YETI OR NOT, Here We Come!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

NOV. 25, 2025 (PORTLAND, OR) — Through Penny’s eyes, readers experience the challenges of family conflict, emotional intelligence, and friendship—all wrapped in a fun, cryptid-filled adventure.

Papercutz, the acclaimed graphic novel imprint of Mad Cave Studios, is thrilled to announce the heartfelt graphic novel for kids, PENNY AND THE YETI, the debut title written by Cryptid Creator Corner podcast’s Jimmy Gaspero (Bi Visibility, From The Static) and cartoonist, illustrator, and educator Amber Akin, with letters by Buddy Beaudoin (Speed Racer). This sweet and imaginative story explores what happens when one young girl’s creativity and compassion bring her family closer—with the help of a myth come to life!

YETI OR NOT, HERE WE COME! Penny and Yeti are pretty typical best friends: they go to school together, play together, and have fun adventures. The twist? Yeti’s a living breathing myth!

Before Yeti, Penny had a super normal life with her big sister Peri and their parents, Fenton and Maxine. Penny thinks life is pretty great, especially when Peri draws and colors with her—Peri draws the best monsters called “cryptids!” The only real problem is Penny’s parents argue…a LOT. Penny wishes her parents would stop, but what can she do? That’s when Yeti shows up, right out of one of Peri’s drawings and smack into Penny’s life! With Yeti’s help, Penny comes up with a plan to get her parents to stop fighting. Penny, however, soon finds out that her parents may need more help than even a magical Yeti can provide…

“I have been living with Penny and Yeti for the past 3 years, ever since my daughter Penny and I came up with a story idea about a girl named Penny and her friend Yeti that went to a diner for lunch,” said Jimmy Gaspero. “That idea became a script, and with Amber’s immeasurable talent, it became a 4-page comic. Now Penny and the Yeti is a full-fledged graphic novel that I have cherished working on with Amber, Buddy, and our editors Stephanie and Teddy. Creating a graphic novel takes a lot of people putting in a lot of hard work, and I am so proud of this creative team. I hope readers have fun with Penny and the Yeti. I hope they see themselves somewhere in the story. I hope this is a book that kids read on their own or with their parents. I hope readers know that sometimes being a family takes work, and that’s okay. I hope every Penny out there has a friend like Yeti for both fun and support, and I hope every Penny has a Peri that will stand up for them when it matters most.”

Illustrator Amber Akin added, “Illustrating a graphic novel takes a very long time, and so I have spent a lot of time with Yeti, Penny, and her family. To me, much of Penny and the Yeti is about connections—the need to connect with others and feel those relationships acknowledged, the difficulties of being part of a family struggling to connect, and the power of play and joy to nurture connections. …After drawing Penny and Yeti so much, I can’t help but feel that they are dear friends of mine as well. I cannot wait for you to meet them!”

For fans of Bigfoot and Nessie: The Art of Getting Noticed, Martian Ghost Centaur, and Cryptid Kids, Penny and the Yeti delivers big heart and gentle humor.

Intended for ages 6-9, Penny and the Yeti is on sale April 21, 2026, and is now available for preorder (ISBN PB: 9781545823811 / ISBN HC: 9781545823804).