Graphic novel · Young Adult
The Deep Dark
Honors
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About the book
The Deep Dark is a graphic novel by Molly Knox Ostertag about grief, secrets and first love. Mags Herrera is a reserved high school senior in Southern California. She spends her winter break caring for her ailing grandmother, working shifts at a local diner and guarding a family secret that is hidden in her basement. When Nessa, her closest friend from childhood, returns after ten years away, the two fall back into each other's lives and begin a romance. Together they start to remember a boy's accidental death from a decade earlier, and Mags realizes that the thing she has kept locked away cannot stay hidden forever. Written for readers 14 and up, the book received a 2025 Michael L. Printz Honor and was a 2025 Hugo Award finalist.
For parents
Ages 14+ · Grades 9–12
Publishers Weekly lists this graphic novel for ages 14 and up. It deals with grief, a child's accidental death in the past and family trauma across generations, and it includes a romance between the main character and her childhood friend.
Content notes
- Mature themes
