The story of a girl named X-Ray, her pet chicken, a life-changing queer crush, and her journey to finding the place she belongs from the Lamba Award-winning graphic novelist behind Calling Dr. Laura.

Xenia, nicknamed X-Ray, loves just one thing in this world. Her pet chicken (and best friend) Manicotti. So when her mother’s new boyfriend threatens to get rid of Manicotti, there’s just one thing for X-Ray to do. Fake her own death and live life on the run with Manicotti. But when the two get separated in the wilds of Oregon, X-Ray thinks all is lost. Until she meets Koko, that is. Together they’ll go on an adventure that will see them crashing funerals, playing talent shows, fighting bullies, and, above all, saving Manicotti.  

Inspired by so many children’s classics—think Matilda and David Copperfield, A Little Princess and A Series of Unfortunate Events—that feature either feature mean adults or a world where children have to survive on their own, The Ballad of X-Ray and Koko movingly explores similar themes of agency, disappointment, and resilience. Nicole J. Georges’s at once wry and heartfelt voice and her spirited illustrations bring to life an unforgettable cast of characters in X-Ray, Manicotti, and Koko.