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The New Girl #2
First Crush
Not yet published
Expected 5 May 26Cassandra Calin returns with this charming and comical follow-up to The New Girl, her long-form graphic novel debut that became a New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and Indie bestseller! This middle-grade graphic novel about crushing and being crushed is the perfect next read for fans of Guts by Raina Telgemeier, Fruitcake by Rex Ogle and Dave Valeza, and Parachute Kids by Betty C. Tang.
Lia is finally feeling settled into her new life in Canada. Her friends are amazing, her French is improving, and her periods... ugh, those are still terrible. But Lia's crush, Julien, is noticing her. Lia thinks he likes her, but she can't tell for sure. And while she's obsessing over him, Lia's not noticing another person's growing crush on HER. With so many big feelings and even bigger changes, could things get any worse? In this follow-up to the breakout hit The New Girl, Lia's relationships -- with her friends, her crush, her mom, and even herself -- are all tested like never before.
Lia is finally feeling settled into her new life in Canada. Her friends are amazing, her French is improving, and her periods... ugh, those are still terrible. But Lia's crush, Julien, is noticing her. Lia thinks he likes her, but she can't tell for sure. And while she's obsessing over him, Lia's not noticing another person's growing crush on HER. With so many big feelings and even bigger changes, could things get any worse? In this follow-up to the breakout hit The New Girl, Lia's relationships -- with her friends, her crush, her mom, and even herself -- are all tested like never before.
272 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication May 5, 2026
442 people want to read
About the author
Cassandra Calin
9 books287 followersCassandra Calin is a Romanian-born Canadian artist. Based in Montreal, she's a comic artist, illustrator, and a graphic designer. “I draw comics inspired by my life and experiences,” Calin writes on her website. “I enjoy laughing at my awkward self and ranting about silly misfortunes such as being born with curly hair.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 8, 2025
Fell in love with this series last year and the second installment did not disappoint!! A fav
Want to read
December 12, 2025YO WHAT MY PRE HOLD ON LIBBY IS GOING UP RN
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
In this sequel to The New Girl, Lia is back at her school in Montreal, and navigating her crush on Julien. She is also dealing with extremely painful periods that the doctor won't do anything about, and is fighting with friend Wan Yin, after Lia accidentally outs her friend after Wan Yin confesses to having a crush on a girl. There is lots of drama on the school magazine, and even on school trips. Julien likes Lia, and they hang out together, but Lia is very jealous of Jade's friendship with Julien, which doesn't go over well with him. Lia and her friends all struggle with body image, and have to learn to navigate relationships as they get older.
The illustration style is appealing, and the colors are bright. Lia's family has come from Romania, so she is enrolled in a Welcome Class, and her family misses friends and family back in their previous home. Readers who enjoy Tessier's Chloe books or Beka's The Love Report will like this series.
In this sequel to The New Girl, Lia is back at her school in Montreal, and navigating her crush on Julien. She is also dealing with extremely painful periods that the doctor won't do anything about, and is fighting with friend Wan Yin, after Lia accidentally outs her friend after Wan Yin confesses to having a crush on a girl. There is lots of drama on the school magazine, and even on school trips. Julien likes Lia, and they hang out together, but Lia is very jealous of Jade's friendship with Julien, which doesn't go over well with him. Lia and her friends all struggle with body image, and have to learn to navigate relationships as they get older.
The illustration style is appealing, and the colors are bright. Lia's family has come from Romania, so she is enrolled in a Welcome Class, and her family misses friends and family back in their previous home. Readers who enjoy Tessier's Chloe books or Beka's The Love Report will like this series.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
The second book in The New Girl middle grade graphic novel has crush and friend drama. Lia has a crush on Julien from magazine club, and he seems to have a crush on her, too. But Lia's friend Wan Yin has a crush on her. Meanwhile, Lia is still dealing with painful periods and learning a new language. My daughter (8) really loved this, and it was a good way to talk about periods and how they can sometimes be painful. She says she's looking forward to all the drama around crushes, so I guess I have that to look forward to lol. I appreciate that all the friends are supportive and kind. Maybe there are too many to keep track of, but that's okay. The art style is also lovely.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews