Too many loose ends here for this to be a stand alone, so I do hope there is a sequel, because everything is just left completely up in the air for every single character.

Squire by Nadia Shammas and Sara Alfageeh tells a familiar tale in a new and beautiful way. Each panel takes you deeper into the world of Squire and makes you never want to leave.

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙚 𝙖𝙣 𝘼𝙍𝘾 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬!

Squire is a fantasy graphic novel following Aiza, an aspiring knight. Bayt-Sajji is on the brink of war once more, so Aiza finds this as the perfect opportunity to enlist in the military. Aiza, being of Ornu background, is seen as the enemy—though her friends and rivals do not know that.

I don’t read graphic novels as much as I do manga, but I genuinely really enjoyed this. It was so well written. I was definitely immersed into the story and simply could not stop reading. Typically when I read graphic novels, I find a hard time reading them due to the storylines. It was very easy for me to follow along and actually grasp the story.

The only thing that bothered me was how quick paced the ending was. I feel like everything was a great pace, but the ending was a little rushed. Nevertheless, I still really enjoyed it!

Aiza, a young Ornu girl, lives in a country ravaged by famine and on the brink of war. As a member of the Ornu people and viewed as a scapegoat for the empire's problems, Aiza's only chance at citizenship is Knighthood. This is her journey to pass the rigorous military training and become a squire. During her training, Aiza uncovers some dark secrets about her country and discovers that her path to heroism isn't what she thought it would be.

Wonderful character cast, simple yet entertaining artwork. Looks to be a stand alone story, ending was a bit rushed.

Due to my YALSA committee commitments, I am unable to leave reviews. Please see www.yalsa.ala.org/thehub to see our future reviews for Great Graphic Novels for Young Adults. Thank you!

This book was a really straightforward fantasy story that should be pretty enjoyable for kids. The protagaanist is root-for-able and the art is quite beautiful, but outside of this the story itself is average. None of the words or dialouge seemed to elevate (or particularly compliment) the art, I felt as though the book stood on the stregnth of the art alone. It was also more juvenile then I expected considering that it was marketed as “young adult”, the age range I would recommend this to probably stops at around 13, because of the simplicity of the story.

Young Aiza insists on joining the army in hopes to become a heroic knight, despite her "lower class citizen" status as Urnu. When she gets to training camp, everything is harder than she expects, but it isn't until she sees the true scope of the corruption behind the battles, that she truly sees what war and conquering for the sake of conquering does to the people fighting and those who are innocent bystanders.

The best parts of this book are:
- the examination of the effects of war on innocent people
- how war and leaders can build division of people based on rumor and fear
- showing how determination and the truth can help chip away at falsehoods
- the integration of Middle Eastern and Northern African inspiration in tones and art
- character designs that express strength and character traits
- somehow balances drama and heavy lessons without becoming maudlin or overwrought

I received an electronic review copy of this book to review for the TLA Maverick Award committee.

Thanks to Netgalley & the Publisher for this ARC.

This was a really lovely graphic novel -- one that I would willingly recommend to my comics book club! We have a broad range of genres that we look into, but this would fit in nicely with some of the more popular choices we've covered. Squire does a wonderful job of taking the adventure/castles theme, and following a young woman (Aiza) from an ethnic minority group (the Ornu people) as she chooses to join the Bayyt Saiji empire's squire training program. This will be her first step on the path to Knighthood - which will grant her citizenship, and potentially give her more opportunities than she's ever had access to before.

But empires are empires - and there's so much more that Aiza will have to face in her journey towards passing the squire training program. I don't want to spoil it, but it's a great view of some of the complexities which exist when you become a "cog" to an empire's greater machine. Great book - I suspect some teens and middle grade readers especially will enjoy it.

In "Squire", young Aiza talks about how she longs to become a squire in order to one day become a knight. When given the opportunity to become a squire, she takes it and begins her brutal training.

I found this graphic to be a quick, satisfying, but generally mediocre read. I enjoyed how the author took traditionally Medieval European concepts and formed them into Middle Eastern themes. It was a really unique take that is familiar and unfamiliar all at once. Although the art wasn't exactly my cup of tea, the color choice was absolutely stunning and definitely helped to shape the story. I would love to see more detailed versions of these characters!

Speaking of characters, I felt that (mostly) each of them was very memorable. They each had their own personalities, their own stories and reasons for joining the army. Once introduced, each of them was easily recognizable and were a lot of fun to follow along with.

The story itself though was not my favourite, and I felt that there were a couple of things that were... glossed over? I especially wonder how no one questioned Aiza about the wraps on her right arm? Even if no one made the connections between the Ornu marks and the fact that her right arm was wrapped, it's odd that no one even asked why she was wearing it. That scene didn't need to be much more than 2-3 panels. Obviously this was not exactly a long work, but I feel like that should have been added. One great thing about this book is that the perfect amount of history is told to the reader. Bogging down your audience with ridiculous amounts of history and world building can be overwhelming and not much fun to read, but I feel that this graphic novel gave me just the right amount of background in order to color the world without including too much detail.

The morals told through the actions of these characters are though-provoking, and it's interesting watching the decisions that everyone makes in light of the events that transpire during the climax. Though I feel like the ending could have been dragged out a bit longer, it felt fulfilling to watch these characters come to their own realizations and decide to carve their own paths. Is it the best ending? I would argue not. But it was fitting for this book, I believe.

3.5
This graphic novel follows Aiza, a teen who's always dreamt of being one of the Knights, a military group that is seen as heroes of the empire. As one of the subjugated people, it's the only path she has for a better life. But, once she begins the path by trying to be a Squire, she finds a different situation than what she was expecting.

First, what I really liked. I loved the artwork in this; it was so vibrant,colorful and so beautiful, specially the landscapes. I was completely sucked into the world that is presented and all the history the author built. I really liked all the characters and the training setting.

But, unfortunately, I felt all the aspects in the story itself were too rushed; everything is presented in kind of a surface level way. The story is dealing with a lot of topics: oppression, prejudice, the military, and conspiracies. But, it doesn't delve deeper into any of them. The situation is presented and is quickly dealt with or, sometimes, forgotten. Maybe it could have something to do with the age range of the graphic novel, but for my personal taste I felt some aspects weren't developed enough. Because of this, I didn't feel the connection to the story; I wasn't able to really feel the emotions that the story clearly was trying to evoke.

By the end, I felt this graphic novel was setting up the world and the characters. It felt like a prologue, an origin story for the characters. And I really wanted to know what was going to happen next, because it's an open end with lots of interesting possibilities. I hope the author goes back to this world.

Thank you Netgalley, author, and publisher for the ARC.

Thank you to the HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for the advanced electronic copy of this amazing book. I absolutely loved it! I loved the well developed characters, the relationships between the characters were authentic, and the gorgeously detailed illustrations (characters’ facial expressions, body language, landscape, architecture, choice of colors) seamlessly brought the whole story together. The story also teaches important lessons about friendship, trust, and the true cost of war. I can’t wait to share this gem with my upper grade students and can’t recommend this book highly enough!

Aiza, a young, subjugated Ornu girl, dreams of bigger things beyond her family's circumstances. In a world where who you are and what you look like carries so much weight, it's no wonder why she hides her identity in order to become a knight and to gain full citizenship in the Empire. Enlistment and squire training is nothing like how she imagined it, though. With the help of her new friends, rivals, and an unlikely mentor, Aiza slowly realizes that the Empire might not be what it seems.

I loved this graphic novel. The dialogue, visuals, and colors all melded together beautifully. The characters were well-fleshed out, even the supporting ones. You can't help but root for Aiza, and each supporting character undergoes a transformation in their own right. There is a lot more text than what you might normally see in a graphic novel, but it needs it and it's done well. There are so many important ideas about nationalism, imperialism, and colonization that I think this would be an excellent supplemental fictional too. I truly hope we'll see more of Aiza and her companions in the future!

