I read a finished copy of this title.

With gorgeous colorful illustrations (except when the main character's emotions necessitate less color, a nice touch), Cross My Heart and Never Lie was a lovely story of growing up. A crush on a girl is definitely a major part, but there is not any homophobia to overcome, and not even that much questioning. Rather, the main conflict is about growing up as a girl at that awkward age when some are into romance and others aren't, some have more developed bodies than others, and friendships are falling apart. Still relatable in the United States!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

this story is peak middle school drama about crushes, growing up, and cliques. honestly kind of “annoying” to read because the problems are so simple, but to them it’s like their whole world. ALSO such a pretty art style.

character things:
- i feel like tuva’s crush came out of no where?
- bao is literally so rude for no reason, like you’re in middle school get over yourself
- linnea is fine i guess? like it’s strange(?) that she kind of just “left” tuva and bao for new mean girls type friends, but that’s middle school for you.

overall, I enjoyed it and it would be amazing for someone of similar ages to the characters to read it. I personally didn't connect, but I'm also not the target audience.

Thank you, NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc. However, I found the writing style to be bland and it didn't live up to my expectations. I would rate it 3 stars.

"Today, school felt really different from last year. Something felt strange while we waited in the hall, almost like everyone had heard a secret during the summer and now we were all standing there knowing something. Except me. I didn't know what the secret was..."

I adored this!! Cross My Heart and Never Lie is a coming of age story about Tuva, who is just entering the seventh grade and everything is changing. This read like a middle grade Heartstopper with the humor of middle grade classics like Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. Tuva finds herself caught between the girly girls who are "mature" and "want to fall in love" and the more tomboy side of her class that don't care about makeup and still want to play outside in the woods. Meanwhile, there's a new girl in her class that she wants to be friends with in a way she realizes is actually a crush.

I appreciated that the conflict comes not from the fact that it's a girl that she likes but that she likes someone at all, which she is worried will cause a rift between her and her friend who is against falling in love. And Tuva has a great supportive dad who makes her playlists and cooks the best lasagna. I love how the story is told through Tuva's diary entries; it felt so real in a way that made me want to dig up my old childhood diaries - the way Tuva phrases things and sees the world is so true to life. The book also features our characters using cell phones to text and listen to music in a way that realistically worked for the plot without being overbearing. So much of this was so funny, too! There's a great spread where Tuva is trying to pick which boy in her class she should like so she lists out pros and cons like "cool haircut" and "loves math (I hate math)" which had me cracking up.

I loved the color palette of brights and pastels with lots of pink and blue and yellow. And Dåsnes is able to really capture Tuva's different moods, like adding happy cute flower or star doodles, or covering a page in dark blue scribbles when Tuva's really upset. I found the ending to be both satisfying and realistic, and it definitely had me tearing up a bit. I'd love to read more from Nora Dåsnes if more of her works are translated in the future!

This was a really cute middle grade graphic novel dealing with the hardships of 7th grade. Readers will follow main character Tuva as she deals with friendship drama, first loves, and middle school. I really enjoyed Tuva's relationship with her dad. I always appreciate when authors show a good caregiver/child relationship so that kids know that can often trust their caregivers and should seek help when needed. I do wish that the end of the story had a bit more closure. To me, the ending felt quite rushed.

We follow 12-year-old Tuva as she tackles the ups and downs of seventh grade. Tuva's initial goals are simple: keep a diary, stay trendy, and enjoy time with her friends. However, things get complicated when her friends split into two groups: Team Linnea, who are into romance, and Team Bao, who aren't interested in love at all. Tuva finds herself caught in the middle, unsure where she belongs.

Her world takes an unexpected turn when she develops a crush on Miriam, a girl, which confuses her further. This crush feels right to Tuva, yet she struggles with the secrecy of it and the pressure from her friends to pick a side. This story beautifully captures the essence of young adolescence, highlighting the challenges of friendships, self-discovery, and coming to terms with one’s identity in a sensitive and relatable way. Tuva’s journey is a heartfelt reminder of the complexities of growing up and finding oneself. I think this graphic novel really captures the complex social dynamics of going from a child to teen and that frindships changes as well. I would recomend this book to anyone who has ever been in 7th grade.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hippo Park for allowing me to read a digital copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.

Cross My Heart and Never Lie by Nora Dåsnes with Matt Bagguley was a sweet middle grade graphic novel that I feel needed to be a bit longer to truly wrap up the character’s arcs. First off I want to talk about how much Ioved the art style. The journal format was both really fun and not a style I see graphic novels in often. Seeing this novel pull it off so well was really exciting to me. I also enjoyed that despite the friendship and relationship struggles it ended happily which is always nice to see pulled off well in books for younger readers. My only big criticism is that the story ended pretty abruptly. Which is a shame, because I loved the characters and ending that quickly did affect how well their arcs wrapped up. I feel that even just a few more journal entries could have made their friendship make up really work overwhelmingly better. However, even with my criticism of the ending I really enjoyed this graphic novel and was so happy I got to read it.

An authentic and captivating diary-style story of a Norwegian middle school girl. The story incorporates ideas of friendship struggles, growing up and changing, and discovering what it means to have feelings for another girl. The art is stunningly done and helps to convey the tone of the story. I would recommend this graphic novel to anyone who would find comfort in a cozy queer coming of age story.

A graphic novel that helps to ease kids anxiety by answering many of the looming questions surrounding teenagers. This will be a valuable resource in libraries as patrons reach the age of asking many questions and facing many changes.

