This was a fun graphic novel that is gorgeously illustrated. Young readers will love learning about all the creatures in the story. Recommended.

First of all, the art work was STUNNING. The concept for this book was so fun and I absolutely adored it. I am an absolute sucker for books that feature mythical creatures. I am simply giddy by how heartwarming this book is. The topics of grief, self discovery, and family are beautifully written and captured on the page. I hope that this book makes it way into many classroom libraries.

This ARC was provided by HarperCollins Children’s Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Lu and Ren’s Guide to Geozoology is a cozy fantasy adventure for animal and nature lovers. The story follows Lu and Ren as they search for Lu’s grandmother over a beautiful country filled with geologically based fantasy creatures. But Ren is hiding a secret from Lu, and Lu’s single mindedness begins to get on Ren’s nerves. The two friends must learn to understand each other or risk losing their friendship forever.

This coming of age story is filled with found family, family secrets, and grief, as well as joyful moments of pure wonder at the world. Plus, a cast of wonderfully unique characters from throughout the world bring new perspectives to our young protagonists. In addition, underlying the mission to find Lu’s grandmother is a world in which the geological creatures have been affected by human behaviors and the struggle to right those effects. (Spoiler: no creatures die, but is an off page character death).The rich lines of these stories intertwine in a fantastic way, and made me want to keep reading. I wanted to know how everyone’s lives turned out.

Finally, the art in this graphic novel is absolutely beautiful. The creature designs are adorable and lovely, and also heartbreaking when the animals are not feeling well. There are rich colors, stunning backgrounds, and fun character designs throughout.

Anyone looking for a story with cute animals, a travel adventure, and young people figuring their lives out should check out this magical book.

I love how environmentally conscious this book is. And it is so refreshing how the grandma in this story is portrayed as strong and actively adventurous, rather than simply old and frail.

A true celebration of family and nature, and a reminder of the importance of protecting the environment. There are even some interesting snippets of biology seamlessly woven into the story—so you're also learning, while being entertained.

Lovely and educational. Great illustrations and a great overarching message. I even cried at the end!

Lu and Ren’s Guide to Geozoology by Angela Hsieh is a story that follows two young girls with very different goals on a quest together. Lu is on a journey to see the sunfish eclipse, but also to find her missing ah-ma who had always promised to take her to see it while Ren, fed up with the unachievable expectations of her family, is simply on a journey to find herself outside of all the disappointment.

Filled with absolutely stunning artwork and worldbuilding, this story takes readers through various places as the two characters travel—they encounter different people, many of whom have been impacted by Lu’s ah-ma, and tons of unique animals along the way. As they trek farther, soon they find themselves needing to outrun Ren’s brother, who is intent on returning her home.

All in all,, I think this was a fun graphic novel that middle graders will love to delve into. The number of adorable fantasy creatures that are interspersed throughout the story are sure to keep kids engaged and loving this story for years to come.

First off, this book is so visually stunning. The art is gorgeous and the creativity is off the charts. I loved the animals that were created for this story, it gave me Hilda vibes. The story wowed me a bit less, it felt a little too long and occasionally went off track. However, I loved the adventure and the friendship between the two MCs. Definitely worth the read and a fun world to explore.

This book is stunning. Just.... wow. I loved the world and the characters and wish I could print out the illustrations to frame for my walls.

The synopsis starts out by stating that this graphic novel is perfect for fans of studio Ghibli and tea dragon society, I wholeheartedly agree!

I adored the characters in this story, and the art is so beautifully done. Lu and Ren, Lu's ah-ma and mother are all so lovable.

Brief summary of synopsis: Lu dreams of being like her a ah-ma, a great adventurer and a geozoologist. She loves to read her Ah-ma's letters, but when they stop coming at some point, she sets off with an old friend, Ren, to try and figure out what happened to Lu's Ah-ma. Along the way, they learn the complex relationships between geofauna... as well as people.

Okay so this book is so precious and really makes me wish this level of fiction was available when I was a child. The art in this book is some how cozy and bright and vivid. I am obsessed with the animals through out and seriously I love axolotls and seeing them on The cover is what made me excited to read.

The story follows Lu and her friend Ren on a journey to find Lu's Ahma on her trip. She is learning Cyril and using her Ahma's translations to navigate he way to where she thinks she is. This is great representation on how translations are not 1:1 and that sometimes you have to figure out the closest translation. It really simplifies the idea in an easy to digest way for the target age group to understand. I also LOVED the scene where she goes to the village where the town dislikes her Ahma for leading animals ot the town. It was fun and a great showcase that the person you love is not the person you know and you can learn so much about them you never thought you could before

LU AND REN'S GUIDE TO GEOZOOLOGY is an utterly gorgeous graphic novel with the most heartwarming story. Filled with lush illustrations and incredible creatures, kids are going to love this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this advanced e-copy.

Well, this story was freaking adorable. We follow Lu as she tries to tack down her geozoological grandma, who has gone out on a research mission and not come back home. Lu is ready for her own adventure and she sets off with her childhood friend, Ren, to try to find her grandma and meet some interesting creatures.

