Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is such a lovely story about self discovery! The story is very cozy and approachable for younger audiences, without feeling too oversimplified for adults to enjoy reading. Also, K. O’Neill’s use of color is truly outstanding. The art has such a charming nostalgic quality to it that I just adored.

This was a really sweet, soft graphic novel about finding yourself and learning that you don't have to prove yourself. Rowan is so much happier when they admit to Leone that they prefer the name Rowan to Rose, and when they realize that they don't have to prove how strong and brave and "the best" they are in order to "earn" the name Rowan. That the people who love them will accept them just as they are. Leone, in turn, had to learn to be brave enough to play the violin in front of others.

The illustrations perfectly matched the story. They were soft and sweet and fluffy, with just the right amount of sketchiness to give movement. I loved all the landscape scenes interspersed between the story scenes, because they really added to the pastoral feel and gave a strong sense of nature and peace.

I loved Kes the winged horse, and all of the people Rowan and Leone meet along their journeys delivering wool.

*Thanks to Random House Graphic for providing an early copy for review.

Rose is a guardian in training. When new assignments are given, Rose is disappointed to stay close to home, feeling that there is something to prove to others. Instead of taking care, Rose attempts to be brave and Kestral is hurt. Rose works with a shepherd after Kestral's injury and begins a journey of self-discovery and returning to the true home, the one within.

This is so beautifully illustrated. There are words but there are pages at a time that rely entirely on the illustrations, sucking the reader into the lush landscape that is reminiscent of New Zealand.

I am excited to add this to my elementary library and I believe it should be added to others. There are some areas that will likely have push back on this book due to the closed minds of people.

Thank you to Net Galley, Random House Children's, and Random House Graphics for this DRC. All opinions are my own.

Such a cute, cozy fantasy graphic novel! Love the focus on gender identity along with a coming of age theme as well as both main characters having something to overcome and work towards. The artwork is so pretty and fits well with the story by allowing the art to portray the plot without needing an abundance of text. Highly recommend, especially for young readers!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for a review!

Another really enjoyable and cozy middle-grade fantasy graphic from O'Neill. I've been a fan of theirs for years, and I'm consistently impressed with how warm and soft their stories feel.

I loved this graphic novel so much. The story is so sweet, and the artwork is beautiful. I find it so easy to get lost in this author's stories. Her illustrations really pull me in and I'm always hoping that the book never ends. This was wonderful.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an eARC of this title.

A thoughtful and touching exploration of gender and identity, "A Song for You and I," will be a formative coming-of-age text. The beautiful illustrations and clear characterizations of both main characters make this a must-read for everyone, not just members of the queer community.

This is such a beautiful story of friendship with a hint of more in the end. I really like the character arcs of the two protagonists and how they have to work toward something and then work together, learning about themselves along the way.

I love Kay O'Neill’s graphic novels ever since I read The Tea Dragon Society, so I was very excited at the opportunity to review her upcoming release.

This is a cozy fantasy story, about a ranger in training, Rose, who’s assigned to protect a shepherd, Leone but gets their flying horse injured in the process.
Rose, is trying to prove their, but area struggling to show themselves as Rowan, who they really want to be. Leone, loves to play his violin, and pays more attention to it than his sheep. And struggles to let himself be vulnerable in front of others and play his music. . It’s sweet and meaningful in how it portrays both characters and highlights the importance of self acceptance and love.

As always, I love her style of colorful illustrations, the pastel colored landscapes are dreamy and feel welcoming.

This one is coming out March 4, don’t miss it!

A Song for You and I is feel-good cozy graphic novel about finding who you are and who you want to be. K. O'Neill's artwork features a gentle color pallet, soft lines, and allows the reader to feel the story without an abundance of text by utilizing wordless frames to progress the flow of the story. All of O'Neill's graphic novels feel like windows into worlds I'd like to live in.

