Cici's Journal: Lost and Found

Les Carnets de Cerise #3-5

by Joris Chamblain, Aurélie Neyret (Illustrator)

Everyone has secrets, but no one can hide them from Cici!

As a future writer, Cici knows what questions to ask and where to find the clues she needs to unlock peoples’ hearts. Yet even though Cici is great at helping others, for a long time now she has kept a dark and painful secret hidden inside herself.

Cici’s friends and mom all want to help her heal, but she keeps pushing them away. Can a treasure hunt, a mysterious mansion, and an epic beachside fight help her to open up at last?

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Mystery, Realistic Fiction, Childrens, Young Adult, Fiction

240 pages, Hardcover

Published July 20, 2021

About the author

Joris Chamblain is a French comic writer and author of children’s books known in particular for having published, in collaboration with the illustrator Aurélie Neyret, his first comic book series Cici’s Journal (Les Carnets de Cerise) which won the Youth Prize at the Angoulême International Comics Festival in 2014 and no less than twenty awards. Joris's comics are translated in about fifteen countries.

Reviews

[Darla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cici's adventures continue in Books 3-5. I really loved Book #3 and Book #5. Book #4 was set in an old house with some really sad history. Did not enjoy that one as much. In Book #3, Cici and her friends follow a scavenger hunt at Christmas time and make some really meaningful connections. So well done. In Book #5 we learn more about Cici's past, see her work through the relationship problems with her mom, and set off on a new kind of adventure at the end. Beautiful artwork and a well-balanced mix of journaling, scrapbook photos, and graphic panels.

Thank you to First Second Books and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

[Samantha | samanthakreads · Rating 2 out of 5]

Up until part 4, I enjoyed this graphic novel series. I have been looking for more appropriate and fun graphic novels to recommend to middle graders. However, I'm super disappointed in part 4, and the story surrounding LGBTQ references and a lesbian relationship wrecked the story for me, and I cannot recommend it. There is zero need or reason for this in a graphic middle-grade novel.

[Belles Middle Grade Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was just as great, if not better than the 1st! Told between journal entries & graphic novel form, it’s just such a heartwarming, charming series. I absolutely love Cici, & I fell in love with all the amazing people she meets & helps along her way. Loved the new mysteries we solved, plus helping Cici with a trouble of her own, & seeing past characters she’d help again to come full circle. This has amazing friendships, an amazing mother daughter relationship, mystery, adventure, & a lot of heart. Grief is touched on in here, & done really well. These are full of the most stunning art by Aurélie Neyret too. Everything about these are just phenomenal. I hope there will be more in the future(& translated to English like these were!). HIGHLY recommend!💜

[Juan Manuel Sarmiento · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series is so sweet, colorful and emotional. The plot is simple yet complex and with several layers of social interaction and different topics like friendship, loss, family, community, sense of wonder... A great option for young readers that enjoy adventure books and investigation stories.

[ChrissiesPurpleLibrary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Following CiCi and her friends as they sleuth and come of age. This was a great read. I especially loved the art work/graphic design. Although there were aspects of the story I didn’t care for I still enjoyed the main themes of healing a broken heart and the grieving process. I will definitely pick up the next one.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part Graphic Novel Part Journal
These 3 volumes are the last 3 of Cici’s entries. Each entry is a new investigation that connects together to help Cici solve secrets from her past and repair her relationship with her mom.
Although the first 3 entries are referenced, not reading them doesn’t hinder enjoyment of these entries.

[Aanya Sachdeva · Rating 5 out of 5]

The illustrations were gorgeous and this was a wonderful sequel to the first 2 books!!
◆The last of the five treasures◆
This story was beautiful, and the way the it builds up was wonderful!
The treasure hunt was described so beautifully it was as if the reader was there, and the illustrations helped alot too!
◆The Faceless Goddess◆
This was interesting!!
And the way mystery unravels itself was super fun, though the end was depressing :( .
◆From the first snowfall to the perseids◆
The letters between Cici and her mother were heart touching, and the sad story described in such a heartfelt manner that it can make you cry!

Overall, the graphics were like I mentioned before GORGEOUS!!!
And the writing style was wonderful!

5 out of 5 stars (Still wanna give it more)

[Andrea Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic second book to really round out the stories of everyone in the first book. Was happy to revisit the zoo and was inspired to start a journal with my 11 year old to see if she would like to write to me too!

I just reviewed Cici's Journal: Lost and Found by Joris Chamblain, Thank you NetGalley! #NetGalley

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the additional layer of character development all round, as well as finally seeing what happened to Cici when she was younger. While the Mysterious Mansion mystery felt a bit off, it all tied together in the end.

I hope they translate Cici and Valentin's travelogue as well, just for completion!

[Lindsay Lemus · Rating 4 out of 5]

4-4.5 stars
I really love this middle grade graphic novel series. The life lessons and struggles this young girl goes through in each story is so realistic and relatable. It's an emotional roller-coaster too. I will say book 4 threw me for a loop in a negative way because I don't agree with some things put in there personally but the rest was really good.

[Hailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sequel was just as good at the first, if not better!

It goes to much deeper and darker places, but reminds us that sometimes we need to experience pain to heal and sometimes we need a little push to get there. Cici has such a pure heart and a curious mind and I thoroughly enjoyed following her story. Her investigations of the people in her life are lighthearted but also share a deeper truth about each person. She loves connecting with others and healing their hurts.

I know I will be rereading this again and again.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I checked this out I was unaware that it was a sequel. Despite that, I really enjoyed it. The graphics are so adorable, Cici is a sympathetic sweet character, and her adventures are fun and interesting. I would love to check out the previous book.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another sweet story of Cici and her adventures. The illustrations are beautiful.

[Charly Troff (JustaReadingMama) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a solid conclusion to the first. The mysteries to be solved are fun and it handles grief in a deeper, heartfelt way. The middle was a little hard to get through, but the ending was strong.

[Mikayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was delightful. I want to hug the characters and start the whole journey all over again.

[Andréa]

Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Gwendolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I enjoyed the first volume, I loved this one, but you do need to read them in order and they’re both so wholesome and heartwarming.

Cici and her friends Lena and Erica are back to solve even more mysteries. The first story The Last of the Five Treasures introduces us to Sandra, a bookbinder who teaches the girls about binding books. Sandra is an interesting character because she seems to have some memory issues and is dealing with some suppressed trauma as well. There are hints throughout the story, but it’s the journey to the reveal that makes it so special. This was also the moment where we see that Cici may be hiding her own secret. The second story The Faceless Goddess was my absolute favorite of the 3 stories. There’s a mysterious mansion, with clues and riddles, an epic beachside battle and so much more. Then finally there’s From the First Snowfall to the Perseids which ended up being the most emotional of the bunch, but reveals what Cici has been keeping bottled up. It also offers a lot of hope for the future of all the characters that we’ve come to know and love along the way.

I enjoyed how these stories intertwined with stories from volume 1 and it’s like getting a glimpse into an entire town of people and how they all interconnect, while the main focus is Cici, her mom and her 2 best friends. I would absolutely love for this series to continue and go on even more globetrotting adventures with Cici and the gang.

[Colt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to go back and read the first Cici book to follow along, so it's not exactly a "you can pick this one up and read it out of order" series. I personally enjoyed the story and found Cici to be refreshingly bold and daring - but I can see where some parents may not like her attitude. However, it's a good read and keeps you turning the pages.
The art is GREAT, and very detailed. At first I assumed it was going to be along the veins of Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Dork Diaries, but it is definitely a graphic novel with a heavy story element.

[Becky B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cici, young investigator, and her friends meet a bookbinder who invites them to her workshop. While there, the girls uncover an old scavenger hunt Sandra’s father set up that helps her deal with her memory issues and a past trauma. In her second adventure, Cici and her mom go on vacation and visit a mystery mansion where they have a clue to unravel. But their clue leads them to unexpected discoveries about real people. And in her third adventure, Cici’s experiences with Sandra and at the mansion have stirred up a lot of emotions about her father’s death and she has to find a way to work through them with her mom.

The first story in this volume is my favorite. It’s set during the holidays and has a very Hallmark-ish, feel-good vibe to it. It’s sweet, and brings joy to all involved. The second story stirs up things that Cici must deal with in the third story. I was a little upset at first because all of a sudden Cici’s mom is all jealous and angry for seemingly no reason. That gets further fleshed out in the third story and ends up eventually hopeful for a better resolution, but I wasn’t happy at all with how the second story ended on its own. I really like the art style for the graphic novel portions (some parts are presented like a journal); it’s very beautiful artwork. If you know a reader who likes mysteries that focus more on the characters than the mystery, hand them this series.

Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. The middle story talks about two ladies who are good friends and it is really left up to interpretation just what that means. There’s also a boy and girl who seem to have a crush, but they just look at each other meaningfully. The last story involves a man and lady who are engaged, nothing beyond a hug is shown on page. Deaths of parents/spouses and grief are talked about a lot.

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a diary journal, graphic novel that though it is written for middle grade readers, is very detailed, and very thoughtful, as although this is the second book in the series, it is possible o read this as a stand alone, just realizing that there are some clues that you would have read in the first book that might be missed.

Cici doesn't remember her father well. He died when she was quite young. But she thinks everything is fine, and there is nothing to worry about. She and her friends like to solve mysteries, and each section of this this book, which is divided into three main chapters, there is a mystery to be solved.

Very detailed, very real characters, we go through each mystery that brings us closer to solving the story behind Cici and her mother. And along the way, they help other people come together, and discover things that they thought were missing.

Not a light story, by any means, very detailed, but interesting to read and help Cici solve the problems that are presented to her.


Thanks to Netgalley for making this book avalaible for an honest review.

[Joselyn Moreno · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm totally in love with this comic.

This one has 3 little stories, and I love how everything comes round in this one, seriously was an experience for me.

Some of the stories if not all, always have a hearth breaking quality but also so much joy, one thing I loved about the stories too is that helps cici and her mother grow as persons and to get help when they have a problem.

