Junkwraith

Frustrated with high parental expectations and locker room bullying around ice skating, pink-skinned, gray-haired only child Florence Sato decides she is through with the sport. But discarding her brand-new skates against recycling laws spawns a Junkwraith—a spirit comprising negative feelings and abandoned items—and a cursemark on Flo’s arm. Researching ways to dispel the spirit, Flo meets a librarian who explains that the Junkwraith’s cursemark will cause Flo to lose her memories and further spread the curse. With the librarian’s map as a guide and Frank, her trusty, seemingly sentient electronic personal assistant, beside her, Flo heads into the wastelands seeking the Cave of Recovery, her only hope for a cure. Stylishly snappy art features loose, jagged linework and a fresh palette, creating a vibrant world whose tiny details reward close viewing. Though loose storytelling forces the reader to reach for connections, an anti-consumerist message of sustainable waste management comes through clearly in Richey’s graphic novel debut, based on her webcomic of the same name. Ages 13–up. (Dec.)■