Icon: Graphic Novel

Live and Let Dive

Quinn is a quitter. With the unfortunate nickname of “Quitt,” he is infamous for constantly quitting every new sport he tries, which disappoints his friend, sister, and, worst of all—his dad. Everything changes when Quinn decides to compete for the diving team. Although the sport is difficult and he is not very good, Quinn enjoys the action and challenges himself to finish the season. However, things go wrong when Quinn breaks his arm in a freak bicycle accident, throwing his diving season into jeopardy. Can Quinn overcome this injury and finish the season? 

Live and Let Dive is told from the perspective of Quinn, a young boy who loves trying new things but struggles with commitment. In the beginning, Quinn’s portrayal as a person who frequently gives up is uninspiring for readers. However, his character development is evident throughout the story, as he learns the power of determination and self-confidence to finish what he had started, making him feel realistic and admirable. At the end of the story, Quinn even acknowledges that “You have to keep looking for something you love, even if it’s hard. If you don’t find something you like right away, keep trying.” 

Despite Quinn’s unwanted reputation, he learns to push through the hardships and rewrite his narrative by successfully finishing the diving season. Not only does Quinn make his friends and family proud, but he also rebuilds his own self-confidence, demonstrating the importance of perseverance and determination. Quinn’s story ultimately urges readers to tackle their biggest challenges with an uplifting mindset and positive attitude. 

Live and Let Dive presents its story in an engaging graphic novel format. Each page contains two to six panels in a gorgeous comic-like art style, where the characters and settings are detailed enough without overwhelming readers. The book also incorporates several fun graphic novel aspects, such as movement lines and overlapping panels, to enhance its illustrations, giving the scenes a realistic feel. Although the story uses frequent dialogue with small text and an extensive vocabulary, the illustrations will help younger readers follow the plot, especially since each scene is illustrated in a precise and exciting manner. 

Live and Let Dive is part of the Jake Maddox Graphic Novel series, which focuses on inspiring lessons in sports and competition. Alongside its colorful illustrations, the book also features additional content, such as a glossary, fun facts about diving, and “Visual Discussion Questions,” which ask the reader to identify how the art style reflects the tension and emotion in each scene. Live and Let Dive is an exciting and inspiring story about diving and an engaging graphic novel that showcases the importance of perseverance, commitment, and self-confidence.  

Sexual Content 

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Violence 

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Drugs and Alcohol 

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Language 

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Supernatural 

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Spiritual Content 

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Gymnastics Challenge

Harper is a parkour extraordinaire. Nothing brings her more joy than “packing in the fun” at the park with her friends Cici and Lily, where they “move over, under, and around obstacles” with grace and agility. However, when Harper is unexpectedly invited to join a local gymnastics team, she fears that her decision could rupture her friendship with Cici and Lily. Can Harper maintain her friendship without sacrificing her opportunity to compete in gymnastics? 

Gymnastics Challenge is a captivating graphic novel that showcases the importance of friendship in sports, especially when new opportunities threaten to tear apart existing relationships. The book is told through the eyes of Harper, a spunky, energetic girl who wants to use her parkour skills to succeed in gymnastics. Her determination to overcome the difficulties in the new sport, such as the uneven bars, is evident throughout the story, and her ability to recognize her own faults and train to get better is admirable and inspirational. Of course, the story also makes Harper’s character feel realistic, emphasizing how she makes mistakes and wobbles during her routines. She overcomes her fears of making mistakes and learns that “we all wobble sometimes . . . in parkour, in gymnastics, and in friendships.” 

The book presents a positive outlook, relaying the importance of telling the truth and supporting one another in friendships. Conflicts arise when Harper is dishonest with her friends, but she learns to apologize and admit her faults, repairing her struggling relationship with Cici and Lily. Conversely, Cici and Lily learn to support Harper in her new opportunities. For instance, during Harper’s big competition, they shout, “Go Harper! You got this!” These events teach readers that the strongest friendships require honesty and support. 

Gymnastics Challenge presents its tale in a captivating graphic novel format. Each page contains two to four panels in a simplified art style, where the characters, movements, and dialogue are easy to read and follow. The book also uses a combination of graphic novel aspects, such as page-covering panels and pictorial elements like facial creases or sweat drops, to enhance its illustrations, making the scenes look and feel believable. Although the number of speech bubbles per page might be slightly overwhelming for younger readers, each bubble typically only contains one to two sentences with simple vocabulary. 

Gymnastics Challenge is part of the Jake Maddox Graphic Novel series, which focuses on inspiring lessons in sports and competition. Alongside its colorful illustrations, the book also contains additional content, such as a glossary, “Learn More About Gymnastics,” and “Visual Discussion Questions,” which ask the reader to identify how the art style represents the feelings and emotions in each scene. Although older readers may find the plot slightly cheesy, Gymnastics Challenge wins a perfect score with its illustrations, characters, and action sequences. 

Sexual Content 

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Violence 

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Drugs and Alcohol 

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Language 

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Supernatural 

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Spiritual Content 

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In The Red Zone

Alex Summers and Oscar Han have always been the “dynamic duo” for their school’s football team, the Bobcats. With Alex as the star quarterback and Oscar as the wide receiver, the boys expected another fantastic football season with their friends. However, when Oscar unexpectedly quits the team, Alex is thrown into a frenzy of sadness, confusion, and betrayal. More alarmingly, Alex’s performance begins to drop in Oscar’s absence, and his team starts losing game after game. Can Alex right his relationship with Oscar before his season spirals out of control? 

In The Red Zone is an engaging graphic novel that explores the importance of friendship in the context of football. Told from Alex’s perspective, the book presents him as a lovable yet determined football player who wants to lead his team to a championship. His friendship, care, and support for his teammates are evident throughout the story, making him an admirable and inspirational protagonist. However, the story also highlights his weaknesses, such as his inability to appropriately understand Han’s reasons for leaving football; these flaws make his character realistic and genuine.  

The book presents an important lesson on honesty, communication, and supporting the differing interests of others. Much of the story’s conflict comes from the miscommunication between Alex and Han. Alex can’t comprehend that Han “didn’t even like playing football anymore.” However, through an honest conversation, both boys realize that their differing interests shouldn’t drive a wedge between them. Instead, they learn to understand and support each other. In The Red Zone teaches readers that they can avoid misunderstandings through proper communication, honesty, and love for one another.  

In The Red Zone delivers its story in an engaging graphic novel format. Each page contains two to three panels in a simplified art style, making the character movements and dialogue easy to read and follow. Although the art style lacks common graphic novel aspects like splashes or bleeds, its variety of colors and onomatopoeia make its illustrations captivating and enjoyable. Large speech bubbles also quickly identify the speakers and typically contain one to two sentences with simple vocabulary and sentence syntax.   

In The Red Zone is part of the Jake Maddox Graphic Novel series, which focuses on uplifting lessons in sports and competition. Alongside its enjoyable illustrations, the book contains additional content, such as a glossary, football history facts, and “visual questions,” which ask the reader to identify how the art style represents the feelings and emotions in each scene. While the plot can be too simplistic and slightly cliché for older readers, In The Red Zone’s charm lies in its illustrations, making it an exciting read for graphic novel enthusiasts and football fans alike.  

Sexual Content 

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Violence 

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Drugs and Alcohol 

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Language 

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Supernatural 

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Spiritual Content 

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Batter Power-Up!

Zack is a young, aspiring baseball star for his team in Leeville. Known for his defensive plays in the outfield, Zack wants to help his team win every game. However, there’s one problem: Zack can’t hit. Every time he goes to the plate, he ends his at-bat with a pop fly or a strikeout. And with the strikeouts mounting, Zack fears losing his spot in the starting lineup. 

However, everything changes when Zack’s friend, Jamie, gives him a Gamer Gear headset with virtual baseball. Using the pitch recognition of the batting game, Zack begins to see encouraging results. But, one day, when the headset unexpectedly breaks, Zack fears that he has lost his only chance to improve his hitting. Will Zack learn to hit without the headset and save his season? 

