I don't have too much to say about One Year at Ellsmere other than it being a very decent read. It was pretty much just your classic high school drama but with a slight fantasy twist, which is fun.

I really love the art style, it's super fun and the colour palette was stunning. I'm such a big fan of autumnal palettes and this one is so good. The art style is such a huge part of the graphic novel for me and even if the story wasn't great (this one was ok) I will still rate something decently if the visuals are gorgeous.

At this point, Faith Erin Hicks has never disappointed me and One year at Ellesmere is no exception!

A really interesting graphic novel with a hint of fantasy that delves into issues of ambition, kindness, memory, and what competition does to you. With all the typical tropes you'd expect from a boarding school setting with a lower-class outsider confronting the entitled, ambitious, queen bee of the school.

Thank you to netgalley, author and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for a review.

The story was okay average high school drama and graphics were adorable. Bit random the “beast” part but hey ho was an okay read.

The characters are done so well, the evil snob, the sweet friend and Juniper, the tough scholarship girl out to prove herself. Juniper is so clever, I love her smart comebacks when the bullies try to get at her or her friend. A dash of the supernatural adds a touch of magic to the book too.

"One Year at Ellsmere" by Faith Erin Hicks is a heartwarming graphic novel that explores themes of friendship and the challenges of fitting in at a prestigious boarding school. Juniper, the protagonist, navigates the complexities of Ellsmere Academy, facing a 'special project' label and the threat of a queen bee determined to undermine her. The addition of a mythical beast and touches of magic add a unique flavor to the story, though some reviewers feel it's not entirely necessary. The illustrations are engaging, complementing the sweet narrative that follows Juniper's first year at Ellsmere. While the plot may tread familiar ground with its outsider protagonist, mean girls, and bullying dynamics, the story holds some unexpected moments, and the underlying message of friendship and standing up for one's beliefs shines through. The pacing, accompanied by black and white illustrations, creates a delightful reading experience suitable for readers aged eight and up. Overall, "One Year at Ellsmere" is a charming graphic novel with a timeless appeal, setting the stage for Juniper's future adventures at Ellsmere Academy.

I really enjoyed this. The story itself gave me vibes of Wednesday (Netflix), although there was only a hint of magic. I hope there's more to come.

3.5 Stars

One Year at Ellsmere is a contemporary story with a tiny touch of magic. I don’t think the story needed the magical element (thought I did enjoy it). I think it works fine without it.

The book is pretty much exactly what the title says, it’s Juniper’s first year at the prestigious boarding school Ellsmere Academy. She is the first girl there on a scholarship and feels like she needs to prove herself.

I enjoyed the illustration and I think it’s a sweet story. It is quite familiar, Juniper and her roommate are both outsiders and bond, you have the mean girl and her henchmen, so bullying is a big part of the plot. I wouldn’t say One Year at Ellsmere surprised me but there were some nice unexpected moments and I liked the message. Which you can’t miss, it’s literally the full title: One Year at Ellsmere: A YA Graphic Novel about Friendship and Standing Up for What You Believe In.

I enjoyed this. It’s tough being a scholarship girl in a private school full of rich girls. Lots of unkindness, some friends, an unexpected myth and what a handy device a dictaphone can be! Gorgeous illustration too.

This was a bit more old fashioned and meangirls-type that I expected… if you are looking for some all-girls school infighting and making friends to continue fighting in little cliques, this is the right kind of story for it, but I generally didn’t love that. I feel we as people have moved on from girl infighting kind of narratives as a gateway to youthful experiences.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC.

This a comic for maybe eight years and up. After reading this first ‘year’ I’m sure all readers are going to want to see what future years bring for Juniper. A comic with familiar themes, but that is a good thing. The artwork is perfect and so good it immediately settled me into the story. The story is gently told, each chapter a small snippet of the year, with a nice pace. Ellsmere is a step towards Juniper’’s wish to study to be a Doctor. She isn’t welcomed by some students but Juniper has two major things going for her. Firstly she is mostly self-confident that through her academic ability she should be at Ellsmere and secondly she has found a good friend in Cassie. Although the story focus is not on the academic work it is nice that completing work well and on time is one of the sub-threads presented in the comic. Thank you to MacMillan Children’s Books and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

Well, what can I say? I love me a boarding school story.

This particular one is beautifully illustrated, and I found the characters rather likeable. Jun and Cassie reminded me of Wednesday and Enid from 'Wednesday', so if you liked that friendship you might enjoy theirs.

Of course, once you've read a few boarding school stories, you'll realise there are some tropes that tend to repeat themselves, and some of them are present in this graphic novel, but it was still an enjoyable little read. Not much in terms of plot, just v i b e s.

I would recommend it to whoever finds boarding school stories comforting, and to fans of Harry Potter or the series 'Malory Towers' and 'St Clare's' by Enid Blyton.