Donutella Hamachi and the Library Avengers

Donutella Hamachi is a wonderful read from beginning to end. The story blends the world of comic books and reality through the lens of the main character Jae Han, an aspiring young artist. When Han's favorite place, the library, is at risk of closing, he gathers his courage and uses his creativity to find a way to save it before it's too late.

This novel will captivate its readers instantly with detailed comic illustrations and heartwarming characters. The story seamlessly blends words and pictures without taking the reader out of Jae Han's world. I loved that we learned as much about Jae Han's story and the origins of his character/world of Donutella.

At its core, this novel is a love letter to not only books, but the power of libraries in our communities. At a time when libraries are facing a lot of uncertainty, this story is a reminder of why libraries are so essential. Jae Han is able to find a second home in his library, use its resources to learn more about drawing, and connect with his neighborhood. The novel showcases all the ways one can utilize their library and how to help support them.

As a library kid myself, I found an instant connection to this story and I think many young readers will be able to see themselves in the story. It's a novel about following your dreams, trusting yourself, and stepping up for what you believe. The positive messages surrounding confidence and representation will stick with the reader long after finishing the book.

Stephan Lee, Utomaru, and Kim Chi have done a fantastic job collaborating on this novel that will appeal to those that love libraries and reading. Its authentic storytelling is vibrant yet realistic, giving it an overall engrossing reading experience. Be sure to add Donutella to your TBR immediately!

What I Liked: The entrance to this book starts powerfully as we enter straight into Donutella’s world when she has to defeat a blobfish. We then instantly get pulled from that world to be introduced to the bullies that have been tormenting Jae Han Kim, mirroring how he feels when he isn’t engaging in this other world he made for himself. After this occurrence, we get to learn more about Jae Han Kim and get a glimpse at why the library is important to him, how, and why his art serves as his escape from reality.

There are illustrations included throughout this book that come from the graphic novel that Jae Han Kim is working on throughout the story. These illustrations help make this story come to life and provide another view of what is going on in this town. Each chapter contains a few pages, making it easy for a young reader to follow along, and in between the chapters, there are illustrations or pages from the graphic novel. This structure allows for a more hesitant reader who enjoys graphic novels to be intrigued by this story and remain immersed throughout the book.

There are several important messages that come across through this story, beginning with the importance of community. This book also shows the importance of staying true to oneself, both with Zavion’s friendship with a bully as well as the major’s shift in personality because of the businessmen that he is engaging with. This book also briefly touches on the complexity of gendered expectations and how people should be allowed to enjoy any hobby regardless of their gender. The book does a great job of exploring parental expectations, and the stress children can be under to meet their parents’ expectations, as we see both through Jae Han Kim and his brother, who is a basketball superstar but would rather be drumming.

Final Verdict: Donutella Hamachi and the Library Avengers is a fun book highlighting the importance of libraries for everyone and the transformative power that a library contains. Children ages 8 and up will enjoy the creativity throughout this book, as well as the friendships that are highlighted throughout.