Joana Estrela

Aug 15, 2024 | bookriot.com | Joana Estrela |Lyn Miller-Lachmann |Kelly Jensen

August is Women in Translation Month, an annual celebration of books by women authors across the globe whose books have been translated for an English-reading audience. We know that books in translation are already rare in YA, so it is likely little surprise that women’s work in translation lags behind that of male counterparts (and any global writers beyond the gender binary, even rarer). But translated literature is special.

Apr 18, 2023 | kirkusreviews.com | Joana Estrela

In this introspective graphic novel translated from Portuguese, a girl reflects on her changing sense of self. In loosely interconnected vignettes, award-winning author/illustrator Estrela introduces readers to 16-year-old Raquel. Her life thus far has been fairly uneventful: She lives in small-town Portugal with her divorced mom; hangs out with her two best friends, Luísa and Fred; and has a new boyfriend, Miguel. But changes are underway.