"Gloriously rendered… An ode to traveling as friends when you’re both young and carefree and every new experience is exciting and wondrous.”―Robert Ito, The New York Times Book Review

Spring Break, 2009: Five days, three friends, and one big city.

Roaming
marks a triumphant return to the graphic novel and a deft foray into new adult fiction for Caldecott Medal authors Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki.

Over the course of a much-anticipated trip to New York, an unexpected fling blossoms between casual acquaintances and throws a long-term friendship off-balance. Emotional tensions vibrate wildly against the resplendently illustrated backdrop of the city, capturing a spontaneous queer romance in all of its fledgling glory. Slick attention to the details of a bustling, intimidating metropolis are softened with a palette of muted pastels, as though seen through the eyes of first-time travelers. The awe, wonder, and occasional stumble along the way come to life with stunning accuracy.

Roaming is the third collaboration from the critically acclaimed team behind Skim and Governor General’s Literary Award winner This One Summer. Moody, atmospheric, and teeming with life, the magic of this comics duo leaks through the pages with lush and exquisite pen work. The Tamakis’ singular, elegant vision of an urban paradise slowly revealing its imperfections to the tune of its visitors’ rhythms is a masterpiece—a future classic for generations to come.

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Published Sep 12, 2023

444 pages

Average rating: 8.14

7 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

Meganmeave
Mar 17, 2025
10/10 stars
This is a fantastic book - I think this book would make a great gift for any young woman about to enter college. That's not the only demographic that would enjoy this, as my book club as a whole really liked this, but since it focuses specifically on three college freshman women, I think it will be especially poignant for that group. The story follows a trip to New York by two college freshmen who had been best friends in high school but ended up in different colleges. A new companion who only knows one of the young women tags along on the planned trip. For anyone who went on their first big adventure while in college, the story will feel very nostalgic - all the decisions that went awry, the plans you made that got cancelled, the minor disasters that at the time seemed like the biggest thing ever - this book does a beautiful job living in that moment when the college-aged take their first big trip alone without any chaperones or guides. But the book also explores the dynamics of changing personalities and friendships after you graduate high school - how a best friend can quickly become an unknown, how new friends can upset that balance and how intoxicating the romantic freedom of being a college student can feel. There are also several nice moments of honesty about how hard college can be that first year, when the coursework is more demanding and you are no longer the top of your class but one of many students who were the top of their class. The art style is sublime—every character carefully designed to be immediately recognizable on the page. The simple linework allows for a wonderful expressiveness to come out of every panel, showcasing the characters' feelings without having to write everything down. The colors are soft, like a memory, evoking the timeless nature of those first steps into self-determination and expression. Highly recommended! Especially for bookclubs as it made for a great discussion!
Laura Kershaw
Jan 07, 2025
8/10 stars
NYC/NJ nostalgia and pretty pictures. I honestly just think it’s beautiful and queer in a real way but I wanted more out of it. Good for a change of pace from some dense books I’ve been reading lately.
Catherine Lanyon
Aug 22, 2024
8/10 stars
Ending is pretty abrupt but the emotions are there.

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