Ink Girls is a middle grade graphic novel by Marieke Nijkamp. The story focuses on a printer's apprentice, Cinzia, who observes as the printer she is studying under makes the difficult choice to do the right thing in the name of truth. Cinzia recognizes that the printer made the right decision and when she's imprisoned as a result, Cinzia sets out to make things right. She finds help, and new friends, in some unlikely places and eventually there is a whole group of girls standing up for truth, freedom, and doing the right thing.

This graphic novel emphasizes the importance of doing the right thing, even when it's not easy, standing up for what you believe in no matter what, the importance of working together, and the value of never giving up. The strong female characters are empowering and inspiring. Change didn't come easily...the characters really had to work hard for it and I think that's an important message for young readers. The message presented in this story is one that is always important, but it's especially important in current times when there are so many attempts to censor books and limit access to ideas.

This is a book that I would gladly add to any library that serves middle school or high school readers. I plan on buying a print copy for my own tween daughter!

Thank you to NetGalley and Greenwillow Books for the opportunity to review an eARC of this title.

Thanks to NetGalley & HarperCollins Children's Books for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

The art was really fun and the message was relevant. The story got a bit convoluted but it was still well done.

A graphic novel with a touch of history and a touch of feminism, and with a hefty dose of freedom to express yourself? Bring it on! LOVED IT!
Also, the artwork in this one is amazing, absolutely gorgeous.
In my opinion, the ideas conveyed here (and the way it is conveyed) might be a tad too difficult for middle-grade kids, but for slightly older tweens and teens this would be absolutely perfect.

Thank you HarperCollins Children's Books, Greenwillow Books, and NetGalley for the advanced electronic review copy of this wonderful book. I loved the gorgeous artwork and enjoyed the story. This well written Renaissance inspired historical fiction with great, diverse characters, highlights sharing the truth and doing what’s right despite the cost. The attention to detail and colors was superb and made this such a great read. I highly recommend it!

I feel like I say this a lot, but I struggle with graphic fantasy because the world building lacks so much compared to narrative stories in the same genre. This one is more medieval than fantasy, but it still just needed...more.

I did enjoy the girl-power aspect and the focus on truth and how important it is that all people in a community have a voice. It was fast-paced and the illustrations were fantastic, but things wrap up pretty quickly and I wouldn't have minded a few more moments of conflict that weren't simply just "oh no the guards are about to catch us...again..."

Not bad, but not my favorite graphic novel I've read lately.

In a time of frequent book banning across the United States, this was a charming, relevant graphic novel that addressed how the freedom to write and the importance of the truth, particularly from governments is important to all people. I would recommend this book to anyone!

This graphic novel will make the perfect addition to any library serving upper middle school to high school students. It's a take on censorship and the role truth plays in our societies as well as friendship and loyalty. There were a lot of quotes I wrote down because they were so simple and beautiful.

Cinzia is an 11-year-old printer's apprentice. Mestra Aronne took her in when most wouldn't because she has to use a cane and on top of that she's been such a kind teacher. Cinzia is excited by her future career and loves everything about creating something that informs the city. When Mestra Aronne prints information about the dishonest behaviors of the city's magistrate, she tells Cinzia that it's her job to print the truth because that's what the city is built on, but when they're arrested Cinzia begins to wonder if that's true. But then she meets the contessina, and what follows is a female-empowered adventure begins through her own beloved city that will challenge everything they both know about their home and give them both a new purpose. "It isn't the truth that's harmful. It's not listening."

The artwork is gorgeous, the story flows beautifully, and each character builds on a story that we all need to be reminded of, sometimes. "No matter how good a reason you have to do the right thing, anyone who wants to can find a better reason to do nothing." Cinzia and her friends remind us that while it's scary to do the right thing, it's a little less scary when you don't have to do it alone.

Thank you to @HarperCollins Children's Books for the ARC. I can not wait to add this book to my Library, my students are going to love it. This book had so much heart. The girl power, the friendship and bonds of loyalty are so well written. I feel the lesson in this book is so needed now and I think my students will relate to all the characters.

