Midsummer Sisters

by Niki Smith

Midsummer Sisters is a contemporary graphic novel about two sisters who find themselves watching over a wild foal during a summer of change. A stunning story about the power of sisterhood.

Kenzie and Quinn aren’t just stepsisters ― they’re best friends. They’re spending the summer with their grandmother, kayaking in the marshy coastal islands she calls home. The Outer Banks are also home to a herd of wild ponies, and the girls fall in love with a fragile newborn foal that they name Starling.

But even blue skies and sandy beaches can’t distract from what’s going on back home. Things between their parents aren’t the way they used to be, and the constant fights have left Kenzie and Quinn anxious and confused. They can’t remember a time when they weren’t a family. If their parents divorce and Quinn and her mom move away, will they even still be sisters . . . or will they be nothing?

As their world shifts around them, the girls swear to do the one thing they can: keep Starling safe.

Award-winning cartoonist Niki Smith delivers a stunning story set during a summer of change. Filled with gorgeous and expressive illustrations, Midsummer Sisters is a celebration of the beauty of wild horses, as powerful as the unbreakable bond between sisters.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Comics, Fiction, Family, Childrens, Realistic Fiction

272 pages, Hardcover

First published June 2, 2026

About the author

Artist, writer, lover of fine comics (and some pretty trashy ones too). Niki Smith now calls Germany home and is dedicated to filling the world with queer and diverse stories.

Reviews

[Whitney Atkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

thanks scholastic for the review copy!

this book made me feel like lindsay lohan yelling at jamie lee curtis in freaky friday the way it was ruining my life

hey read a fun summery book, scholastic said
it's about sisters and horses, scholastic said

150 pages later, find me crying in bed while reading this

i'm not beating the horse girl allegations but GOD this book rocked. two stepsisters living with their grandma for a summer, mourning their parents' inevitable divorce and trying to soak in their last summer together? i related to both girls so hard (i mean, one of them was a fossil nerd. come ON.) and of course how could i not stan the fact that wild horses were also a central part of this story

this was so heartfelt but also so summery and cute, definitely not too juvenile for a book about tweens. highly recommend to kiddos and adults alike, but don't go into it expecting a lighthearted beach read bc i was bawling

[alexandra ౨ৎ {matching with ash} [the great divide] · Rating 3 out of 5]

꒰ post-read ꒱ •
↳ overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

°❀.ೃ࿔
plot —▷ 3/5
cursing —▷ 0/5
spice —▷ 0/5
genre —▷ graphic novel

if this book was a song…
opalite - taylor swift
01:23 ━━━━●───── 03:43
      ㅤ ㅤ◁ㅤ ❚❚ ㅤ▷ ㅤㅤ↻    

if this book was emojis…
🌊🐴🐟👯‍♀️🌸

thank you so much for taking the time to read my review! i hope it was helpful in your reading experience. if you enjoyed this review, please consider following me to receive more valuable reviews!
˗ˏˋ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ ˎˊ˗

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has a great hook: the parents of two close stepsisters are getting a divorce and the girls worry about what this will do to their relationship. It hits all the emotional beats just right while also providing a pitch-perfect summer feeling. Oh and they also rescue wild horses. Delightful! I love the originality that Niki Smith brings to her graphic novels, and while I was reading, I didn't realize that she wrote Sea Legs and The Deep and Dark Blue, which I also love.

[Niki Smith]

My next book-- look for it in June!

[Bethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars.
Step sisters that live together: Quinn curly redhead & her mom, Kenzie straight dark hair & her dad
Best friends but they do fuss at each other
Gramma is dad’s mom
Very effective, the red shapes floating in with parents’ angry words
Gramma surprise shows up and takes girls to Outer Banks where she lives on beach to stay while parents try to figure things out
Great to see non bio sisters getting along so well and the consequences of their parents’ difficulties, like that Quinn’s mom wants to get job in Delaware and Kenzie’s dad doesn’t want to go there
They don’t remember not being sisters
Nice photo album section
Kenzie’s rock collection is potential geodes and Quinn can take her aggression out on cracking them open
Gramma’s dog is getting very old
Love how they chat about all sorts of things, like Gramma getting a new puppy in the future
Team Starling (the name I guessed)
Gramma comes up with plan for them to still feel like sisters even when the parents eventually break up

[Bonnie Grover · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a celebration of the beauty of wild horses and the unbreakable bond between sisters. Themes: Family, Conservation, Step Sisters, Parental Separation, Strength of Grandparent Bonds. A great middle grade novel to share with students- “Tender and honest.”

