49 Days - by Agnes Lee

About the Book

Day 1. Gotta get up. Gotta keep moving. This map - it says I have to cross over here. Wait, what's that...? And so begins a graphic novel story unlike any other: 49 Days. In Buddhist tradition, a person must travel for forty-nine days after they die, before they can fully cross over. Here in this book, readers travel with one Korean American girl, Kit, on her journey, while also spending time with her family and friends left behind. Agnes Lee has captivated readers across the world for years with her illustrations for the New York Times Metropolitan Diary. Her debut graphic novel is an unforgettable story of death, grief, love, and how we keep moving forward.

Book Synopsis

Best of the Year: BookPage - NYPL - Chicago Public Library - Kirkus - CCBC

Day 1

Gotta get up. Gotta keep moving. This map - it says I have to cross over here. Wait, what's that...?

And so begins a graphic novel story unlike any other: 49 Days. In Buddhist tradition, a person must travel for forty-nine days after they die, before they can fully cross over. Here in this book, readers travel with one Korean American girl, Kit, on her journey, while also spending time with her family and friends left behind.

Agnes Lee has captivated readers across the world for years with her illustrations for the New York Times Metropolitan Diary. Her debut graphic novel is an unforgettable story of death, grief, love, and how we keep moving forward.

P R A I S E

★ "49 Days is an unusual, profoundly moving graphic novel whose elegance belies its complexity and whose emotional impact only grows upon rereading."
--BookPage (starred)

★ "A gorgeous, resonating, even mystical creation with little text, overflowing with unsaid feelings... Gently, nudgingly, Lee brilliantly intertwines the past, present, and future."
--Booklist (starred)

★ "A moving portrayal of mortality and its aftermath."
--Kirkus (starred)

"Middle and high school readers will relate to the universal experiences of love, loss, and family tradition."
--School Library Journal

"Expressive, fluid...an exemplar of what it means to trust the audience."
--Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"A deeply moving exploration of life after death, making peace with regret and life's inevitabilities, and learning how to move on."
--Publishers Weekly

Review Quotes

"A tale of grief, loss, love, and healing through a metaphysical journey of redemption and self-discovery." - Horn Book

"Middle and high school readers will relate to the universal experiences of love, loss, and family tradition." - School Library Journal

"A beautiful and bittersweet tale." - Sequential Tart

"A thoughtful, contemplative book -- a perfect synthesis with Agnes' lovely artwork. 49 Days is an unforgettable story of death, grief, love, and how we keep moving forward." -- Graphic Policy

"The illustrations are sparse as to be meditative, like taking deep breaths just to get to the next moment, which is how grieving feels. 49 Days shows that grief is a mountain to climb for the one who has to do it alone, and a painful journey for the people left behind. Readers will feel triumph and sadness at seeing Kit's completion." -- Mochi Mag

[STAR] "49 Days is an unusual, profoundly moving graphic novel whose elegance belies its complexity and whose emotional impact only grows upon rereading." - BookPage

★ "A gorgeous, resonating, even mystical creation with little text, overflowing with unsaid feelings... Gently, nudgingly, Lee brilliantly intertwines the past, present, and future." --Booklist (starred)

★ "A moving portrayal of mortality and its aftermath." - Kirkus (starred)

"A deeply moving exploration of life after death, making peace with regret and life's inevitabilities, and learning how to move on." - Publishers Weekly

"Expressive, fluid...an exemplar of what it means to trust the audience." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

About the Author

Agnes Lee grew up in the Bay Area and is a graduate of Art Center College of Design. She is a former Chronicle Books fellow and was an Art Director at The New York Times for several years where she began illustrating the Metropolitan Diary column. She now lives in Portland, OR with her partner Eric and their cat Muta. In addition to art, she loves the outdoors and playing ultimate frisbee. Agnes can be found at ahjlee.com.

49 Days is her debut.