Rodriguez, Stephanie. Doodles from the Boogie Down. Kokila. 2023. 978-0-451-48066-8. 200 pp. $13.99. Grades 3-7.

Welcome to Stephanie’s neighborhood in the Bronx, a.k.a the “Boogie Down,” circa 2000. Steph lives with her single mother and attends eighth grade at Our Lady of Angels School with her besties, Tiff and Ana. Her favorite subject is art, and she would love to attend LaGuardia High School of Music and Art next year, but her very strict Mami opposes the idea of a public high school, based on her own experiences with bullying as a young student. With the high school entrance exam looming, Steph comes up with a mildly deceptive plan to get into LaGuardia. First, she begins prepping her portfolio with the help of her art teacher, Ms. Santiago. Second, she plans to flunk the entrance exam, which isn’t required at LaGuardia anyway. If she’s only admitted to one high school, Mami will have to let her go … won’t she? After all, aren’t a few white lies worth it to pursue her dream of a career in art? Meanwhile, friend drama, mean girls, and a new crush keep Steph on her toes socially. 

THOUGHTS: This debut middle grade graphic novel is a work of fiction based on the author and illustrator’s own life. Stephanie Rodriguez excels at portraying Steph’s Bronx neighborhood, especially the local art that Steph explores with Ms. Santiago. This will be a hit with readers of Big Apple Diaries by Alyssa Bermudez!

Graphic Novel