Batter Power-Up! is an exciting graphic novel that effortlessly blends action-packed sequences with heartfelt moments. Told from the perspective of Zack, the book portrays Zack as an enthusiastic young boy who finds joy in video games and baseball. Although he initially struggles to overcome his inability to hit, his journey to trust in his own abilities instead of other things, such as the Gamer Gear headset, makes him an inspirational character. After all, most readers will relate to Zack’s experience of learning to believe in himself and overcoming difficult challenges. 

The book provides a positive outlook on the theme of believing in oneself. Despite Zack’s Gamer Gear headset malfunctioning and costing him valuable training time, Zack’s recognition that he doesn’t need the headset emphasizes the book’s message about trusting one’s abilities. It teaches readers that many obstacles can be overcome through mental fortitude. This theme is reinforced when Zack exclaims, “I just had to trust my instincts.” 

Batter Power-Up! brings the story to life in a delightful graphic novel format. The panels and characters feature a detailed art style with lots of color, dialogue, and onomatopoeia. The detailed style enhances the action sequences during baseball games, where each panel provides insights about the characters’ thoughts and movements in a structured, organized way. Meanwhile, the text appears in big white bubbles that easily identify the speaker and contain one to two sentences with intermediate vocabulary and sentence structure. 

Overall, Batter Power-Up! presents an encouraging story about a young baseball player learning to believe in himself. Although the plot may be too simplistic for older readers, Batter Power-Up! is a must-read for graphic novel enthusiasts and baseball fans alike.  

Sexual Content 

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Violence 

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Drugs and Alcohol 

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Language 

  • After repeatedly swinging and missing, Zack throws his bat on the ground and shouts, “Why can’t I hit the blasted ball?” 

Supernatural 

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Spiritual Content 

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Prank You Very Much

It’s time for Seaweed Elementary’s annual talent show, but Squizzard can’t decide on an act. He’s too distracted by the fact that it’s also prank week! He has some fin-tastically silly pranks planned, but his friends have a few tricks up their sleeves and soon the joke is on Squizzard. Can he survive the prank war, or will he lose his crown as the reigning class clown fish once and for all? 

Prank You Very Much jumps back and forth between Squizzard and his classmates. Before the students begin their pranks, they come up with a set of rules that include no hurt feelings, no bodily harm, no breaking anything, no making fun, and to always be creative. Most of the pranks are completely harmless. For example, one prank is turning a glass full of water upside down, so it spills when someone picks it up. The book includes helpful step-by-step directions on how to complete this prank.  

Most of the pranks are on Squizzard, because Squizzard glued his classmates to their seats in the auditorium during an assembly and they’re out to get revenge! Squizzard’s classmates get the last laugh when he falls asleep in class, and they draw all over his face. To tie everything together, the final page of the book explains how ocean creatures can play tricks to hide from predators.  

Prank You Very Much will appeal to young readers because of its fun design. As a graphic novel, it has easy-to-follow paneling and artwork that support text comprehension. Squizzard’s ocean world comes to life in bright colors and cartoonish illustrations that show exaggerated facial expressions to help readers understand the characters’ emotions. The story is broken up into six chapters and each page has two or more simple sentences. Prank You Very Much is perfect for beginning and newly independent readers aged six to eight. 

Many readers will relate to Squizzard’s frustration when he can’t come up with a talent for the talent show. But in the end, Squizzard doesn’t do a typical performance for his talent. Instead, Squizzard has his classmates all make a pet rock for his teacher, Mr. Cuker. As each student presents a pet rock to Mr. Cuker, they say one thing that they appreciate about him, such as “He tells us stories. And laughs at our jokes. He has a great laugh.” Squizzard’s talent reinforces the importance of appreciating the people in your life. 

The Squidding Around Series can be read in any order because each book tells an individual story. Readers will love the fun artwork as well as the humor, while adults will appreciate the positive messages. Plus, each book teaches students about the ocean. Prank You Very Much includes fun facts about sea creatures such as sea cucumbers and sea horses. Introduce your young reader to the joy of reading by giving them the entire Squidding Around Series. 

Sexual Content  

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Violence  

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Drugs and Alcohol  

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Language  

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Supernatural 

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Spiritual Content  

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Pemmican Wars

Echo Desjardins, a 13-year-old Métis girl adjusting to a new home and school, is struggling with loneliness while separated from her mother. Then, an ordinary day in Mr. Bee’s history class turns extraordinary, and Echo’s life will never be the same. During Mr. Bee’s lecture, Echo finds herself transported to another time and place—a bison hunt on the Saskatchewan prairie—then she finds herself back in the present. In the following weeks, Echo continues to slip back and forth in time. She visits a Métis camp, travels the old fur-trade routes, and experiences the perilous and bygone era of the Pemmican Wars. 

Echo knows little about the Métis, the First Nations tribe from which she is descended. Even though Echo’s “grandpa was very proud to be Métis,” neither Echo nor her mother know much about their heritage. However, at the end of the book, Echo teaches her mother what she learned at school.  

Readers will have to rely on visual cues to understand Echo’s life because the graphic novel uses few words. In fact, Echo only has 20 lines of dialogue, and many are one-word responses. Despite this, Echo’s isolation is clear. Throughout the school day, Echo doesn’t interact with other students and tunes out the world by listening to music. When she goes home, there is little interaction with her foster mother or the other residents. Instead, Echo hides in her room. When Echo visits her mom, the two are not comfortable with each other, which adds to the feeling of isolation.  

When Echo enters the past, a young Métis takes her into the camp. Here, Echo learns about her people and watches a battle between the Métis and white settlers. In the current time, Echo’s history teacher, Mr. Bee encourages Echo to learn more about Métis history. Mr. Bee says, “The Métis have many things to be proud of. . . You’re not any less Métis because you don’t know your history.”  

Since most of the story is told through illustrations, the story lacks development. For example, Echo lives in a foster home. However, it’s unclear why Echo doesn’t live with her mother. Despite the lack of character development, the book teaches about the Pemmican Wars and explains how the Northwest Company and the Hudson Bay Company fought for dominance in the fur trade. During this time, the Métis’s land was taken over by white settlers, who demanded the Métis not sell pemmican or use horses to hunt buffalo.  

Including more historical information would help readers understand the significance of the Pemmican Wars. However, the book does include a timeline of the Pemmican Wars, a Pemmican recipe, and a poem about the wars. While the book doesn’t go in-depth, it shows the harmful effects of colonization, which are still felt by the Métis today. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • A battle between the Métis and white settlers is depicted over two pages. One illustration shows the Métis shooting at the white settlers. In the image, one man is in mid-fall with blood splatter around him while a Métis warrior, who has been shot in the chest, is being carried to safety. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

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Language  

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Supernatural 

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Spiritual Content  

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Class Clown Fish

When a silly prank lands Squizzard in deep trouble, he comes down with a case of the barnacle blues. Instead of going to the Coral Carnival with his friends, he’ll have to do the impossible and turn Seaweed Elementary’s junk-filled basement into an activity room for after-school clubs. But there just may be hidden treasures to discover . . . if Squizzard can stop all his funny business long enough to find them. 

After pulling a mean prank, Squizzard gets sent to the office and the principal tells him, “This bad behavior cannot go unpunished. I’ll have to do something drastic. I’m going to have to call your mother!” As punishment, Squizzard is not allowed to go to the carnival but instead must help clean out the school’s basement. While in detention, Squizzard hears about several instances of bullying, which helps Squizzard realize that not all pranks are funny—some can make people feel embarrassed or sad. Squizzard finally realizes that “No one should have to feel left out or made fun of.”  

In the end, Squizzard’s time in detention teaches him an important lesson about understanding people’s feelings. Squizzard also proves that his humor can be used in a positive way—by making comics for the school newsletter. Still, not all of Squizzard’s time in detention is projective. While there, Squizzard draws a duck with a butt and helps his friend make photocopies of his butt. Young readers will giggle at Squizzard’s behavior, even if it doesn’t make adults grin. 

