This book ended up far more complex in it's structure and mythology than I would have guessed. It doesn't shy away from asking difficult questions or asking us to follow along down unusual paths.

Thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this graphic novel. Honestly, I did not understand this story at all. Perhaps it could have been because at the time my brain was in several different places or the story, I may never know but overall, the art was beautiful and may be lovely for discussion. Because of these points, I have to give this a 3 out of 5 stars

I'm a bit confused about what I just read. On one hand this is a story of growing up and friendship with themes like bullying and the classic mythic setting of getting rid of/returning a malevolent artifact which tries to get it's malicious ideas into the bearer's head; drawn in a style that is extremely cute and dreamy but also well fitting for the darker parts as well, and the palette is amazing.
On the other hand two things are really confusing. One of them is the high contrast between the lighthearted storyline of Haru and Yama (it has serious topics like bullying and betrayal but all of these are handled very lightly, fitting for the middle grade audience) and the storyline of the opposing evil entity which starts extremely abstract right at the beginning. I guess much of the confusion about the relations and intentions of this entity are due to this being a first installment in a series, but the level of abstractedness was challenging my comprehension as an adult.
The other part of the confusion relates to the setting, which is so confusing that most of the time I don't even know if it's supposed to be random, a world without rules or haphazard rules or actually supposed to make sense. I assume this would get clearer in later installments (the very least a confirmation if we need to look for rules at all or not) but it was a quite detaching experience that you can never know if something that looks strange for the reader is also strange for the characters, or just some of the characters, is it familiar or odd, is it common knowledge or a secret, etc. Often it made me more frustrated than interested.
But I'm conflicted about my opinion because some parts are really touching and I hope that everything that looks detached at the moment will conclude into an epic web of meaning and emotion by the end of the series (I hope for a similar arc like how e.g. Over the Garden Wall is built).

Thank you NetGalley, the artist and the publisher for providing the ARC. Opinions are my own.

Imagine The Fellowship of the Ring with cute critters instead of hobbits, and you've got this intriguing fantasy graphic for middle grade readers. At first I felt a little lost, plunked down into the middle of something that was already happening, but I warmed to the tale as it went along. The artwork is superb, and almost outshines the story. The book does end with a cliffhanger, and I'm looking forward to the next season.

Haru is a hauntingly well told coming of age story in graphic novel form written and illustrated by Joe Latham. Released 12th March 2024 by Andrews McMeel, it's 272 pages and is available in hardcover, paperback, and ebook (comiXology) formats.

This is an appealing and very well written fantasy adventure featuring two friends, Haru, a young flightless bird, and their friend Yama. They're both bullied at school and dream of leaving the small valley community they've grown up in. Most readers will have no trouble empathizing with the two friends as they try to navigate life.

There are much darker, malign forces at work behind the scenes and the friends are soon drawn inextricably into the eternal struggle of good vs. evil.

There are some admittedly scary parts in the story which might be a trifle too spooky for younger readers. There's nothing graphic on-page, but it *is* quite creepy in several places. It's a story told in four volumes, of which this is the first, and as such, it's not a self-contained story.

Four and a half stars. It would be an excellent choice for public or middle school+ acquisition, home use, or gifting to a youngster who loves fantasy adventure.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Haru is a flightless bird who, along with their boar friend Yama, find an evil artifact that puts their community in danger. So together these brave friends set off to get rid of the evil. Joe Latham has an art style that is cute, but that is capable of depicting heavy material. And this story needs it because it faces up to bullying, betrayal, and self-doubt. In the end, I felt like too many elements of the story were left as a mystery. I understand that this is a series and that more will be revealed in future installments, but we learn basically nothing about the characters, their relationships to one another, or how the world ended up as it is in the story. Given all that, I was still impressed with how much I wanted the answers to those questions, and I am desperate to know what happens after the cliffhanger ending...

This is upper middle grade in material just because it deals very directly with difficult emotions that a younger audience might not have the vocabulary to grasp.

Haru: Spring is a gorgeous coming of age anamorphic graphic novel by Joe Lantham. The art jumps from the page complementing the sweet beginning of a magical journey for heroes, Haru and Yama, as they struggle through school bullying, finding who they are, and learning that they are just enough exactly the way they are. I can’t wait for book two, even though book one hasn’t been released yet.

This was not for children and not as cute as the cover shows. This was middle school at the youngest, though also something even adults could enjoy. The characters are young but they are going through some pretty horrifying situations. It’s honestly a bit odd to have a lesson about bullying and mean people at school and right after, a terrifying chase scene. The art also ranged from being super cute to super creepy, but I think this is intended for the slightly creepy nature of the book. Still, the boar having pockets is worrying. Narratively, a bit heavy and odd at times, but still enjoyable. I’m really split between a 3 stars and a 4 stars. I think someone who really enjoys uncanny valley stuff would give this 4 stars easy, but I’m not really one of those people.

Created by artist Joe Latham, this beautifully illustrated graphic novel series is a coming-of-age tale that spans the changing of seasons. Beginning in spring and ending in spring—the cycle complete. A story of heart, growing up, and the sacrifices we make for those we love, Haru is perfect for middle-grade readers.

Haru is a small non-binary flightless bird and their best friend is Yama, a wild boar who comes across a potentially dangerous cursed item (a heart) that she can't get rid of but its darkness seems to be infecting her. And so they decide to go on a quest to get rid of the cursed heart. Together, they set off into the world, towards the mountains where darkness lurks and where the darkness seems to be following them.

The artwork and colours were cute but the story, worldbuilding, and dialogue didn't draw me in. There is a lot left unexplained in this world where magical items seem normal but not readily available, and where the inexplainable happens (but which also appears to be the norm).

