I’ve got a pile of books by Alice Oseman sitting on my TBR, and this morning I decided to start on Heartstopper. I didn’t stop until I reached the end of volume 3. What a delight these are! A sweet, wholesome and authentic boy meets boy romance graphic novel series, which deals incredibly well with the importance of not judging people based on appearance. The notion of consent is handled incredibly well, both in terms of coming out as well as in the developing phases of a relationship. I love the way that the presence of homophobia is handled – it’s certainly present, and whilst its impact is acknowledged, it’s also not prioritised as a major plot point, nor is it minimised or trivialised. The focus is on the developing relationship between Nick and Charlie, and how they and their friends navigate the often complex and exciting world of first loves. I finished volume three and then saw the timely announcement that volume 4 is due for release in may 2021, so I’ll definitely be adding that to my TBR when it’s out!