Kang Dae just wants to survive university in peace, but his bubbly new neighbor Bo Seon has a very different plan for his social life.
Australian artist Peglo transitions his viral WEBTOON series into print with To the Stars and Back, a slice-of-life romance tailored for the Young Adult crowd. The narrative centers on Kang Dae, a student who cherishes his solitude and silence until Bo Seon moves into his building and persistently chips away at his defenses. What begins as a one-sided neighborly pursuit evolves into a tender, slow-burn romance, but the path isn’t straightforward. Both young men are navigating the lingering effects of past trauma and the awkwardness of first love. Amidst the developing relationship, a charming subplot involving ghost hunting brings their shared history into focus, grounding the romance in a genuine journey of mutual healing.
For educators working with high school students who need accessible texts, this graphic novel is a strategic addition to the library. The protagonists are university students, which ensures the content feels mature and age-appropriate for teenagers, yet the reading demand remains manageable with an estimated Lexile around 650-700L. Peglo employs a manga-influenced art style where the illustrations often carry the narrative weight, offering crucial context clues for English language learners. For example, when Kang Dae struggles to articulate his anxiety, the visual metaphors and facial expressions clarify the emotional stakes without relying on dense exposition. The dialogue uses natural, conversational patterns with limited idiomatic complexity, reducing the cognitive load for reluctant readers while still engaging them in sophisticated themes of mental health and LGBTQ+ identity. By combining this “Hi-Lo” dynamic with a format that already has over a million subscribers online, the book offers a welcoming entry point for students intimidated by traditional prose novels.
