Night and Dana

High school senior Dana Drucker, portrayed with light pink skin, can’t wait to leave Boca Bella, Fla., to attend NYU with her best friend Lily, who reads as Latinx. By pulling pranks using Dana’s special effects make-up prowess and Lily’s cinematography skills, the pair plan to skyrocket themselves to viral fame. Following their most recent prank—which resulted in a fraudulent emergency services call—their school administration enrolls them in a community college film course, hoping to provide an outlet for their creative energy. It feels like the perfect opportunity to hone their craft, until Lily becomes preoccupied with a cute classmate. Growing up, Dana was happy to be Lily’s sidekick, but as it becomes clear that Lily doesn’t need one, Dana wrestles with listlessness and self-doubt, struggling to cultivate an identity for herself. In a retro style reminiscent of Archie comics, Davidson (Lovers in the Garden, for adults) fashions characters who are convincingly relatable; Dana and Lily’s communication mishaps surrounding their diverging paths, coupled with their apparently disparate expectations of each other, depict them as two teens deserving empathy and kindness as they navigate difficult transitions. Ages 13–up. (Sept.)