Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Wonderfully done middle-grade graphic novel. If you are looking for a ghibli read-alike then this should be your go-to. The colors in this are beautiful, and the character designs are well executed in that they are all unique and lend themselves to the aspects of each character. The story was a great length: just long enough to get a tight story fleshed out, with good pacing, but it did not feel too heavy.

100% would recommend!

A beautifully drawn, sweet little tale of magic and family and friendship, of trying our best, and of overcoming the little voice inside our heads that makes us doubt ourselves.

This graphic novel tells a sweet coming of age story about a young witch who learns more than just magic- she more importantly begins to discover and address her anxieties about failure. The characters in this story each feel unique and developed, and I especially love that the adults grow and change as well as the children. The art is stunning, and the creature design is creative and fun. I was strongly reminded of Kiki's Delivery Service when I read this. I can't recommend it enough, for kids and adults alike!

This graphic novel was an absolute delight to read - in it we follow Sophie, who is finally getting the opportunity to further her magic and possibly go to a famous magic school. She battles that little voice inside her head that tells her she's a failure, while also trying to find her place and learn where she really lies in her family. When she meets Lir and learns about the consequences of actions things get a bit more complicated. I really loved the story as it unfolded and Sophie learned more about herself and about interacting with others. The artwork is very Ghibli-esque with an extra dash of cute and perfectly fit the story overall. The color palette had a softer feel to it which I felt was great for the seaside setting and the whimsy of the world.

(Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books, Quill Tree Books, and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.)

I loved this so, so much! I will preface this by saying I have not read any of Wendy Xu's work but am dying to read more now. Equating Tidesong as a book for Studio Ghibli and The Tea Dragon Society is spot on. There is whimsy, humor, and loads of heart in this touching book.

The story of Sophie, her cousin Sage, and Great-Aunt Lan absolutely yanked at my heartstrings for multiple reasons. Sophie is a likable and headstrong main character. She has an unshakable passion for magic, but more than that she feels like she has something to prove. She is impulsive and fearless - at only twelve years old.

After a hasty choice to attempt and fix a problem that isn't hers to handle, she finds herself entangled with Lir, a young water dragon.

I adored Xu's depiction of complex and fraught female relationships and the depiction of education. Sophie stresses about her audition to a prestigious Royal Magic Academy, the best magic school in the realm, but soon discovers alternative ways to learn and practice her magic in the meantime.

I will post this review on my Instagram and personal website on the official publication date.

Sophie is a young witch sent to live with relatives who are supposed to help her train for the entrance exams to the Royal Magic Academy. But when her cousin and aunt set her to work doing chores, Sophie becomes frustrated that they aren’t teaching her magic. She decides to take matters into her own hands and when she performs her own spell that goes amiss, her magic becomes entangled with the magic of a young water dragon named Lir. With Lir’s help, Sophie’s magic thrives, but in using him, Sophie is preventing Lir from regaining his memories and returning to his home. Will Sophie continue exploiting Lir’s help for her own good? Or will she find her own way to succeed?

This was a lovely graphic novel. The characters were engaging and relatable in so many ways. The relationships were also relatable and touching and seeing Sophie and Lir’s friendship develop was so sweet. The story was enchanting and the messages were heartwarming and enlightening. The illustrations were absolutely beautiful and the colors were stunning! I wish the story had been longer because I loved these characters so much and wanted to continue learning and growing with them.

I would highly recommend this graphic novel to people of any age, but I do think it will especially resonate with middle grade and young adult readers.

(I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

The person behind Mooncakes hit it out of the park again with Tidesong. Only special families are born with magic. This magic can control water and wind, but it must be learned, and controlled so the world does not become chaos. Sophie is a young apprentice and she has it in her to be powerful. She is sent to live with her Auntie Lan to practice under her and her Cousin Sage. The hope is that Sophie will be accepted into the best magic academy around. But one night and one loss of control, causes a water dragon to walk on earth and not be able to transform back. Lir may not be able to transform, but he is powerful and he will be a big help in Sophie learning to control her magic, while the two of them grow their friendship. I loved this book. It was sweet, it was heartwarming, and it was just...ahhhhhh. This will be loved by boys and girls alike, and the artwork is a great compliment to a great story.