Class Clown Fish will appeal to young readers because of its fun design. As a graphic chapter book, it has easy-to-follow paneling and artwork that supports text comprehension. Squizzard’s ocean world comes to life in bright colors and cartoonish illustrations that show exaggerated facial expressions in order to help readers understand the characters’ emotions. The story is broken up into six chapters and each pages has two or more simple sentences. Class Clown Fish is perfect for beginning and newly independent readers aged six to eight. 

Squizzard’s outrageous behavior will leave readers giggling. However, the book isn’t just a series of silly events. Through Squizzard’s experiences, readers will learn that bullying is not a laughing matter. In addition to learning how to be a better friend, Class Clown Fish also teaches about cephalopods, sea urchins, jellyfish, and other ocean creatures. To reinforce the lessons Squizzard learns about bullying, add these titles to your reading list too: The Bully Blockers Club by Teresa Bateman and The Pout-Pout Fish and the Bully-Bully Shark by Deborah Diesen.  

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • Squizzard is upset and wants to distract himself, so he does a “funny prank.” He grabs a first-grade pufferfish and puts him on the teacher’s chair. When the teacher sits down, both the puffer fish and the teacher are hurt. The puffer fish cries and Squizzard gets sent to the principal’s office. 
  • A shark is being mean to a jellyfish so the jellyfish’s friend, a sea urchin, purposely stands under the shark’s foot. The shark hurts himself, and the sea urchin is given detention. 
  • The sea urchin remembers a time when he was invited to a birthday party. The sea urchin says, “But when we got there, I found out the joke was on me. They used me to pop balloons.”  

Drugs and Alcohol  

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Language  

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Supernatural 

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Spiritual Content  

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All Tide Up

The unsinkable detectives Mango and Brash are back in InvestiGators: All Tide Up, a high seas adventure that takes the hit series by John Patrick Green into uncharted waters!

When a delirious cruise captain is found drifting at sea, the search begins for his missing passengers and ship. Did it sink? Was it boat-napped? Are supernatural forces at play? And can the InvestiGators unravel this maritime mystery before a second cruise befalls a similarly unfathomable fate? Seas the day and find out in this new nautical adventure! 

When a cruise ship mysteriously disappears, Brash and Mango come face to face with a brand-new villain: the “dread pirate ghost, Willy Nilly.” In addition to Willy Nilly, the InvestiGators also meet new friends along the way. These new characters give the book an interesting twist and keep the reader guessing as to their motives. When a group of pirates board the ship, it allows for new puns as well as some funny suspense. 

Unlike the previous installments of InvestiGators, All Tide Up can be read as a singleton because the book neatly wraps up the mystery of Willy Nilly by the end. Similar to previous installments of the series, a combination of human and animal characters blend together to make a ridiculous story with humorous wordplay. Readers will enjoy the puns and the pirate talk, as well as the mystery of the ghost of Willy Nilly. 

This imaginative story comes alive in brightly colored artwork that shows the characters’ wide range of emotions. The illustrations and unique storyline with Brash and Mango will appeal to even the most reluctant readers. Each page has three to eleven sentences per page. The sentences range from one word to more complex sentences. The varied sentence lengths add to the humor while keeping the story accessible to all readers. 

Readers familiar with the InvestiGators Series will have a splashing good time with All Tide Up. While the majority of the story can be understood if you haven’t read the other books, there are some small references to previous books that may confuse new readers. While All Tied Up is full of humor, it also reminds readers that friendship is more important than money. In the end, “The real treasure is the friends that you’ve made along the way.” 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • When Sven, an octopus, was a child, an eel stole his toy. Sven’s cousin, a squid, “could’ve let Sven fight his own battle. But I stepped in, and things got out of hand. . . literally!” Sven loses a tentacle, and it never grows back. 
  • Pirates tie Mango and Brash up, then discuss the InvestiGators’ fate. One pirate says, “I say we stomp ‘em! Then we keelhaul ‘em!” The InvestiGators are forced to walk the plank, but they manage to create a raft out of balloons and eventually, they are rescued. 
  • The owner of a cruise ship tries to escape, but a man stops him by waving a sword at him. Then, Mango and Brash tie him up.  
  • Sword-wielding pirates surround the InvestiGators. A squid jumps to their aid and hits the pirates with his eight legs. In the process, one of the squid’s tentacles is chopped off.  
  • A man delivers a cruise ship to a deserted island so the ghost of Willy Nilly can throw the passengers into a fiery pit. Later, the reader discovers that all of the people are alive and well.  
  • Mango and Brash confront the ghost of Willy Nilly and throw him into the fiery pit.  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • Name-calling is used infrequently. It includes fool, scum, slimy sea slug, lily-livered scallywag, and bilge rat. 
  • Mango calls a ghost a “spectral scuttlebutt.” 
  • When Pirates take over a cruise ship, they call the captives names such as lily-livered landlubbers. 
  • Dang, darn, and drat are used infrequently.  

Supernatural 

  • The pirate Willy Nilly was cursed, and his ghost comes back 300 years later; this is the time period the book is set in.  
  • According to legend, “Nilly was cursed to pay back the debt by delivering a thousand souls to the island before the three hundred years pass. If he failed, his stolen fortune would disappear forever!” 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Fish Feud!

Squizzard is a little squid with a big personality. He loves telling jokes, scarfing sardines, and hanging with his best friend Toothy. But the thing he loves most is being in charge. When Squizzard makes up games, he is always the hero and Toothy is always the sidekick. Squizzard never listens or admits when he’s wrong. One day he pushes Toothy too far and his bossiness causes a rift in their friendship the size of the Mariana Trench! Can Squizzard convince Toothy to give him a second chance? Or is he doomed to be the loneliest kid at Deep Reef Elementary? 

During show and tell, Toothy is presenting when Squizzard pushes him out of the way and calls Toothy’s presentation boring. Toothy gets angry and yells, “You never listen to me. All that matters to you is you!” This sets up the conflict for the rest of the story—Toothy has decided not to be friends with Squizzard. Squizzard tries to show Toothy that he is sorry by writing a poem. However, the poem needs work because it’s “creative, but it’s still all about you.” Toothy eventually forgives Squizzard, but only after Squizzard learns how to be less bossy and less self-centered.  

Fish Feud! will appeal to young readers because of its fun design. As a graphic novel, it has easy-to-follow paneling and artwork that supports text comprehension. Squizzard’s ocean world comes to life in bright colors and cartoonish illustrations that show exaggerated facial expressions to help readers understand the characters’ emotions. The story is broken up into six chapters and each page has two or more simple sentences. Fish Feud! is perfect for beginning and newly independent readers aged six to eight. 

Readers who love the Crabby Book Series by Jonathan Fenske will love Fish Feud because both books use humor to teach about friendship. In Fish Feud! Squizzard isn’t perfect. For example, for show and tell Squizzard draws a duck with a butt and shows it to the class to lots of laughs, but his teacher isn’t amused. Squizzard’s outrageous behavior will leave readers giggling, but the book also teaches how to be a better friend, the importance of forgiveness, and provides faces about coral reefs, barracudas, what lives in a conch shell, and more. 

Kevin Sherry has a knack for writing ridiculously silly stories that will engage readers. Like many children, Squizzard struggles with being bossy and selfish. But in the end, he shows Toothy that even though they don’t always agree, Toothy is still “my favorite dude. For you, I’d go to any end, if you’ll be friends with me again.”  

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • A fifth-grade fish bullies Squizzard. The bully says, “In fact, you need to start paying the guppy toll. You’ve got to give me something nice and shiny every week . . . or else!” Then the bully fish rips up Squizzard’s poem. Squizzard uses ink to get away from the bully.   
  • The next time the bully appears, he brings two of his cronies. The bully threatens Squizzard and his friends. The bully says, “We eat shrimp like you for breakfast. Now give us a sand dollar. . . each.” Toothy chases the bullies away.  
  • During lunch in the cafeteria, Squizzard accidentally starts a food fight. This fight is illustrated over two pages. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • OMG is used twice. 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Friends Fur-Ever!

