• Age: 11 to 15
• Grade: 6 to 9
• Reading age: 12 to 13

In Alta Donna, the weather is great, the sunsets are super, and the stars twinkle brightly. Perfect, right? No! It’s super boring. Nothing real ever happens. Everybody says I spend too much time daydreaming in my own little world. At least my dreams are more interesting than Alta Donna. But what if Alta Donna is hiding a secret? The two new kids in town are up to something. No one could be as good a baseball player as Damiano, and no one could be as charming as Inés. The moment they arrived, life in Alta Donna stopped being perfect and started getting weird. Who arethey really?
I always say, if you need a puzzle solved, look for someone with a BIG imagination. And that’s me. Nola.

Mathieu Mariolle has been passionate about graphic novels ever since his father gave him a copy of the long-running Wild West comic book series Blueberry when he was five years old.

Mathieu Mariolle's profile page

MiniKim has always had a passion for animation and art. She discovered a love of comics when attending the huge festival at Angoulême in France. MiniKim lives in Montreal, Québec.

Maïté Lajic's profile page

Mélanie Buffiere's profile page

"The lesson is simple: Nothing is as it seems—one should not rely upon appearances to make judgments. This trilogy is set in Alta Donna where the weather is great, sunsets spectacular, and the stars twinkle brightly, but something is amiss. Nola meets two new kids, Damiano and Ines, but there is more to them than meets the eye. The art is cool, and each story is aimed at the tween. The books are packed with searching for identity and longing for friends. Given the manga-esque artwork and the storyline, the series will satisfy upper elementary students." --Library Media Connection

Journal

"This trilogy exudes shelf appeal. Unfortunately, the storytelling doesn't quite live up to the level of visual success. Living in picturesque Alta Donna, pink-haired Nola York-Stein is distracted in school and ignored by her divorced mother at home. Mystery surrounds the arrival of new students Inés and Damiano, who are being pursued by creatures tasked with taking them back to the fantastical Land of Stories. When Nola digs deeper, she finds that Alta Donna is not what it seems—the town is actually a buffer zone between the Land of Stories and the Real World and Inés and Damiano's escape is putting all three worlds in peril. Nola must find a way to restore balance while keeping her new friends from being taken away. Some readers may find the mystical aspects of story line frustratingly ambiguous. These are not stand-alone titles, but rather one large tale broken into three parts, so key plot elements and character motivations can be slow to develop. The anime-inspired art will grab attention. Alta Donna and its fashion-forward citizens are crisply rendered in pastel hues. Inventive panels and layouts may prove challenging for novice graphic-novel readers but add interest for those more experienced with the format. These titles are visual standouts but the narrative may leave readers wanting more." --School Library Journal

Journal

"Nola York-Stein may have an unrealistic cartoony look and salmon pink hair, but adolescents will find plenty to relate to in this appealing new graphic novel series. Taking place in the formerly dull coastal town of Alta Donna, she finds a mystery to keep her busy. Nola introduces herself as someone habitually late for school and always struggling with one thing or another, although she's clearly smart and means well. She doesn't like school and has a stressful home life; with her parents divorced, she seldom sees her father, and her mother pays more attention to her job than to her daughter. But when the school librarian is attacked, Nola decides to play detective. The librarian gives a few cryptic clues, and though those around him are quick to say it's no big deal, Nola believes otherwise. While there's a mystery afoot, the biggest pull for the book is the relatable main character and her situations. An offbeat humor to Nola's difficulties gives a light feel to the whole story. Previously published in France, two subsequent volumes are also available." --Publishers Weekly

Journal

"Bubble-gum-tinged whimsy abounds in this stylish French graphic-novel import. Cotton-candy-tressed Nola spends her days dreaming in her peaceful town, Alta Donna. Her world is cozy and ordinary until she meets the aloof and mysterious Damiano and Inés. Nola quickly learns that there are strange forces after the siblings and is determined to get to the bottom of this mystery. Nola and her friends radiate a funky fashion sense, constantly changing clothes and hairstyles; it's hard to imagine a reader who wouldn't want to raid her closet. This first installment propels forward with the force of a rocket—albeit a very pink, fanciful one. Luckily for the ravenous reader, the whole trilogy releases simultaneously (#2, Ferrets and Ferreting Out, PLB: 978-0-7613-6504-4; #3, Even for a Dreamer Like Me, PLB: 978-0-7613-6505-1). Though it's a fantastic visual experience, the actual plot is thin; even as Nola delves into the mystery in the subsequent volumes, the narrative never really gains any degree of complexity. However, with its upbeat palette (courtesy of Pop), manga-inspired art and hip characters, this charmer is sure to please preteen girls." --Kirkus Reviews

Journal

"Nola lives in the pretty but boring town of Alta Doona. When she realizes that there's something strange about the new kids in school, Damiano and his 'sister' Inés, her investigation uncovers mysteries beyond the boundaries of Alta Doona—or the world itself. Mariolle's story is engaging, with fun, likable characters. Nola’s struggles with divorced and absent parents, class work, and fitting in at school are the everyday foundation for her fantastic discoveries. Unfortunately, Mariolle undercuts the effectiveness of those discoveries by rushing important parts of the plot. This graphic novel series was originally published in France in 2009, and MiniKim's settings have a European flavor that is refreshing amid a sea of American and Japanese comics. Her characters are young but still look old enough for tween girls to identify with. A behind-the-scenes section offers an informative and funny glimpse into how the comic was created. These artistic elements and a solid translation help lift this comic, despite the shakiness of the plot." --Booklist

Journal