Juniper Mae is an extremely talented young inventor living in the town of Tykotech. She spends her time tinkering with gadgets and daydreaming of the legendary Guardian Knights of lore, which once protected the town and the creatures in its surrounding forest from the many vicious monsters lurking in the shadows. Soh's cozy illustrations colored in warm tones do a wonderful job of immersing readers into the fantastical world of the story, in which a mystical power source for Tykotech goes on the fritz and the city's scientists don't know why. Juniper ventures out on her own and meets the friendly, frog-like tama-tama people d, perhaps, the source of the problem. Can she make the right choice when presented with an alluring promise? Tykotech is a vibrantly detailed world populated by big-eyed, manga-inspired characters, which call to mind the animation style of Steven Universe or She-Ra and the Princesses of Power. The ambitious story lays lots of groundwork, and a cliff-hanger ending ensures that readers will be eager to pick up the next volume.

Gr 2–4 —Juniper Mae is a tinkering wunderkind living in Tykotech City, a technological metropolis surrounded by dense forest. Creating inventions using spare parts from her father's repair store, Juniper is off testing her newest invention, a jetpack she calls the Juni Jet, when Tykotech's power source surges, causing her to crash land in the forest; there, she meets Albie, a friendly tama-tama (a small creature with "a little shell, and big, orb-like eyes"). Albie takes Juniper to his village, tells her about the humans and tama-tamas' shared history, and gives her an ancient sword. While visiting the tama-tamas, Juniper discovers that they live in harmony with nature, using energy from the forest plants to power their village. She returns home, accompanied by Albie and determined to use plant power and her own technological knowledge to save Tykotech City and the forest. The incandescent artwork equally embraces both verdant homespun and cool, clean technological aesthetics to give us a new magical girl for readers to follow. Soh respects the reader and delivers a smart story about respect for nature, breaking down established thinking, and being open to new ways of living to create an appealing new series for readers. VERDICT A plucky heroine, a cute sidekick, and a well-crafted story that will delight readers. —Rosemary Kiladitis