It’s the start of a new school year, and the kids are excited about Oakville Elementary School’s new club for Animal Appreciation, Education, and Rehabilitation—even though their new club advisor, Mrs. Wen, doesn’t share their enthusiasm. But as the kids meet a decidedly unusual crew of animals, including a bearded dragon who won’t eat, a therapy pig named Truffles, and a prickly porcupine who needs first aid, kids and adults alike learn that when people help animals, the animals help them right back. 

When the kids decide to start a club, a kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Wen, is forced to advise the club. However, when the kids take a rabbit to visit a nursing home, Mrs. Wen’s grandmother loves the cuddly bunny that helps her remember her past. Seeing the positive effect the rabbit has on her grandmother changes Mrs. Wen’s reluctance to be the club adviser.  

To increase club membership, Mrs. Wen invites Jimmy. However, Jimmy isn’t always nice. In fact, he gets upset when the art club puts the wrong time on the posters for a nature walk and decides to retaliate. Jimmy explains, “They ruined our nature walk by messing up our posters. I figured I’d get them back by taking down their posters.”  

The Animal Appreciation, Education, and Rehabilitation activities are presented using brightly colored illustrations with super cute animals. The club members and the adults are diverse and encourage teamwork. Each page has one to eight sentences that appear in quote bubbles. While some of the sentences are complex, the majority of them are easy to understand. Because of the fun topic and simple plot structure, Friends Fur-Ever will appeal to many readers. 

The animal club’s members are mostly kind to each other, and they show compassion to the animals. For example, when deciding to take the rabbit to a nursing home, one of the boys gives the rabbit a series of tests to make sure that the rabbit won’t become frightened. In addition, the club members help find the school’s missing hamster. While most of the animal club’s adventures are safe and realistic, at one point the kids catch an injured porcupine in a backpack because they don’t want to wait for animal control. In addition, Mrs. Wen leads an unwilling horse into a parade, even though she is obviously uncomfortable with horses.  

Friends Fur-Ever encourages readers to treat animals with respect, but some of the club members forget this lesson. While the graphic novel will entertain readers, adults may want to discuss the episodes with young readers, discussing the dangers of trying to capture a wild animal. Readers who love animals and want an easy-to-read book will find Friends Fur-Ever a good book. For more pet-astic reads check out Pets on the Loose! by Victoria Jamieson and the Bird & Squirrel Series by James Burks. 

 Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Like Lava In My Veins

Bobby Beacon has fire flowing through his veins, and he’s psyched to attend a new school that’ll help him get a better grip on his powers! But right off the bat, his new teacher is not too welcoming. That causes Bobby’s hot temper to land him in the principal’s office. It isn’t easy to stay calm when people don’t seem to understand you and are always pushing you to the edge. Good thing Bobby gets moved to a class with an understanding teacher who teaches him ways to calm himself. Bobby’s new teacher also shows him that caring for others is its own kind of superpower. With her help—and some cool new friends—Bobby just might be on his way to becoming the best version of himself. 

Bobby learns that “as long as you have someone who believes in you and appreciates everything from your toes to the tiny flames on the tip of your hair, you can become anything in this great big world. And most of all, you are needed, you are loved.” 

Anyone who has ever felt invisible will connect with Bobby, who struggles with keeping his temper under control. Bobby tries to stay out of trouble but his teacher gets angry when he fidgets. When Bobby switches to a different classroom, he connects to his new teacher, who is kind and encouraging. When Bobby starts to get angry, his teacher guides him through breathing exercises. Finally, Bobby’s heroic characteristics come out during an assembly when a supervillain breaks into the school and Bobby has to use his superhero powers to save the school. 

Like Lava in My Veins contrasts two classrooms—one with a critical teacher and the other with an encouraging teacher. With the help of the encouraging teacher, Bobby gains self-confidence. In the end, Bobby’s experiences highlight the importance of giving someone a second chance. The book also shows how easy it is for a student to be sent to the Institute for Supervillains. While Bobby’s story ends on a happy note, Like Lava in My Veins shines a light on society’s tendency to punish Black children harshly.  

Using a graphic novel format, Like Lava in My Veins has the feel of a superhero comic with bright colors, large quote bubbles, and expressive faces. Each page has one to seven sentences printed in large font. The short sentences use easy-to-read vocabulary that makes the book accessible to struggling readers. Even though the recommended reading age for the book is 5 – 8 years old, Bobby is in the fifth grade which gives the book a more mature tone.  

Superhero fans will enjoy Like Lava in My Veins because of the relatable protagonist and the fast-paced action sequences. Readers will cheer when Bobby defeats a supervillain. While the story shows the importance of having an encouraging teacher, it doesn’t give readers advice on what to do if they have a teacher who is critical of them. Despite this, readers will enjoy seeing Bobby gain confidence and use his powers for good.  

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • When the bus driver doesn’t stop to pick up Bobby, Bobby “placed my palms on the ground. The road ripped open, and a tidal wave of molten lava formed a wall in front of the bus. . . Guess what? The driver slammed his boot on the brakes and then let me in, like he should’ve done in the first place.” No one is injured.  
  • Pause, a black student “got expelled for turning a teacher into a statue. . . All she did was sing. Just floated a couple of sweet notes in the air that landed softly in the ear of a fifth-grade teacher named Mr. Remington—he was frozen solid.” 
  • In class, Bobby gets upset that his teacher won’t call on him to answer questions. Bobby “started to feel invisible, like I wasn’t even there. . . I had accidentally melted my chair down to the floor like candle wax.” Bobby is sent to the principal’s office. 
  • During an assembly, the headmaster from The Institute for Supervillains “blasted a hole in the wall with his enormous stone fists. With him was his new star pupil—Pause.” Pause freeze the audience. “Their bodies were motionless, but their eyes reached back and forth in their heads like they were watching a tennis match. It was creepy.” 
  • The headmaster and Pause try to convince Bobby to join their team. When he refuses, “Pause cupped her hands around her mouth and tried shooting more of those hypnotic notes at me. . .” Bobby uses a “shield made of hardened lava which bounced the sound right back to her. . .She instantly froze.” 
  • To defeat the headmaster, Bobby aimed “an enormous beam of golden lava shot at his stone fist and welded them together. He couldn’t do anything but to drop to the cold, hard floor.” The full battle with the headmaster and Pause is illustrated over eight pages.  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • Bobby goes to school with others who have special powers. For example, one student can make others tell the truth. “All he has to do is touch you, and the truth just comes pouring out of your mouth like Niagara Falls.” 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Hoops

Judi Wilson, a senior in high school, loves basketball. It’s been her childhood dream to play on a basketball team. However, Judi doesn’t have a lot of options because it’s 1975. When her high school announces they’re creating their first-ever women’s basketball team, Judi joins seven other girls to begin their rookie season. However, Judi quickly learns that the girls’ team is very different from the boys’ team. They have no jerseys, transportation, or gym to host home games. Their school’s athletic director refuses to treat them as equals to the boys’ team unless they can fill the gym with fans. Can Judi and her teammates bring a championship to their school and prove that they are just as important as the boys’ team? 

Hoops is an exciting graphic novel based on the true story of the 1976 Warsaw High School girls’ basketball team. It focuses on the life of Judi Wilson, the story’s main protagonist, whose encouraging and kind personality brings her basketball team together despite the inequality in the sport. Many readers will admire Judi’s ability to see the positive side of her team’s circumstances. For example, when one of her teammates, Lisa Vincent, thinks about quitting, Judi tells her “We might as well play, right?” Judi’s conflict is relatable because Judi and her team struggle due to inequality. Despite this, Judi advocates for change by proving her worth on the basketball court. 

Hoops brings history to life in a delightful graphic novel format. The panels and characters feature a simple art style with lots of colors and shapes. The simplicity of the art enhances the action sequences during basketball games, where each panel recreates the intensity and skill of each player with clear, fluid transitions. Meanwhile, the text appears in a large, capitalized format, and the big quote bubbles help easily identify speakers. Easy vocabulary and short sentences allow seamless movement between panels and pages. Hoops will appeal to reluctant readers because of the format and easy vocabulary. In addition, each page only has three to ten sentences with the occasional paragraph mixed in. Several pages also feature no words and let the illustrations tell the story instead.  

The story highlights the historical aspects of women’s inequality in sports. Although the characters aren’t very complex, they experience dramatic development by learning that their advocacy for equality does create change in their community. Judi’s teammate, Lisa Vincent, epitomizes this lesson when she realizes that she’s “sick of being treated like I don’t matter just because I’m a girl,” and joins the team’s effort to create change by succeeding on the basketball court. 

The end of the book features a small two-page section that connects the fictional tale with its historical inspirations. The author explains that each character is based on real-life people and reiterates their story about “regular kids who play hard and stand up for what they believe is right.” With the combination of exciting characters, a heartwarming story, and engaging art, Hoops is the perfect story for basketball fans who appreciate young people fighting for equality. Readers looking for more basketball stories should also read The Fifth Quarter by Mike Dawson and Zayd Saleem Chasing the Dream by Hena Khan. However, if you’d like to learn more about women’s fight for equality, check out She Persisted: Claudette Colvin by Lesa Cline-Ransome. 

Sexual Content 

  • Cindy Randall, Judi Wilson’s friend on the basketball team, kisses her boyfriend, Mark, in front of the basketball team. 

Violence 

  • Judi’s friend, Lisa Vincent, tells a story about her time sledding on the neighborhood boys’ hill. She explains that she “made it about halfway down and then a bunch of boys knocked me off my sled and broke it.” Lisa wasn’t hurt. 

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None 

Language 

  • Judi Wilson calls a customer at the hardware store a “jerk.” Judi also utters “jeez” at an obnoxious customer. 
  • Judi and her teammate, Cindy, say “holy moly” multiple times. 
  • Judi and Cindy repeatedly say, “Oh my god” when surprised or excited. 
  • Heck is used twice.  
  • A spectator watching a basketball game says darn. 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content 

  • None 

Mummies in the Morning: The Graphic Novel

In the pyramid, a real-life mummy is waiting. . . .The magic tree house has whisked Jack and Annie to ancient Egypt. Inside a pyramid, Jack and Annie find a long-dead queen who needs their help solving a centuries-old riddle. If only they can find their way through the pyramid’s maze!

Fans of the Magic Tree House Series will enjoy seeing the same stories in a graphic novel format. The illustrations use bright colors that help bring the adventure to life. Even though the story includes a picture of a mummy and a ghost, the story isn’t frightening. Instead, the sibling’s journey is full of adventure as it teaches about the Ancient Egyptians’ world. 

The graphic novel is accessible to even the most reluctant reader because of the easy vocabulary and the simple sentences. Some of the pages tell the story without any text, while other pages have up to nine sentences. Readers who are unfamiliar with the Magic Tree House may have difficulty following the plot because so much of the original text has been cut out. While the short word count will appeal to many readers, they will miss out on some of the joy of reading the longer version.  

If you love to read, reading the original Mummies in the Morning is definitely the way to go because it’s much more in-depth. However, struggling readers will still find the graphic novel format entertaining.  

Readers who want to travel back in time to learn more about Egypt should also read Escape from Egypt by Wendy Mass and Secret of the Prince’s Tomb by Marianne Hering. You can also learn more interesting facts by reading the nonfiction companion Magic Tree House Fact Tracker: Mummies and Pyramids.  

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • Annie opens to a page of a book and says, “I wish we could go to this place.” Magically, the tree house begins to spin. “It spun faster and faster.” When the tree house stops spinning, they are in Ancient Egypt.  
  • Jack and Annie meet the ghost of Hutepi, Queen of the Nile. Hutepi asks Jack and Annie to help her find “the magic spells I need to get through the Underworld.”  
  • Hutepi has not been able to travel to the afterlife because she cannot read due to her bad eyesight. When Jack tries to give her his eyeglasses, Hutepi says, “I fear I cannot wear your glasses, Jack. I am made of air.” 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

The Okay Witch and the Hungry Shadow

During winter break, Moth Hush comes to terms with the revelation of her witch heritage and powers. Her mother, also a witch, helps Moth learn new spells and Moth gets happier with each one she picks up. Moth has a best friend in Carter, a boy from one of her classes, and Mr. Laszlo, a talking cat. Her life, friendships, and relationship with her mother couldn’t be better!

Unfortunately, Moth’s life doesn’t stay stress-free for long. At school, she runs into bullies that she wishes would leave her alone. After an incident in which she accidentally wears a similar outfit to a teacher, the bullies make Moth their latest victim and torment her for being the teacher’s “twin.” To make matters worse, Moth’s grandmother wants Moth to become a powerful witch and puts a lot of pressure on Moth to succeed in studying and practicing magic.

When Moth finds a solution to her problem — a magic charm that can bring out a confident and self-assured version of herself — things start out great. She gets praise from her grandmother and admiration from her classmates. With magic, Moth feels like she has a handle on how she presents herself to her family and classmates. But depending on magic to achieve her wildest dreams causes Moth’s life to spiral out of control.

The Okay Witch and the Hungry Shadow expands upon Moth’s school life. Many students are ruthless bullies; they stop at nothing to terrorize someone, never letting a joke or prank run dry. Moth’s tormentors mock Moth for her old-fashioned clothing, crooked teeth, and dark skin. Moth stresses over her looks and wonders if she would fit in if she changed her appearance. Readers will relate to Moth’s self-esteem issues, her struggle to accept herself for who she is, and her desire to fit in with the rest of the student body.

Moth discovers more about discrimination and exclusion from her grandmother’s stories about her witch heritage. Most witches in the Hush order (Moth’s grandmother’s previous order) believed that Moth’s grandmother was undeserving of her high-ranking position due to her skin color and class. In one conversation, Moth’s grandmother states, “They refused to see me as an equal.” Discussions such as these call attention to mistreatment towards underrepresented communities, showing prejudice is still pervasive not just in Moth’s grandmother’s time but also in the modern era.

Steinkellner’s full use of the graphic novel format lends itself to dynamic paneling and excellent pacing. Thick outlines make characters stand out while vibrant colors and pastels will keep readers engaged. Reluctant readers may like that most pages do not have words but rather tell the story through illustrations. In addition, Moth’s perspective as the narrator makes The Okay Witch and the Hungry Shadow easy to follow.

To relate to today’s readers, The Okay Witch and the Hungry Shadow incorporates modern-day technology. Familiar technology, such as smartphones and social media, brings readers closer to Moth’s world and highlights Moth’s desire to fit in. Memes, texting, and pop culture references invite the reader to become involved in the story. The inclusion of diverse characters and family dynamics adds depth and promotes diversity and representation.

Through her experiences, Moth learns an important lesson about integrity and self-trust. She doesn’t need to take shortcuts for quicker results or use magic to change herself to fit in: she can become whoever she wants by her own means without destroying herself from the inside out. Readers who want to learn more about standing up to bullies should also read Out of Place by Jennifer Blecher and Castle Hangnail by Ursula Vernon.

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None

Language   

  • None

Supernatural 

  • Witches perform magic spells in various ways: nonverbally, incantations, gestures, or a mix of the three. For example, Moth shrinks a bug by aiming her pinky at it, scrunching her nose, and twisting her arm to the right. Moth is surrounded by magic and magical occurrences every day. As such, not all instances are listed here. 
  • Moth finds the nyklum, a “powerful charm that may transform its wearer into a bolder, more self-assured version of themselves.” The charm requires a small item from the person the witch chooses to imitate and the following incantation: “Bring it forth that I may be the better half that waits in me.” Moth uses the nyklum to become popular. She becomes more confident in herself and gains the attention of her classmates.
  • The more a witch draws upon the nyklum, the more likely the ancient demon Shadriel Kannibalstisch will take over the witch, incapacitating her for good. As the story progresses, Moth risks being taken over by Shadriel Kannibalstisch. 
  • Shadriel Kannibalstisch, also known as the Hungry Shadow, is a demon that looks to take over a person. The demon makes the witch formidable, but it corrupts the witch at the same time. When Shadriel Kannibalstisch becomes more powerful than its host, Shadriel eclipses them, the witch dies, and Shadriel takes the witch’s body for itself. 
  • To be more confident in front of her classmates, Moth wants to use the nyklum at the Valentine’s Day school dance. Upon hearing about the consequences of using the nyklum, Moth removes the nyklum to destroy Shadriel Kannibalstisch before it eclipses her. 
  • Shadriel Kannibalstisch comes out of the nyklum to stop Moth from destroying both it and the nyklum. When Shadriel Kannibalstisch shows itself, it takes control of the other students. Shadriel Kannibalstisch’s magic doesn’t hurt the students. 
  • To repel the students that Shadriel Kannibalstisch controls, Moth’s mother and another witch use magic to throw a wall of light to shake the demon’s hold on the students. The students are unharmed. The wall of light restrains or startles the students. 
  • Moth defeats the demon by shrinking the nyklum to an imperceptibly miniscule size. In doing so, the students are freed from the demon’s control. 

Spiritual Content 

  • Professor Folks, a museum educator at the local museum, believes animals are like humans in some ways. When seeing Mr. Laszlo, Professor Folks states, “I’ve always felt that animals have a special soul inside them. Look into this cat’s eyes. So expressive. So human. Almost as if we’re old, dear friends.”

The Okay Witch

Thirteen-year-old Moth loves everything witchy. She spends much of her time watching shows and reading books about witches, but she soon discovers that witches are not the stuff of spooky stories, movies, and fantasy. 

After a run-in with some eighth-grade bullies, something strange happens. Moth soon discovers she is a witch and her town, Founder’s Bluff, has a centuries-long drama with witches. If that’s not surprising enough, her family is at the center of it all. When Moth’s powers show up, things get strange. She finds a magic diary, meets a talking cat, and discovers a hidden witch world. Through these, Moth unravels more secrets from generations past, learning more about the town, her family’s history, and herself. 

The graphic novel The Okay Witch focuses on Moth, allowing the readers insight into Founder’s Bluff, the history of the witches, and how Moth acclimates to being a witch. Readers will relate to the seemingly fast and strange changes in Moth’s life. Moth is excitable, passionate, and stubborn. She butts heads with her mother occasionally. Moth’s mother doesn’t want her to get involved with “witch-stuff” because Moth’s mother thinks that “witch-stuff” is dangerous. However, by listening to her mother and her grandmother, Moth realizes her mother was trying to make her more aware of the attention her powers will bring and the weight of the responsibility in learning the history of the witches.

The drawings in this graphic novel are colorful and do an excellent job of portraying the characters’ emotions through their facial expressions. Reluctant readers may like that most pages do not have words but instead tell the story through drawings. Readers will love the switches from soft pastels to saturated colors, which not only makes the characters pop off the page but also makes it easier to tell the difference between the diary entries and the real world. 

Moth learns about her family history, her grandmother’s cohort of witches, and how Moth herself fits into it. Her grandmother and mother have figured out where they feel they belong in terms of being with or without their kind; now Moth gets to find the answer for herself. When Moth’s grandmother tells her about finding solidarity with the witches, Moth decides to watch and think about what she wants to do with her magic. Through this interaction between Moth and her grandmother, The Okay Witch shows the importance of family and legacy as well as the personal choice each person must make in order to make life fulfilling. 

Though many readers will enjoy reading the graphic novel The Okay Witch, the plot is not unique and there is too much focus on Moth’s understanding of the past and not enough focus on the present consequences of being a modern-day witch. While not unique, The Okay Witch is a good story for readers who like stories about the everyday lives of fictional witches. Readers who enjoy graphic novels about friendship should also read Stargazing by Jen Wang. Ravenous by MarcyKate Connolly tells a unique story involving a witch, and readers who want to know more about historical witches should read What Were the Salem Witch Trials by Joan Holub.

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • Mayor Kramer kidnapped Moth’s mother. Moth goes to the Kramer residence to get her mother back. However, she badmouths Mayor Kramer’s family’s ancestors and ends up angering the ghosts living in the paintings. The ghosts are depicted grabbing Moth and holding her up against a pillar. 
  • To help her daughter, Moth’s mother distracts the ghosts and is seen whacking them with several objects, including a potted plant and a sword, to no avail. Moth and her mother use magic to eradicate the ghosts. The ghosts are seen disintegrating into tiny, green pieces that eventually disappear. This scene occurs over seven pages.
  • To attempt to defeat Moth and her mother, the ghosts try to possess Moth’s friend but fail. However, they succeed in possessing the mayor. The possessed mayor lifts Moth’s mother up to a broken window to throw her out of it, but Moth, in desperation, uses magic to get rid of the ghosts. The ghosts are seen going up in green smoke. This scene lasts for two pages. 

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None

Language   

  • Two students call Moth “Mothball.” 
  • A bully calls Moth and her friend “mutants.”
  • A girl says “OMG.”
  • Judge Nathaniel Kramer, one of the mayor’s ancestors, calls the witches “she-devils.”

Supernatural 

  • Moth Hush is a witch, like her mother and grandmother. She spends a lot of time around her mother, who doesn’t want her to practice magic. However, Moth learns a lot of spells when her mother isn’t looking. Throughout the course of the story, she uses a lot of charms and spells. In short, she involves herself with magic whenever she can. As such, not all instances of magic will be listed here. 
  • Witches cast magic spells in many ways. The magic can be done non-verbally with intent behind the spell, incantations, gestures, or a mix of the three. For example, Moth’s grandmother levitates a few photographs by lifting her hand. 
  • There is a realm called Hecate where the witches from Moth’s grandmother’s cohort live. The witches offered a piece of themselves to Hecate, the goddess of magic, in order to seek refuge from the regular humans that were trying to hurt them. 
  • When someone dies, “their spirit may still hang around if they have unfinished business. . . Some ghosts possess bodies and objects and buildings.” For example, Mr. Laszlo is a ghost because he wanted to help Moth be the best witch she can be. He possesses a black cat and shares the body of the cat.   

Spiritual Content 

  • Moth’s grandmother tells a story about how the Sun became good. “Once the Moon was the only light in the world, and there was only night. Until the Moon was called away on business by our dear Hecate. So Moon said to her daughter Sun, ‘Keep watch over the world. Be a good girl and go around the whole thing. But forget not that you are precious, bright and fearful hot. If you get too close to the things below, you’ll burn them up in your fire.’”  

The Tea Dragon Festival

A worthy sequel to the debut graphic novel The Tea Dragon Society, The Tea Dragon Festival immerses readers in a charming fantasy realm where humans and dragons dwell in harmony. Readers may recognize cheerful bounty hunters, Hese and Erik, from the previous installment in the series, but the couple appears noticeably younger and are able-bodied, as this story takes place before Erik’s debilitating injury in battle. 

New characters include Rinn, a young chef learning to use natural ingredients in their recipes with the help of their grandmother, Gramman. While foraging in the woods outside of Silverleaf Village, Rinn stumbles upon a shapeshifting creature named Aedhan who has been asleep for eighty years. Aedhan belongs to the Shining Wing clan of dragons, whose duty it is to oversee the Tea Dragon Festival and protect Silverleaf Village. 

Soon Hese and Erik arrive from their bounty hunting escapades and reveal that they have been tracking a forest spirit that has the power to make its victims sleep for decades without aging. They follow clues to a magical glade and tell the spirit that if it wants to share memories of its flourishing species from thousands of years ago, it should make people dream for a matter of hours rather than decades. The creature bows its head and leaves peacefully. 

