Many LGBTQ adults look back on their youth and wonder- what might have been? Growing up "in the closet" tends to produce a sort of double identity, between the inner self and the self seen by the outside world. Now, cartoonist Axelle Lenoir, in her unpredictable and imaginative way, makes this metaphor real. Secret Passages, narrated by the adult author, begins with the death of her (male) "cosmic twin." From there it launches into a rollicking ride of childhood antics, set in 1985 small-town Quebec. We get to know Axelle (a rebellious little girl who dreads Grade 1 and is captivated by the spooky forest near the house), her brothers (who share her off-the-charts enthusiasm for cartoons and toys), and their long-suffering parents (who may or may not be aliens). These lively comic-strip style anecdotes, reminiscent of Calvin & Hobbes and packed full of pop-culture parodies, are juxtaposed with surreal twists as Axelle's existential crisis mutates the narrative, building to a mind-bending climax.

Teen girls rewrite the universe on a daily basis! This comic collection proves there's nothing better than using your imagination... except maybe talking nonsense with your friends. Hey, why not both? Nathalie and Marie are 17 years old and best friends. Since elementary school, they've been creatively filling moments of boredom with a game called "What If We Were...?". One player names a topic -- let's say "vampire slayers" for example -- and then both imagine what life would be like as that subject. "I would only hunt vampires during daytime, because it would be less exhausting" would be a good answer. "I would only hunt them for sport, to eventually sell their skins" could be another, if a little disturbing. Easy to play, but hard to master. An expert player will know how to think outside the box and surprise their opponent. And after all these years, Nathalie and Marie are experts! What If We Were... collects dozens of these games as hilarious and addictive comic strips, along with super-fun bonus material like diary entries, bonus comics, and more.

Marie and Nathalie are the queens of make-believe. They've run through every scenario that is possible, somewhat plausible, or frankly unbelievable - secret-agent ninjas launching a surprise-attack on an ice-cream stand, super-heroes hell-bent on making country music disappear, even lost astronauts condemned to spend millions of light years in another dimension. The name of the game? "What If We Were..." But all of this was a mere prelude to "What If We Were... For Real!" The alternate version is just like the classic game, minus the mental gymnastics of thinking up fantasy scenarios. Because now Marie and Nathalie's wildest fantasies are coming true... for real! Let's hope that years of practice have readied the girls for this new challenge, because they're headed back in time on a magical quest to a new realm where they must defeat their physics teacher, an adept of black magic and sinister kidnappings! Good luck, girls!