prejudices is as magical as any winged or fire-breathing creature. (Graphic fantasy. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews