Standalone

Grace Needs Space!

"At its heart, this is a classic middle-grade plot of a kid frustrated by being underestimated by a parent, but the space setting makes it a genuine thrill. Perfect for kids who loved Jennifer L. Holm’s Lion of Mars."

Booklist, Starred Review!

"A tender story that explores the complexity of familial bonds as deftly as it does the outer regions of space."

Kirkus

"The sci-fi setting creates high stakes for this realistic story of a tween ready for adventure, navigating her relationships with separated parents. Highly recommended; give to fans of Molly Brooks’s 'Sanity & Tallulah.'"

School Library Journal

"Wilgus (Chronin) and Abrego (Sprite and the Gardener) skillfully highlight the enormity of the interstellar setting alongside Grace’s intimate personal realizations. Though the story takes place among the cosmos, the earthly truths surrounding love and connection proves artfully rendered."

Publishers Weekly

"Wilgus's authentic conversations between Grace, Evelyn, and Ba both capture emotional moments within families and the uncomfortable situations that arise between grown-ups. A relatable and amusing story for all ages."

Shelf Awareness (Kharissa Kenner, children's librarian, Bank Street School for Children)

"This is simply a joy of a book, with words and pictures that work in wonderful harmony to give us a captivating setting, relatable characters, and a thoughtful depiction of family."

Mombian

"[B]uoyant.... There aren’t terribly high stakes in this novel, and that’s perfectly okay—a few days away from one’s usual routine can spark a lot of new understanding and inspiration."

The Bulletin

The Mars Challenge: The Past, Present, and Future of Human Spaceflight

"An approachable read for those interested in both Mars and spaceflight in general, not to mention a useful classroom resource."

Booklist

"If you’re interested in what it’ll take to get a human on Mars, or just want to read a well-crafted nonfiction graphic novel, “The Mars Challenge” is worth picking up. It’s a fun, easy read that will teach you a lot about space flight, and putting together a crewed mission to Mars in particular."

Multiversity Comics

"As a teenager, I’d have been reading and rereading every page until I got the concepts down cold. Adults, I think, could also get a real sense of the universe they live in by reading this. It’s a creatively unique way of taking us to Mars"

Higher Orbits

"The book is a perfect primer for teens who feel the call to boldly go – or build the ships for those who do – and is a quick and accessible read for adults who’d like an overview of how space exploration works."

Stories in My Pocket

"The Mars Challenge is the perfect graphic novel to integrate into any high school curriculum or to enrich the life of a young person interested in STEM. But I in no way want to narrow the audience for this book. I loved it! It is informative, inspiring, and depicts a healthy and rewarding mentor-mentee relationship."

Paul's Picks

"Detailed and accessible, this graphic novel-style approach usefully dramatizes some key questions and explains how difficult it is to mount a deep space mission."

255 Book Review

Children's

Flying Machines: How the Wright Brothers Soared

“An accessible and engaging introduction to the Wright brothers and how they ushered in the age of flight.”

Kirkus

“Two accomplished cartoonists offer a fresh take on the story of the Wright brothers.”

School Library Journal

“Not only does it make the mechanical and technical details about flight interesting to the non-scientifically minded (which would be me), it shows the Wright siblings as interesting characters in the competitive drama of early aviation on both sides of the Atlantic. Highly recommended not just to science-minded kids, but to any curious young readers who enjoy graphic novels.”

B&N Kids Blog

“FLYING MACHINES: HOW THE WRIGHT BROTHERS SOARED by Alison Wilgus, is told in the delightful voice of Katherine Wright, the younger sister of the famous brothers […] Although I know the basic story of the Wright brothers, reading this graphic novel filled in all the gaps of the evolution of our modern-day jets. ”

Geek Mom

“There’s an incredible amount of detail in this volume—aviation enthusiasts will love it […] Providing readers with a look into history and aviation technology, SCIENCE COMICS: FLYING MACHINES is a solid add to STEM collections and reinforces the fact that comic books DO belong in the classroom.”

