girls who want to make a difference are the backbone of society and that is clear in this graphic novel. ink girls details the story of cinzia, the printer's apprentice and elena, the principessa of their city as cinzia's mentor gets thrown in jail for "falsely accusing" the magistrate of stealing and the two young girls resolve to try and save cinzia's mentor and keep true to her motto of always speaking the truth, even when it's not the easy choice.

this was incredible, both how the art was very pleasing to the eyes with all the warm colors and beautiful beautiful illustrations of the city cinzia and elena live in and the message was empowering about censorship and trust and simply what one can do if they want to make a difference. the cast of girls helping them on their journey was super nice to see and the casual representation and discussion of topics for children was just so wonderful! very happy books like these exist and also the historical note at the end was great!

thanks to netgalley and greenwillow books for the arc!

Ink Girls is a powerful story about doing what is right and sharing the truth, no matter the cost. It was inspiring to read of three young girls who saw a wrong and chose to be a catalyst for change in their city. The overall story was a little wordy. I find that I enjoy graphic novels more when the pictures tell just as much of the story as the words. I also wonder if this story might go over some young readers heads with the elaborate detail to politics. Nonetheless, the story was fleshed out well, featured a diverse cast of characters, and bore beautiful illustrations to accompany a timey tale. I think readers of all ages will enjoy this one.

I enjoyed this graphic novel. The illustrations were beautiful and the story was fascinating. I appreciated all the topics that were tackled in this novel. I know my students will enjoy it, and I cannot wait to add it to my classroom library.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!


Great art style, fun characters, an interesting setting, I think this is a fantastic addition to any library. I really appreciated the illustrators sense of light and space as well.

My daughter kept yelling "girl power" and asked to pre-order as we read this together :) An apprentice, a future princess, and a pirate work together to free a printer imprisoned for reporting on corruption. It does a beautiful job of discussing how cities are worlds unto themselves that can only survive when residents know the truth of how they're being governed. Great connections to journalism, media literacy, and understanding power imbalances. Loved the author's note that put this fantastic world in the context of Medieval and Renaissance history. Highly recommend this book! Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the chance to read early.

I appreciated this book in many different ways. First, I am Italian and the elements of the book lean heavily on Italy even though it is set in a fictional world. Second, that the three main characters are all girls who are figuring out who they are and what they want to be. The characters are fairly well developed, although with three main characters, it was a challenge to give them all distinct personalities that weren't tied to physical aspects. The artwork is nice as well, although the similarity with the three main characters and a lot of the individuals, as well as some androgynous elements made it a bit more challenging for me to distinguish between the three girls and some of their counterparts. The adventure they set out on to do something good and to prove the power of words is fun and kept me interested from start to finish. The only real challenge was around the ending - no spoilers - with the uncle and the princesse.

All in all, a good graphic novel with a fantasy-historical setting that teaches lessons about friendship, standing up for what's right, and believing in the power of the written word.

This was a great graphic novel with beautiful illustrations that covered a difficult plot and topic. Dealing with sexism, abelism, are difficult to incorporate but the author did it well,
And my 10 year old enjoyed it alongside me too.
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to receive an arc in exchange for my honest review!

Ink Girls is a fabulous graphic novel with amazing artwork. The details of the interior architecture are as stunning as the external like the city, the harbor, or the palace.

This is a story of truth and union. Telling the truth and revealing the truth keeps corruption in check and protects the city. But when fear rules, too many suffer.

It is up to three girls who come from different perspectives and backgrounds to unite against lies and corruption to save not only the life of the Printer Master but the future of the city. The printer's apprentice, the heir, and a pirate join forces to investigate and gather proof. There's plenty of intrigues, politics, a sense of justice, mystery, and investigation, and a runaway princess who learns more about her people.

The main theme is about union and the ability to hear others. Not being afraid to speak up.
The art style is inspiring and makes this project one to collect or fall in love with fantasy graphic novels. For some, it may be a bit too heavy on text (slows down the reading pace) but I don't mind There's a lot to this feminist story, and art and text complement each other well.

Thank you, NetGalley for this ARC. My opinions are my own and honest.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book.

Pros:
- This artwork is gorgeous. There are so many details added I found myself looking all around the pages forever to take in everything.
- Character DIversity: Of the main trio: Cinzia is disabled and uses a cane, it is never brought up or used as a plot device; Elena is autistic, not stated but implied by her Mr. Spock-like behavior; and Carlotta appears gender-nonconforming. Also, Aneeqah, a larger side character, wears a hijab.
- There's a cat named Dante. He is the best boi.