This was quite an adventurous tale teemed with being a hero and what it entails. I liked the variety of characters and the exploration of a civilization divided and its aftermath.

I would like to see a sequel to this because I know there will be one!

Thank you Netgalley and Quill Tree Books for giving me the opportunity to read this.

#Squire #NetGalley

Aiza is a 14-year-old Ornu girl, a member of a subjugated class within the Middle Eastern-inspired world of this YA graphic novel. To attain upward mobility — as well as glory and purpose — she joins the military with dreams of one day becoming a knight. But everything is not as it seems and Aiza's dream might be more of a nightmare.

The characters in this book are all great. Aiza, our protagonist, who has to hide a fundamental piece of who she is in order to make it in the Empire. Sahar, a girl with the weight of her entire family's future on her back. Husni, a boy raised in relative privileged. Basem, once Husni's friend who has the expectations of a harsh father to contend with. Doruk, the groundskeeper who grows a soft spot for Aiza.

But what I really loved about this book was the way it picked apart the Empire at its seams. The critique of sending children into war, knowing full well that most of them are going to die. This book condemns the glorification of conquest. Aiza questions the way the world works and believes she can change it.

Some fun tropes in this book:
- Grumpy, gruff man who begrudgingly trains a child
- Childhood friends to rivals
- Saving someone at high personal cost
- Deconstructing the military industrial complex

Squire is a fantastic graphic novel that depicts how empire is formed and how history is taught affects everyone, powered by the story of an outspoken and relatable protagonist ready to sacrifice everything for her friends.

This book is bound to appeal to anyone who loves underdog stories, especially those of young men and women fighting against the odds to become knights. Azia is tired of being treated like a second class citizen because of her ethnicity. She wants something better than "safe" for her life. So, off she goes to open-enlistment training with the empire to become a legendary Squire. There, she meets boys of girls of every body shape and skin color fighting to gain glory, escape poverty, finally make their father proud...only to find that the empire isn't what she thought and the stakes are higher than she ever imagined.

The training beats reminded me of the Tamora Pierce books of my childhood while the ending, both empowering and filled with questions, felt real. Beloved tropes were balanced by serious discussions. The book is perfect for upper middle grade readers and older who are filled with passion, wanting to fight for themselves and a better world, but aren't quite sure what looks like.

Wow wow wow (and not in the Owen Wilson Voice)

This was so great! It covered so many important topics and definitely made a huge impact on the themes that were explored. I want to have the vigor that Aiza exudes daily. The relationship between her and Doruk was so cute, and so unexpected. I want all the kiddos to read this everywhere. It is such an important story. Also the illustration style is really easy to follow and is really quite aesthetically pleasing.

Can't wait for more!!!

This 336 page YA graphic novel set in a fictitious world draws on the authors' Arab culture and creates relatability for universal readers everywhere.  Themes of coming of age, war, family honor, discrimination, classism, deceit, and friendship, all interweaves with rich illustrations and warmth.  With a few unnamed #muslimsintheillustrations the story shows a lot of heart and with some language, violence, death, and oppression would be best suited for 9th grade and up.



SYNOPSIS:

Aiza and her family belong to the Ornu tribe and are treated as second class citizens in the Bayt-Sajji Empire.  With their traditional arm tattoos and seemingly more plentiful food, they are greatly disliked by the larger community and oppressed at every opportunity.  Aiza dreams of joining the army, rising in ranks, earning citizenship for her family and changing their future.  She also dreams of being a hero.  When she finally convinces her family to allow her to enlist, they also encourage her to hide her identity, and just like that, she is off.

Once in training she is pushed to excel or risk being sent to the front lines.  As she navigates new friendships, harsh instructors, and the shadowy General Hende, Aiza learns there is so much more to war and politicking than meets the eye.  Her life, her loyalties, her understanding of the world will all be tested, as Aiza must decide which path is for her.