Unfortunately I have been unable to download/read this book. I have tried in the Netgalley Shelf App and on multiple devices. If I am able to get a copy of this book, I will come back and modify my review.

A story of friendship and sticking by your loved ones. This could have been twice as long and still interesting. Will definitely recommend for our kids comics section.

SO CUTE. First off the art is absolutely breath taking. But the story? The story is absolutely precious. I want to be transported to this world Wendy has created when I dream, I love it that much. I think the story is so fun and fresh. I also feel quite similarly in real life in regards to teaching children and how non traditional methods might be the best form of teaching. I also love the fact that there is a message that adults aren't always right and that it should be normalized to say sorry to children. Overall I think that this was a brilliant book that balanced, magic, witches. dragons, and drama in a way that was absolutely perfect. I highly recommend.

Author's note provides great feedback on the story itself. The themes of family, friendship and magic is apparent. The reader is drawn in to the story and what happens with Sophie and if she will find her way.

If you are a fan of Studio Ghibli films, especially Kiki’s Delivery Service or Whisper of the Heart (which are two of my personal favourites), then I think you are going to love Tidesong by Wendy Xu. With its gentle narrative, tender and heartfelt messages, and gorgeous art, this gorgeous middle-grade graphic novel now has a place in my heart forever. Not only did I adore this book with my whole being, Tidesong is the kind of book that will resonate with so many readers, especially those of us who often struggle with the pressures that we place on ourselves.

Tidesong follows Sophie, a twelve-year old witch whose mother and grandmother send her to live with her Grandmother Lan and cousin Sage, who will teach her magic so that she can attend the Royal Magic Academy. Except, when she arrives, Sophie is frustrated to discover that her harsh and stern Grandmother seems more interested in giving her chores, rather than teaching her any magic. In an attempt to prove herself, she attempts to cast magic – and accidentally entangles her fate with a young water dragon named Lir.

Xu’s gorgeous illustrations will immediately enchant and charm readers. I love that Xu has noticeably grown as an artist since her previous published middle-grade novel, Mooncakes. The art is an absolute delight; Xu’s illustrations are enchanting, containing hints of Chinese mythology and influences, and beautifully capture the magic and rich emotions depicted in the story. The lore in Tidesong is wonderful – not too overwhelming for a younger reader’s graphic novel, but enough to marvel with its details and how magic is depicted. Reading Tidesong, it also became apparent that the story feels like a love letter to the ocean; a tribute to its wonders, its power, its beauty, and how its rich with biodiversity, mythology, and its own kind of magic.

The story itself, though, is just as extraordinary as its art. I adored Sophie, a young girl who wants desperately to be a young witch to fulfill her family’s wishes and ambitions. At times, she is impatient, irritable, and selfish, but that’s what makes her character relatable and her growth across the book so satisfying and meaningful. Sophie also struggles immensely with negative self-talk, or that ‘mean voice’ inside our heads, that intrude and shape her decisions and her perceptions of her own worth and ability. I loved that Tidesong centered its story on a young girl who struggles with something that is incredibly real, and the genuine depiction of a flawed young girl who isn’t perfect, though she desperately strives to be, will resonate with many readers.

The beauty of Tidesong is that it is ultimately a simple and heartwarming story, but if you look deeper, the story has nuance that explores identity and self-worth, and the importance of communication. Its core message of talking to one another and expressing our feelings, even when talking about those feelings are difficult and reveal that we made mistakes or weren’t perfect, is so important. Relatedly, the story examines how the words of adults, especially those we look up to, can have immense power, and I loved that the story depicts how it’s important for adults to admit their mistakes and say sorry.

