March Staff Picks!

Check out this month’s staff picks from the Betty’s Books crew!

Featured Book One

Song for You and I: (A Graphic Novel)

Title

Song for You and I: (A Graphic Novel)

Price

$13.99

Available In Store

Being a ranger means adventure, action, and protecting the weak. But who protects the ranger when they lose their way? From the bestselling author of The Moth Keeper and the Tea Dragon Society comes a must read MG graphic novel for fans of soft sweeping fantasy romances.

Rowan knows exactly what they want: to be a ranger, protecting their village alongside their trusted flying horse Kes. But when Rowan's eagerness to show off their worth gets Kes injured, Rowan is suddenly unsure if they're capable of being the protector they've always dreamed of becoming.

With Kes needing to heal, Rowan is assigned a slow and winding expedition across the outlying lands. Paired with a lackadasical sheep hearder Leone, Rowan only finds frustration as they seem to fail even the simplest tasks. But Leone's own struggles, and endless support brings a new possibility to Rowan. Could their unlikely friendship be something more? And if it is, will Rowan be able to leave Leone behind to pursue being a ranger once Kes is healed?

SKU

9780593182307

Song for You and I: (A Graphic Novel)

$13.99

Available In Store

Description

Being a ranger means adventure, action, and protecting the weak. But who protects the ranger when they lose their way? From the bestselling author of The Moth Keeper and the Tea Dragon Society comes a must read MG graphic novel for fans of soft sweeping fantasy romances.

Description

ISBN

9780593182307

K. O'neill

Publisher

Random House Graphic

Publication Date

March 4, 2025

Binding

Paperback

Item Condition

New

Language

English

Ages

10-0

Pages

240

Keywords

Alain's Pick

A Song For You & I by K O’Neill (they/them)

Rowan knows exactly what they want: to be a ranger, protecting their village alongside their trusted flying horse Kes. But when Rowan’s eagerness to show off their worth gets Kes injured, Rowan is suddenly unsure if they’re capable of being the protector they’ve always dreamed of becoming. With Kes needing to heal, Rowan is assigned a slow and winding expedition across the outlying lands. Paired with a lackadaisical sheep hearder Leone, Rowan only finds frustration as they seem to fail even the simplest tasks. But Leone’s own struggles, and endless support brings a new possibility to Rowan. Could their unlikely friendship be something more? And if it is, will Rowan be able to leave Leone behind to pursue being a ranger once Kes is healed?

A Song For You & I is such a tender dedication to finding safety and confidence to be yourself. With its enchanting art, calmly paced story, and cozy fantasy world, it’s a great read for any Ghibli fan, Natalie Andrewson enjoyer, or generally sensitive creature. The comic beautifully touches on the very human feeling of wanting to prove yourself to feel like you’ve earned the right to be who you truly are. While it deals with themes of regaining trust, burnout, and a desire of belonging, K. O’Neill handles the story in such a way that it feels attainable to give ourselves the care we all deserve and need. With an interwoven narrative of queerness, this piece is a wonderful example of how we can better care for each other.

Featured Book Two

Helen of Wyndhorn

Title

Helen of Wyndhorn

Price

$29.99

Ships in 2-3 Days

A gothic sword and sorcery epic graphic novel that's Conan the Barbarian meets The Wizard of Oz.

From Tom King and Bilquis Evely, the Eisner award-winning, bestselling creative team of Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.

Following the tragic death of her late father C.K. Cole, the esteemed pulp writer and creator of the popular warrior character Othan, Helen Cole is called back to her Grandfather's enormous and illustrious estate, Wyndhorn House.

Scarred by Cole's untimely passing and lost in a new, strange world, Helen wreaks drunken havoc upon her arrival. However, her chaotic ways begin to soften as she discovers a lifetime of secrets hiding within the myriad rooms and hallways of the expansive manor. For outside its walls, within the woods, dwell the legendary adventures that once were locked away within her father's stories.

Collects the hit series Helen of Wyndhorn #1-#6 and features a sketchbook section and bonus art by Walt Simonson, Greg Smallwood, Clay Mann, Elsa Charretier, Tula Lotay, Massimo Carnivale, Fabio Moon, and Jill Thompson.

SKU

9781506740065

Helen of Wyndhorn

$29.99

Ships in 2-3 Days

Description

A gothic sword and sorcery epic graphic novel that's Conan the Barbarian meets The Wizard of Oz.

From Tom King and Bilquis Evely, the Eisner award-winning, bestselling creative team of Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.

Collects the hit series Helen of Wyndhorn #1-#6 and features a sketchbook section and bonus art by Walt Simonson, Greg Smallwood, Clay Mann, Elsa Charretier, Tula Lotay, Massimo Carnivale, Fabio Moon, and Jill Thompson.

Description

A gothic sword and sorcery epic graphic novel that's Conan the Barbarian meets The Wizard of Oz.

From Tom King and Bilquis Evely, the Eisner award-winning, bestselling creative team of Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.

ISBN

9781506740065

Tom King

Publisher

Dark Horse Books

Publication Date

February 25, 2025

Binding

Hardcover

Item Condition

New

Illustrator

Matheus Lopes

Language

English

Pages

176

Series

Helen Of Wyndhorn

Keywords

Alex's Pick

Helen of Wyndhorn by Tom King, Bilquis Evely, & Matheus Lopes

This brand spankin’ new release from Dark Horse is perfect for anyone craving a bit of Conan the Barbarian fantasy mixed with Locke and Key-esque mansion mystery elements. At the start of the story in the late 1930s, our titular Helen is a sixteen-year-old girl coping with the recent death of her father, a pulp fantasy author who goes on to become a cult classic legend many years later. Helen and her newly hired, no-nonsense governess, Ms. Appleton, move in with her grandfather at the illustrious Wyndhorn House, a sprawling mansion full of family secrets and fantastical revelations.

As firecracker Helen adapts to her new life, taken under the wing of her odd and powerful grandfather, she begins to realize that the legendary adventures chronicled in her dad’s stories may not be so fictional after all. Meanwhile, the story progresses through different eras of the present day, as a biographer combing through Helen’s father’s life chronicles (the now elderly) Ms. Appleton’s far-fetched claims.

As things come to a boiling point both in the past and the present, secrets are revealed and monsters brought to light… all shown through gorgeous, elaborate illustrations. I loved this book, and I loved Helen as a character. She’s young, overconfident, and whilst powerful, sometimes completely inept in the way only a teenager can be. If you love fantasy or mysteries, Helen of Wyndhorn is the read for you!

Featured Book Three

Elena's Pick

Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud

Also: Guts by Raina Telgemeier!

If you’re a local comics aficionado, you might have heard that two comics legends are making a visit to St. Louis this April! Scott McCloud and Raina Telgemeier are coming to the Clark Family branch of the St. Louis County Library to celebrate their new collaborative graphic novel, The Cartoonists Club. If you want to catch up on their best-selling works before the event, I have two perfect picks for you!

Understanding Comics is a must-have for comics enjoyers of any experience level. In this “comic about comics,” Scott McCloud takes readers through the many quirks and properties that make sequential art just so interesting. McCloud himself serves as our illustrated guide, taking a number of abstract concepts and breaking them down into humorous, easily digestible pieces. This book covers elements such as “the icon,” closure between panels, and reader projection. I’ve always been fascinated by the medium of comics, and this book helped me finally understand why! Their cool factor is definitely on full display in McCloud’s crash course on comics theory. If you’ve already perused these pages, he’s also written two follow-ups: Reinventing Comics and Making Comics.

The first thing that comes to mind from Raina Telgemeier’s body of work is, of course, Smile. I love Smile, you love Smile, we all love Smile– and rightfully so! However, I want to put the spotlight on her most recent autobiographical novel, Guts. Much like Smile, Guts takes us back to Telgemeier’s tweenage years and a seemingly never-ending medical issue. This time, it’s her titular “guts” that are giving her grief. Filled to the brim with Telgemeier’s signature charm, this book is an honest and relatable story that pulls back the curtain on the hidden mental health misfortunes so many of us have to cope with. While it’s primarily targeted at middle-grade readers, adult readers have plenty to enjoy- and learn from- in Guts! There’s no better cartoonist for healing your inner child than Raina, both in her youth and adulthood!

Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art

Title

Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art

Price

$27.99

Available In Store

"You must read this book." --Neil Gaiman

The bestselling international classic on storytelling and visual communication.

Praised throughout the cartoon industry by such luminaries as Art Spiegelman, Matt Groening, and Will Eisner, Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics is a seminal examination of comics art: its rich history, surprising technical components, and major cultural significance. Explore the secret world between the panels, through the lines, and within the hidden symbols of a powerful but misunderstood art form.

SKU

9780060976255

Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art

$27.99

Available In Store

Description

"You must read this book." --Neil Gaiman

The bestselling international classic on storytelling and visual communication.

Description

"You must read this book." --Neil Gaiman

The bestselling international classic on storytelling and visual communication.

ISBN

9780060976255

Mccloud Scott

Publisher

William Morrow & Company

Publication Date

May 1, 1994

Binding

Paperback

Item Condition

New

Language

English

Ages

13-17

Pages

224

Keywords

Featured Book Four

Man and His Cat 01

Title

Man and His Cat 01

Price

$12.99

Available In Store

The top manga launch in Japan in the first half of 2018, A Man and His Cat was also voted one of the top ten manga of 2018 by Japanese bookstore employees nationwide. Having won hearts and topped charts in Japan, this hotly anticipated series about an older gentleman and his unique, adorable cat is available in English for the first time!

A kitten languishes in a pet shop, unwanted and unloved. Even as his price drops with each passing day, no one spares him a glance unless it's to call him names. Having practically given up on life, the kitty himself is most shocked of all when an older gentleman comes into the store and wants to take him home! Will the man and the cat find what they're looking for...in each other?

SKU

9781646090266

Man and His Cat 01

$12.99

Available In Store

Description

The top manga launch in Japan in the first half of 2018, A Man and His Cat was also voted one of the top ten manga of 2018 by Japanese bookstore employees nationwide. Having won hearts and topped charts in Japan, this hotly anticipated series about an older gentleman and his unique, adorable cat is available in English for the first time!

Description

ISBN

9781646090266

Sakurai Umi

Publisher

Square Enix Manga

Publication Date

February 1, 2020

Binding

Paperback

Item Condition

New

Language

English

Pages

144

Series

A Man And His Cat

Series Number

Keywords

Emma's Pick

A Man and His Cat by Umi Sakurai

Fukumaru has been at the shelter for a year now, and has yet to be adopted. People always choose the cute kittens, while passing him and calling him ugly. Right before he gives up hope, Mr. Kanda adopts him! He doesn’t find Fukumaru ugly at all, he sees an adorable, fun loving cat ready to become his best friend! Even though Mr. Kanda has never had a pet, he takes to cat parenting like a pro!

At Betty’s Books, we are all cat lovers. If I see a book with a cat on the cover, you can bet I’ll pick it up! I found Fukumaru adorable, and was so sad when people called him snot-nosed and ugly. He’s so precious! The relationship between Mr. Kanda and his cat reminds me so much of my mom and our cat, Poppy. She was hesitant at first to get a kitten, but immediately fell in love with her. She spoils her rotten, and Poppy loves her so very much!

I think this middle grade manga is great for all ages! The story is incredibly heartwarming, and I guarantee you will fall in love with these characters!

Featured Book Five

You and a Bike and a Road

Title

You and a Bike and a Road

Price

$22.99

Available In Store

Eleanor Davis's bike tour from Tucson, Arizona to Athens, Georgia is a quest of epic proportions -- not just geographically, which it surely is, but inwardly as well. While facing off formidable headwinds, drivers with reckless abandon, and screaming knee pain, the author confronts an even greater challenge -- her own mind. Life on two wheels teaches her many lessons, and she narrates them with keen observation and self-deprecating candor through a series of funny, touching vignettes. Companionship from fellow travelers and the generosity of colorful strangers propel Davis along the open road. A tale of serendipitous encounters, surprising friendship, perseverance, and tenderness, Eleanor Davis's You and a Bike and a Road reveals the power, and truth, of the most efficient mode of human transportation -- a bicycle.

