ALA Booklist (Mon Jun 01 00:00:00 CDT 2020)

High-school senior Jake Hyde is obsessed with the ocean. He's also keeping more than his fair share of secrets. He applied to college in Florida without telling his best friend Maria; he's started falling for Kenny Liu, captain of the swim team; and he always wears long sleeves to hide the strange markings on his arms that glow blue when they touch water. But secrets never stay hidden for long, and now they have the potential to ruin everything. This fresh, contemporary take on Aqualad's origin story, a collaboration between the authors of Rainbow Boys (2001) and Blue Is the Warmest Color (2013), brings a realistically diverse cast of characters, real teen issues, and a simmering romance to the story. The pace is brisk to accommodate several plotlines, but it's clear this story is just beginning. Maroh's art uses muted, nearly monochromatic earth and water tones throughout the panels, focusing the attention on the characters' emotions and expressions. Despite its superhero origins, this will have plenty of appeal for realistic-fiction readers.

Kirkus Reviews

Finding yourself is difficult enough, but it's more complicated when you have magical powers.Jake Hyde already has enough to worry about-fretting over being accepted to his dream university to study oceanography; wondering if he'll ever leave Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, his small town in the middle of the desert; and finding the courage to come out. In the midst of all that, he connects with Kenny-a jock and the only openly gay kid in school-and finds out that the "birthmarks" on his body that he self-consciously keeps covered grant him the power to control water. Jake is keeping secrets from his helicopter mom and best friend, Maria, who's in love with him, and in living his truth he learns more about the father he believes drowned 17 years ago. In a universe with superheroes and supervillains, Jake must decide who he's going to be. Sanchez's text lends authenticity to Jake's conflicted emotions surrounding his identity and future; he doesn't shy away from showing the hostile bullying that Kenny and Jake face for daring to be openly gay. Maroh's realistic sketches in muted tones are infused with bursts of color with generally pale scenery. The illustrations and text work in concert, each amplifying and complementing the other. Jake is African American, Maria is Latinx, and Kenny is Chinese American.A worthy, diverse addition to the DC Universe. (Graphic romance. 12-18)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

High school senior Jake Hyde, who is black, dreams of the ocean while stuck in the desert town of Truth or Consequences, N.Mex. While his childhood best friend, Latina Maria Mendez, who is in love with him, wants to stay close to home, Jake hopes to move to Miami and study oceanography. Jake-s mother discourages any contact with water, which proves difficult when he develops feelings for blue-haired swimmer Kenny Liu, of Chinese descent. Around Jake-s romance with Kenny and friendship with Maria, Sanchez (Rainbow Boys) weaves the story-s stakes, which involve mysterious -birthmarks- that illuminate when Jake makes contact with water. With Kenny, Jake encounters water, starting with a desert flash flood that reveals Jake-s latent hydrokinesis and sets him on the path to discovering his father-s history. Though background moments (Superman flying overhead, the news mentioning Aquaman) hint at the book-s connection to the DC universe, the narrative offers the slimmest of consequences to Jake-s character when his ties to that world are revealed. Illustrations by Maroh (Blue Is the Warmest Color) offer clarity in emotional moments, such as when Jake reveals to his mother that he knows about his powers. Clear paneling in muted blues and taupes keeps the story-s pacing strong, highlighting water as a vibrant character integral to Jake-s metamorphosis. Ages 14-up. (June)-

School Library Journal (Fri May 01 00:00:00 CDT 2020)

Gr 8 Up-"Maybe I've hidden so much of myself I'm not sure who I am." High school student Jake Hyde's life is full of secrets. His overprotective mother wants him to stay far from watereasy enough in Truth or Consequences, NMbut he knows that he needs to be near the ocean and wants to study oceanography at the University of Miami. His best friend Maria Mendez dreams of a future with him, but he's not in love with her. And though he's afraid to admit it, he's attracted to Kenny Liu, the out captain of the high school's swim team. Soon Jake discovers there's more to his mother's fears, and to the birthmarks on his arm, than he realized. Lambda Award-winning author Sanchez's Aqualad origin tale speaks to the heart, favoring budding romance over action. While the dialogue is often blunted by water-related puns, Jake's journey to self-acceptance is authentic. A group of violently homophobic teens are situated as this volume's villains, but Sanchez sets up the possibility of a sequel with the looming threat of Black Manta. Maroh's ( Blue Is the Warmest Color ) muted blue and beige tones and soft pencil outlines complement Sanchez's sensitive writing. However, the illustrations sometimes err too far into cartoonish depictions, with wonky body proportions and facial expressions that are at odds with the somber mood of the story. VERDICT Fans of DC's new line of young adult graphic novels, such as Kami Garcia's Teen Titans: Raven , will appreciate this tender take on Aqualad. Elise Martinez, Racine, WI