 | Galaxy : the prettiest star Author: Axelrod, Jadzia | |
| Price: $13.93 | ||
Summary:
Taylor Barzelay seems to have the perfect life with good looks and good grades, but they are actually an alien princess from the planet Cyandii, and after six long years of accepting the duty to remain in hiding as a boy on Earth, it all changes when they meet confident Metropolis city girl Katherine.
| Illustrator: | Taylor, Jess |
| Peter, Cris |
Reviews:
School Library Journal (+) (11/18/22)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 06/01/2022 Taylor may seem to have it all, but she's actually living a lie—her whole family is comprised of aliens hiding in human bodies to protect themselves, and especially Taylor, from danger. Taylor's human disguise—a boy—is fundamentally at odds with her true identity: she's actually Princess Galaxy, and she has a vast amount of power that her species' enemies would kill for. When Taylor loses her disguise and openly becomes Galaxy permanently, she encounters unexpected discrimination in her small town and must find a way to truly be herself. The straightforward story follows a classic YA format, but the metaphor of Galaxy’s alien cover serves as a fresh and thoughtful spin on trans stories. The engaging, approachable artwork makes great use of bright, exaggerated color and adds some humor while gently easing the more tense moments of prejudice or suicidal ideation. Readers who like superhero stories emotionally grounded in relatable teenage concerns will appreciate this and likely look forward to subsequent installments that show off Galaxy's full range of powers as she becomes the hero she was born to be. - Copyright 2022 Booklist.
School Library Journal - 11/18/2022 Gr 9 Up—Sixteen-year-old Taelyr (Taylor among the humans) lives a boring, normal life in a small, quiet town. That life just so happens to include being on the run, hiding from the Vane, aliens who attacked Taelyr's home world Cyandii in an intergalactic war six years prior. Taelyr was a princess in Cyandii, but on Earth she is forced to live under the radar as an ordinary boy, in a family unit consisting of other survivors, disconnected and unhappy, but alive. Taelyr's life is upended when she meets new student Kat and, for the first time on Earth, feels safe enough to reveal her truth. The illustrator employs a retrofuturistic art style that uses stunning layers of vibrant interplay among sharp angles, long curves, and silhouettes, making for a visual feast. Adding to the artistic depth is the use of texture, mimicking splatter, as well as sponging, dynamic linework, and the incorporation of the lesbian and transgender flag colors when Taelyr transitions. Trans writer Axelrod crafts an honest, relatable story that delves into issues of feeling out of place in one's own body, and relationships strained by transitioning, but also contains hope and joy. Bullying, queer slurs, and anti-Black sentiment are present, and the majority of human characters are white, though Kat is Black. There is a wide range of body types and sizes. While part of the DC universe with a few brief mentions of Superman, readers won't need traditional superhero knowledge to thoroughly enjoy this story. VERDICT An effervescent and poignant tale about discovering and embracing your truest self against all odds; a must buy for teen collections.—Alea Perez - Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