[DaNae · Rating 3 out of 5]

*2.5

Quinn and Kenzie need to get away from their parents who are always fighting. They go to spend the summer with their grandmother on the islands of the Outer Banks, where the wild horses prove a distraction.

This is very much an issues book. The art is good and the family dilemma is acutely shown, but very painful to watch. Not what I’m looking for. Even for kids who would feel seen in this book, not what many of them turn to graphic novels for. The horses almost, but not quite, save it as a story.

[Casey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute & Sad. I was hoping for more of a connection between the sisters. I just didn't feel it because they were always fighting.
If this author decided to write more summers with these two sisters.I would consider reading those. I also wanted more horses. The synopsis on the back sounded like that would be more part of the story.But I felt like it was just a short side plot.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

In this graphic novel, Kenzie's father, Adrian, married Quinn's mother, Bethany, after the death of Kenzie's mother when both girls were fairly young. Quinn's father sometimes visits with her, but the two are definitely sisters in every way that counts. Lately, their parents have been fighting nonstop, which is very stressful. When Gramma (Adrian's mother) offers to take the girls to her home in the Outer Banks for the summer, it's mainly a relief, although Quinn is a little upset to be missing her friend Willow. She's supposed to have a visit with her father, but Gramma offers to host him at her home. The girls have a lot of freedom to kayak and roam the beach while Gramma does her work for the Wild Horse Foundation, and it's peaceful to not have to listen to fighting all the time. The girls find a shark's tooth, help clean up the beach, and even get to name a new foal who is born. When Bethany decides to take a job in another town, Quinn is devastated. She feels that Kenzie doesn't quite understand her grief, and the two fight a bit. They eventually talk through their feelings, and Kenzie realizes that Quinn and Willow want to date each other, adding to Quinn's grief. While the parents are not very helpful during this transition, Gramma is a steady support, and the girls plan to spend their summers with her even after the divorce.
Strengths: Definitely Gramma for the win in this book; I very much appreciated that she is still working and active, and steps in to take care of the girls when their parents are clearly not doing so. The Outer Banks setting is intriguing, and the information about the horses will appeal to a wide variety of readers. The illustrations are attractive, and the way the parents are fighting is expressed in an intriguing way, with background text bubbles and even spiky voice bubbles just filled with fire like color! The way the girls interact is also realistic; when someone is going through hard things, it's difficult to empathize with others.
Weaknesses: While the over-the-top emotions the girls exhibit are certainly true to life, it strikes me that it would be more helpful to young readers who might have trouble regulating their own emotions to see examples of tweens developing more effective coping strategies. I realize that I have this point of view because I am an old person and this is no longer in favor, but the current methods just seem to be making my students more and more anxious. Midsummer Sisters certainly feels right at home with other current graphic novels.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who found this author's Sea Legs intriguing, or who want sadder books about divorce like Levy's All the Things We Found or Lucido's and Corcutt's Words Apart.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

How do two stepsisters deal with the impending and likely divorce of their parents? Not well since they know that the summer they're spending with their grandmother as a way to help their parents "stop fighting and decide what to do next" is likely going to be their last ever together. Grandma is their humorous and wise rock, bringing the girls to her space to care for them and guide them while also teaching them life lessons through her horse sanctuary work with the wild horses of The Outer Banks.

Both Kenzie and Quinn have big emotions that are eloquently felt in the graphic novel. It's important that the book is a graphic novel for this reason and I can't wait to see it in full color as I'm reading an ARC from the publisher which is not a complete full color rendering on glossy pages. Either way, I get all of the emotions these girls experience (plus the anger of their grandmother in putting the girls in this situation).

A beautiful backdrop with learning about the wild horses and witnessing a foal's birth gives them hope that everything can be okay. The summer vibes are strong and knowing the decisions that are made at the end of the book provide another set of hopefulness.

