THE NEW GIRL: FIRST CRUSH, by Cassandra Calin, Graphix, May 5, 2026, Paperback, $14.99 (ages 9-12)
First Crush is the highly-anticipated follow-up to Cassandra Calin’s popular New Girl, a graphic novel for middle readers.
Lia is finally feeling settled into her new life. Her friends are amazing, her French is improving, and her periods… ugh, those are still terrible. But Lia’s crush, Julien, is noticing her. Lia thinks he likes her, but she can’t tell for sure. And while she’s obsessing over him, Lia’s not noticing another person’s growing crush on HER. With so many big feelings and even bigger changes, could things get any worse?
In this follow-up to The New Girl, Lia’s relationships — with her friends, her crush, her mom, and even herself — are all tested like never before. —Synopsis provided by Graphix
My now 12-year-old loved The New Girl when it came out in 2024, and she’s read it numerous times over the past two years, so when Frist Crush arrived, I hid it, just so I could have a chance to read it first.
First Crush follows Lia and her friends as they learn and adapt to life in Montreal, Canada. Lia and her family are originally from Romania, and their all starting to feel settled. But just as Lia gets comfortable, normal teenage life hits hard. Friendships become more complicated, crushes abound, and self-perception tanks.
Author Cassandra Calin drew from her own first crush and the glut of emotions surrounding it for First Crush. Many young readers will relate to Lia’s exuberance and confusion.
While the book is about Lia’s crush, the place where Calin truly excels is Lia’s self-perception. Like most girls her age, Lia starts to question everything about herself, focusing on what she sees as negatives rather than positives. With the help of family and friends, Lia starts to see herself in a different light.
Like The New Girl, First Crush speaks directly to its audience. It’s got a great message and a lot of heart. And Calin’s illustrations are wonderfully expressive. It’s a great read.
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