Cinzia is an apprentice at a printing press where they print political pamphlets. When she and her mentor are accused of treason and arrested, Cinzia teams up with the daughter of the city’s principessa and eventually with a young pirate. Together, the three girls work to bring truth to light and justice to their city.

Ink Girls truly uses the medium of a graphic novel to its fullest, the art and captions working together to tell the story. The gorgeous, colorful illustrations will whisk you away to the fictional Italian city of Siannerra. The art is incredibly immersive and is an homage to the vibrancy of cities and the people who live there. I also appreciated the disability representation, as Cinzia uses a cane to walk.

I loved this! A brilliant middlegrade graphic novel about found family and standing up for what is right. The power of journalism shines through in this uplifting story about a diverse group of strong girls working together. I can't wait for the next instalment.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced ecopy of Ink Girls.

This tween comic highlighting the power of truth and friendship was such fun. Featuring great art and vivid coloring, this story will be an inspiration to young readers.

I loved the message, art style, and setting. However, I felt like this was a little confusing at times, especially for a middle grades text. If you are interested in justice, journalism, and jaunts through history, this is the perfect graphic novel for you. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Rich colors with animated characters that are each unique in their motivations and development. While the story happens quickly, and the revolution is quicker than might be possible in real life, the message of the story is strong and will likely inspire children and teens to continue using their voice to share the truth. It is definitely distinct from Nijkamp's other works, but fans will still find something that appeals to them.

The art in this novel is so beautiful and detailed. The colors are so rich and the characters are so well drawn. The story is also thorough and lengthy. Sometimes graphic novels focus more on the art and have few words (not that that’s always an issue), but this one is actually a good read.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of this middle grade graphic novel! This is a very timely book all about freedom of the press and what that means and should look like. Great story with strong female characters. This would be a great addition to any library.

A fictional graphic novel set in a vaguely Italian fantasy universe that pits the free press against the city rules. The story also deals with friendship, responsibility, and being brave.

I absolutely fell in love with the art work in this graphic novel, which I would give a glowing 5 stars. It's just so stunning. The story fell a little flat for me though, and I would rate that closer to a 3 star. I found it pretty confusing and pretty slow for a middlegrade, although I did enjoy the historical setting and the central friendships.

I enjoyed the storyline but found the government/society to be a little confusing. It could have used some more clarity.

This is a marvelous story of power, reputation, fear, and what both words and community can do—and it's set in medieval times as well.

The story follows Cinzia, a girl devoted to the printer Mestra Aronne, who is a mentor and family to her: not unusual for an apprentice then. Mestra Aronne is fearless in what she prints in her broadsheets, which circulate around their city. She may have gone too far, though, when she prints criticism of a powerful member of the ruling family (brother to the ruler), who sends royal guards to arrest her. Cinzia goes off to rescue her, and is soon joined by friends she meets, including the heir to the royal family and a streetwise companion who introduces them both to people and places within the city that neither ever knew existed.

This fast-paced adventure weaves in highly relevant themes to today: the importance of a free press, how corruption can lead to both fear and base actions, and the difference that individuals can make—but especially what can happen when communities come together. Sylvia Bi's art sweeps the reader up into every scene.

This marvelous tale offers readers a deep dive into a historically accurate medieval world. It's diverse—in race, ethnicity, and gender identity, as well as disabilities—as that time period was, especially outside of northern Europe. The thriving, advanced world reflects the beauty and learning that existed during those times in the Middle East especially. This story is a strong and necessary addition to all those medieval tales (including my own work) that have depicted this era just in northern Europe. The world was much bigger, as this story beautifully illustrates.

A gorgeous story about doing the right thing, even if it's hard. Beautiful illustrations enhance the reading experience. Bright images and dark white space help the story move along. Three brave girls come together to take down a lying royal to save the editor of the towns paper. Great for anyone who is interested in Suffragist type stories and rebel girls.