While traveling, Lu learns more about her grandma and some of the mistakes she made in her career by visiting towns where her grandma had been.

The art was simply lovely. The style gave Miyazaki vibes, but still kept that soft pastel-like vision.

Spoiler ahead:
My one complaint is that we didn't get resolution with the creatures. I wanted to know how the town of Diatom recovered after their critter infestation. I wanted to know how the bufoliths fared in moving to their new habitat. I wanted more creatures!

I loved this, from the beautiful artwork and colors to the lovely story about family it was an all around stellar read. The story of being an 1st generation immigrant really resonated with me, the friendship showcased here was also so well done and shows that sometimes friends disagree and can talk through their feelings to find common ground. I loved this magical world and the creatures that were featured, I had such a fun time reading it.

I received an eARC thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books, all opinions are my own.

Adorable graphic novel that has a fun geozoology story! Lu and Ren are a fun duo and the adventures they went on were great! I will absolutely be purchasing a physical copy when it releases!

“Lu and Ren’s Guide to Geozoology” is a gorgeously illustrated graphic novel with vibrant world-building and great characters. The art style is absolutely stunning and full of detail, making the world feel magical and alive.

The story follows Lu, who sets off on a journey to find her missing Ah-ma. Her mother supports her decision, which I liked. Ren, Lu’s friend who has secretly run away from her own family, agrees to go with Lu.

The story is full of adventure and emotion, and the ending is bittersweet in a way that felt real and meaningful. I really enjoyed reading this book and can highly recommend it.

OMG! This is m such a wholesome, cozy graphic story/comic. It so whismical and has such a Ghibli vibe. It has amazing illustrations and a good story plot. It's a story about family and friendship. I believe you can enjoy this story regardless of age. It wonderful

A beautifully illustrated graphic full of amazingly interesting creatures! A great read for those who want creatures but don't want anything heavy.

If you want to step into a mythical and wondrous world, here is your chance! As promised by the blurb, this charming graphic novel is giving major Tea Dragon Society vibes. I felt so immersed in the world of Lu and Ren while I read. The art style is striking and fits the story well. This is an instant favorite. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Give this to readers who like K. O’Neill’s The Moth Keeper and Shing Yin Khor’s The Legend of Auntie Po.
Readers will love the world building explained in storytelling blocks from past adventures with Ah-ma alongside the illustrations of the world and its creatures (including giant axolotl). The art is in beautiful bold pastels and the magical creatures have much potential for future books, guidebooks, merchandise, or even a film.
The text is often in two colors, one for Lirrish (which we would think of as English) and the other for Cylian (which we would think of as Mandarin).
There are themes of conservation, family, friendship, community, identity, and grief.
This will be appealing to a broad range and age of middle grade readers from ages 8 to 13.
I can’t wait to see more from this author!

"Lu and Ren's Guide to Geozoology" is a fun, lighthearted middle grade graphic novel that still manages to pull on your heartstrings. The best part of the book is easily the magical creatures who feel both real and fantastical. It has a similar world-building feeling as "Avatar: The Last Airbender" where the creatures are such an intrinsic part of these characters lives but still retain a sense of awe. This book would be fantastic for someone who enjoys books about animals and/or friendship, as well as people who are looking for something with similar vibes to Studio Ghibli movies.

I had such a blast with Lu and Ren's Guide to Geozoology! This graphic novel by Angela Hsieh totally stole my heart with its gorgeous artwork and touching story about family, friendship, and magical creatures.

The story follows Lu, who dreams of being an adventurer like her grandmother (ah-ma), a famous geozoologist who studies incredible fantasy creatures. When her grandmother's letters mysteriously stop coming, Lu teams up with her friend Ren to follow in ah-ma's footsteps, help a village in need, and hopefully find her missing grandmother along the way.

First off -- the art!!! The illustrations are absolutely breathtaking! Every page is filled with these vibrant colors and delicate details that make the world of Lirrin feel so alive. The fantasy creatures are incredibly creative - imagine mountain-sized guinea pigs, dogs made of sunlight, and dreamy cloud-jellies! I found myself lingering on pages just to take in all the beautiful visuals.

But what makes this story extra special is how it balances adventure with emotional depth. As Lu and Ren journey across this fantastical landscape, they're also navigating complicated feelings about family expectations and identity. I loved watching Lu come to terms with the fact that her grandmother isn't perfect, and that's okay. Meanwhile, Ren's struggle with family pressure creates a nice counterpoint to Lu's search for her grandmother.

The book hits that sweet spot where it's accessible enough for younger readers but has enough emotional complexity to resonate with adults too. It definitely has strong Studio Ghibli vibes - that same blend of wonder, adventure, and heart that makes you feel all warm inside.

This is definitely one I'll be keeping on my shelf to read again and hopefully share with my kids one day! If you enjoy magical worlds, coming-of-age journeys, and art that makes you want to step right into the page, you'll absolutely love this graphic novel.