Furthermore, I related to Sophie’s feelings of tying her sense of worth to her ability to conjure magic, and how that pursuit of worth can lead you to lose sight of the pure joy of doing what you love – I experienced the same sort of feelings and struggle with my art, and the discomforting feeling of when your vision and ambitions don’t match the reality of your skills. Ultimately, the vulnerable, earnest and heartfelt storytelling in Tidesong will evoke different feelings in different readers. Whatever it may be, Tidesong is guaranteed to be a memorable read.

After reading Tidesong, I didn’t want to leave; I wanted to stay longer in the world that Xu created. I’ll undoubtedly be re-reading this over and over and over again whenever I need a book that feels like a warm and comforting hug. Heartfelt, earnest, and vulnerable, Tidesong is a wondrous story, its afterglow promised to stay with readers for the days to come.

Publishers often throw a "For fans of..." in the blurb of a book, and often times I read a book because I am a fan of that particular similar book. Tidesong was hailed as a great book for fans of Studio Ghibli, and though that is a super high bar for me, I'm a huge fan of anything Ghibli and will try anything similar. The publisher was spot on with that recommendation. Tidesong gave me all of the sweet, magical, innocent, lovely vibes of a Studio Ghibli film, and I think Tidesong would be a wonderful piece of source material for adaptation. It was pure magic.

Sophie, a young witch, has magic water and air bending capabilities. She is invited to stay at her great aunt's house where she will learn the magic she needs to audition for a the best magic academy in her world. Once she gets there, however, her training isn't quite what she hopes it will be and in a desire to prove herself, almost drowns. She is saved by a shape-shifting water dragon, and their magics become linked. They must separate their magic if her new dragon friend hopes to return to the sea, and also if Sophie wants to continue learning magic on her own for her audition.

This book was so sweet. I loved the gorgeous use of color, and every illustration felt like it could have been an art print. It was so beautifully done. Wendy Xu also really understands the pressure family can put on us, as well as the desire to prove oneself, and the power of friendship. All of these themes were masterfully explored. This is a book I plan to buy for my own bookshelves, and will be adding to my teen collection at the library. It was a true delight.

Sophie comes from a family witches that have a connection to the dragons of the sea. To help her succeed and get into the Royal Academy, she is sent to live with her great aunt and cousin who begin to train her to control her magic. One night, after being frustrated and mad at her family, Sophie travels to the sea and almost drowns. She is saved by a dragon. In the morning, the dragon has transformed into a human with no memories. It seems that Sophie and the dragon are now linked and must find a way to untangle their magic.

This was a very cute and sweet graphic novel that reminded me a lot of Hayao Miyazaki. I loved how Chinese mythology with dragons was woven into the story. While the story dealt with magic, it also dealt with family expectations and how we are all flawed people who can learn from each other. I really enjoyed this book and cannot wait to recommend it.

This is a beautiful illustrated middle-grade graphic novel. Sophie is a young witch who wants to enter the best magical school. Unfortunately, she is still not great at magic. At her relatives' house, she tries to train her magic and meets a water dragon named Lir. They have to work together to solve both Lir's past and Sophie's magical future.

This is a great, cute magical graphic novel. I thought the illustrations were lively, well colored without being too stylized. It reminded me of Miyazaki films (especially Kiki's Delivery Service) in the best way. I also thought it tackled self-doubt and anxiety in a way that was not too heavy-handed. I also loved that adults apologized to children when they were in the wrong. Overall a sweet story that I am sure to get for our library.

When Sophie is sent to live with her Great-Aunt Lan and Cousin Sage to prepare to audition for the Royal Magic Academy, she’s apprehensive while still excited because her imagination has run wild about what it’ll be like. Sadly, Sophie’s dreams are quickly shot down when she overhears her Great-Aunt Lan speaking badly about her right after they first met. To top things off, she’s not even practicing magic. All she’s doing is a bunch of chores they claim will be the foundation to learning how to harness her magic. Finally, when Sophie has had enough, she decides to show her family what she’s capable of. Unfortunately for her, the spell quickly gets out of hand, and she finds herself nearly drowning and accidentally erasing the memory of a water dragon, possibly putting everyone she loves in danger.

