Book Summary and Reviews of On Starlit Shores: A Graphic Novel by Bex Glendining

On Starlit Shores: A Graphic Novel by Bex Glendining

On Starlit Shores: A Graphic Novel

by Bex Glendining

  • Critics' Consensus (5):
  • Published:
  • Sep 2025, 192 pages
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About this book

Book Summary

In this YA urban fantasy graphic novel, Alex must return to the town where she was born to unravel the magical mysteries her late grandmother left behind.

Alex Wilson hasn't been back to Indigo Harbor, the seaside village where she grew up, in years. In fact, she can barely remember anything about it. But when her grandmother dies unexpectedly, Alex will have to return to her childhood home to say goodbye.

Accompanied by her best friend, Grim, Alex travels back to her hometown and begins cleaning out her grandmother's house, but the longer they stay, the stranger things get. Indigo Harbor isn't your average town—there are falling stars, witches running tea shops, and a name that comes up again and again: Elizabeth. Who was this woman, and how did she know Alex's grandmother?

As she explores the town and sorts through her grandmother's belongings, Alex reconnects with her past and tries with increasing desperation to uncover the greatest secret of all, the identity of the mysterious Elizabeth. Tackling grief, acceptance, and how to honor a loved one's life, Bex Glendining has crafted a beautiful and moving graphic novel perfect for readers who loved The Dark Matter of Mona Starr, Girl From the Sea, and the Magic Fish.

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Reviews

Media Reviews

"Her emotional arc is poignant and presented in a way that readers will find extraordinarily relatable. Glendining's remarkable illustrations render each character distinctive...Stunning from beginning to end." ―Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Filled with dynamic illustrations and complex characters, and of course, a cute cat, Glendining's graphic novel soars. This is a beautiful read that explores family bonds and grief and is filled with incredibly detailed background scenery...An ­excellent read that thoughtfully approaches the ­discussion of grief and its complexity. Highly recommended." ―School Library Journal (starred review)

"Saturated colors and a sophisticated style of illustration are well suited to a whimsical yet grounded story that begs to be read in one sitting. Accessible to a wide range of readers; emotional and warm." ―Booklist

This information about On Starlit Shores: A Graphic Novel was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

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Author Information

Bex Glendining

Bex Glendining is an award-winning, biracial, queer, UK-based illustrator, comic artist, and colorist. Their clients include Netflix, Huffpost, DC Comics, Marvel, Penguin Random House, the New York Times, and NPR. When not working, they can usually be found building miniature rooms, playing video games with friends or fussing Cookie, their very spoilt tortoiseshell cat.

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