ADORABLE EMPIRE

A Manhattan girl’s life is temporarily taken over by some eccentric monsters.

Jinx Kagen faces challenges: her parents’ separation, moving to a new apartment, missing her loving but unreliable dad (who’s living in Chicago), and dealing with bullying and the end of a friendship. In her new apartment building, Jinx picks up a cylindrical orange crystal belonging to her neighbor Greg—and he cryptically tells her that he can’t take it back and has to get out of there. The crystal overhears Jinx wishing for a happy family; she wakes up the next day surrounded by miniature, big-eyed creatures. Jinx dubs the mysterious beings the Adorables: Squirrley is fond of eating, fire-breathing Avey can fly, Bun can grow huge, and the fuzzy orange Pom-Poms poop flowers. The “little gods of chaos” (Greg’s description) follow Jinx everywhere. Before they and the crystal move on to someone else, their mischief and devotion help Jinx work through her overwhelming emotions and connect with Robyn and TJ, Greg’s young relatives, who are cat sitting while he’s away. The dominant shades of violet and blue contrast with Jinx’s goth style and the Adorables’ bright colors. Jinx, who is fat and presents white, and Robyn, who reads Black, share their coming-out stories and sweetly confess that they “like like” one another. Sincere emotions punctuated with funny and magical moments elevate this charming work.

Engagingly original, featuring a likable protagonist and plenty of humor and tenderness.