When it is time for the Tea Dragon Festival to begin, the village sets up decorations and shares a bounteous feast of home-cooked recipes made from foraged ingredients and tea leaves that will allow Aedhan to glimpse the memories and events during the eighty years he was asleep. Rinn and Aedhan share this meaningful meal and notice their new feelings for one another. Rinn decides that they would rather enjoy cooking as a hobby than as a vocation. Hese and Erik set out on new adventures hinting at the events of the other two books in this lovable trilogy. 

Nonbinary readers will likely identify with Rinn, as well as Aedhan, who remarks that dragons are capable of shifting between male and female forms. Queerness is not called into question or judged in their world. The Tea Dragon Festival also provides positive representation for disabled people, especially the deaf or hard-of-hearing and users of sign language. 

Like in The Tea Dragon Society, O’Neill’s endearing artistic style continues to immerse readers in a flourishing realm that values family, traditions, nature, and following one’s heart. The story is introduced with an author’s note about the depiction of sign language in italicized captions, to distinguish it from verbal dialogue without diminishing its value as a form of communication. 

The Tea Dragon Festival is an adorable companion to its precedent and fluently builds readers’ curiosity about the third installment in the trilogy. Although the premise of making peace with the forest spirit rather than slaying it is appealing, its execution is anticlimactic. The story does not explain how Hese and Erik avoid succumbing to slumber in their encounter with the creature, nor how they manage to communicate with it. Other than this oversight, this graphic novel shows an impressive capacity for storytelling, art, and positive representation. 

Sexual content 

  • None 

Violence 

  • Aedhan fights off a large griffin to protect Rinn and their little sibling, drawing blood from a painful gash. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • When brewed into tea, leaves harvested from the small household pets known as tea dragons have the power to send the drinker into a trance and glimpse their own memories or past events experienced by those around them. 

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • The book includes multiple fantasy creatures, such as shape-shifting dragons, anthropomorphic birds, and humans with features like tails, horns, furred ears, or goat legs. 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Swim Team

Bree can’t wait for her first day at her new middle school, Enith Brigitha, home to the Mighty Manatees—until she’s stuck with the only elective that fits her schedule: the dreaded Swim 101. The thought of swimming makes Bree more than a little queasy, yet she’s forced to dive headfirst into one of her greatest fears. Lucky for her, Etta, an elderly occupant of her apartment building and former swim team captain, is willing to help.

With Etta’s training and a lot of hard work, Bree suddenly finds her swim-crazed community counting on her to turn the school’s failing team around. But that’s easier said than done, especially when their rival, the prestigious Holyoke Prep, has everything they need to leave the Mighty Manatees in their wake. Can Bree defy the odds and guide her team to a state championship, or have the Manatees swum their last lap—for good?

Swim Team is an entertaining graphic novel that shows the importance of perseverance, teamwork, and friendship. Told from Bree’s point of view, Swim Team focuses on Bree’s embarrassment because she doesn’t know how to swim. When Bree enrolls in a new school, Swim 101 is the only elective that she can take, but to avoid being noticed, Bree skips class. When her father finds out, he enlists the help of Etta. With Etta’s help and encouragement, Bree not only learns how to swim, but she also joins the swim team. 

With Etta’s help, Bree learns Black people’s history with swimming—this section appears in the shape of a puzzle which ties into Etta’s love of puzzles. “In America, laws were passed that limited Black people’s access to beaches, lakes, and swimming pools.” This section includes short descriptions of Black people who fought the discriminatory laws. The brevity of this section keeps the action moving and may spark readers’ interest in the people who fought for change. In kid-friendly terms, Swim Team highlights the effects of segregation and how it impacted an entire community. 

The graphic novel Swim Team will appeal to many readers because the illustrations use bright colors and are full of action. Plus, the easy-to-read vocabulary makes it accessible to all readers. Each page has three to eight simple sentences and some panels tell the story without words. When Bree is overcome by feelings of uncertainty and doubt, her negative thoughts appear in gray blobs, while conversations appear in white quote bubbles which makes it easy to distinguish the two. 

While Swim Team hits on difficult topics of discrimination, segregation, and classism, these themes are integrated into the story and never feel like a lecture. Since everything is filtered through Bree’s eyes, the information is kid friendly. While the historical information is interesting, Bree’s personal struggle is what drives the story. Bree is a relatable character readers will root for. Plus, readers will enjoy seeing Bree’s growth in and out of the water. Swim Team is a fun and educational graphic novel that will entertain readers as well as encourage them to try new activities. Even though the story focuses on Bree’s swim team experiences, the graphic novel will appeal to all readers because of the relatable conflicts and the positive lessons. 

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • Etta explains how some people opposed allowing black people to swim in public places. “Opposition to these conditions were often met with violence. From the murder of Eugene Williams in Chicago, in 1919 to acid poured in a pool with protesters in St. Augustine Florida in 1964.” 

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None

Language   

  • Oh my God and heck are both used once.
  • A member of the Holyoke Prep swim team calls the opponents losers. 
  • Bree says the students from Holyoke Prep seem like “a bunch of jerks.”
  • When Bree and her friends ask Humberto to help them take costumes from the theater department, he is reluctant. One of the girls says, “C’mon, Humberto, don’t be a weenie.” 

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content 

  • None

Check Please!

Eric Bittle may be a former junior figure skating champion, vlogger extraordinaire, and very talented amateur pâtissier, but being a freshman on the Samwell University hockey team is a whole new challenge. It is nothing like co-ed club hockey back in Georgia! First of all, there’s checking (anything that hinders the player with possession of the puck, ranging from a stick check all the way to a physical sweep). And then, there is Jack—the very attractive but moody team captain. 

Check Please! is told from Bittle’s point of view, which allows the reader to connect with him and the other hockey players. Bittle is an extremely likable character who unapologetically loves to bake pies, make gift bags, and vlog. Bittle’s vlog helps keep the reader up to date on the events in his life as well as his emotions. As part of the hockey team, Bittle spends a lot of time on the ice. However, the figure skating champion often faints when someone is close to knocking into him. Despite this, the other hockey players encourage Bittle and reassure him that they’ve got his back. And when Bittle makes his first goal during a game, the reader will cheer right along with the other characters. 

Through Bittle’s experiences, readers will get an intimate view of a college hockey team. While there are many interesting characters, the team captain, Jack, takes center stage. As the son of a famous hockey player, Jack deals with anxiety and family expectations. When Bittle and Jack become friends, Bittle is conflicted because he has fallen for “a straight boy.” It isn’t until Bittle’s sophomore year that he tells anyone that he is gay. Even though Bittle is worried about his teammate’s reactions, they are unfazed by the revelation.   

Each page of the graphic novel has two panels with quote boxes. However, on some pages, there are so many quote boxes that it is difficult to keep track of who is speaking. The illustrations often focus on the “hockey haus,” which is where the hockey team lives and throws parties with lots of alcohol. In addition to the many parties, Check Please! Also has an abundance of profanity and frequent talk of hooking up, which takes away from the reading enjoyment. The story portrays the college experience as one big party with meaningless sex. 

Check Please! is an engaging graphic novel that focuses on Bittle’s unique perspective and gives readers a look into the hockey culture. The teammates’ acceptance of Bittle despite his untraditional behavior is refreshing. While the story’s fun tone will appeal to many readers, the unnecessary profanity is often overwhelming and will definitely turn away some readers. Readers looking for more sports-related books should check out Hazelwood High Trilogy by Sharon M. Draper and Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong by Prudence Shen & Faith Erin Hicks. 

Sexual Content  

  • Two hockey players talk about a girl’s text message. One boy says, “Then it’s chill—emoticons always equal pussy.” 
  • When Bittle goes to the hockey frat house, one of the guys says, “The decisions you will make in this house will be regretful but glorious. The alcohol you drink will be cheap, but plentiful and the loss of virginity you may experience within these walls will range from reassuring to emotionally damaging.” 
  • Bittle goes to a frat party. While there, he asks the guys where Jack is. Someone says, “Poor guy’s probably up in his room getting sucked off by another Zimmermann puck bunny.” 
  • Some of the guys talk about hooking up with a girl. One of the guys tells Bittle, “Holster and I are very well acquainted with Samwell’s female population, if you know what I mean. I do mean sexually.” 
  • Jack kisses Bittle. The kiss is illustrated over three pages.  

