Averee -

Published by A Wave Blue World

ISBN: 9781949518122
Price: $16.99
Genre: Science Fiction
Ages: 13+

On Sale: April 20, 2021

A world where social rank rules and your status sets your inevitable course in life – sound familiar? Just imagine if it was all controlled by an app! In Averee’s world, the usual trials of making your way into adulthood come with the added stress of Ranked, a ubiquitous and all-knowing tech innovation that awards you points for socially acceptable behavior and takes them away when you don’t conform. It seems fun enough at first, but it becomes much more than a game when Averee’s rank suddenly drops overnight. Now she’s getting hassled at school, blocked from her favorite restaurants, and her mom is out of a job.

Luckily for our hero, she has Zoe – a bottom-ranked BFF – whose open disdain for all things Ranked makes her the perfect accomplice on what’s about to be the heist of the century: they’re staging a raid on the app’s corporate HQ to set things right and its spokesperson, the virtual popstar Pretty Kitty, is in their sights. With Averee’s crush Luke in tow, these friends are in way over their heads and they’re about to learn that the “right” they’re fighting for may be on a global scale.

AVEREE is one average girl’s mission through a world of near-future tech to take back control of her life, in a fun philosophical adventure!

Key Selling Points

Review(s)

Relatable teen drama mixed with social commentary about the dangers of technology/social media.
Female protagonist, Averee, and female secondary character, Zoe.
Can be used to discuss pros and cons of technology and social media.
Addresses issues of bullying and social hierarchies.
Up-and-coming female creative team. Stephanie Phillips has written titles such as “The Butcher of Paris”, “Artemis and the Assassin”, “A Man Among Ye”, and Heavy Metal’s “Tarna”.
Marika Cresta has drawn “X-Men” and “Star Wars” for Marvel Comics as well as the 5-time Ringo Award nominated series “Forgotten Home.”
Eiser winner and industry veteran, Dave Johnson, worked with Stephanie Phillips on the concept before handing it off to the creators.

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL — Gr 7 Up-Phillips (Harley Quinn, Butcher of Paris) and Johnson (Batman: Black and White) have created a Black Mirror-esque world where the app Ranked uses computer algorithms to score every citizen on popularity and social standing. Those with high ranks enjoy life to the fullest, while those who don’t score as well find it difficult to obtain employment, entertainment, or even friends. High schooler Averee reaps the benefits of her family’s good fortune until their rank suddenly plummets. After Averee experiences how the other half lives, she, her friend Zoe, and her crush Luke resolve to find and talk to PrettyKitty, the green-haired, cat ear-wearing, adorable Ranked spokesperson. As they learn more about the app’s nefarious machinations, however, the teens realize that they must end it for good. The plot moves quickly, carried by engaging, dynamic characters; Averee and Zoe’s relationship becomes complicated as Averee accuses her friend, who’s long been skeptical of Ranked, of secretly bringing Averee’s family’s rank down. The dramatic, realistic art is fantastic, with vivid coloring and details that bring to life a seemingly beautiful world whose dark side is slowly revealed. Averee and Zoe are Asian, while Luke is white. VERDICT Though fans of speculative tales in the vein of Black Mirror will appreciate this one, so will anyone who loves friendship stories, such as Faith Erin Hicks’s One Year at Ellsmere. A good entry point for those unfamiliar with comics, too.