Serendipity
Gabbie Benda
Holiday House
Published February 10, 2026
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About Serendipity
Serendipity is the luckiest kid in the world. But what happens when the luckiest kid in the world becomes extraordinarily unlucky, in this debut graphic novel.
Serendipity is your classic overachiever. She’s class president, lead in the school play, and star of the basketball team. She’s also incredibly lucky, like, wins everything all the time lucky, even random radio raffles.
Which is how she finds herself with free tickets to the town carnival where an accident curses her with bad luck FOREVER.
And just like that Serendipity’s luck really does seem to run out. Missed shots, fumbled lines, and a slip in the polls. Can it get any worse? Oh yes it can. Permanent bad hair days.
Serendipity becomes convinced the curse is real. She’s definitely not disorganized or spread too thin. Nope, it’s all the curse. And she’ll have to find a way to reverse it soon.
Hilariously charming and illustrated in sugar pink hues, this graphic novel is a treat for kids who love middle school dramas and adorable, if impulsive characters. It’s a perfect story for overstressed overachievers looking for a warm reminder that stepping back doesn’t mean stepping down. In fact, sharing the spotlight with good friends is perhaps the luckiest thing of all.
My Review
This book has a wonderful balance between quirky fun and subtle lessons. I love the friendship between Serendipity and Basil, who are very different in personality, but help balance each other.
One theme really stood out to me. After Serendipity believes she’s been cursed forever, she struggles to do all the things that felt so effortless before. She wrestles with all kinds of ways to get back on track and avoid disappointing everyone.
I suspect that will resonate with a lot of high-achieving readers. There’s so much pressure to join everything, fill your schedule with extracurriculars, and never let anyone down by missing a practice or event. Sometimes, that life can be sustainable for a while, so that when it becomes unmanageable, we feel guilty or ashamed for needing to step back. Like, somehow, having limits is a personal flaw.
I love that this story examines that experience, and that Serendipity finds solutions through interdependence and boundaries. Her community of friends helps and supports her without making decisions for her.
The bright color palette emphasizes the fun, energetic story. The subtle messaging encourages readers to lean into supportive relationships and to celebrate not only their own successes but also those of their friends and community.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
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Romance/Sexual Content
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Spiritual Content
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Violent Content
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Drug Content
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I’m featuring this engaging debut graphic novel later in the week and agree with all of your positive thoughts about the book. Thanks for your review.