Elem./MG – Four Eyes

Ogle, Rex, and Dave Valeza, illustrator. Four Eyes. Graphix. 2023. 978-1-338-57496-8. 218 p. $12.99. Grades 3-7.

In Four Eyes by Rex Ogle, with illustrations by Dave Valeza, Rex faces the many universal perils of starting middle school. He hasn’t had a growth spurt, the county’s recent redistricting means most of his friends aren’t at his new school, and money is tight at home despite his mom and step-dad’s best efforts. In addition, his vision problems are causing headaches and trouble taking accurate notes (no, WWII did not begin in 1989). The solution? Glasses! Glasses are expensive, though, and Rex must ask his father to help pay for them. His dad reluctantly agrees, but Rex’s new accessory triggers the school bullies to single him out. Even worse, Rex’s longtime friend Drew ditches him for the popular kids. Rex wonders if he can survive sixth grade with new glasses and no friends, until a new friend and some advice from his abuela help get his life back in focus. Bright artwork and a relatable protagonist will endear readers to the spectacle of Rex’s story.

THOUGHTS: This middle grade graphic novel chronicles the author’s own experience with getting glasses in sixth grade. It’s funny, heartfelt, and almost painfully real. 

Graphic Novel

Rex is dreading the start of middle school, especially when his best friend Drew suddenly seems too cool for him. In fact, Drew’s new friends from the football team constantly bully Rex while Drew stands by silently. In class, Rex finds that he cannot see the board, and he comes home with a splitting headache every day. That means Rex needs glasses. At first, he is excited about a cool gunmetal pair, but when his mother sees the price, she makes him go with a cheaper, uglier pair. His mom’s waitressing job and his stepfather’s landscaping business do not make a lot of money, and even though Rex’s dad pitches in from time to time, money is tight. This didn’t bother Rex too much before, but now, his ugly glasses mean Rex gets picked on even more. Rex sinks into self-pity and negativity until he has a conversation with his abuela, who lived a very difficult life in Mexico before she came to the United States. It puts his life into perspective. With the support of a new friend and a newfound confidence, Rex learns to love himself and find gratitude for all that his parents do for him. 

THOUGHTS: Rex Ogle’s Four Eyes is the first in a series of autobiographical graphic novels. The illustrations will draw in fans of Raina Telegemeier’s work and similarly, the theme of fitting in will resonate with middle school students. This story is touching yet funny; it would be a solid addition to middle grade graphic novel collections.

Graphic Novel

YA – Margo Zimmerman Gets the Girl

Shrum, Brianna R., and Sara Waxelbaum. Margo Zimmerman Gets the Girl. Inkyard Press, 2023. 978-1-335-45365-5 . 304 p. $19.99. Grades 9-12.

During a party game of spin the bottle – with her boyfriend Chad in the circle – Margo Zimmerman realizes something: She really likes kissing Viv Carter. Margo is gay. After doing research on how to be part of the gay culture and lifestyle, really a few months of failed internet searches, Margo goes to a local club’s teen night dressed in her gayest attire. Pushing her autism brain aside, Margo gives it her best shot and fails epically. All she manages to do is amuse fellow swimmer Abbie Sokoloff, a queer classmate with quite a reputation. Determined to learn from the best, Margo asks Abbie to teach Margo her how to be gay. It isn’t until Abbie needs something from Margo – help improving her grade in AP US History class to prevent the revoking of her admission to Florida International University – that the two strike a deal. Gay tutoring for AP US tutoring, and Margo is more than ready to learn and to school Abbie. As the two (from very different groups at school) get to know each other, they also become friends, possibly more. But do opposites attract and can these two very different teens open up to each other, or will this friendship implode?

THOUGHTS: Readers will root for both of these characters and their quirks as they get to know each other and themselves. With graduation only a few months away and mature relationships, this romance is best suited for high school readers.

Romance

MG – A First Time For Everything

Santat, Dan. A First Time For Everything. First Second Books, 2023. 978-1-626-72415-0. 308 p. $22.99. Grades 5-8.

