Absolutely amazing. Fun, entertaining with great artwork. I loved it and can’t wait to read anything else by this author in the future.

When I was a little kid, I liked unicorns so much. I even asked for one for Christmas, and this fixation never really went away. I want more books and films about unicorns, so I was so pleased that NetGalley gave me the opportunity to read this graphic novel before publication.

IT WAS SO CUTE AND PASTEL AND MAGICAL. I enjoyed every second of it, and I'm really hoping there will be a next one.

What an absolute joy this was!

The graphics were so bold, colourful and vivid which really drew me in.

I loved all the mythical creatures featured, especially all the unicorns who were beautifully drawn!

The plot was intriguing and I can definitely see it being enjoyable for children as they can easily picture themselves as the main character.

Overall a really great mystery graphic novel for kids and adults alike!

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for the e-arc!

I love when I get to read stories that make me nostalgic for my childhood. I had a fun time reading this and it mixed some of the genres that I enjoy in a great way. This is definitely a must read for the children in your life.

What can I say I'm a sucker for unicorns and agents. It was honestly a little too perfect. I couldn't recommend it more and will continue to do so.

A hilarious story about a lonely boy who ends up working in a spy agency for magical creatures. With his unicron partner he must find out who is stealing magic from unicron's. The story uses really spycraft and at the end of the book as information on real life spies! The story itself also has some thoughts to impart about corporations. A fun read for children but adults will also get something out of it as well. I would be delighted if more volumes where written.

Miguel is a bit of an outcast at school, so when he gets the chance to join the Mystical Beasts Bureau to help them solve mysteries, he jumps at that, as he loves all things mystical.

This is a fun spy story, for the middle grade set, that actually teaches how to solve problems, such as how to read ciphers, how to pick locks and what spies use to communicate with each other. Not all things can be done by the average kid, but at least that gives them an idea of how to do it.

I really like Miguel, the main character. What I like, besides that he is an outcast, and not popular with his school friends, is that he isn’t perfect the first time he tries to spy. But as everyone around him points out, no one is good the first time, at anything they try.

A fun book, with bright colors, and silly characters, but with heart as well. Very enjoyable.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out on the 4th of November 2025.

Miguel is a 12 year old who gets to work as a spy for mystical beasts but he has to keep it a secret. He loves mystical beasts and love to learn about them. He is paired with Agent Cupcake, a unicorn and he is over the moon as unicorns are his favourite beasts. They work on a case and we go on this adenventure with them.
I was invested in the story since page one, it was introduced in simple way and was very easy to understand. Miguel was adorable and his and agent cupcake's dynamic was fun to read. I loved the messages it gave to the young readers how power is not just something you are born with but something you can learn and develop by having different skills.
The art style is beautiful, magical and enchanting. I want to see this to be turned into a series and see the duo go on different adventures.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this as an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Agent Cupcake follows Miguel, a 12yo, who gets to work as a spy for the bureau of mystical creatures (MBB). He has always been passionate about mystical creatures and can't wait to use his knowledge about them to help the MBB. He gets paired with Agent Cupcake and they immediately get to work, going undercover, investigating and uncovering mysteries.

This graphic novel is the perfect middle grade read, it touches on important real life themes while using a language that fits the demographic in question. It's a fun spy story and the mistery elements are very interesting and captivating. Throughout the story there's also little magnifying glasses that lead you to the bonus material at the end of the story, and give more info about certain aspects of the story.

The illustrations are very colorful and cute, I loved how the different mystical creatures are represented.

I'm not sure there are words for how much I loved this book, but I will try. There is so much packed into such a small book. The use of real spy tricks and knowledge as well as the extra information at the back of this book, makes it really special. The reader learns so much about spies, mythology, and more without even realizing it as they are brought along on this thrilling adventure. The parallels to the real world and "subtle" commentary on how certain businesses run themselves and the cost of those choices was a great addition as well. However, most of all, the characters and their journeys to find a sense of belonging is such a relatable story no matter your age. Highly recommend this one!

"Agent Cupcake" is a middle grade graphic novel by Mel Hilario and Lauren Davis. Human middle schooler Miguel has landed the job of his dreams! In this magical world where mythical creatures exist alongside humans, Miguel has been hired to be the first human spy for the Mythical Beasts Bureau, partnered with unicorn spy Agent Cupcake. This humorous graphic novel is fun and interesting, with small amounts of information included about real spy technology and techniques. Readers will enjoy seeing how Miguel and Cupcake handle their jobs despite being at a disadvantage with magic. A recommended purchase for middle grade graphic novel collections.

Thank you Net Galley and Oni Press for the ARC. This was a super cute! a must buy for the school library. Uplifting story about finding yourself and being ok with learning and making mistakes. The illustration style is super cute and I loved the story and connections that could be made to the real world.

A fun and lighthearted children's graphic novel with themes of friendship, feeling like you don't belong here and a hint (more like a bucket) of magic.

I would recommend this to everyone who has children that love magical creatures and to anyone who struggles with friendships and connections.

This book isn't just amazing for younger folks but it's also wonderful for young adults and adults.

Endearing and cute and fun! I loved the characters and the art style, it was really lovely to read and follow along. I think this is a great new addition to the middle grade graphic novel capers that are all the rage right now!

I came for the beautiful and cute cover and I stayed for the fun and educational story.

Longua's artwork is stunning. Often cartoons get overlooked in the art world, which is such shame when you have people like Longua putting down beatiful art on each page. From color choices to character design this comic looks fantastic. There was so much detail in many of the panels, and the full page spreads were gorgeous. The hours that had to go into those pages alone is mind blowing.