SKU

9781683969419

You and a Bike and a Road

$22.99

Available In Store

Description

ISBN

9781683969419

Eleanor Davis

Publisher

Fantagraphics Books

Publication Date

April 23, 2024

Binding

Hardcover

Item Condition

New

Language

English

Ages

17-0

Pages

172

Keywords

Vivi's Pick

You and a Bike and a Road by Eleanor Davis

Eleanor Davis’ memoir of her epic cross country bike trip from Tucson, Arizona to Athens, Georgia, is an absolute joyride. Told in diary-like snippets that were drawn during Davis’ breaks from the road, this novel moves and breathes with a life of its own. One of my favorite bits: some of the drawings, even in this stunning printed edition, are purposefully left with their original smudges and stains – marks of movement and time – intact.

Sometimes it’s easy to forget that blank spaces in graphic novels matter just as much as the spaces filled with illustration – while reading this novel, I found this fact impossible to forget. Parts of You and a Bike and a Road, including the cover, explode with silent sound – car honks, excruciating knee pain, helicopter blades and border patrol sirens. But what allows these moments to shine are the quiet spaces and blank pages tucked in between: the silence of nature only experienced at the edge of civilization; an unexpected, life-altering connection with a stranger; redefining your relationship to your own body and mind; and witnessing the uncomfortable, undeniable intermingling of great human cruelty and great human kindness.

If you’re like me and in need of inspiration this month – and especially if you are looking for some meditations on resilience in the face of overwhelming discomfort and distress – then this is truly an excellent place to start.

			Sales in the past year
Art & Drawing Books	29	/sites/bettysbooksstl.com/files/styles/product_thumbnail/public/timberImage/97/9780593234945.jpg?itok=AHDpyeRI	32
Art & Drawing Books	29	/sites/bettysbooksstl.com/files/styles/product_thumbnail/public/timberImage/97/9781454931010.jpg?itok=HpDOLlrb	19
Art & Drawing Books	29	/sites/bettysbooksstl.com/files/styles/product_thumbnail/public/timberImage/97/9781454937562.jpg?itok=gxpbzCG_	14
Art & Drawing Books	29	/sites/bettysbooksstl.com/files/styles/product_thumbnail/public/timberImage/97/9781837760404.jpg?itok=eT5Da579	8
Art & Drawing Books	29	/sites/bettysbooksstl.com/files/styles/product_thumbnail/public/timberImage/97/9781454925644.jpg?itok=fTbFM2ek	7
Art & Drawing Books	29	/sites/bettysbooksstl.com/files/styles/product_thumbnail/public/timberImage/97/9781781579206.jpg?itok=1NTPiInN	6
Art & Drawing Books	29	/sites/bettysbooksstl.com/files/styles/product_thumbnail/public/timberImage/97/9781617691379.jpg?itok=w92eSfOX	5
Art & Drawing Books	29	/sites/bettysbooksstl.com/files/styles/product_thumbnail/public/timberImage/97/9781837760190.jpg?itok=ruOTJKND	4
Art & Drawing Books	29	/sites/bettysbooksstl.com/files/styles/product_thumbnail/public/timberImage/97/9781631069901.jpg?itok=9CR_GuCT	3
Art & Drawing Books	29	/sites/bettysbooksstl.com/files/styles/product_thumbnail/public/timberImage/97/9781837760114.jpg?itok=pfDxyIfK	2
Art & Drawing Books	29	/sites/bettysbooksstl.com/files/styles/product_thumbnail/public/timberImage/97/9781506706627.jpg?itok=VyAHslqa	1
Art & Drawing Books	29	/sites/bettysbooksstl.com/files/styles/product_thumbnail/public/timberImage/97/9781506715759.jpg?itok=c7HkyZ4h	0

			Sales in the past year
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			Sales in the past year
New Arrivals	58	/sites/bettysbooksstl.com/files/styles/product_thumbnail/public/timberImage/97/9780593700778.jpg?itok=L0SF8VG0	4
New Arrivals	58	/sites/bettysbooksstl.com/files/styles/product_thumbnail/public/timberImage/97/9781665907477.jpg?itok=w95w0s3T	3
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New Arrivals	58	/sites/bettysbooksstl.com/files/styles/product_thumbnail/public/timberImage/97/9781534355330.jpg?itok=QuQ0_2Cb	1
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