I have an 11 year old daughter, and this is the perfect read for preteen growing up! middle school can be tough and so is growing up. I love the writing style of this graphic novel, like a diary entry. It talks about the twist and turns young girls take growing up trying to fit in and keep and make friends. great book

The drawing are really the star of this show in such a meaningful way. The story is lovely and full of heart and it is heightened by the lovely illustration. I would highly recommend this to young readers and adults alike. I found the voice of this novel to be so well written and dynamic. If felt honest and heartfelt throughout. And once again I cannot stress enough how much I adore to illustration style and it's ability to convey emotion and tone.

This is a sweet graphic novel. I generally liked it but was not drawn to return to it. I loved the representation and the story of a first crush, especially a totally accepted queer one. It is relatable and will help so many kids in Tuva’s position feel seen. However, I just felt the friendship strife was a bit heavy-handed. I work with kids in many capacities and this did not seem like the most realistic portrayal but maybe others will relate to it more. (This could also be due to my perspective as an American with this text set in Norway, so I want to acknowledge that that could be a factor!) The art is lovely and it is a fun style with the structure of a diary. Try it if you are interested! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Oh my heart! It's been more than 40 years since i was 12, but this brings back all those feelings, that struggle of growing up at a different rate than some of your friends, trying to figure out how to be a teenager, dealing with a first crush... just, wow. Tuva, whose diary we are reading here (shame on us!), is suddenly dealing with so many new things; her best friends, Linnea and Bao, are drifting away in different directions. Linnea has a boyfriend now, and Bao still doesn't think about that stuff at all. Bao still likes to play war in the "Bog," a forest area next to the school, while Linnea just wants to talk about her boyfriend and makeup and clothes and other girly stuff. Then a new girl, Mariam, starts school, and Tuva makes friends with her, and then Tuva realizes she like-likes Mariam, and omg what does she do now? It's so awkward tween, and the emotions are expressed so well, and good gravy, this book would've made me feel so understood when I was that age!
The diary format is perfect for this story, it makes everything flow well. The art is gorgeous and expressive, and I really enjoyed the peep into life in Norway. The author includes notes on how the school system works in Norway, which was very helpful - some things were so different from my school years, like being able to leave campus during lunch to hang out in a forest! The feels, though, those are universal. I can't recommend this book enough!

#CrossMyHeartandNeverLie #NetGalley

A cute graphic novel about growing up, first crushes, and friendship. Tuva is starting seventh grade, and she is so excited for another year with her two best friends, Bao and Linnea. But the year is off to a rocky start when Linnea announces that she has a boyfriend and isn't interested in their childish games any more. Bao, on the other hand, wants things to stay the way they were. Tuva is caught in the middle; she loves their games in the woods, but is also interested in finding a boyfriend (or maybe girlfriend?) of her own. One thing's for sure: seventh grade will not be easy.

I love the diary format, and the illustrations are adorable. This is such a sweet little story about the preteen years when things become so much more complicated. Very relatable. Tuva has a lot to deal with. She's struggling with changing friendship dynamics, and discovering unexpected feelings for the new girl. What a year. Luckily, she doesn't let anything get her down for long, and she has some great people in her corner. This was a bright and highly enjoyable read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was such a sweet middle grade graphic novel. I love to see the queer representation for younger readers that I didn’t have growing up. If you’re looking for a younger sapphic story in the same vein as Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper, I recommend this one! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!

This was a lovely, sweet and uplifting graphic novel about a young girl discovering her sexuality and falling in love for the first time. The art style was fun and the main character was very entertaining. I really enjoyed the colour palette used throughout, especially all the soft pinks and yellows. Just a delightful, cosy, feel-good book, and definitely one I'd revisit if I wanted a pick-me-up.

Cross My Heart and Never Lie by Nora Dasnes was a sweet story about growing up, falling in love for the first time, and evolving friendships during the early days of puberty. While the story and artwork were nice, nothing about this novel felt particularly groundbreaking and I can't imagine adding this to my permanent collection. That being said, I did enjoy it and would be perfectly happy with my tween reading this. The messages are important and are told in a realistic way.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This delightful middle-grade graphic novel revolves around a 12-year-old girl's journey through adolescence, navigating shifting friendships and exploring her feelings for another girl.

The artwork is particularly striking, showcasing beautiful colors and a creative blend of traditional comic panels and illustrated diary entries.

Originating from Norwegian roots, the story offers a fascinating glimpse into the distinct aspects of daily life in Norway, while also incorporating universally relatable experiences.

I highly recommend this read to those who appreciate queer middle-grade narratives. Although the protagonist, Tuva, confronts some challenging situations, the overall tone of the book remains light-hearted, culminating in a positive conclusion.

" . . . acting like a teenager feels awkward. Almost like a game. I guess I have to keep trying until it feels normal."

Twelve-year-old Tuva is caught between two worlds, AND two friends. Her pal Bao wants things to stay the same with the three girls building a fort in the bog, and just hanging out together. Linnea, however, has moved on, and wants to indulge in more grownup activities like shopping and BOYS. Tuva just wants everyone to get along like they used to.

But, there's also a new girl at school who seems to have a lot in common with Tuva. Could she be a new friend, or perhaps . . . something more.

AUGH! Growing up is SO CONFUSING! And, this wonderful graphic for middle-grade readers captures all the turmoil. Highly recommended for anyone who feels alone in " all the madness" of becoming a teenager.