- Graphic Novels
- Ages 7–11
- Science Fiction
Hilo: Gina and the Last City on Earth
Book 9 of 11 in HiloView the full series
A big Gina arc climax that ties her magic to family history and positions her as the hero Earth needs. It is one of the more emotionally and mythologically loaded Hilo volumes.
- Best for7–11
- FormatGraphic
- Length240 pp
- Read aloud~1 hr55 min
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Conversational
- Comedic
Tone
- Funny
- Exciting
- Adventurous
- Suspenseful
- Heartwarming
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Earth's timeline is still broken, magic has changed the world, and Gina may be the only person who can fix it. As she searches for answers, she discovers that her family's past may be connected to a powerful sorceress and to the future of magic itself. Hilo and D.J. are still beside her, but the burden of this story sits heavily on Gina: she has to decide whether she really can be the hero the world needs. This ninth Hilo book gives the magical arc its biggest, most dramatic shape. It is still a funny, colourful, fast-moving graphic novel, full of visual jokes and flying Bearacat energy, but it also gives readers a satisfying mix of family secrets, magical destiny and emotional payoff. Best for existing Hilo fans who want Gina's story to feel as important as Hilo's original robot-world saga.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
- 1
- 3
- 5
- 7
- 9
- 11
- 13
- Best fit · 7–11
- Read aloud · 7–10
- Independent · 7–11
Prose load
Light
Visual support
Very high
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Strong
Works well for
- Reading aloud
- Reluctant readers
Nothing in the book is likely to concern most parents. Safe to recommend without preview.
Bedtime suitability
2 / 5 · Better outside bedtime
Sensitive-child
3 / 5 · Mostly fine
Graphic intensity
2 / 5 · Mild
Best for
- Strong girl character
- Magic destiny
- Arc finale
- Funny graphic novel
- Reluctant readers
Avoid if
- Has not read books seven and eight
- Needs standalone entry point
- Prefers robot only story
Particularly good for children who are…
- Reluctant reader
- Struggling with reading
- Making friends
- Low self esteem
In the classroom
How it works in school.
A funny, action-packed sci-fi comic series — a top reluctant-reader hook and classroom-library favourite.
A book children love that happens to support school — never a stand-in for the texts a class is taught with. Reviewed for the classroom · June 2026.
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
The specific weight is Gina's family history — the timeline still broken, the sorceress in her ancestry revealed, Gina having to decide whether she really is the hero the world needs. The Hilo where the Gina arc lands.
- Being special or chosen
- Friendship and belonging
- Magic powers
- Making a difference
- Proving yourself
Why parents love it
The Gina arc finale — magical-destiny payoff, family-history reveal, the burden of being the hero played seriously. Best read after the previous two; the emotional weight depends on the buildup. The series' habit of actually ending its arcs continues.
- Shared humour
- Quick to read
- Conversation starter
In the series
Hilo.
11 books · open the series →
About the author & illustrator
Judd Winick.
If you liked this
Three ways out of this book.
If you liked this, try…
Lateral matches. Same shelf, different texture.
Come into this from…
Easier or preparing reads — perfect lead-ins.
Where to go next…
Escalation reads — a step up in scale, silliness, or stakes.
Buy or borrow
Pick up a copy.
- Bookshop.org ↗
- Waterstones ↗
- Amazon UK ↗
- Hive ↗
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