When Jo runs away from her family camping trip, she stumbles upon a community of fantastic creatures living in the forest who are about to break into a castle to free their friends from a tyrant. Jo comes along, much to their chagrin, and so begins a whimsical quest to help topple Emperor Tomcat. The episodic adventure takes Jo and her companions from oddity to oddity trio of witches who can't be bothered to follow through on their curses, the "plains of oblivion" where they almost lose their memories d all along their path, they spot the eponymous Wonders, candy-colored (and candy-loving) miniature horses that roam the landscape. Jourdy's soft, rounded watercolor artwork of animal-like creatures and enigmatic landscapes contributes to the otherworldliness of the story, and the slow but tantalizing pacing leaves plenty of space to wonder about the mysteries lurking in the background. Though not a lot of those questions are answered, there's something quietly captivating about the world Jo escapes to and what she ultimately learns there. Perfect for fans of Spirited Away.

Jourdy artfully chronicles young runaway Jo’s quest to storm a fairy tale castle alongside a motley rescue team while grappling with family-oriented turmoil in this The Wizard of Oz–flavored graphic novel. While on a camping trip with her father, brand-new stepmother, and two stepsisters, Jo, unhappy with the arrangement, runs away. Deep in the woods, she spies a tiny, crowned elven couple on horseback and joins them on their trek, claiming “I live here now.” She follows them through a mysterious tunnel and into a ramshackle village where she meets anthropomorphic fox Maurice and half-cat child Nouk. Jo learns that the villagers plan to infiltrate despot Emperor Tomcat’s masquerade ball to free their unjustly imprisoned loved ones. Though she’s initially distrustful of Maurice, Jo develops deep affection for Nouk, whose mother is also being held prisoner by Tomcat. Jo’s adventures in the magical animalian kingdom summarily parallel her own struggles coming to terms with her family circumstances. Conversational language, a leisurely pace, and elaborately detailed art rendered in gentle pastels and thin, free-flowing lines imaginatively captures this cozy adventure. Human characters cue as white. Ages 6–10. (Nov.)