Dan is a quiet, obedient boy both in school and at home. His mother is often sick from her struggle with lupus, so Dan helps out when he can. At school, he follows the rules and tries to stay invisible, yet he still finds himself the target of bullying. Dan has never been outside of his small California town, and he sets his expectations low when he attends a class trip to Europe. But despite the fact that the trip gets off to a shaky start, Dan finds his travels to France, Germany, Switzerland, and England are opening his mind to new possibilities. He discovers he loves Fanta, likes French rap, and dislikes getting lost. Dan also discovers he really, really likes Amy, a girl on the trip with him. As he treks through Europe, Dan continues to push himself outside of his comfort zone as he realizes that the world is a big place – and he has a place in it.

THOUGHTS: As a Caldecott-winning illustrator (and author), Dan Santat is a familiar name to librarians. This graphic memoir about his time in Europe is funny, endearing, and relatable. The illustrations are beautifully done, especially his drawings of various European landmarks. Santat even includes back matter: a note from the author and an explanation of how he recreated his old memories in the pages of this book.

Graphic Novel Memoir

Caldecott-award winning author and illustrator (The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend), Dan Santat puts all the cringe-worthy and awkward moments of his middle grade years into the memoir, A First Time for Everything. Docile, obedient, and hard-working, middle-school Dan has a difficult time shrugging off the memory of reciting an A.A. Milne poem in front of the entire student body and being booed. A European tour with other kids his age the summer before high school finally yanks him into living a more typical adolescent life. As the group of mostly white students jaunts from city to city, shy Dan is coaxed to shed his uptight nature, take some risks, make new friends, and welcome the romantic interest of fellow tourist, Amy. When Dan’s camera doesn’t work well, he resorts to keeping a record of his trip in his detailed, realistic sketches. The graphic novel captures the humor of the group, sampling highlights from each country in food or special event. Colored frames represent present day while Dan’s recollections are black and white. Precious memories is the main theme of this lengthy graphic novel (the reader follows the group for 21 days). It sounds cliche, but Dan’s realization that making the most of each moment is genuine. Back matter contains original photographs.

THOUGHTS: The embarrassing moments, the sometimes annoying friends, and the misbehavior of peers will be relatable to most middle school students. There is not much diversity in the book, save for Dan who is Thai-American. His group is from California; the group they travel with is from the Midwest; and they are traveling only through European cities. Dan breaks out of his super rule-consciousness one night and steals a bike, bulking up his courage to sneak into a Wimbledon tennis match where he is center court with John McEnroe. The memoir teaches that each new experience can change us and help us grow, a healthy lesson for those on the brink of high school.

Memoir, Graphic Novel

This coming-of-age story from Caldecott winner Dan Santat shares the true story of his school trip to Europe when he was 14. Having been bullied and feeling invisible in middle school, Dan was not on board with his parent’s idea to travel to Europe with the same classmates who made fun of him. A series of first experiences gradually open Dan up to the world that lies before him. Will these firsts include his first kiss and first girlfriend?

THOUGHTS: A perfect read for the middle school set, this graphic novel will transport you back to all the awkward feelings of middle school and almost make you wish you could go back!

Graphic Novel

MG – Maybe an Artist

Montague, Liz. Maybe an Artist. Random House Studio, 2022. 978-1-668-85891-2. 159 p. $24.99. Grades 6-9.

When tragedy strikes the nation on September 11, 2001, Liz Montague decides she wants to pay more attention to what is going on in the world and venture out of the little bubble that is her mostly white neighborhood in New Jersey. In fifth grade, she decides she wants to be a journalist. There is only one problem – Liz writes her letters and sentences backwards. Not only that, she reads and speaks differently than other kids. She is, however, talented at drawing. Liz decides that she can still be a journalist – she would just be one that reports about important issues like climate change and racism through her art. As Liz moves on to middle and high school and starts feeling the pressures of growing up, she thinks that perhaps being an artist is not feasible. Liz wants to live up to her stellar sisters, make her parents proud, and save the world (one slice at a time, as she says). Could she really make any kind of a living with art? Would anyone take her artwork seriously? She has to find out. Liz takes a leap of faith and emails the New Yorker to let them know their cartoons should be more inclusive; the response changes the course of her life.

THOUGHTS: Maybe An Artist is the sweetest graphic memoir I have read in a long time. The story of author Liz Monague’s life is so personal and written with lots of emotion and humor. Her relatable stories will resonate with and inspire students. 

Graphic Novel          Danielle Corrao, Manheim Central SD
Memoir

Elem. – The Name Jar

Choi, Yangsook. The Name Jar. Alfred A. Knopf, 2022. Reprint of 2001 copyrighted book. Unpaged. $17.99. 978-0-375-80613-1. Grades K-5. 

