Review Detail

TIG AND LILY: UP LATE! is an engaging graphic novel about nightmares and friendship. Tig has had a bad dream that has woken him up and made it so that he never wants to go to sleep again. Tig wakes up Lily to help keep him company, but he won't reveal anything about his dream. Instead, he has the idea to throw a slumber party with the other animals. Things don't go as smoothly as planned, especially since Tig really needs his sleep - but keeps getting woken up by nightmares.

Through discussion with the other animals, Lily begins to realize that maybe Tig is worried about she will think of him if she knows his dream. As things escalate and Tig begins sleepwalking into dangerous situations, Lily reaches out and eventually Tig reveals his dream - that Lily wouldn't be friends with him anymore. After talking it out, Tig gets back to sleep.

What I loved: This is a simple and engaging graphic novel that will resonate with young readers who may have their own fears about friendships and bad dreams. Tig's reaction is understandable, and the book discusses how comforting it can be to tell someone about your bad dream. Tig and Lily's friendship really shines through with how they approach each other and interact, as well as the care Lily shows to Tig throughout.

The writing is largely composed of simple sentences and words which will work well for independent readers. The graphic novel style is used with an easy flow and relatively few panels on each page to keep it easy to follow. Images are colorful, engaging, and bring the characters to life while also making it easy to attribute speech bubbles. As a result, this will work well for budding independent readers in the early elementary school age range.

What left me wanting more: As a small thing, there is a scary story told at the sleepover that could be a bit much for sensitive children. There is also a bit around secrets/secret-keeping that can be tough for this age when deciding which secrets to keep/lie about.

Final verdict: TIG AND LILY: UP LATE! is an engaging graphic novel that discusses bad dreams and friendship in ways that will resonate with young independent readers.