The story centers on Lana, a young grade school aged girl and her father. After a big storm leaves their family's seaside town torn up, they go for a visit and stay with her Aunt while aiding in the clean-up and recovery efforts. Lana loves the ocean, the memories it holds and being near her Aunt who's undoubtedly been an even more important presence in her life since the loss of her mother.


Best enjoyed with a delicious tea
In assisting with clean-up, in helping the neighbors and making repairs we see a community working together. Lana's explorations of the shore lead to her rescue of a young Aquicorn, a sweet seahorse like entity that she nurses to better health and releases back to it's shore side colony. Lana learns that the cove has in the past worked together, in balance with the colony of magical sea creatures but in the changing times her hometown of humans has exacted a heavier and heavier toll on the ocean and now they are all in danger aquicorn and man alike.

In the end, Lana does what she feels is the right thing in her heart to help the Aquicorns.

Bright, not too many words, joyous and emotional in the ways a child can understand. This sweet story is definitely one that I'll want on the shelves for my own kids. The illustrations are simple with perfect color palette but so expressive, you can follow the story even if you can't read the words which speaks volumes about how well Ms. O'Neil can craft the pages.

The good hearted nature of Lana and the way she handles the challenges life has delivered her thus far is so endearing, the kind that might kick you right in the feels - especially if you're in an emotional state. But, you don't have to be in a tender mood to smile or sniffle at the sweetness. I've read and re-read this story, relishing in the detail and the amount of love that it holds for the characters and the ocean itself.

Perhaps it's because I absolutely love the ocean and any seaside town I can pull off into, but the book was bursting with charm for me. I loved the fact that Lana's aunt was herself, unapologetically a strong woman who could take care of things, rock a flannel, bond thusly with the matron of the Aquicorn colony and see when she's made a mistake - that she can be strong and apologize. The low key messages of acceptance and the power of love in many shapes and forms struck a chord with me; I wish more books for kids had the potential to show them so many different kinds of people, to softly tell them "it's okay" just by existing on the page.

What: Aquicorn Cove
Author: Katie O'Neill
Illustrator: Katie O'Neill
Publisher: Oni Press
Pages: 96
Format: Hardback
Publication Date: October 16th 2018 (expected)


Author Online: Website   Instagram   Twitter
I encourage everyone to add her to your IG/Twitter feed, it will brighten your day!


***Full Disclosure: I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. And honestly I loved it!

This book had a sweet and imaginative plot, complete with beautiful artwork. A lovely little read that I will definitely be recommending.

Aquicorn Cove by Katie O’Neil is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel about family and how we treat our environment. Lana is a young girl who returns to Abalone Cove with her father to help clean up after a devastating storm. There, she reunites with her Aunt Mae where she learns more about her mother’s side of the family and the hidden tie they have with the sea, including the magical creatures within. Lana is curious to learn more about the sea creatures that generations of her family have known.

In my opinion, the best part of this book is the illustrations! There are multiple panels that convey a feeling or an emotion without any word bubbles. The drawings do not have hard outlines, so there is an overall soft and magical element to the book.

The story itself is well written and the way O’Neil approaches the environmental issue in the story is not too overbearing. The book does touch upon the subject of death, but it is told in a gentle manner. This was my first time reading a Katie O’Neil book and I would definitely pick up another one! I would recommend this book to grades 3-6.

Aquicorn Cove follows a young girl named Lana who visits her Aunt Mae's seaside village after a storm hits to help get things back to normal. While there, Lana is reminded of her love for the ocean and discovers a colony of aquicorns. Aquicorn Cove shines a light on how awfully we are treating our oceans and ocean life, and the dangerous effects of our use of plastic.

I am so so so in love with Katie O'Neill's art style and it worked so beautifully and seamlessly with the story. I felt so engrossed while reading because the art just pulls you in and sweeps you off of your feet. This is hands down the most beautiful graphic novel I've ever read and I cannot wait for everyone to read it so soon. I couldn't recommend it more.

Adorable, visually stunning, and heartwarming all at once. Katie was able to touch on real life issues on loss, mourning, the environment, and change in a way that's gentle and thought provoking. The story is lovely, and the message easy to follow. I highly recommend this!

*thank you to Netgalley and Oni Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

4 stars.

If I had to sum up this book in one word, that word would be 'beautiful!' And that is referring to both the story and the illustrations. Both were just stunning and had such a warmth to it. I love how the author is from New Zealand as I was born there aswell and my heart is still there. So I was rather looking forward to this and I was not disappointed at all. I loved the Aquicorn! Even the word is beautiful! I can easily see this being a series (I'm not even sure if it will be or not), and I can also see it being rather popular. I definitely recommend this for adults and children.

This book is super cute!
I love the illustration, the message to taking care of the ocean. It teaches us to always do the right thing, to not be selfish and think only about ourselves.

Beside that, this book will make a very cute gift for your loved ones :)

*Thank you NetGalley for providing the e-copy.

What a delightful story! There is so much to love about this graphic novel: unique magical creatures, breathtaking illustrations, likable characters, diversity, environmental awareness, and a sweet tone. The story wrapped up nicely, but I still want more. I need more aquicorns in my life!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I love the illustration inside this book. You might be curious of what is this book about? This book is a comic, about a girl, name Lana, who missed her Mother so much. Her mother has been died because of an accident during storm at sea. So she live with her father and seldom visited her mother's house. There, you would met Mae, Lana's aunty.

For children, this comic is full of deep message about how to face the fear, how to looks anything from different point and how to save the sea. And you may enjoy the journey to the deep blue sea.