Unhei is new to America from Korea, and she’s worried, mostly about kids mispronouncing her name. When her teacher introduces her to the class, she decides to wait and possibly choose a different name. “I haven’t picked one yet, but I’ll let you know by next week.” That night, her mother tells her how they chose her name, and that it means Grace. Unhei tries new names at home, but none of them sound right for her. At school the next day, she finds a jar on her desk with pieces of paper in it. Each piece of paper has a name suggested by her classmates: Daisy, Tamela, etc.  When classmate Joey presses her, “Don’t you have any name?” Unhei decides to show him her name using the wooden block ink stamp given to her by her grandmother. Joey thinks it’s beautiful, and they walk to the school bus together. That night, Unhei receives a letter from her Grandma, and she sees Joey at the Korean grocery. The next day at school, the name jar is missing. Unhei and her classmates search but do not find it. Then Joey approaches her at the end of the day to say he took the name jar because he wanted her to keep her own name. Also, the grocery store owner, Mr. Kim, has given Joey a name stamp like Unhei’s; this stamp spells, “friend,” and Unhei and Joey realize that they are friends.   

THOUGHTS: This is a very kind way to show friendship arising from self-acceptance and acceptance of others. Unhei learns courage in herself and her cultural background.  

Picture Book          Melissa Scott, Shenango Area SD

MG – The Door of No Return

Alexander, Kwame. The Door of No Return. Little, Brown and Company, 2022.  978-0-316-44186-5. 418 p. $17.99. Grades 6-9.

Kofi Offin’s life in the Upper Kingdom of Africa is good. While Kofi’s school lessons may be boring and his cousin tries to intimidate him with feats of strength, his coming of age ceremony is around the corner, and he is excited. His best friend Ebo and his crush Ama often come with him when he spends his day swimming in the banks of the river Offin, for which he is named. During the Annual King’s festival, Kofi’s brother Kwasi represents the Upper Kingdom as a fighter and as such, fights against the strongest man in the Lower Kingdom. The fight results in a fatal tragedy which disintegrates the peace between the two kingdoms. Kofi becomes an unfortunate victim of that break in peace and is taken captive on the banks of the very river he loves. Kofi must find the strength within himself to survive the hardships that come next.

THOUGHTS: Kwame Alexander’s beautiful poetry draws the reader into the story while simultaneously weaving a chilling true story of what happened to many Africans during the Atlantic slave trade. The reader will relate to Kofi’s coming-of-age story and root for his survival. This would be an excellent purchase for middle grade libraries and also for classroom literature circles, especially when used in conjunction with a history curriculum focusing on early American and British history.

Historical Fiction           Danielle Corrao, Manheim Central SD
Novel in Verse

Elem. – Patchwork

de la Pena, Matt. Patchwork. G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2022. 978-1-9848-1396-1. Unpaged. $18.99.  Grades K-2.

In this inspirational work, de la Pena describes the amazing potential of each child and how it can be realized as an adult.  Every child has his or her own interests and qualities, but these do not remain static. Over time, attributes may be transformed or repurposed and individuals will choose their own destinies as adults. A boy, who talks out in class and makes jokes, can grow up to use his outgoing nature to become a “favorite teacher” to a fidgety student. A girl, who loves the rhythm of dance, can grow up to appreciate the patterns of math as a coder. The author cautions against becoming discouraged when things seem to go off-track, because each path is unique. Like a patchwork quilt, the possibilities found in each child come from the “scraps” of personal experiences and emotions. As de la Pena puts it, “You are more than a single note played again and again. You are a symphony.” Luyken uses soft and muted colors in her drawings, which are done with gouache, ink, and pencil. Each image contains a subtle patchwork design and the illustrator uses a different color for each child’s vignette. 

THOUGHTS: This is a reassuring and uplifting story of individuality and self-realization. Recommended for elementary collections.

Picture Book          Denise Medwick, PSLA Member, Retired

MG – The Tryout

Soontornvat, Christina, and Cacao, Joanna. The Tryout. Graphix, 2022.  978-1-338-74126-1. 255 p. $12.99. Grades 5-7.

