Thank you NetGalley and Oni Press for gifting me an early copy of The Lost Sunday!
We are following the story of Nina who is on a journey to get Sunday back. Everyone works all the time and they do not have a day off because of a witch who stole Sunday and keep it locked in a well.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Lost Sunday. It was sweet, light-hearted and made me smile. The drawings are stunning and I loved Nina, the main character.
The concept behind the graphic novel was genius and I fould myself wishing there was more pages because of how good it was. It makes a statement on time and how we tend to overwork ourselves when we actually need to take breaks.

It was also interesting to read about the fairy tale that inspired The Lost Sunday, I had never heard of it!

The Lost Sunday by Ileana Surducan published by the Oni Press draws inspiration from the popular Grimms Fairy tale titled Frau Holle and another one chosen from the Romanian Fairy Tales collection titled The Old Man's Wise Daughter.

Opening with a dedication to all those brave enough to take a break and cherish their free time, The Lost Sunday is set in a dusty, crowded town where there is no Sunday. Here, a young girl named Nina works hard every single day from Monday to Saturday (you see there is no Sunday here, so the weekly cycle is from Mon-Sat). The chores are never ending; there is always something falling apart despite the toil. And there is no Sunday or free time, but why?

A witch living in a bottomless pit has stolen it and locked it away in a treasure chest. Nina has had enough of work, work and more work. She decides to visit the land of this witch to retrieve Sunday.

Lots of challenges come along the way, Nina even meets her Double who looks just like her and is more of a problem to her than help. Does Nina get back Sunday to her town, does she succeed in her mission? Read this story to know. For the slaves of time buzzing around like busy bees day after day, this story comes as a wake up call, telling us to pause, that it's okay (and even important) to do nothing at times. It also points out the danger of having too much free time.

With gorgeous illustrations, end notes on how these were created plus information on stories that inspired this book, The Lost Sunday is a fun journey bundling important messages - a treat for readers of all ages, young and old.

Note - If you are a fan of The Tea Dragon Society series by Oni Press , you shouldn't miss out on this comic and a few other books too shared /suggested at the book's end.

What a charming little story with the most beautiful art! I don't usually pick up short graphic novels / picture books, but I've already read one or two absolute treasures from Oni Press ("The Tea Dragon Society" is hands down one of the best things on this planet), so I was curious. "The Lost Sunday" turned out to be a mix of two fairy tales – the German "Frau Holle", with which I'm very familiar, and the Romanian "The Old Man's Wise Daughter", which was all new to me. It's a story of hard work and good rest and the importance of balancing these two aspects in life. It's clearly intended for younger readers for there is very little text and it's fairly short altogether, but I thought it quite enchanting as well. The illustrations are creative and lovely to look at, and I think it's a message that everyone might need to hear once in a while.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Lost Sunday is short and sweet, but packs a punch. It's a story about learning to take breaks, but it's also about learning to enjoy your time. It reads like the fairy tales on which it was based, but a version filled with humor and lightness. This graphic novel doesn't exist to lecture you about it's moral, but rather to give you a gentle nudge while you're enjoying the beautiful art. The art is so fun and quirky and colorful. I loved the slow transition from a dark palette to a lighter one as the story progressed. This was such a fun read that I'm sure I'll read again and again.

Thank you to Oni Press and Netgalley for the ARC.

The Lost Sunday is such a beautiful reminder to make time for yourself to relax throughout the week, even when you feel overworked and overwhelmed. I absolutely loved the way the colors of the illustrations transitioned with the story and found them to be full of wonder.

I received an ARC from Oni Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Such a fun and emotional story, with gorgeous and quirky art. This retelling of “Frau Holle” does a fantastic joy of conveying the burnout of everyday chores and the joys of relaxation after much hard work has been achieved.

I absolutely loved the art, which is filled with whimsy. And the message, about taking a moment for yourself and relaxing, is one that most people need to be reminded of.

Fun and playful, yet still powerful and affirming.

I did not expect to be so moved by this story! It's quite a testimony to rest and community. The mixture of folk and fairytale with illustrations that jump off the page makes a beautiful book.

I love when I get surprise retellings of my favourite fairy tales.

I honestly requested the ARC of this based on vibes and artwork and as soon as our delightfully determined main character ventured into the well I immediately knew this was a Frau Holle retelling and I SHRIEKED with absolute childhood joy.

And what a retelling it is, I adored every aspect of this graphic novel, including the glimpse into the beginning drafts, character artwork, and the authors own relation to the tale being resold.

I HIGHLY suggest this tale for everyone, especially this rendition of it, because it is so relatable to our current work/life culture.

The Lost Sunday by Ileana Surducan is a fascinating and beautifully illustrated children's book that touches on the themes of rest, joy and work. At first, the reader may be confused about the relationship between the wolves and the days of the week, but as Surducan leads the reader and the main character along the way, we begin to understand the relationships and the deeper meaning behind the characters. I can see this book being used in a multitude of ways in a lower elementary classroom, and it is a book I will definitely be picking up. Thank you so much to NetGalley for this copy of The Lost Sunday to enjoy!