[Maia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kenzie and Quinn are step-sisters but they've grown up side by side their whole lives, sharing rooms and toys, parents and grandparents, space and squabbles and support. But now their parents can't stop arguing and the girls are worried that if their parents separate, they won't share anything anymore. During a particularly bad week their grandma Diane swoops the girls up to take to her beach house in the Outer Banks in North Caroline where she works as a vet for the wild horses that roam the islands. Kenzie is thrilled to spend time outside looking for fossilized shark teeth and other treasures the waves wash up. Quinn is more reluctant, often glued to her phone, texting someone maybe more than a friend back home who she will dearly miss is she has to move away. This warmhearted and emotional sibling story unfolds over the summer as the girls try to find their footing in a new reality, commit to their relationship with one another, and uncover some of the magic of the wild horses of the islands. Niki Smith is a comics rock star, the sea breeze practically lifts off the pages, the linework is so deft and confident. I had the pleasure of reading an advanced copy, but when it's out in June 2026 you should buy it for all of the kids in your life!

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quinn and Kenzie are sisters by marriage - stepsisters who have known each other their whole lives- and we meet them as they hide out in the middle of their parents’ loud argument (rendered as indecipherable words in angry red bubbles). The morning after brings the arrival of Gramma Diana, Kenzie’s dad’s veterinarian mother. In hopes of allowing her adult son and his wife time to sort through their problems, Gramma offers to take both girls to her house in the Outer Banks to spend the summer.
Once at the beach house, the girls can find some solace in the ocean and its inhabitants, and they become fascinated by the wild horses that roam the beach there, too. But of course they can’t avoid what is happening to their family forever....Every expressive panel beautifully captures the feeling of a summer at the beach, and every moment between the sisters is heartfelt and moving.
Best for middle-grade readers and older, Midsummer Sisters is a touching read for fans of realistic fiction by Raina Telgemeier, Lucy Knisley, or Faith Erin Hicks.

[Mrs_R_Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Edelweiss and Scholastic Graphix for providing access to an early review copy of this title in exchange for my honest feedback.

Quinn and Kenzie are stepsisters. Their parents married when the girls were very young, so the girls do not remember a time without each other. However, their parents are currently arguing frequently, and the girls are worried that they may be separated if a divorce occurs.
They spend the summer with their grandmother on the Outer Banks. During that time:
* They explore the area, collecting shark's teeth and observing the wild horses.
* They start to confront their fears about the potential divorce.
* Quinn communicates through text messages with her new crush, Willow.

This is a touching story with a hopeful ending. I will be purchasing it for my school library.

CW: Divorce

[Chloe (Always Booked) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This was a sweet but heavy graphic novel about 2 stepsisters who have been raised as sisters. Now their parents are struggling and on the brink of divorce so they go to stay with their grandma on the coast. She is a vet for the wild horses on the beach so they get involved in that, but mostly they're just concerned about if their parents split and what that means for them as sisters. I came from a blended family and definitely could relate to the fragility of that. My complaint about this book is that one of our main characters is texting her female friend and its hinted at that she has more than friend feelings and in the end its confirmed that she wants to date her. I just don't feel like a relationship of any kind was necessary in this book and the LGBTQ element felt like it was checking a box.

[Maria Almaguer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This juvenile graphic novel, set in the summertime, is colorful and vivid, but its themes of divorce, sisterhood, and friendship are heavy-hitting. Quinn and Kenzie have been stepsisters since early childhood, but their parents’ troubled marriage leads Kenzie’s grandmother to take them into her home on the Outer Banks, away from their tense and dramatic arguments. While there, the sisters’ fear about their parents’ situation—and the possibility of their own separation—evolves into arguments. Yet their grandmother Diana, a veterinarian, includes them in her work with the wild herds in the area, distracting them and encouraging them to see their own place in the world. This is a painful story, but the author renders it with beautiful emotion. This will be a great story for all children of blended families experiencing difficulties and challenges.

[Whitney · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up for GR

Read for Mock Newbery. This was a really sweet book about two (step)sisters whose parents are divorcing and the repercussions of that. This is a type of family that's really underrepresented and I thought the story presented the relationship between the two girls well, as well as their fears about the future. There's a small substory about feral horses. The only thing keeping it from being perfect is that I thought the characterization was uneven. I know next to nothing about Kenzie except that she likes rocks. We don't spend a ton of time with her. Quinn, however, was delightful and a character I really enjoyed. I felt like she was a little better developed. Overall, highly recommend.

[Magnus Frederiksen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Min dotter ville att jag skulle läsa denna. Den handlar om en bonusfamilj med två bonussytrar vars föräldrar ska separera. En historia vi kan relatera till. Stor igenkänning på gott och ont. Det föll tårar i slutet. Historien är så fin och sorglig.
Tjejerna som får tillbringa sommaren hos farmor vet att det kommer bli deras sista sommar tillsammans, det är en separation en förälder inte vill var bidragande till. Vilket flera av oss är. Vilket jag är. Smärtar att läsa om det ur deras perspektiv.