Christina and her best friend Megan are about to embark on a journey that will be certain to change their middle school years for the better: cheerleading tryouts! As two of the only students of color in their school, they are desperate to fit in – and what better way than to join the squad? Christina and Megan know it is not always easy to be different in suburban Texas, but cheerleading will change that. After all, the cheerleaders are the face of the school and being in the squad is sure to boost their popularity. When Megan decides to pair with someone else for the first round of tryouts, Christina tries not to let it bother her, especially after they both make it to the next round. Unfortunately, the second round of tryouts means performing in front of the entire seventh grade! As Christina practices for the big day, she thinks back to some of the comments others have said that made her feel like an outsider. Some teachers refuse to learn how to pronounce her last name. Classmates ask her if she is worried about going to heaven since she is Buddhist and not a baptized Christian. Tobin, the school bully, calls Christina  “rice girl.” To perform her best at the tryouts, Christina must block out all of the negativity and focus on what is most important to her, although she is about to find out that cheerleading is not what is most important to her after all. 

THOUGHTS: Based on the author’s own experiences as a teenager, The Tryout is a heartwarming story that will resonate with anyone that has ever been a middle school student, no matter what color their skin. This graphic novel will circulate well in libraries where The Babysitters Club and Click series fly off the shelves.

Graphic Novel          Danielle Corrao, Manheim Central SD

YA – On the Subject of Unmentionable Things

Walton, Julia. On the Subject of Unmentionable Things. Random House, 2022. 978-0-593-31057-1. 320 p. $18.99. Grades 9-12.

Phoebe knows what her peers need, and her unique – yet secret – research hobby is just the thing to help them. Though not in a serious relationship herself, Phoebe is somewhat of an expert when it comes to sex education, and she started The Circle in the Square, a blog where she posts information written for teens anonymously as Pom. Even her best friend Cora doesn’t know she’s Pom which is convenient when Cora asks for Phoebe’s advice regarding taking things to the next level with her boyfriend. A writer/researcher at heart, Phoebe does more research to find answers to questions she’s asked, and she presents her information in an honest, non-judgmental manner. When one of her blog posts goes viral and catches the attention of mayoral candidate Lydia Brookhurst, a conservative local politician, Phoebe fears her identity will be revealed. After all, Brookhurst’s mission is to shut down the blog and out the person causing an “assault on morality.” Gathering supporters from conservative parents and local business supporters, Brookhurst is determined to use her resources to uncover Pom’s identity. As Phoebe tries to maintain her two identities, readers will root for their side (Brookhurst or Phoebe) while learning factual details related to sex education.

THOUGHTS: With likeable Pom/Phoebe as her voice in this sex-positive read, Walton provides readers with plenty of useful information related to sex education. Loosely connected to the recent information challenge climate, this title is recommended for high school libraries.

Realistic Fiction          Maryalice Bond, South Middleton SD

 

MG – Freestyle

Galligan, Gale. Freestyle. Graphix, 2022. 978-1-338-04581-9. Unpaged. $24.99. Grades 3-7.

Cory Tan’s break dance team is about to compete in a big competition, and all eight members are excited. The team captain, Tess, is pushing the group harder than ever before to the point where it causes some strain in the group. Cory causes even more strain when his parents check his grades and ground him until he gets his grades back to acceptable levels. His punishment means the dance crew has to rehearse without Cory. His parents hire a tutor named Sunna, a classmate of Cory’s who is a bit of an outcast at school. She constantly is writing intensely in a notebook and barely talks to anyone. After a rocky first tutoring session, Cory discovers that Sunna has a secret: She has incredible yo-yo skills! Sunna uses yo-yo moves to help him learn geometry and in the process, Cory becomes hooked on yo-yoing. Instead of devoting what little free time he has to the dance team, he starts hanging out with Sunna outside of tutoring to work on his yo-yo moves. Eventually, Cory discovers that Sunna’s parents also have very high expectations of her which leaves her feeling like she is never good enough. Cory and Sunna have to figure out how to fit this budding friendship into their already packed lives while also navigating their parents’ and friends’ expectations of them.

THOUGHTS: The newest book from Galligan, the author responsible for the illustrated adaptations of the beloved Babysitters Club graphic novels, is a must-purchase for middle grade libraries. Featuring a diverse cast of characters living in New York City, this book shows that pre-teens from all backgrounds struggle with parental acceptance and peer pressure. The book is fun and full of heart.

Graphic Novel          Danielle Corrao, Manheim Central SD