Juniper is the first scholarship student at the prestigious boarding school Ellesmere Academy for Girls. Her roommate is Cassie - a student the mean girls call Orphan. Jun refuses to be intimidated by the mean girls and sticks up for Cassie. The girls form a strong friendship and help each other with schoolwork and family. The story is told with humor, bravado, and a touch of magical realism as Jun and Cassie navigate their time at school while coping with threats, taunts, and malicious pranks. The artwork is so well suited to the story and as lovely as you'd expect from Faith Erin Hicks. I look forward to recommending this book at my middle school library. I'm sure it will fly off the shelf.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I have liked reading Faith Erin Hicks’ books and was hoping this one would be as good. It did not disappoint. I love the cute friendship that develops between Jun and Cassie. It is a bit predictable with the whole mean girl and revenge thing. What is not predictable was the magic creature in the forest, which makes me think that maybe just maybe we are going to see a sequel...

I don't think that my opinions on this book will be the same as everyone else's.  I gave some reviews a quick read through and it seems like most people rated it lower than I did.  However, while I understand why they gave it that low rating, I really enjoyed this graphic novel.  It was cute, and while I'm not necessarily the intended audience, I really had a good time reading it.

I loved the art style of this book.  It was super cute and well suited to the story that was being told.  I liked how each of the characters had their own unique style, and the colouring of them was very nice.  It suited the story really well.

Story wise, it wasn't the most eventful.  However, I really liked what was featured.  Kids adapting to a new environment and trying to deal with mean girls is a totally relatable experience.  However, I never would have guessed that these kids were supposed to be around 13 based on some of the things that they were studying.  There was one aspect of magical realism in the story that kind of came out of nowhere, but I really didn't mind it.  It was surprising but enjoyable.

I also loved the friendship between Juniper and her roommate.  It was very sweet.

It's not the most exciting book, but I had a fun time reading it, and if you're at all interested I definitely think it's worth checking out!

Well-written and illustrated story of a young girl who starts boarding school in order to help achieve her dream of becoming a doctor. Used to being at the top of her class, she must deal with making friends, a roommate, and the super smart school bully.

This was a cute graphic about friendship. The artwork was fantastic. However, I think this book would be better suited for a middle school.

This graphic novel, set at a highly regarded all-girls boarding school, touches on multiple themes tween readers are most drawn to: succeeding at their dreams, confronting bullies, becoming independent. The main character feels "different" than the other students because she is a scholarship student. She learns to not be so defensive and overcomes her own prejudices to accept friendship when it is offered. Great choice for older fans of Raina Telgemeier.

This was okay. Fairth Erin Hicks illustrations are great as always. The story was lukewarm for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love everything by Faith Erin Hicks. There's such a sweetness to her books, and also a really delightful humor. My kids love her illustrations. Every once in a while, it really just hits the spot and feels to read a book where the stakes aren't so high. This one really is about a supportive friendship, and I want students and kids to see that as well as all of the hardship in the world. Very enjoyable.

I own the original version of this comic, and I love the renewed artwork. I frequently recommended this book to middle school students, and I am sure they will love this new version, as well. Faith Erin Hicks is one of my favorite authors to support, and I love including her books in my class.

A cute middle grade graphic novel about friendship and preserving through hardship. Cassie and Jun’s friendship was so wholesome and the way Jun disengaged with the bully, Emily, while still being sympathetic was inspiring. The fantasy element didn’t seem necessary, but it didn’t take away from the messages either. And of course, Faith Erin Hicks artwork is as great as ever. Definitely recommend to middle schoolers.

One Year at Ellsmere was a fun story. I liked the characters and the school's back story. Kids will like this one. The color version will be published in July on the 14th!

Thank you to :01 First Second and Netgalley for the opportunity read this book in advanced of its publication.

A graphic novel depicting a young teen's first year at a private school, uplifting and full of pictorial details. So well-written, with deep layers to characters without over-exposition!

Jun is a scholarship student at an elite, all-girls private school. The reader follows her on her journey through her first year at Ellsmere where she makes a new friend and some enemies while adjusting to the academic rigors of her new school. There was a fantasy element of the story that came out of nowhere which served to solve everything neatly--I really wish the author had resolved everything in more of a realistic manner. Still, this is a really quick read and I can see many kids enjoying this tale of friendship and belonging.

ARC provided by NetGalley

Hicks revisits one of her older works with redrawn characters and added coloring. I adore her artwork and the coloring is great.

The story is okay. It probably could have delved a little bit deeper into what happened with Juniper's father and how Cassie's parents treat her, but the heart of the story is friendship and dealing with mean girls. I would definitely recommend this to a middle-school student.

As someone who never gets tired of books that take place in boarding school, I very much approve of this book. The school is lovely and mysterious, with an interesting history. The characters are well developed and dimensional. I loved the relationship between roommates June and Cassie.
My only complaint is that I want more! If this story was expanded into a novel, I would pick it up in a heartbeat!

Super cute! I didn’t not read the original “War at Ellsmere”, but I liked the art and story a lot. It was a sweet friendship story at a mysterious boarding school--a lot to like.

Students will gobble up this story. I loved the 'white deer'! My eyes got big when I saw it! What a fun read!

This is a title I'd recommend to teens and kids in late elementary school. They'll love the boarding school element and will be surprised by the magical twist.

One Year of Ellsmere by Faith Erin Hicks is everything I wanted from a new book by her. It is just a bit quirky, kick butt, smart, and all awesome.

Juniper is apprehensive to start as a scholarship student at the prestigious Ellsmere Academy. She knows she is smart enough and she knows that going to this type of school is the way to get into a good college - but she doesn't want to deal with the snobby rich kids. After a rocky first meeting, she becomes fast friends with her roommate Cassie and the two encourage each other to excel at school, stand up to the mean girls, and open up about their insecurities.

This was a quick read and beautifully illustrated with great color work. I thought the story developed really quickly, but there was still enough development of Jun and Cassie's friendship to appreciate their friendship. Another great realistic middle grade graphic novel for fans of Real Friends, Roller Girl, or Smile.