Bingo Love tells the story of Hazel Johnsonand Mari McCray, who, as young teens, meet at a church bingo game in 1963 andbecome best friends; that friendship grows into love. In the 1960s, social normsprohibited people of the same gender loving each other, and Mari's family movesaway. They each marry; Hazel has several children with a husband she does notlove. Then, fifty years later, when both are grandmothers, Hazel and Mari meetagain. This time, they marry and find happiness with each other. Tee Franklin'sgraphic novel, illustrated by Jenn St-Onge and colored by Joy San, portrays twowomen of color and sends a great body-positive message by depicting one of theprotagonists as a plump, curvy teen and woman. Teens will possibly relate moreto the initial romance, while older readers can appreciate the rekindledrelationship fifty years later. Franklin also doesn't shy away from the factthat life does not have a completely "happily ever after.

" Herdepiction of Hazel taking care of Mari after she starts to suffer fromAlzheimer's brings me to tears every single time I even think about it. Teenswhose grandparents or other relatives have dementia or Alzheimer's willunderstand some of the grief in this last part of the book; for those of us whoare older, Bingo Love is truly bittersweet. The book does not show anysexually explicit scenes; it does have a couple of panels with Hazel'sdaughter-in-law breastfeeding her baby and a couple with Hazel and Mari togetherin a bubble bath. - VOYA.