Papillon 1 - Softcover

Grade 7 Up—Ueda, best known for her prolific "Peach Girl" books (Tokyopop), returns with a new series filled with beautiful girls, beautiful boys, and butterflylike transformations. Ageha resents her twin sister, Hana, for being more popular and attractive than she is, although readers will quickly deduce that their differences really boil down to attitude. The book has several well-developed supporting characters, including Ageha's childhood friend Ryusei, who is now a teen dreamboat, and school guidance counselor Kyu, who believes in the power of positive thinking. He encourages Ageha to reconnect with Ryusei, but soon after she does so and romances start to bloom, Hana makes the ultimate low-down dirty move of stealing Ryusei for herself. Ageha's sorrow is somewhat mollified by Kyu's support, although his friendliness is actually flirtatious and crosses the line of appropriate interaction between a guidance counselor and a student. Ageha continues to pine after Ryusei and makes a concerted effort to win him back. This roller coaster of a romance is beautiful to look at; Ueda's artwork skillfully captures the expressions of love and heartache. The romantic cliff-hanger at the end will definitely make readers stay tuned for more drama in volume 2.—Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library
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Ueda is the author of Peach Girl, and the lovely figures and flowing lines of that shojo manga are on display here as well. Like that series, this story is about mistaken perceptions and competition. Twin girls were raised apart; now that they're reunited in high school, one is pretty, popular and outgoing, while the other is shy and plain. The title refers to the shy twin's wish to blossom from her cocoon like a butterfly. There might be deep psychological and/or cultural implications to be drawn from the concept that one twin sister could be gorgeous while the other isn't, but here, it's a twist on the Cinderella story, living proof that the shy girl will be able to become more than she is with effort, spiced up with the idea that behavior creates attractiveness. The one's got a crush on a schoolmate, a childhood friend who grew up handsome. A mysterious stranger tells her she can create that reality if she believes hard enough... and then the real story begins. No one here is exactly what they seem, providing welcome depth to an involving teen drama. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.