This is a graphic novel for middle=grade readers looking for a cuter and slightly less scary version of Lord of the Rings (with a much smaller cast of characters).

Through the endearing characters of Haru, a dreamy bird, and Yama, a loquacious boar, readers are whisked away on an epic journey fraught with mystery and adventure. Latham's exquisite illustrations beautifully depict the changing seasons, mirroring the emotional growth and challenges faced by our protagonists. With themes of friendship, self-discovery, and bravery, Haru strikes a chord with middle-grade readers, offering a rich tapestry of heartwarming moments and compelling storytelling.

Beautiful characters and a great start to what seems like it will be a series. I would buy the next one to see where the story goes. I really like the art style and think it is done very well and fits the story perfectly.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Haru is an adorable coming-of-age graphic novel. I enjoyed the full-color artwork and the way the palate is used to reflect mood. There are a few multi-page landscape scenes that were stunning. Our main cast of characters were instantly loveable (especially Herb) and they clearly developed throughout the novel. The stakes were high, and the pace was fast enough to keep middle-grade readers engaged. Overall, Haru is a fast-paced, heartwarming read, and I'm looking forward to the next installment.

Chapter one begins with black and white illustrations and alludes to a darkness traveling across the land until it was snagged on a thorn of pure light. Unable to free itself, the darkness encapsulated its heart within the brambles of the thorns. The story then jumps to present day to Haru, a small blue bird who despite being unable to fly, still dreams of one day talking flight and their best friend Yama, a boar who finds a strange, cursed artifact. The artifact attaches itself to Yama and the two friends then find themselves on a journey to The Beacon in search of the answers to removing it.

Haru is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel, a coming-of-age story that also highlights the four seasons with Spring being the first volume. The colors of each page range from a muted turquoise background reminding me of the early dusk sky, to lighter shades of green indicative of daytime. With further pages having shades of yellows and pink. This volume is broken down into six chapters and chronicles Haru and Yama's journey to remove a cursed artifact. The atmosphere is very mysterious and shifts between darkness and periods of light to some downright creepy moments. I felt a sense of apprehension as I flipped pages and wondered what peril was in store for these two. And boy do they get into some sticky, dangerous situations. Everything moves along at a fairly quick pace and yet it still feels like some details were being left out, with some confusing points when Haru and Yama entered the mall. I wanted to know more, which I suspect will be revealed in one of the other seasons. Overall, I really loved the illustrations and would love to read more but might hold off until the full series is released.

Haru is a hauntingly beautiful coming of age story of a little bird who finds light in the darkest of places.

I absolutely adored this graphic novel! It's a light and adventurous story of finding one's strength and confidence in a world that has always been cruel. However, Haru is not alone and I love the emphasis of this in their best friend Yama, who is always by their side. And even though the story does get a bit dark, there is hope and the promise of getting through whatever life throws their way.

The story ends in a cliffhanger and I'm going to need the next book STAT. I need to know what happens next to Haru, Yama, Goose, and Herb!

Haru is a nice mixture of buddy story, coming of age, whimsical and truly creepy.
I found myself stopping to keep my work partner updated on what was happening, which is not normal for me. In this first volume, our heroes have already been in mortal peril multiple times, and even though this is just the first of four (I believe) books, I wasn't always sure they were going to survive. I'm talking big time peril.
This is a fun and exciting read. The artwork is very nice, and the character development is slow but rewarding.
I look forward to reading the remaining stories in this series.

This is a captivating and entertaining graphic novel for older children. A Coming of Age Story with a difference, plenty of adventure and peril, great characters and beautiful illustrations. Dark in places but very heartwarming and hopeful.

This novel is so cute. The artwork is beautiful and intriguing. It’s a bit different, a mix of darkness and light but it fits the setting perfectly.
The story is about a little blue bird named Haru and their best friend Yama. Yama comes across an ancient dark object and the two set out on a quest to find out what to do with it. Of course neither of them realizes the perils that are about to befall them! The story begins with a little lore to set the scene and then starts off with Haru heading to school with their little brother tagging along. It’s very cute and relatable.
The book moves along at a pretty quick pace and skips through some of the unnecessary day-to-day timelines which feels a little confusing as you read through, but I think it’s to move the story along quickly. Those parts are most likely completely unnecessary, but we may find out in future books if they were left out for other reasons. You can tell that there is so much more to the backstory of the individual characters and the whole plot that will be uncovered as we continue the series and it makes me very excited for the next book!
I would recommend for any YA reader that likes fantasy adventures, this has the beginnings of an epic fantasy story. Also for readers who get confused on where to read next in graphic novels, this flows nicely and is easy to follow. There is only one spot near the end which may be a little confusing as to who is talking when, but you can read the conversation in order or individually and it doesn’t change the conversation much.
Overall an intriguing and engaging graphic novel that left me wanting more!

"Haru: Book 1: Spring" is the first in a new graphic novel series following two friends on an epic quest. Haru, a blue bird who cannot fly, and their friend Yama, a boar-like animal, set off on a quest to find answers when a dangerous cursed object attaches itself to Yama. The art is at times adorable, at times scary, but always excellent. The story is intriguing and hints at deep darkness to come in future volumes. Reminiscent of "Tiny Fox and Great Boar" but much darker, this series is likely to appeal to middle grade readers and up. Highly recommended.

It's weird to say that I think it needed more character development, but I feel like I needed to know more about the main characters when we were watching them go through so much. The artwork and story is great -- I love quest stories, and this is a graphic novel with young protagonists and big stakes.
I am looking forward to reading the next story and finding out more about everyone.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me preview this