I did cried with cici's own story but it was so wholesome at the end and it actually made me reflect on things that we as people tend to do a lot and carry the baggage when we shouldn't and don't ask for help when we actually need it, it made me want to get all my problems out in any way and begin to heal my hearth and mind and feel happy again and just live and be good everyday, so in a way cici inspired me to want to be a better person and regain happiness for myself.

The illustrations are breathtaking so recommended for anyone who just want to learn how to be more happy or just read something beautiful.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a lovely second and concluding volume to Cici's story, although I felt that Book 5 didn't quite jive with rest so I took away one star for that. I wish the last one had still surrounded one of Cici's investigations and revealed their story along the way, instead of just being a conversation between her and her mom. But it was still a great reveal to their family secrets and their backstory and it made many questions/hints from the earlier chapters make sense! And the first two stories were just as delightful as those in volume 1! The first mystery followed a local bookbinder (at Christmastime!) and it tied all of the friends together in some way which I found lovely. The second had Cici and friends on vacation at a mysterious mansion (although to be totally honest this one might not live up to the glory of the others either. How they ended up at the mansion was a bit convoluted and IMO out of character for one particular person but again, the ending and all that story revealed was quite fun!)

[carlene ☼ · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5

Unfortunately I was let down by this volume of Cici’s story. Both the first and third stories were absolutely perfect in their storylines, and connected beautifully to each other. But the second story… it felt really out of place honestly. The main point of it was a lesbian couple finding love with each other after having been separated by disapproving parents years before. The very end of it connected to the beginning of the third story, but everything else in the story felt so random in the middle of the other two stories, like it was thrown in as a last minute idea or just for the clout of “this book has gay characters.”

The first and third stories though absolutely captured my heart. If this collection had only been comprised of those two, it honestly would have gotten five stars. Those two stories were so seamlessly told and beautifully depicted. There are certain stories within these that you can tell that the author and the illustrator were on the exact same page with, and both of these were like that.

[Jacob Schmitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prepare yourself for a deeper and more dramatic sequel. After solving more touching and heartfelt investigations, Cici realizes it is time to finally investigate the person she has be resisting to investigate all along… herself. Throughout both books, the reader has been lured with notions of Cici’s father and what really happened, and by the end of the book, you bear witness to the real emotions, expressions, and affects of what losing a father at such an age entails. The story wraps up well.

The art executed by Aurelio Neyret deserves countless awards for her brilliant use of light, support of details, and creativity of incorporating a scrapbook/journal into the pages. The pairing of journal entries with graphic novel panels work wonders and segue fluidly throughout the work. Absolutely marvelous!

[Beth Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advanced digital copy of this via NetGalley.
The story is told through a mix of diary entries and graphic novel, which works really well. It follows Cici in her investigations to solve the mystery of some secret parcels, which in turn lead her to some secrets about her own past. There then follows a turn of events that enable Cici to find out more about her past and what happened to her father and her discovery that her memory is not as reliable as she thinks it is. It also portrays the changing relationship between Cici and her mother.
Through Cici’s friendships and relationships with her family, especially her mother, we see her grow and learn about herself.

[D.T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was great and even dug deep on some parts. This book tackled childhood trauma and depression and a, at the time, seemingly hinted lesbian romance in a way that was palatable for children. I’m seriously pleasantly surprised with this book!

Cici’s just turned twelve and is maturing in a lot of ways. She and her friends are in middle school and everything is changing. Even though Cici and her mom have better communication these days, she still can’t help wanting to solve everyone’s problems—while ignoring her own.

I don’t know if there will be more to this series, but it ended very well here, in my opinion.

4.5

[Katie Storer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Circle of Life

No matter what hand we are dealt, we survive them and wait for the next change to happen. It is our choice to be happy or miserable. But to be happy, we must forgive ourselves when we aren’t happy with our own behavior. Cici didn’t remember much about her dad. She just knew she missed him and hurt deep in her heart.

This story tells us of her journey toward happiness and love.

[Jessica Tracy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read the first one and didn't like it, but thought I'd give book two a chance. Yeah it was worse. Not for me I guess. Very similar issues as book one for me, except this time exponentially worse. Many elements of the story just don't make sense or work well.

Content Warnings: NO swearing or nudity. Some mild adult themes. One portrayal of a lesbian couple that the kids are trying to get back together.

[Claire Bear]

I gave this 100 stars rating of this graphic novel, I enjoy the color, the story of this character who challenge herself, follows her dream, and shows/help people around her community/world/neighbor. but my favorite part is the fifth part of the chapter, it shows a character who lost a part of her, and she’s trying to find who is she was before she become the helpful and lovable daughter; the loss of her father that open the world of who she became.

[Sonia Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Readers discover how Cici's life evolves unexpectedly through her travels, unraveled secrets, familial revelations. There were some moments in the story that was melodramatic, but overall, Cici's life evolves where's she open to new possibilities. I hope that this isn't the end of Cici's story. This adventurous and inquisitve girl has so much to share with readers.