Cons:
-Leaving Aneeqah off the cover. She doesn't have as much to do as the other girls but is still a major part of the climax of the book and deserves to be on the cover.
- The story might be too political for younger readers

Ink Girls is about friendship, standing up for yourself, defending the truth, and doing the right thing for the betterment of others. Cinzia is the printer's apprentice. When Mestra Aronne prints a notice exposing the corrupt magistrate, she and Cinzia are arrested. Cinzia escapes and befriends Contessina Elena. Together, the girls try to find proof of the magistrate's misdeeds while being chased by guards. Both girls see parts of the city they had never visited before, realizing their beloved Siannerra is in more need than they thought, but no one is willing to help them. How can three girls change the mind of a whole city?

I thought this was fantastic. Five stars for the artwork alone. It's labeled as ages 8-12, but I think, because of the length and more political plot lines, an older audience would enjoy this more.

This is a great story of self-empowerment, where a group of young girls take on corrupt city government when the printer is arrested for printing the truth about the magistrate's crimes. It is uplifting and a good reminder that doing what you believe is right can bring about change no matter how powerful your opponent.

The illustrations are gorgeous, with a great deal of diversity: there are varying skin tones, features, and ethnicities represented, and the main character uses a cane despite being young. The characters are all distinct and easily recognizable with clear personality that comes through in the illustrations. The colors are jewel-tone and vibrant, helping to bring the story to life.

I read through this in one sitting and was engrossed the whole time.

*Thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins Childrens' Books and Greenwillow Books for providing an early copy for review.

Ink Girls is a middle grade graphic novel about a young printing apprentice, Cinzia, who is arrested one night along with her mentor after exposing a corrupt city official in their newspaper. Cinzia is able to escape arrest, and with the help of some friends she makes along the way, sets forth to try and free her mentor and expose this injustice.

I absolutely loved this graphic novel. First off, you can tell that the author and illustrator put a ton of thought and work into this graphic novel. It is almost 300 pages IN COLOR and tells a fully fleshed out tale. The artwork is so colorful and detailed; the story is adventurous and exciting! I was sucked in immediately and loved every minute I was reading this. I think this would appeal to middle grade/female readers, but even as an adult, I loved it! I have read quite a few graphic novels this year and "Ink Girls" is one of the best! I do not have a single negative thing to say about this graphic novel, and I hope to be able to read more by this author/illustrator in the future.

5/5 stars

"Ink Girls" is an absolute gem of a book that I can't wait to share with my daughter as she begins her journey into chapter books. Its enchanting storyline, coupled with the captivating illustrations by Sylvia Bi, will surely capture her imagination and ignite her love for storytelling.

I'm thrilled for my daughter to meet Cinzia and Elena, two young girls who demonstrate bravery and resilience in the face of adversity. Through their friendship and determination, they show us that even the smallest voices can create waves of change. This empowering message is something I want my daughter to embrace as she navigates her own path in life.

The colorful world depicted in "Ink Girls" is a feast for the eyes, and I can already envision my daughter being transported into the vibrant city where secrets and stories intertwine. As she joins Cinzia and Elena on their thrilling adventure, she will witness the power of unity and the strength found in standing up for what is right.

I'm excited to share in the joy of discovering new clues and unraveling the mysteries of their golden city together. "Ink Girls" is the perfect introduction to chapter books, offering a blend of excitement, friendship, and a celebration of individuality. It will be a treasured addition to our reading time, sparking conversations about courage, empathy, and the potential we all hold to make a difference in the world.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me the chance to read the eARC!

Cinzia is an apprentice at a printer. One day, her maestra prints allegations against the ruling family. Cinzia is worried that this isn't right, but her maestra reminds her that doing the right thing isn't always easy. However, soon, Cinzia and her maestra are arrested. Cinzia manages to escape with the help of the Contessa of the ruling family, Elena. Elena is the same age as Cinzia but has lived a very different life. Despite that, they team up to try to uncover the truth about the ruling family and save Cinzia's maestra.

I liked the overall messages of this book with doing the right thing instead of just the easy thing and the working with people of different backgrounds. The illustrations weren't my favorite, and I do think it just jumped in without a lot of background. I think especially since this is targeted for middle grade students, there could have been more of a foundation to introduce them to the characters and some of the titles.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.