Thanks, Netgalley for providing me with this lovely book. I have read “Princess, Princess Ever After” and “The Tea Dragon Society” by this author, so I was excited that her most recent work has not disappointed. I loved the beach color scheme throughout the artwork and the author does a fantastic job at “showing, not telling” what the characters are feeling. The book, as a whole, left me with the feeling you get from watching a Studio Ghibli movie- the vague sense of nostalgia and love for the earth (or the ocean in this case). A beautiful book that I am excited to recommend to my patrons.

Not only does this book feature mind-bending gorgeous works of art, it holds so much meaning in its pages. Usually, books that evoke such truly beautiful pieces tend to not have an exciting storyline to tag along, but this is where Aquicorn Cove shakes up the status quo.

Have you guys read Katie O'Neill's work? No?! You should. I first heard about her through various Instagram accounts with the release of her book Princess Princess Ever After which throws fairy tale tropes out the window and it's absolutely fantastic. The graphics are so enchanting and you'll absolutely fall in love with it. 

Sarah turned me on to a recent graphic novel of hers, The Tea Dragon Society and if you love dragons (like I do), by the end of it you'll wish tea dragons were 100% real. 

So now she has a new book coming October 16th - Aquicorn Cove! Lana and her father return to their seaside hometown to help clean up and fix things after a big storm. She realizes how much she missed the town and the ocean and discovers a mysterious creature while visiting the beach one day. It seems her aunt knows more about these creatures than she is letting on and when a second large storm threatens the town, Lana helps her aunt realize that decisions they've made in order to live and thrive have affected the coral reef that surrounds them which offered them a natural protection in the past. 

It's environmental fiction and a coming-of-age story all wrapped up in one. Lana struggles with grief, homesickness and believing in herself and standing up for what she believes is right. Once again, the graphics are stunning and the colors are so vibrant and this book will leave you wanting to go clean up a beach and enjoy the sunshine. 

Thanks Netgalley for the egalley!

Lana has gone with her father to visit her aunt Mae in Abalone Cove, a small village by the sea, recently ravaged by a storm. Lana, still coping with the loss of her mother, helps Mae and her father clean up the town. While walking on the beach, Lana discovers an injured seahorse/unicorn hybrid, so she brings it home to nurse it back to health. Soon after, she meets a full-grown Aquicorn, who brings her a necklace that once belonged to Mae... Aquicorn Cove is such a cute story - I love the pastel color scheme and the strong conservationist bent to the plot. Also, there's a seahorse unicorn hybrid. Called an Aquicorn. Highly recommend for anyone looking for an adorable middle grade graphic novel with an emphasis what people can do to combat damage caused by climate change.

This is a wonderful story with beautiful illustrations about how we are doing damage to the coral reefs and other sea life. If you love the ocean, you will love this sweet book. Don't pass this book up, it is a must read!! Thank you Oni Press via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. This is my honest opinion.

Katie O'Neill has a way of luring you in with her colorful, soft illustrations and then hitting your emotions with a touching, poignant story. In Aquicorn Cove, Lana has come to visit her aunt. The island where her aunt lives has just been hit by a big storm and Lana and her dad are there to help clean up. This is the same place Lana lived as a child, but when her mother died at sea, her dad moved her to the city.

Being back is special for Lana. She loves it on the island. Soon, she starts interacting his fantasical, almost mythical creatures who live in the ocean. They are called aquicorns and are cute unicorn/dragon-esque creatures. As the aquicorns bring items to Lana they find, Lana discovers her own aunt's special connection with them.

Without giving too much away, this is a story about grief, family, environmentalism, and community. It's a short, quick read, but it really packs a lot in. I love O'Neill's storytelling and art and I think this will be a big hit with middle grade readers.

*I received an ARC from netgalley*

Aquicorn Cove is a beautifully written story about a girl returning to her home and helping rebuild the village after a terrible storm. With beautiful drawings and narration, this story about environmental awareness has so much more than what meets the eye. In less than 80 pages, it talks about the importance of the sea and how the relationship between it and the villagers affects everyone around them. With the element of magic and adorable creatures, it's the perfect graphic for middle school students.

Finally, the diversity of the characters is truly admirable. In addition to raising environmental awareness, it also demonstrates strong female leads and LGBTQ characters. This is a wonderful story and a must read.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an arc!

4.5 stars

It was a short, but beautiful story. The art was amazing, the story was cute and I loved the setting.

Katie O'Niell does not disappoint with her latest graphic novel. The art and story come leaping off the page fro the first. I was so entrenched in the setting and characters that I read it in one very quick sitting. The only thing I would have liked is MORE, more Lana, more of the island, more everything, but hopefully we will have sequels. I can't wait to start recommending this title!

Aquicorn Cove is a beautifully crafted story that encompasses themes such as collaboration and being helpful, as well as caring for the environment and only taking what is needed. The art is a lovely combination of soft colours and strokes, combining the middle grade novel with the introduction of important topics.

I didn’t even read the synopsis when I grabbed Aquicorn Cove from Netgalley so I went in with zero knowledge of the story. It turned out to be super sweet and all the stuff about protecting the coral reef was actually pretty important because that’s becoming a serious issue in the real world too.

Lana was a really cute yet sad character. She felt very alone after the death of her mother since her dad didn’t deal with that very well, but still managed to be this sweet and brave girl. Her taking care of the little baby aquinorn was the cutest thing. I also really liked her aunt Mae because she’s also a really tough lady who despite her flaws just wants to help her village. Her relationship with Aure (who is beautiful by the way) was also a really nice surprise!

Even though the story was good, my absolute favorite thing about the graphic novel was still all the art though. Especially all the ocean scenes were beautiful with the corals and fish and the aquinorns. Just all the sea life!

I feel like this was just really fangirly but… If you’re in the mood for a sweet graphic novel with beautiful art I definitely recommend trying this one!