Agent Cupcake isn't just something pretty to look at, though. It's a great story for kids who are interested in spies and/unicorns. It's filled with wit and metaphors, but most importantly it's an engaging story with a lot lessons for kids that are given either directly or indirectly through the text.

One of these lessons is empathy for others and for oneself. Throughout Miguel's adventure, he makes mistakes, and he is always met with compassion and understanding from those around him. In fact, Miguel's harshest critic is himself, and he has to learn to give himself grace and be okay with making mistakes--that's it's all part the process to learning any sort of skill.

There are several lessons that focus on similar concepts of self-love and compassion for others scattered throughout the story.

Of course, the biggest lesson of all is how to be a spy. From disguises to decoding encryption to picking locks, this book gives just enough of a taste of that information to get kids curious about the topics and seek out more in-depth information. Additionally, it encourages kids to take the information that they've learned and share it with their friends.

Overall, this is wonderful book, and I appreciate NetGalley for giving me an Advanced Reader Copy.

I requested it because the cover looks really cute. But this book is a lot more than that. It has a heartwarming story that inspires children to be adventurous in their pursuit of knowledge. The section at the back about different topics in the story is fun and can get children digging for more information. This is a real gem.

I picked up Agent Cupcake expecting a traditional story, so I was surprised to find it presented as a comic book. What hit me first was the vibrant comic book format—bold illustrations bursting with pastel hues, unicorns whipping up enchanted plushies, and a young hero cracking codes alongside a pastry-obsessed agent. It's got that fun, fast-paced energy of a graphic novel, with panels that zip you through the action like a secret mission. The story follows Miguel as he joins the Magical Bureau of Burrowing to save unicorns from a corporate villain sucking away their magic, mixing whimsy with sneaky spy lessons on everything from spyware to safe-cracking. It's clever how it sneaks in real spycraft facts without feeling like a textbook, keeping the pages turning with humor and heart.

The plot has some predictable twists, like the big bad corporation reveal, but the character dynamics shine, especially Miguel's wide-eyed enthusiasm clashing with Agent Cupcake's sassy vibe. Pacing-wise, it flies by in short bursts, ideal for quick reads, though I wished for deeper dives into the magical world-building. Overall, it's a sparkling intro to graphic novels for kids, blending fantasy fun with educational bites that make you feel like a junior agent yourself. If you're into visual storytelling, this one's a sweet treat; for prose lovers like me, it's intriguing but not a full reread.

Thank you Mel Hilario, Lauren Davis, Oni Press and NetGalley for a copy of *Agent Cupcake* in exchange for my honest review 🧁🦄🕵‍♂️

Publication date: November 04, 2025🗓

My tween and I both really enjoyed this book! The illustrations are super cute and many of the themes feel relatable to real world experiences. The story is all about friendship, finding yourself and your place in the world and learning to overcome mistakes. It's full of lovable magical creatures making this book super appealing for young readers!🧁🦄

Agent Cupcake by Mel Hilario, Lauren Davis and Katie Longua review

Genre: middle grade fantasy mystery
Rep: BIPOC

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for giving me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Agent Cupcake is a fun graphic novel about Miguel who is starting his spy training at the Magical Beasts Bureau. This agency recruits magical beasts and humans to protect society so there’s a lot to see and soon Miguel gets assigned his first adventure to solve a mystery.
This middle grade graphic novel would’ve been perfect for my younger self. I would’ve loved to learn about spy work and protecting society and its citizens magic. I loved how there are little signs that there’s more information on certain things in the back of the book. This book manages to be educational on different societal matters, be very fun to read with a great mystery plot and gorgeous magical beings, and be beautiful in its art with a diverse cast of characters.
What I loved most is that this graphic novel combines the educational bits into the story and helps the reader understand the world at the same time. Some of the educational topics were password safety and dealing with making mistakes and being different from your peers. It was a magical journey with wonderful characters!
What I would’ve liked to see, was a division of the plot into chapters, as I never really knew what a good time was to take a break from the story. Still, this is a minor critique.
I would encourage everyone to read about Miguel’s and agent Cupcake’s adventure!

Thank you, Netgalley for an advanced copy of this graphic novel for an honest review

This was a fun read that I found adorable (anything with animals or monsters/creatures I love). We go on an adventure with the main character as he becomes the assistant to Agent Cupcake a unicorn & they solve crimes.

If ur looking for something cute then I highly suggest this, plus the artwork is colourful and beautiful to look at

Such a fun kids' story! In this world, humans live alongside mystical beings, and there’s an organization dedicated to keeping those creatures safe from people who might want to harm or steal from them. Our main character, a middle schooler, gets accepted into the organization as a young spy and is partnered with a unicorn! He worries about messing up his missions since he’s new, but he learns that you can’t grow without trying. A great story filled with imagination, teamwork, and wonderful lessons for young readers.

4/5⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an arc of “Agent Cupcake”. I really enjoyed the art style in this graphic novel, it reminds me of Steven Universe. The story was interesting, with all the spy related elements, and I liked seeing all the mythical creatures related to the plot (specially the water creatures, the unicorns and the dragon)!! 🫧✨

Join Miguel Mangayayam as he begins his internship at the Mystical Beasts Bureau (MBB). Miguel loves mystical beasts of all kinds, and he can’t wait to put his encyclopedic knowledge to use as a spy working to protect mermaids, dragons, unicorns, and more.
I had a blast reading this magical spy graphic novel. It is a delightful mix of real-world spycraft and mythical fantasy. I’ll be recommending it to a broad range of kids, from Spy School fans to mystery buffs, and, of course, fantasy lovers.