Really really lovely. I think the blurb ascribes more plot to this than there really is. A Song for You and I follows Rowan, a young ranger-in-training who gets a less-desirable post in a village that doesn't involve much action. Rowan judges Leone, a sheep tender from the village who spends more time practicing playing music than watching the sheep. Rowan's pegasus gets injured during a storm, leaving Rowan feeling even more stuck. Even though Rowan was initially distrustful of Leone, Leone is the first person Rowan talks to when taking on a new name. Rowan ends up traveling with Leone on wool delivieries and they slowly discover things about themselves and each other. I wouldn't necessarily call this a romance, but Rowan and Leone have a deep connection. The pages here are gorgeous, and many of them give sweeping views of landscape with little dialogue. The ending is pretty quiet and open; it seemed like we had jumped ahead in time a bit to see that everyone was happy, and there's room for you to imagine a lot for yourself. Tonally, this is in line with other works by K. O'Neill, so if you liked The Moth Keeper and the Tea Dragon books, you will enjoy this. A Song for You and I touches on fear of failure, the importance of rest and time in nature, having faith in one's own abilities, and the journey of discovering one's own gender identity. There is a lot in this slow, sweet book, and I could see people of all different ages getting something out of it! A perfect short read for a quiet afternoon.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A Song for You and I is a beautiful, cozy fantasy graphic novel about a ranger who is struggling to find themself as they look to a future that is just around the corner and a musically-talented, if not diligent with their main job, sheepherder who has dreams they’re certain they’ll never pursue. When these two characters are forced together after a grievous error in judgment, our story truly unfolds.

K. O’Neill has done it again! The art? Stunning! The story? Heartwarming. The characters? Lovable. With such gorgeous artwork and a simple yet tender portrayal of a journey and experience so personal, this middle grade read is perfect for older kids, teens, and adults. The look into the author’s “sketchbook” at the end was just the perfect bonus that I’m sure will also make other fellow artists and art-fans happy.

O’Neill’s skill at storytelling through this medium never fails to amaze me, and I’m so happy to have another one to recommend. Coming early March 2025!

O'Neill does it again. This gentle love between two individuals in a fantastical world of flying horses and music and sheepherding knows no bounds.

I've adored the art style of O'Neill's for quote some time and this is more of the delightful same. It's never repetitive or monotonous. It's whimsical eye candy with a story that feels like a communion with nature.

Rowan and Leone's relationship is not even a slow burn as much as a blossoming flower where the pace is just right. Absolutely adore this graphic novel that spares no beautiful landscape and only adds dialogue when it fits.

The illustrations in this book were absolutely breathtaking. I appreciated the story of 2 young people who could never fully be themselves and the unlikely friendship they formed. Through that friendship, they were able to be more fully themselves. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the copy to read and review. All opinions are my own.

K. O'Neill works their magic again. O'Neill never fails to craft wonderful worlds, and characters you can't help but fall in love with. This graphic novel will join their other works on the shelf and find a place in the hearts of many both kids and adults alike.

Author and illustrator K. O’Neill does not disappoint with their newest graphic novel, “A Song for You and I”. The heart of this story follows Rose and Leone’s budding friendship as they both reconcile with the fear of failure and discovering their true selves. A cozy read alike to titles such as “Garlic and the Vampire” or “The Baker and the Bard”.

This was a wonderful warm story about finding yourself and pages 200 on made me smile so much! The artwork was not quite as beautiful as her Tea dragon books, but still wonderful.
Thank you NetGalley!!

I first fell in love with K. O'Neill's illustrations years ago when I read The Tea Dragon Society. They are an amazing artist and storyteller whose stories I will always highly recommend.

This graphic novel was wonderful. I loved following Rowan and Leone's journey of self-acceptance. It was great to see them both support each other in their dreams and identities. The story had a powerful message and the artwork went along perfectly with it.

A Song For You and I is a perfect example of cozy fantasy. It has so much heart and charm. K. O' Neill has a way of writing characters which makes you want to get to know each of them. I loved Rowan, Leone, and all of the side characters. They are all important to this story and building the world. I would love to see more of them all again.

I cannot recommend it enough. Please pick this up in March.

What a beautiful book about the power of friendship and the meaning of true bravery and courage. I loved witnessing Rowan's and Leon's transformations throughout the book as they learn more about themselves and the people that they wish to be. K. O'Neill is a name I keep an eye out for when we go to purchase books for our library. This book has wide appeal and I can see it being popular Gr 3 and up all the way through high school.

O'Neill has done it again with a sweet middle grade fantasy graphic novel that explores themes of identity and growth. I adored seeing Rowan grow in confidence and better understanding their own identity as well as seeing Leone overcome his own doubts. Both characters had excellent characterization and growth while most of the side characters were used to further the plot. The art style was simple and sweet with detailed expressions. Overall, a definite recommend for fans of O'Neill or middle grade graphic novels.