Winter Town

Childhood friends Lucy and Evan have been close for years, but when Lucy’s parents divorce and she moves with her mother to Georgia, a full year goes by before Lucy returns to their New England hometown at Christmas. When she arrives, she has dyed black hair and a nose piercing, and Evan notices she is acting “moodier and quiet, and dare he say, emo.” Evan is concerned for her and also increasingly uncertain about his own life’s direction after he graduates from high school. During a two-week vacation, Lucy and Evan talk, argue, and draw comics as they each try to figure out what they want in life and from each other. As in Happy-face, Emond’s artwork plays a big role in his storytelling, shifting between chilly scenes of Christmas in the suburbs and a funny fantasy/adventure comic Evan creates, a cross between Peanuts and Bone. Though there are many fun moments, sharply observed interactions, and smart insights along the way, the overall vibe is moody and pensive, as Lucy and Evan try to find their way and handle the pressures coming at them from every angle. Ages 12–up. (Dec.)