I have a shirt with a bright red circle surrounding a big number one on the front.

Whenever I wear it, people (very often my dad) ask what I’m number one in.

I joke that I got it that summer I lived in New York so I would remember which subway line to take home.

But the truth is that I loved the MTA system so much. It, like the grid New York’s streets are laid out on, was so logistical and straightforward. It didn’t hurt that my lines, the 1 and the 9, were a straight shot up to the Bronx where I was staying.

I also fell for its graphic design. Bold primary colors, crisp black lines, and solid shapes.

Not only did I buy the shirt, but when I discovered that the transit authority holds a surplus sale each year, I signed up for the newsletter to be apprised of all events. I have yet to acquire a slab of subway station or signage, but there is the dream.

So when I accompanied my ten year-old to the graphic novel section of our library, Lost in NYC: A Subway Adventure leapt right off the shelf.

With story by Nadja Spiegelman and art by Sergio Garcia Sanchez (colored by Lola Moral), Lost in NYC details a beginner’s day on the MTA through the eyes of a child. Pablo, and his new friend Alicia, do some quick thinking on their feet when they are separated from their class field trip. Soon, they are even separated from each other, leaving Alicia, while a native New Yorker, to navigate independently for the first time.

Before the class leaves the school, their teacher gives a brief history of the city’s subway system, using the bedrock the Empire State Building (and their destination) is anchored in as a segue to its underground workings. The readers learn about express and local trains when Alicia and Pablo mistakenly hop the one opposite the class. We learn about different routes and exchanges as they separately make their way back to rendesvous with the class.

The subway adventure, while exciting on its own, is also a frame for another story within. While Pablo learns the transportation system of his new city, with Alicia’s help, he is learning how to trust and accept friendship and belonging in a new place. A seemingly small interaction with his parents on the sidewalk in front of the school in the morning, where he brushes off their hugs and help, sets the stage for his own acclimation to his new home, even if he was brought there by his parents. He relies on himself, bringing in help from Alicia and an adult he asks for assistance.

This graphic novel would be a fabulous read for someone visiting the city for the first time or readers who love big cities, transportation, trains, and/or maps. I would make it required reading before taking my own kids into the city – even the big ones. Several pages at the back of the book offer historical photos and facts about the creation of the subway system and the inner workings of the Empire State Building. I learned things after already visiting both. Setting and cities aside, this graphic novel is also a good read for children facing or acclimating to a move and making new friends.

A quintessential part of any New York experience, the New York City MTA is the perfect setting to paint a picture of life there. Given that it is presented in a graphic format is all the more fitting.