WHY I LIKE IT:

The text and illustrations are seamless in conveying a united story, I was a little nervous with two authors, and I like that the story has twists and multitudes.  I loved seeing strong women in the military, as the authors' say tough girls with swords.  While reading it I was completely submerged in the story and the characters, but writing this review a few days later, I've largely forgotten the characters names and quirks.  I'm not sure if it is because I read a digital version, or because the character building is a little lacking.  I don't know that I was emotionally invested in some of the major plot points because I was not seeing the struggles it was requiring of the character to endure.  Admittedly I have not read a lot of fantasy graphic novels, so I don't know that I have a lot to compare it to, but I do plan to read a physical copy when I can, and read follow up books in the series, to see if my impression changes.

FLAGS:

Some language, bullying, oppression, violence, death, killing.  

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

There is nothing religious in the text, so I wouldn't use it as a book club selection, but I would definitely shelve it in a school library, classroom, and keep it in mind for readers that love these kind of books.

This book was so good! When I first requested it, I didn't realize it was a targeted towards children. I read the synopsis and it sounded a lot like The Lioness Quartet by Tamora Pierce who is my favorite author. It didn't take long for me to be hooked and finished this in one sitting. The writing is wonderful. There were a few moments that I felt were too old for the age group but it's ok. The messages of acceptance are wonderful. I love seeing the supportive parents. I feel like the world needs to see that more often. The plot was great and I love how it ended. I can feel this will be big, as it should be!

⭐️Not an Islamic tale, but an Arab inspired Fantasy Adventure by Muslimah Author @saraalfageeh

Islamic screening: Cuss words (a few in Arabic and English- nothing too major). A tattoo (similar to the bedouin Arab tattoos).

When I saw this ARC on NetGalley, I noticed the authors name as one of the Muslim authors from Once Upon a Eid and instantly was intrigued. And I am so glad I downloaded it, as it was super beautifully drawn, well-written, and fun to read.

Aiza is a young Ornu girl in the Empire of Bayt-Sajji. She is part of a minority, and a second-class citizen in the city, where she has to sell apricots to survive and is threatened by bullies. When an army recruiter promises fame and citizenship, she signs up, wrapping her arm to cover her Ornu tattoo. At the training camp, she makes friends, and works hard, befriending a grounds-person who helps her train. She makes squire, and her first assignment is to go to an Ornu camp. There she discovers a secret, one that might unravel her whole status in the army.

This is a fantasy tale, in a made up land inspired by Arab lands. I did enjoy the moralistic aspects of this tale of being good and defending good, friendship and loyalty, and working hard. I also really liked that war and politics were discussed with a lot of insight, discussing the impact on innocent lives and the “propaganda” used in “empires”.

I loved the sprinkles of Arabic (in transliteration English words) throughout the text. There were also other nods to Arab culture: Mjaddarah (an Arab dish), pictures of figs, apricots, and olive trees (def a nod to Arab/Mid-east landscape), a few hijabs and culturally Arab clothing worn by certain characters as well.

I really enjoyed reading the Historical note at the end that talked of how this story is based on the intention of making Arab stories in which Arabs are heroes, not bad guys, in opposition to stereotypes. I also liked the point about unlearning colonization, and I def felt like the text and art supported that.

Def a well-done graphic novel and can’t wait for more!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Squire tells the story of Aiza, a young Ornu girl with dreams of becoming a squire like the heroes in the stories. We follow her struggles and her victories as she goes through training and learns that being a hero might not mean exactly what she thought it would.

This was just such a joy to read. The art was stunning, the plot was well-paced and so easy to get invested in. You can’t help but root for Aiza, and it’s hard not to root for the friends she makes in training, too. Basen in particular was such a well written character; I loved his complexity and I loved his struggle with finding his own identity outside of his family’s legacy and expectations.

For such a short story, there was so much packed into Squire. Themes such as how history can be shaped to serve its own purpose, and what it means to be a hero, are fully fleshed out without leaving me feeling as if anything was missing. Colonialism, nationalism, racism, and the horrors of war are all touched upon and beautifully woven into the story.

This is one of the easier books to rate; Squire is a solid 5 stars.