Mom Read It

“I can really see these books being useful for science teachers or homeschool parents to build lesson plans (especially with the bibliography, glossary, and notes inclusions at the end of the texts), or as wonderful gifts for curious scientifically-minded young readers to learn independently, because of the lively dialogue and colorful illustrations. But, even as someone who isn’t particularly interested in flight, and who read the book as an adult, the strong partnership of Wilgus’ writing and Brooks’ illustrations kept me hooked until the very last page. Highly recommended!”

Limited Niche Species

“I was charmed from the beginning, with the choice to have the story narrated by Katharine Wright, sister of the famous airplane inventors the Wright Brothers.”

Comics Worth Reading

“Together, art and story in Flying Machines: How the Wright Brothers Soared, combine to create quite the educational experience.”

Open Book Society

“I felt that the artwork was vibrant and expressive, and it revels in depicting the various flying machines of the day. The story humanizes the achievements of some grand historical figures and also puts their work into historical context.”

Graphic Novel Resources

Chronin Series

The Knife at Your Back (Volume 1)

“Wilgus’ artistic restraint isn’t just visually pleasing — it’s also humble. It seems to say that this Westerner isn’t trying to cannibalize or exoticize Japanese culture, but only to offer a few new angles on its well-established forms. The book’s spare lines, unassuming story and uncomplicated-yet-likable characters aren’t just self-effacing: They’re also classic. Chronin seems timeless in more ways than one — but then, cleverness often does.”

NPR

“Clever dialogue and detailed black-and-white images create an intense and moving story with plenty of heart and a mystery readers will want to solve.”

Publishers Weekly

“Wilgus’ dialogue is fresh and snappy, the story moves with purpose, the characters are deeply conflicted, and there were far more surprises than I anticipated. I definitely want to see how it all comes together in VOL 2: THE SWORD IN YOUR HAND.”

Fantasy Literature

“The story has a truly fascinating premise and plumbs impressive depths, particularly in Kuji and Mirai’s arguments over rebel factions during the period, which raises thoughtful questions about how ideology influences how we view history as well as the dangers of romanticizing rebellion. Deepening mysteries about Mirai and Kuji’s time travel program make for a compelling cliffhanger ending to this genre-blending series starter.”

Booklist

“[CHRONIN] is many things: an adventure story, a sci-fi yarn, a romance, a survey of history and social change, a study of entitlement, and a meditation on finding one’s place in the world […] it’s magical.”

Book Riot

“Wilgus executes the story in a skillful Manga art style and energy in unfolding the drama that works well together in presenting the headier themes, prefacing what is no doubt going to be an exciting Volume 2.”

Comics Beat

“CHRONIN is a tense, entertaining time travel caper, charmingly drawn and filled with endearing, complicated characters that you can’t help rooting for.”

Faith Erin Hicks, Eisner-Award winning author of The Adventures of Superhero Girl and The Nameless City trilogy

“A fascinating, intricate story, and Alison’s love for the period is evident in every scene.”

Tony Cliff, author of Delilah Dirk series

“CHRONIN delivers a solid story that touches on the importance of identity and history, and how they go hand in hand. With its lush historical setting and an ear for sharp dialogue, Alison Wilgus’s first solo outing shows the promise of a fresh voice to comics.”

Ethan Young, Eisner and Harvey Award-nominated author of Nanjing: The Burning City

“CHRONIN is an elegantly rendered, insightfully layered time-travel adventure that creatively explores the complex tensions around identity, power, and constructions of history. This technically adept graphic novel showcases the power of the comics medium and gives us the gift of a wonderfully dangerous world that is filled with so many amazing possibilities!”

John Jennings, author of New York Times bestselling Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation

The Sword in Your Hand (Volume 2)

“A heartfelt story about the wonder of finding a community that sees you as you see yourself even when you’re very, very far from home.”

Carey Pietsch, artist and co-adapter of The Adventure Zone graphic novels

“Wilgus’ character dynamics strengthen and deepen in this second volume […] I enjoyed every page of the Chronin duology.”

Fantasy Literature

“CHRONIN is a beautiful story with fantastic action, wonderfully drawn characters, social commentary, history lessons, and a whole lot of feels.”

The Roarbots