Thank you so much for letting me read this book. I especially liked the watercolor drawing they are so expressive. It was a little sad but very hopeful.

This was a very heart warming story about a young girl and a bear. The artwork was done in watercolors and it was if you could feel the emotions of the characters.

A very sweet start to this series, gives a great intro to the world and characters and the art is just gorgeous. I often find the kids series to be a bit hit and miss, and often very geared towards their audience, which is not a bad thing! But it was nice to read one that as an adult I could thoroughly enjoy in its own right.

This was such a cute book! It was very short but that's really my only complaint. I loved the art style and the story was absolutely adorable. This would be great for a kid that has a hard time concentrating on longer books. Highly recommend.

Katya is a lonely little girl staying with her grandmother. She finds it safer to stay inside and read comics all day, but when her grandmother forces her outside Katya makes an unexpected friend when she rescues an injured bear. But Katya can’t stay at her grandmother’s forever. Will Katya and Kodi’s friendship survive the miles?

This was absolutely adorable. It was by turns tender and humorous. The artwork is gorgeous, and it is hard not to love both Katya and Kodi. A delightful graphic novel for all ages especially recommended to art lovers and animal lovers.

Notes on content [based on the ARC]: No language issues. No sexual content. A few perilous situations, but no violence or wounds shown on page. There’s some bullying but a teacher quickly intervenes.

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book had everything: gorgeous art, motorcycle-riding grandma, friendship, and a giant, lovable bear. The art truly is beautiful and is even more accented by the skillful and economical use of words, The story itself is not necessarily groundbreaking, but is a delight regardless.I would recommend it to readers looking for a feel-good story about people (or bears) finding their people (or bears).

I received an ARC via NetGalley. I want to thank the publisher and author for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a sweet story about the power of love and friendship. The characters were so endearing. They were drawn with so much expression and life; it was perfect. The art and storytelling complimented each other so well. I absolutely loved the watercolor style illustrations! Jared Cullum is clearly very talented. I will be buying a physical copy of this one. It's just too good not to.

While out on a walk near her grandmother’s Alaska summer house, comics-loving Katya encounters an enormous kodiak bear with its leg pinned under a fallen tree. Working together, Katya and “Meema” free the bear and mend his wounded paw. Katya and Kodi become fast friends (and an expert fishing team), so both are crestfallen when she must return to Seattle. When Kodi sees a tourist with a Seattle t-shirt, he realizes that stowing away on a cruise ship will deliver him to Katya. But finding a small girl in a big city requires the assistance of a fisherman named Joshua, who forms his own unique bond with the bear. Jared Cullum’s gorgeous watercolors portray a range of settings, emotions, and action with evocative style. Katya’s vulnerability is evident in her big eyes and slight build; her strength shows in her artwork and steadfastness. Kodi is both comically oversized and brawny, but gentle. Joshua, disabled in a previous fishing accident, is clever and kind. Readers who fly through the pages to find out what happens next will want to re-read, pausing to admire the mountain streams, city skylines, and ocean waves. This beautifully illustrated graphic novel for young readers is also an homage to the power of friendship and creativity. Don’t miss this one!

This beautifully illustrated graphic novel is about Katya who feels ridiculed by the other kids so she isolates herself and spends a lot of time reading comic books. One summer she's staying with her grandmother in a small village in Alaska and makes friend with a bear. When Katya has to return to Seattle, Kodi the bear pursues her. This is wonderful story about friendship and loyalty and persistence. It's also stunningly illustrated with the most beautiful water color artwork I've seen in quite some time. I think my elementary aged kids will love this one, even though it's listed as a YA book.

That was a heart warming story with gorgeous watercolor illustrations. The character design is beautiful. The story is simple but so adorable. I could see this in my head as an animated feature.

The sweetest story of a couple of unlikely friendships. Gorgeous watercolor art of landscape and cityscape. Loved the motorcycle riding grandma.

This gorgeously illustrated book will leave you smiling. The watercolor art catches the reader's attention first, but the characters will hold it. When Katya rescues an injured bear it changes everything she and Kodi become best friends.. Although not realistic, this book is a lovely expression of found family (Grandma, Katya, Joshua and Kodi) and the importance of perseverance and overcoming your fears. Nice representation of diverse characters as well. A wonderful book for all ages.

I loved this book so much. It is such a pure story about friendship with flawed characters that made the story feel so real. Katya is a little girl who has trouble making friends, but has a very kind heart. The fisherman has had to struggle through life after suffering injuries and the loss of his business, bu he rebuilds with optimism and generosity. I think it is beautiful that there is no villain in this book; the conflict is the separation between two life long friends and their journey finding each other again.

As someone who not only has a very soft sport for all animals, but owns a pet whose nickname is actually Kodi Bear, this book made me feel a lot. The bear, Kodi, is anthropomorphized, but in such a great way that really shows that animals can feel sadness, longing, and most importantly love. I think everything about the story is wonderful from the storyline to the beautiful watercolor art that transports you into this world.

Beautiful watercolor illustrations in this tale of finding a friend, losing a friend, and then finding each other again. told from two different perspectives: human and bear.

An enjoyable, if slight and more than slightly cheesy, graphic novel for kids of all ages. Our young heroine gets to rescue a mahoosive wild bear, only for them to form an instant bond as a result, which leads the bear to stowaway and journey to her home city when she's forced to cut short her stay in Alaska. Can the unlikely (and then some) pair buddy back up? It's a quick read by necessity as there's little need for dialogue from the bear, and a fun one. The design of it all struck me – at all times expertly painted and yet exceedingly cartoonish, with pretty much all the human characters giant-sized and every facial expression exaggerated. There's no way this is getting more than one star for credibility, but a good four for innocent, childish entertainment.

Kodi is the story of a lonely little girl, her grandmother, a lonely fisherman and a large yet lovable grizzly bear. Kodi mixes beautiful water color landscapes to show the vast landscapes of America while making the main characters look quirky and colorful. If you love stories of friendships and found family, Kodi will make you tear up and laugh all at the same time. A great read and I hope there are more adventures to come!

The first installation in the Kodi graphic novels series is a spot-on, atmospheric tale that, while written for a middle grade audience, is bound to delight older readers, as well. When Katya and her grandmother, Meema, rescue a bear, Kodi, during summer vacation, Katya and Kodi become fast friends until the humans have to depart suddenly for their home of Seattle. In fantastic Homeward Bound fashion, Kodi takes on an epic adventure to find his best friend. It takes some trial and error, but with the help of a fisherman, Joshua, who's own experiences eloquently mirror the bear's own, all things resolve happily and a new family of sorts is formed. Cullum's use of watercolor and ink help take this graphic novel from good to exceptional. Every page evokes the salt, spray, rain, and fog of the Pacific Northwest. The text is sparse, allowing expressions and illustrations alive with movement to do the heaviest lifting. Katya and her grandmother are white, Joshua presents Black, and Katya's classmates and the Seattle residents are quite diverse. This is an easy recommendation for any graphic novel fan or animal lover out there.

Honestly, a perfect 5 star read. This story is about the blossoming friendship and love between a girl and a bear before they are sadly separated. Will they reunite? I love the characters. I love the connection. I love the artwork. This just really spoke to me. Katya is lost, but finds a friend (if a unique one) and Kodi, which is the perfect name for a bear, is so sweet and loving. The cartoon style and colors are so perfect with an almost watercolor effect that I admire. This one just spoke to me and I would for sure recommend it to my coworkers and students.

Beautiful illustrations! I love the layers of texture that show through. Text seems well suited for early elementary.

A good story throughout. The artwork is very impressive in this graphic novel. I'll definitly be recommending it.