Making Friends (Sloomoo #1)

A science-obsessed tween experiences the wonders of human connection in this bustling graphic novel series launch by married couple and previous collaborators de la Cruz and Johnston (the Heart of Dread series). Though 11-year-old Daisy is a loner at school, online, she’s a popular amateur slime scientist and content creator. Determined to uncover the truth behind the decade-old disappearance of infamous New York City scientist Miss Joon and her sentient slime sidekick, Sloomoo, Daisy spends her free time gathering clues outside Miss Joon’s seemingly abandoned laboratory. Upon finally making her way inside the lab, Daisy is shocked to learn that the pair isn’t missing at all—they just wanted a break from the spotlight. And, with Miss Joon’s help, Daisy makes a Sloomoo of her own. It seems as if life couldn’t be better for Daisy, especially when she befriends slime-obsessed classmate Ren. But to Daisy, making friends and keeping them feel like two entirely different skills. Rapid-fire dialogue, slime facts, and plenty of onomatopoeia combine to bring this ebullient story—inspired by the Sloomoo Institute, an experimental interactive children’s museum with multiple locations throughout the U.S.—to vivid life. Kinetic and psychedelically colorful illustrations from Caballo Loco Studio depict the protagonists with various skin tones. Ages 6–10. Authors’ agent: Richard Abate, 3Arts Entertainment. (Mar.)