Paper Planes follows two central characters, Leighton and Dylan, as they attend a camp for troubled youth in the summer before their first year of high school. The incident that sent them there is revealed late in the graphic novel, a choice which emphasizes that this book is primarily about our two characters, their growing pains, and their relationship.

This is ultimately a bittersweet read about friendship, navigating romance as a young teen, gender identity, sexuality, class, and race. I looked through some other reviews of this graphic novel and they largely echo one another with praising the ace and non-binary representation in the book. As such, a lot was packed into the 200-odd beautifully illustrated pages of this book and the storyline suffered as a consequence.

Recommended if you're looking for a gentle graphic novel about finding yourself as a young teen, a strong ace or non-binary representation is important to you, and you're ok with a somewhat rushed story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC!

More thoughts here: https://youtu.be/iNUD3wZlu7w