An incredible story with excellent artwork, Wingbearer is an imaginative middle-grade graphic novel where one young girl must stop the threat to her magical world.

Story

Wingbearer follows Zuli, a young girl raised by bird spirits at what looks like a version of the tree of life. In a way, it is. The tree is a haven for the souls of birds until they are reborn. But when leaves start to bloom, dead and lifeless, Zuli and the bird spirits know that there is something wrong—determined to find a way to save and protect those who raised her.

It is a beautiful story following a POC character. Zuli has such a bright personality, and some sadness lingers there. Being the only human, she often wonders if there are others like herself if she is the only one like herself.

It Is a good story about finding your own family and making your own. Zuli’s family are the bird spirits, but when she leaves them to save them, the feeling of loneliness overwhelms her again. But on her journey, she meets such a cast of characters, from Goblins, a dragon, to warriors on the backs of snakes; Zuli’s personality, her hope, allows her to form her family.

Wingbearer is a lighthearted story, but some scenes challenge deforestation and the concept of taking just enough to survive versus stripping the land more than necessary. I like that there is an undertone of living in harmony with the land and the creatures that make it their home.

Artwork

And while Wingbearer is a great story, the artwork is beautiful. The color and shading, especially the bird spirits, are exceptional. The artistry here is fantastic and captures the heart of the story perfectly. When the story is light, the artwork is vibrant eye-catching. And when the story hits those somber tones, the artwork reflects that as well. However, there are still points where the artwork has a spark of hope in those somber moments.

It is beautiful how the frames flow into one another; how they mirror the story’s momentum makes it very engaging for young readers. Again, it is vibrant eye-catching, and the high gloss and shine of the pages hold the reader’s attention.

Final Thoughts

An incredible story, Wingbearer has much history to it. The worldbuilding happens in pieces, giving the reader just enough history to build the world; the story flows at an engaging pace. Moreover, with the fun cast of characters and beautiful artwork, this story is sure to engage young readers everywhere.