The Golden Hour by Niki Smith

The Golden Hour by Niki Smith (256 Pages)

Summary: Struggling with anxiety after witnessing a harrowing instance of gun violence, Manuel Soto copes through photography, using his cell-phone camera to find anchors that keep him grounded. His days are a lonely, latchkey monotony until he's teamed with his classmates, Sebastian and Caysha, for a group project. Sebastian lives on a grass-fed cattle farm outside of town, and Manuel finds solace in the open fields and in the antics of the newborn calf Sebastian is hand-raising. As Manuel aides his new friends in their preparations for the local county fair, he learns to open up, confronts his deepest fears, and even finds first love.

Opinion: This is a juvenile graphic novel focusing on recovery, friendship, and love. Manuel is a great representation for anxiety and PTSD for kids. I was moved seeing how his new friends were so readily willing and able to support him with his trauma. But I also really liked how Manuel's panic attack scenes were drawn in the book to show the reader what they look like for him. It was also so cute getting to see Manuel and Sebastian start to crush for each other.