Gr 7 Up-Ueda, best known for her prolific "Peach Girl" books (Tokyopop), returns with a new series filled with beautiful girls, beautiful boys, and butterflylike transformations. Ageha resents her twin sister, Hana, for being more popular and attractive than she is, although readers will quickly deduce that their differences really boil down to attitude. The book has several well-developed supporting characters, including Ageha's childhood friend Ryusei, who is now a teen dreamboat, and school guidance counselor Kyu, who believes in the power of positive thinking. He encourages Ageha to reconnect with Ryusei, but soon after she does so and romances start to bloom, Hana makes the ultimate low-down dirty move of stealing Ryusei for herself. Ageha's sorrow is somewhat mollified by Kyu's support, although his friendliness is actually flirtatious and crosses the line of appropriate interaction between a guidance counselor and a student. Ageha continues to pine after Ryusei and makes a concerted effort to win him back. This roller coaster of a romance is beautiful to look at; Ueda's artwork skillfully captures the expressions of love and heartache. The romantic cliff-hanger at the end will definitely make readers stay tuned for more drama in volume 2.-Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Even unpopular girls have the potential to spread their wings and learn to fly. Miwa Ueda, creator of the manga series Peach Girl, brings us a whole new series about high school, relationships, and miscommunication. Ageha is always pushed aside by her much prettier and more outgoing twin Hana, and when both sisters have eyes for the same boy, it's no surprise that Hana gets him. Now, Ageha has to decide whether to always let her sister win or to make some changes in life to improve herself. With the help of a very unusual school counselor she begins to gain confidence, but it looks as though she's in for a bumpy ride. Along with presenting foibles of high-school life where nothing is ever easy and its pretty, flowery art, Papillon delivers many important messages about self-esteem. Ageha's story shows that instead of being pushed aside, young girls can metamorphose much like a butterfly into what they want to be.--Davidson, Danica Copyright 2008 Booklist

Ueda is the author of Peach Girl, and the lovely figures and flowing lines of that shojo manga are on display here as well. Like that series, this story is about mistaken perceptions and competition. Twin girls were raised apart; now that they're reunited in high school, one is pretty, popular and outgoing, while the other is shy and plain. The title refers to the shy twin's wish to blossom from her cocoon like a butterfly. There might be deep psychological and/or cultural implications to be drawn from the concept that one twin sister could be gorgeous while the other isn't, but here, it's a twist on the Cinderella story, living proof that the shy girl will be able to become more than she is with effort, spiced up with the idea that behavior creates attractiveness. The one's got a crush on a schoolmate, a childhood friend who grew up handsome. A mysterious stranger tells her she can create that reality if she believes hard enough... and then the real story begins. No one here is exactly what they seem, providing welcome depth to an involving teen drama. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved