Cross My Heart and Never Lie Graphic Novel

This 2024 winner of the Stonewall Book Award fuses a charming graphic novel style with a diary format. Oslo born Dåsnes has based it on childhood experiences. It’s a gentle meet cute which will appeal to Alice Oseman fans but has a voice of its own. The story perfectly captures the difficulty of transitioning from innocent and carefree childhood adventures to the pressure of starting a new school year while navigating hormones, insecurity and moodiness. It’s a comedy about growing pains, changing friendship dynamics and the peer pressure to date.

Using a cheery colour palette of bubble-gum pinks, lilac hues and verdant greens, Dåsnes introduces the reader to twelve-year-old chirpy, chatty Tuva and her friends Bao and Linnea in doodle style. Tuva is a fan of drawing and music and lives with her dad in Norway. She has goals for seventh grade which include building a base with her friends in recreational woodland. Tuva’s plans turn topsy turvy when she is suddenly drawn to Mariam, a new girl at school, Linnea becomes distracted, Bao becomes frustrated and she tries to follow the advice of older social media influencer Malene.

Cliques, defining what is cool and fake personas all come to the fore as Tuva struggles to make sense of it all. Can her father help her understand? Dåsnes reflects her changing emotions through dusky violets and monochrome explosions. Cross My Heart and Never Lie is empathetic and entertaining, embracing diversity, play lists, LGBT identity and the blossoming of a first crush.