The Friendship Paradox is a delightfully sweet and surprisingly heartfelt graphic novel for older teens about the importance of empathy and human connection. We follow recent high-school graduate Dash as they get a job working as part of a team that teaches science in schools. Dash starts off as a judgemental character, with low tolerance for their coworker Kay’s bumbling attempts at friendship and perceived lesser science knowledge, but their emotional journey to becoming very close friends with Kay, as well as bonding with the rest of their work team, is so wholesome. Additionally, this book is jam-packed with fun and digestible explanations of scientific principles. The strength of a graphic format really shows in the diagrams and drawings Aśka uses to showcase these ideas.

Throughout the graphic novel, Dash hilariously (and accurately) uses physics principles to describe how people relate to one another. While the characters are older and the story focuses on their first jobs, this book will resonate with kids aged 14+. All of the character growth is incredibly relevant to high school students, and the slightly older age range allows the author to explore some nuanced ideas. While not the focus of the narrative, characters in this book deal with divorce, alcoholism, and suicidal family members. By tackling these heavy concepts, Aśka is able to present readers with an example of how to approach conversations about these topics in real life, while always focusing on empathy and not judging anyone for their struggles.