The Disability Book Archive

[ID: A book cover. The title “The Golden Hour” is written across the centre in split cursive-print black writing. The author’s name “Niki Smith” is written at the bottom of the cover in small yellow caps. The background shows the outlined figure of a young boy against a black space. He looks sad. Over his figure, art of three young children playing in a wheat field at sunset. /end]

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Content Warning:

• Panic Attacks
• Gun Violence
• Mass/School Shootings

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Summary:

From the author of The Deep & Dark Blue comes a tender graphic novel, perfect for our time, that gently explores themes of self-discovery, friendship, healing from tragedy, and hope for a better tomorrow.

Struggling with anxiety after witnessing a harrowing instance of gun violence, Manuel Soto copes through photography, using his cell-phone camera to find anchors that keep him grounded. His days are a lonely, latchkey monotony until he’s teamed with his classmates, Sebastian and Caysha, for a group project.

Sebastian lives on a grass-fed cattle farm outside of town, and Manuel finds solace in the open fields and in the antics of the newborn calf Sebastian is hand-raising. As Manuel aides his new friends in their preparations for the local county fair, he learns to open up, confronts his deepest fears, and even finds first love.

This title will be simultaneously available in paperback.

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Notes:

There is an ebook/Kindle edition.

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Archivist Comments:

People keep referencing the baby cows in this book.

I’ve seen a couple of panels from this graphic novel and the art style is just so soft. The colour scheme compliments it really well.

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