SERENDIPITY, by Gabbie Benda, Holiday House, Feb. 10, 2026, Hardcover, $24.99, Paperback, $14.99 (ages 8-12)
Life gets tricky when the luckiest girl in the world becomes unlucky in Serendipity, a middle-grade graphic novel by Gabbie Benda.
Serendipity is your classic overachiever. She’s class president, lead in the school play, and star of the basketball team. She’s also incredibly lucky, like, wins everything all the time lucky, even random radio raffles.
Which is how she finds herself with free tickets to the town carnival where an accident curses her with bad luck FOREVER.
And just like that Serendipity’s luck really does seem to run out. Missed shots, fumbled lines, and a slip in the polls. Can it get any worse? Oh yes it can. Permanent bad hair days. —Synopsis provided by Holiday House.
Serendipity is an exciting entry into the middle-grade graphic novel lexicon. This amusing read is one that kids like my own can relate to.
My 11-year-old saw me reading Serendipity, and she immediately asked if she could read it. Less than an hour later she was finished with her first read through. More would follow.
What enticed her? My kid could see herself in Serendipity.
Why?
Serendipity is busy. She’s rushing from activity to activity.
And though my kid isn’t that busy, she understands the stress and the feeling of moving from thing to thing.
My kid also loved the illustrations, especially the show of emotion.
Serendipity is a fast-moving, cute and thoughtful read that touches on real-life pressures through humor.
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