Karen's New Year (LSGN#13)

Publication date: 2026

Illustrator: DK Yingst, with color by Braden Lamb and Beniam C. Hollman

Synopsis:

Karen is excited to celebrate the new year, and apparently wants to win it. She makes nine resolutions to everyone else's one. And other people have trouble keeping theirs, but she doesn't! Mostly. I mean, she needs to edit them here and there. Gum isn't a sweet, right? At least if it's sugarless. Besides, that was an accident. And it's gum, not candy. 

Karen gets so fed up with people not keeping their resolutions that she makes a big announcement at dinner (at her dad's house), listing off all the times people broke them. Understandably, to everyone but Karen, people are upset and embarrassed at being spied on and called out. It's not until Karen's parents have some people (Andrew, Hannie, and Nancy) spy on Karen and call her out for changing her resolutions that she really understands. Karen resolves to be a better friend and family member.

Continuity related to BSC books: 

The picture of the BSC doesn't include Stacey at the meeting--the BSC graphic novels being published at this time have Stacey living in New York City.

Misc:

Martin dedicates the book "everyone who needs a new beginning."

Yingst dedicates the book for "those who struggle with perfectionism. For me."

Karen's dad asks HER if she and Andrew can come over for New Year's Eve. Sounds like that wasn't the original custody plan, so shouldn't he be asking her mom? Karen even thinks to herself, as she hands over the phone, that her parents will fight about it. (They don't, but don't put your little kid in the middle like that!)

Haha, I love this gum packaging: