GRAPHIC NOVELS

TURNING TWELVE

Random House Children’s Books

What if a friend . . . is more than a friend?

Katie can't wait to turn twelve. Pool parties! Babysitting! Hanging out with friends! But sometimes it feels like there's so much new stuff she can barely keep up. First Job? (Yes!) Unfair dress codes? (No way!) Makeup? (Okay?!) Shaving? (Uh. . .) Maybe growing up isn't as much fun as she had expected. But one thing does seem right: her new friend, Grace.

Could Katie have a crush on another girl? Katie knows not everyone around her will approve . . . which is kind of scary. She might not be ready to tell anyone yet, and that’s okay, but can Katie stay true to herself and embrace the person she's growing up to be?

From the creators of the acclaimed graphic novel Growing Pangs comes another pitch-perfect coming-of-age graphic novel, set in the same beloved universe.

♦ An Amazon Best Book of 2024

♦ A BookPage Best Book of 2024

♦ A Kirkus Best Book of 2024

♦ A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

♦ A 2025 Rise Booklist Selection

★ “This delightful tale is a stellar middle-grade offering, adroitly capturing the heartbreak and joy of early adolescence.” - Kirkus, STARRED REVIEW

★ “With its exhilarating combination of prose and illustrations, Turning Twelve will make readers clamor for more of Katie’s adventures.” - BookPage, STARRED REVIEW

“This exploration on crushes and growing up is a must for the realistic graphic novel genre.” - School Library Journal

“Twelve cheers for TURNING TWELVE! Readers will root for Katie as she navigates seventh grade and stays true to her own heart.” - Megan Wagner Lloyd, author of Allergic

GROWING PANGS

Random House Children’s Books

New grade. New friends. New worries? Introducing an irresistibly honest, relatable graphic novel about friendship, anxiety, and growing up–just right for fans of Real Friends and Guts!

Katie knows there’s stuff that makes her different. She’s homeschooled, she has freckles, and her teeth are really crooked. But none of these things matter to Kacey. They’re best friends forever—just like their necklaces say. But when they go to summer camp, Kacey starts acting  weird. What happened to the “forever”?

And when Katie gets home, she can’t stop worrying. About getting braces. About 6th grade. About friends. She knows tapping three times or opening and closing a drawer won’t make everything better . . . but sometimes it helps stop the worrying. Is something wrong with her? And will anyone want to be friends with her if they find out?

♦ An NPR Best Book of 2022

♦ A Parents Best Book of 2022

♦ A Target Book Club Pick of 2022

♦ A 2022 Oregon Spirit Book Award Winner

♦ A 2023 NCTE Charlotte Huck Recommended Title for Outstanding Fiction for Children

★ "This respectfully told semiautobiography never trivializes obsessive compulsive disorder, nor does it make mental illness into a bogeyman. The art, with its many levels of perspective, gives equal attention to the high points of Katie’s life while skillfully depicting her lows." - Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

“A poignant account of journeying through life while navigating mental health and friendships.” - Kirkus

“The creators lend flashback-level realism to a story of one child’s world growing larger with age and experience.” - Publishers Weekly

“An incisive and empathetic look at fitting in, anxiety, and what it means to be a good friend.” —Faith Erin Hicks, creator of The Adventures of Superhero Girl
 
“Kids will be buzzing about Growing Pangs!” —Jennifer L. Holm & Matthew Holm, co-creators of Sunnyside Up and Swing It, Sunny
 
“A poignant and relatable story about making friends, letting go, and opening up.” —Terri Libenson, creator of the Emmie & Friends series