This is such a cute and heartwarming story that has beautiful artwork. I loved seeing the story come to life through the images. If it wasn’t for the fact that this is a graphic novel, it’d almost feel like I was watching an animation. That’s how great the flow of the story went with the stunning artwork.

We follow Sophie, a young girl who is under pressure to do great at her audition for the Royal Magic Academy. Through the story, we watch her go from being obsessed with proving that she’s talented and useful to discovering what she actually wants is different from what her mother and grandmother want for her. I could relate to her because growing up, I was pressured into thinking all the goals I had were all things I wanted. At some point, I realized the reason I was so miserable was because all my goals were not anything I chose for myself. They were goals selected for me.

While this is a fictional fantasy book, I think that Sophie’s story is an important one, especially for children. Sophie doesn’t just realize that she’s taking a route that she doesn’t want for herself by auditioning for the Royal Magic Academy. She also learns what she’s capable of, what her talents are, and what she wants for herself. It’s an important message for kids, and it’s even better if they also have people who support them just like Sophie does when she puts her foot down and makes a major decision about her future.

A great charming fantasy addition from one of the creators of Mooncakes. This book is younger in feel than Mooncakes, so definitely reaches that tween group. It also captures the feel of being a young girl on the edge of something in a new place with fantastical elements around her --so very Miyazaki/Ghibli.

I thought the inter-generational relationships were well done. The way that the multi-generational housing was presented was excellent and without judgement on income levels or other aspects.

On the surface, this is an elemental magic book about a young girl dealing with her inner voices and self-esteem, especially as she sees herself in her family. She is finding her place within the hierarchy of her magical family. We also see that same type of relationship reflected in her dragon friend with whom she is magically entwined.

I'd say based on the way the plot unfolds and its themes that this a middle grade or tween book as it releases some of the tension of ambiguity that an older magic-based fantasy books.

I loved this! This book reminds me of basically every Miyazaki movie rolled into one--Kiki, Ponyo, Spirited Away. It's awesome. Young witch travels to study magic with family, meets creatures, learns lessons, helps others learn lessons, uncovers family feuds, etc. The art is super cute. I love it. I love this book and am so excited for everyone to read it.

But also, my favorite part is probably the panels that show internal critical voices--anxiety, fear of not being good enough. This is a great articulation of working through mental health and self-esteem.

Read this book!!

A wholesome story about family, self discovery, friendship, and dragons! This was going to be a 5 star read.

The illustrations add such a magical touch to this story of a young girl who goes to stay with her aunts to learn the art of water magic. I read this as an ebook and yet it didn't diminish the beauty that the art offered.

Sophie as the protagonist was a believable youngster who had great growth throughout the book.

I'd 100% recommend this for children, but also the adults who never grow too old to appreciate magic.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an early copy of this book.

Tidesong was described for fans of Studio Ghibli and The Tea Dragon Society—so instantly I knew it would be a hit with me. And it was.

This graphic novel, both its story and art, are so breathtaking and whimsical. The characters, even though we only see them for such a short amount of time, were so well developed and honestly felt like I had known them and known their lives for years. The dynamic between Sophie, Sage and Lan was heartwarming and frustrating in the best way possible and Lir’s story kept me wondering and wanting more with every page. The world building was just as well developed, I was immediately thrown into this world and didn’t want to leave.

The pitch for this graphic novel wasn’t wrong. If you’re a Ghibli fan or a Tea Dragon fan (or both. Or neither even) you WILL love this book. But beware—it will leave you wanting more just as it did with me. I wish that this was a series because this world needs to be explored more!