Historien är inte bara fin, den är också fint berättad. I text och illustrerat. Fem av fem är givet.

[Donna Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 - Quinn and Kenzie have been sisters for most of their lives, but their parents' fighting is reaching a tipping point that could threaten their family. The two girls go to stay with Gramma while their parents hash things out, and the girls go on adventures and work through their own feelings.

I love Niki Smith's art style. The characters are visually interesting, and realistic in their individuality. The story is relatable, sweet, and everyone in it feels rounded. Plus there's a geriatric dog, wild horses, and fossils?? yes please. Definitely pulled my heartstrings and made me teary.

[Dolores · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kenzie and Quinn may be stepsisters, but they feel like sisters. And best friends, too. So when their parents start fighting, and the fighting gets out of hand-they are scared. If their parents divorce, will they be separated? Will they not be sisters, anymore? To get them out of the tense atmosphere of the house Gramma comes and picks them up. They will stay with her at the Outer Banks. Both girls love it there. They love the beach and the wild horses. Will things work out or will they be separated forever. Beautiful artwork and a touching story.

[Libriar · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fairly heavy graphic novel about two stepsisters whose parents fight all the time. The sisters end up spending much of a summer in the Outer Banks with their grandma to get away from the fighting. There, they worry that their parents will divorce but also learn about the wild horses of Corolla. Smith does a good job of showing sibling relationships - the sisters fight constantly but are also afraid that they will never see each other again. The cover and title make this book seem like it will be lighter than it is.

[Chloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book was good is showed lots of detail about how it’s not always easy when your parents fight and that sooner or later it’s gonna go bad and you just have to deal with it but never alone I liked this book and would read it again five stars would recommend if you like drama but not super intense drama
I read the uncorrected copy so I am not sure how it turned out I am a young reader so I might have a different opinion than you but I hope this helped

[Beckiezra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice art style and it made me cry at times. I think the love subplot was a bit forced. People can be too involved with their cell phones and texting friends and it can bother the family they’re with regardless of any potential romantic relationships. It felt unreasonable to be upset about it and then it be fine with it because there’s a potential crush involved. Recommended for horse girls and children of divorce.

[Martha Meyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful graphic novel -- two sisters (they have different parents) grow up together and this summer they are faced with their parents separating, which will also separate them. Their veterinarian grandmother who works with a wild horse foundation takes them in for the summer and they work together to protect a newborn wild horse lost in a storm. They find stability and nurturing that helps them develop a rapport with each other that may transcend parental issues.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kenzie and Quinn are stepsisters that are as close as can be... but they're worried about the future of their family when they go to their grandma's for the summer. There is an upside-- they get to observe wild ponies, including a new foal. Midsummer Sisters is such a moving, bittersweet story of what really makes a family, and I adored both of them.

[Panda Incognito · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story's premise was a sad one, but I wasn't prepared for just how depressing this would be. I felt mad at the girls' parents the whole time, and it was also exhausting to read the girls' endless bickering. Even the horse subplot involved heavy topics. Despite that cheerful-looking cover, the whole book was bleak.

[Rummanah (Books in the Spotlight) · Rating 4 out of 5]

An emotional read about shifting family dynamics and summer changes, but also a celebration of sisterhood. I really like how Nikki Smith is able to capture the complexity of siblings-loving one moment and then squabbling the next. The graphic novel balances the sad moments with happy ones quite nicely. I could almost hear the ocean waves off the coast of North Carolina.

[Cheryl Klein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Graceful, subtle, and well crafted. As lifelong stepsisters whose parents may be getting a divorce, Kenzie and Quinn make the transition from not-chosen family to not-chosen not-family to chosen family in a story that is quietly moving and full of beautiful wild horses weathering their own storms.

[Katy O. · Rating 4 out of 5]

(free review copy) Loved the very authentically-depicted family struggles and summery Outer Banks setting! And the horses! Middle grade graphic novel fans will love this one.

source: free digital review copy via Edelweiss

[Ellery Seymour · Rating 5 out of 5]

An unexpectedly beautiful book. Touches on so many topics, beautifully manages them with grace and kindness

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raises an issue with divorce that had never occurred to me and it probably affects lots of kids. Looking forward to seeing the finished copy.