What a wonderful book! Beautifully illustrated, this is a masterclass in storytelling, reshaping a fairytale for the modern world with perfectly delivered extended metaphor. This touched my soul, reminding me of the mountains I so often create for myself. I will be gifting to many friends who need to hear its message. If you are trudging through exhaustion, burnout or pressures, then let this soothe your soul and help you to find your own treasure. Thank you, Ileana Surducan, for sharing yourself and your talents in this way.

What a sweet and unique art style! I thought it felt a lot like fairytales I read growing up and it turns out it did take inspiration from variations of the story around the world. Making time to rest and care for yourself and spend meaningful time with others feel like such important values to instill these days. The emphasis on community is a lovely thing to see. Character designs are are quirky and fun; I loved Nina's expressive hair and her shadow version's colorful attire. I think this would make a great addition to a middle grade graphic novel library collection.

I absolutely adored this story and the advice it gives in making a little time each day for something you love to do and creating that free time.

The illustrations are beautifully done and had a comforting feel to them. The colours of the book reflect the moods of the story and each page is a treasure trove of details.

The author talks through the original/ traditional fairytales that The Lost Sunday is built upon at the end and this really intrigued me.

It's a beautiful addition to the bookshelf and would enchant any bookish heart at whatever age.

A huge thank you to the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and fall in love with: The Lost Sunday

💭 My Thoughts
Someone go call Disney to make a short film based on this because this was AMAZING! The artwork was vibrant and gorgeous, and the story was paced beautifully with a deep message behind it and had a fairytale feeling reminiscent of the classic childhood tales. I appreciated the overall idea of taking breaks from working daily without allowing yourself to become like the "imaginary Nina" as well as that it's worth it to go out of your way to help others. This is a perfect story to read with your little readers of all ages.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for a digital copy. All opinions are my own

The Lost Sunday is a book that I could read over and over again, devouring the details and thoughtful illustrations. It is fantastical retelling of the lesser known fairytale “The Old Man’s Wise Daughter” where Nina must seek out the witch who stole Sundays, so that she can escape a never-ending cycle of chores and drudgery. I love that this story teaches the importance of rest and leisure, while still taking pride in hard work and motivation. It is a difficult balance to walk and Ileana Surducan does it with such beauty and imagination. I can’t wait to recommend this to all of my fantasy and fairytale lovers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this eARC.

This was an absolute beautiful and magical graphic novel. The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous - the colour palette is beautiful and the level of detail to every small element only adds to the quality of this graphic novel. If that wasn’t enough, the storyline provides whimsy whilst simultaneously providing a compelling lesson, making this story applicable for both children and adults.
The inspiration for this story does not feel drowned or too similar but a wonderful blend of the inspired text and the author’s interpretation.
Overall it was a joy to read!

This book was absolutely delightful. It felt like a breath of fresh air. The illustrations are stunning and lovingly detailed, taking you right into the fairytale world the author created inspired by Grimm’s fairytales and Romanian folk tales.
The protagonist - in a typical fairytale manner - is kind, determined, and always strives for the greater good. I especially enjoyed her lazy doppelgänger, who was an homage to the evil stepsister characters who do no good and get their karma.
I only wish the book had been a little bit longer, so I could’ve explored the world and its side characters more. The animals representing the days of the week were one of the most fascinating aspects to me.

A beautifully illustrated tale about pausing and finding time to relax and enjoy your life. It felt, to me, a great metaphor for burn out which I loved. The art style was vibrant and whimsical. The world was incredibly inventive and I could easily see this getting adapted for the big screen.

This graphic novel was absolutely adorable.
The story follows a young girl who helps everyone at their jobs every day of the week besides Sunday - because Sundays don't exist anymore. On a quest to find the lost Sunday she meets her double, who seems to be quite the opposite of her: very lazy and never helps anyone.

The illustration style is beautiful, and I especially liked how the illustrator worked with different levels of colourfulness to dsitinguish between the world of being busy and stressed and the world of leisure and friendship. I loved the idea that every weekday is a specific wolf, it invokes the fairy tale idea of "the big bad wolf" but then gives it a pleasant twist.

Just a wonderful book that I must have as a hardcopy as soon as it comes out!

With whimsical artwork and a story that shows the importance of time, 'The Lost Sunday' is a tale for those of any age.

I think this book showed the importance of balance; hard work is good and something that can help others and you can be proud of, BUT, if you do not give yourself time to rest and enjoy your time, it becomes negative and draining. The use of color and tones in the book highlighted the perils and trials, both above the well & down within it, excellently.

I would recommend this to anyone. Kids with enjoy the art & vibrant colors and adults will find solace with the story.

Sweet and magical and wholesome. The details on the days of the week pages had me lingering for so long on those pages. Loved it. Perfect read for a relaxing Sunday.

The Lost Sunday is a gentle reminder of the importance of taking breaks, the way it does so is admirable: fascinating illustration and clever layout.
It's a story that leaves a glow deep inside...and lingers.

Thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for this advanced reader's copy.