“Beetle & the Chimera Carnival” features delightful illustrations that bring its magical world to life. However, the story is clearly geared towards a younger audience, which made it challenging for me to fully appreciate its depth. The plot, involving mysterious dragon disappearances and sinister forces, is engaging but feels more suited for middle-grade readers. While the book’s themes and artwork are charming, they may not resonate as strongly with older readers seeking more complex narratives. Overall, it’s a great choice for younger fans of fantasy and adventure.

A lovely sequel! I didn't enjoy this one as much at the first Beetle graphic novel - mainly because some parts felt pieced together, but I know there may some finishing touches before it's published!

i loved this! i loved the growth of these young characters, the dynamics of being true to yourself and learning how to be confident and accepting yourself let alone confronting family. there was so much packed in this and i think this is such a creative way to tell this story

Ohhh my gosh. I loved this even more than the first, and the first book got a 5 star perfect score from me! These books are like a warm hug, a therapeutic experience, a found family, I could go on forever. The art is gorgeous, the characters are amazing, I don't think I'll ever forget these stories. FANTASTIC. I will be buying this when it is published!

Beetle and the Chimera Carnival takes place directly after Beetle and the Hollowbones. Visually it is just as stunning. Some parts of the story were a bit too repetitive for my liking. Other parts didn’t quite seem to fit. I think Aliza Lyne is a creative storyteller. She would however benefit from editing some of her ideas out and saving them for a different book/s perhaps.

I would recommend this book to the DnD players that let their cats be a druid and sit in on the campaign. Those that are down with making the dark stuff cute and quirky. It’s a read for the monster girls, who are just learning to be comfortable in their skin.

As an adult reader, I really enjoyed this book—the story was engaging, and the illustrations were fantastic. However, as a teacher, I’m a bit hesitant about including it in my classroom library. A few scenes, like Grandma revealing her rainbow pasties, might not be the best fit for a 5th-grade audience. While I personally found it delightful, I’d be mindful of whether it aligns with what I want to introduce to my students.

This is a glorious sequel to Beetle & the Hollowbones, with more sapphic love, a budding teen relationship, a vastly expanded world, and some truly terrifying and gorgeously weird illustrations. I cannot wait to get this in my hands and then get it in the hands of everyone I can!! But now I'm miserable, because I *need* the third book, which will presumably be more focused on everyone's favorite blob ghost Penny (which, !!!!!). In the meantime, I think this is my favorite book of the year?!?!

I loved Beetle and the Hollowbones with my whole heart, so hearing that there would be a sequel was not only some of the best news that I’ve heard, but also the realization that there would be a sequel to utter perfection. And honestly, how can you compete? There really is no competition when you create another banger of a story.

Beetle and Kat were very obviously a thing at the end of book 1, but coming into Beetle and the Chimera Carnival, we got to see them as actual girlfriends. Albeit, without a title on the relationship, but STILLLLLLLL. They were everything to eachother and history would say “they were roommates.”

This book was like a coming out party to a religious family, only to then come out to loving friends immediately after. One may condemn you, but the other is your chosen family and aren’t they the ones that really matter? The ones that accept you.

I loved everything about this and can’t wait to see it in full color.

Teenage lesbian monsters and I love 'em. This is the second in this graphic novel series, and the character growth was wonderful in this one. We also get a deeper dive into the magic lore of this series, which is really well done. Beetle and the Hollowbones is one of my top middle-grade graphic novels ever, and this sequel was a great addition.
Thanks to Netgalley, Simon and Schuster Children's, and Atheneum Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. I didn't realize that this was the second novel, but I thought that the art was very pretty. I didn't think that the spacing of the words were great though and it seemed very cluttered.

"Beetle and the Chimera Carnival" is the second middle grade graphic novel in the Beetle series by Aliza Layne. Beetle and Kat are now dating, but are keeping it a secret. This weighs on them. Currently, the town is planning the magical Chimera Carnival where dragons from everywhere will come to celebrate. Unfortunately, the dragons that have arrived early are disappearing as if they have been kidnapped. Beetle is also dealing with the fact that she is changing into some kind of creature (which is normal for goblins, but very stressful for her. Will Kat still like her?). A must-buy for middle grade graphic novel collections, especially if you have the first novel (and if you don't, you should get it)!

I loved the first book in the series and love the second as much, if not more. It's not entirely necessary to have read the first graphic novel to enjoy this one, although it does fill in a great deal of the back story. The short version is that this is a series about teenage lesbian monsters (a goblin and a necromatic skeletal cat girl) and their ghostly friend who is drawn a bit like Kirby, but even cuter. This specific volume focused on a mystery related to dragons, the pressures of coming out to family, and learning to be okay with all of yourself. The illustrations are adorable and the characters are excellent. More, please!