Amadan na Briona

Faith Erin Hicks's second professional graphic novel is much better than her first. While not very original, it's a charming little boarding school story about girl friendships and girl rivalries.

Juniper, aka "Jun," is a thirteen-year-old scholarship student attending Ellsmere, an elite boarding school, because she wants to be a doctor. She makes friends with her roommate, Cassie, who is the proverbial poor little rich girl, a sensitive and imaginative soul with negligent parents. And of course both of them run afoul of the local queen bee, Emily, who hates them instinctively for threatening to disturb the social order.

While the "war" between these tweens stays petty and predictable, they each behave like real people (well, real thirteen-year-olds), so Emily is as evil as a thirteen-year-old can be while still very clearly (to adult eyes) just being a snotty little brat. Albeit a very devious one with a likely future in politics. As a Republican.

The supernatural element that appeared at the very end was a kind of "Uh, what?" moment, but a graphic novel for kids can get away with that kind of out-of-nowhere weirdness.

I remain a fan of Hicks and her distinctive drawing stye, and her sweet, spunky heroines.