Etta Invincible

In a contemporary Chicago plagued by worsening storms and anise-scented clouds, Black 12-year-old Laureatte “Etta” Johnson loves drawing her own superheroine, Invincible Girl. But the comics fan doesn’t feel her protagonist’s bravery as she confronts the increasing hearing loss and vertigo that are symptoms of her “Big Maybe” diagnosis of Ménière’s disease. Etta’s tentative friendship with Eleazar, a fellow seventh grader homesick for Colombia, deepens after following his beloved goldendoodle, Louisa May Alcott, onto a magical train that pulls in to their neighborhood station, and whose cars feature whimsically nightmarish obstacles that they must outwit as they search for Louisa. Their quest gains increasing urgency as evidence connects the train with the enchanted storms that are draping Chicago in despair, endangering their families. Through Etta’s perceptive first-person voice, Eschmann (the Home for Meow series) grounds the train’s Hayao Miyazaki–like atmosphere in both children’s realities, involving Etta’s interest in art-making as well as her use of sign language and Google Translate to communicate with others, including Eleazar, whose first language is Spanish. Lusky’s (Primer) interstitial b&w comics panels bring vivid life to Etta’s original comic book creations. Ages 8–12. Author’s agent: Danielle Burby, Nelson Literary. (July)