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • When Bittle sees the frat house’s kitchen stove, he says, “I bet no one’s cooked anything but pot brownies in you.” 
  • While at a frat party, some of the hockey team play a drinking game. 
  • After a game, the guys go out to pizza and some of them drink beer. 
  • As part of a hazing ritual, the new members “will crawl onto the shore of manhood naked, blindfolded, and bitch-ass shitfaced. But not alone!” The hazing is shown over two pages, and the new members are in their boxers. 
  • The book uses a fairytale-like story to show Jack, in the past, taking too many anxiety drugs and “nearly los[ing] everything.”  

Language    

  • Profanity is used on almost every page. Profanity includes bitch, damn, dicks, hell, motherfucker, fuck, shit, pussy, and goddammit. 
  • One of the characters is nicknamed “Shitty.” 
  • A fellow hockey player says, “You know what I like about you, Bittle? You’re a dude from the south and you’re not a bigoted dickfaced cockhole!” 
  • A hockey player says that one of his teammates can “turn into a fucking hockey nazi every once in a while.”  
  • While practicing talking tough, Bittle says, “I’m gonna fuck you up like the fucking pussy midget fucker you are.” 
  • Jesus Christ is used as an exclamation once. 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

The Fifth Quarter #1

Lori Block is dedicated to her fourth-grade basketball team, despite being relegated to an extra period before the real game starts, known as the fifth quarter, where the not-so-good kids play and the points don’t count. That doesn’t matter to Lori though, because working on her skills gives her hints of self-confidence, which is a nice break from feeling awkward and out of place in her daily life.

With athletic promise and a dogged determination to keep improving, Lori pursues her passion while navigating awkward social dynamics, her own expectations, and her first overnight away from home. Will her drive allow her to find true courage on the court, in school, and at home? 

The Fifth Quarter will appeal to a wide variety of readers because it deals with friendship drama, family disagreements, and basketball. Lori is a relatable character who works hard to improve her basketball skills, even when her friends have no interest in the sport. However, Lori is often bratty. For example, when Lori’s mom decides to run for the town council, Lori starts screaming and throwing a fit because she’s afraid of how her mother’s actions will affect her.  

On and off the basketball court, Lori has friendship difficulties. Lori’s friends are not interested in basketball and they often think that Lori’s humor is mean. In addition, Lori blames her friendship problems on others. When Lori’s friends become distant, she thinks, “Elyse always turns everyone against me.” Finally, Elyse becomes brave enough to confront Lori, who apologizes, and the two girls resolve their problems.  

When Lori’s mother loses the vote for town council, this gives her the opportunity to talk to Lori about the fact that, “You don’t always win. And when [failure] happens, the important thing is what you do after. . . I want to show you that you don’t have to be afraid. How to be brave enough to try, even if you’re scared.”  

Bright-colored illustrations are paired with short sentences that appear in quote bubbles that will grab readers’ attention. Many readers will relate to Lori, who struggles with self-confidence and often doubts herself. Through Lori’s experiences, readers will learn the importance of perseverance and practice. In the end, Lori improves her basketball skills, makes new friends, and repairs old friendships. While Lori and her siblings are often bratty, The Fifth Quarter’s positive life lessons outweigh the negative behavior and the book’s format will appeal to even the most reluctant readers. Readers who love basketball can find more inspiring basketball wisdom by reading the Zayd Saleem Chasing the Dream Series by Hena Khan 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language    

  • At basketball practice the coach gets angry and tells the players, “You need to stop running your mouths and listen, or you won’t know what to do. . . You need to wise up and put down the dang video games!” 
  • Lori’s mom runs into the man who is running against her for the town council. After talking to him, Lori’s mom grabs Lori’s arm and starts pulling her. As Lori’s mom storms off, she says, “That horrible, smug man! So pious and pleased with himself! Who does he think he is?” 
  • Heck is used once. 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

The Tea Dragon Society

The winner of several children’s literature awards, The Tea Dragon Society is Kay O’Neill’s debut graphic novel. The artistic style is wholesome and soothing, and the book’s harmonious color and meandering pace makes The Tea Dragon Society a meditative read. The attention to detail and choice of color schemes also contribute to immersing readers in the realm of this trilogy. The book is divided into four chapters, each titled after a season of the year, beginning with spring. 

The protagonist is a bright, young girl named Greta, the daughter and apprentice of the village blacksmith. After rescuing a stray tea dragon, she returns the hatchling to its owner and caretaker, the gentle and wise Hese. Hese has also taken a shy, young girl named Minette under his metaphorical wing. 

Greta grows increasingly curious about caring for tea dragons, so she returns to Hese’s house and meets his partner, Erik, whose days as a magical bounty hunter left him confined to a wheelchair. From Erik, Greta learns that tea dragon stewardship is a dying art. 

Hese and Erik teach Greta about the history of tea dragons and the Tea Dragon Society, of which they are the last surviving members. As the seasons pass, Greta and Minette’s friendship blooms into something more. Young readers may relate to Greta’s and Minette’s journeys of self-discovery, and queer readers may especially connect with their shy crushes on one another, as well as Hese and Erik’s companionship. Both queer relationships are depicted with healthy and supportive dynamics. Readers may also feel inspired by the author openly identifying as nonbinary. In addition to incorporating LGBTQ characters, the book also features people of color and people with disabilities. 

The Tea Dragon Society is a beautiful story about friendship and finding your place in the world. The story encourages people to honor traditions, the past, and to always remember where you come from. Those who enjoy fantasy for its escapism rather than violence or suspense will find The Tea Dragon Society a relaxing read. Although it feels beautifully brief and ends almost too soon, readers can seek solace in the rest of the trilogy, The Tea Dragon Festival, and The Tea Dragon Tapestry. 

Sexual content 

  • Hese and Erik are depicted relaxing in a hot spring, undressed from the waist up. 

Violence 

  • Erik wipes the blood off his sword after defeating a three-headed dragon that was threatening a village.  
  • Hese and Erik face a gigantic black dragon in battle and have bleeding wounds on their faces and arms. Erik is thrown into the mud and knocked unconscious. 
  • Erik has stitches across a scar on his face and two more scars on his neck from fighting magical beasts. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • The tea dragons grow tea on themselves and the tea allows people to experience memories of the past tea masters. For example, Greta drinks tea brewed from the leaves grown on a tea dragon and goes into a trance where she glimpses memories from Hese and Erik’s lives. 
  • Minette drinks the same tea and sees visions of her own memories. 

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • The book includes multiple fantasy creatures, such as goblins, dragons, and humans with features such as tails, horns, furred ears, or goat legs.  
  • Hese is a deerlike creature even though he walks upright, has humanlike hands, and speaks English.  
  • Tea grown from tea dragons has the magical power of giving dreamlike visions of memories.  
  • Minette has the supernatural power of seeing the future. 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Vampire Hunter

Ham Helsing is the descendant of a long line of monster hunters—who often don’t live long enough to rest on their laurels. Ham has always been the odd pig out, preferring to paint or write poetry instead of inventing dangerous new ways to catch dangerous creatures.

Ham’s brother Chad was the daredevil, carrying on the family legacy of leaping before looking, but after Chad’s death, the family business is left to Ham. Reluctantly, Ham sets out on his first assignment: to hunt a vampire. But Ham soon learns that people aren’t always what they seem and that you need a good team around you to help save your bacon!  

Ham Helsing is a unique protagonist who doesn’t jump to assumptions about others. Ham’s original mission was to kill the vampire. Instead of killing him, Ham befriends the vampire and the two join up to find the real villain. Not only does the vampire forgive Ham for his original intent, he praises Ham saying, “The brave can make their own path—their own way.” Despite being from a long line of vampire hunters, Ham departs from his family’s ways and instead of slaying vampires, Ham is a kind and selfless pig who uses his head. The story reinforces the idea that fate doesn’t determine a person’s (or a pig’s) decisions. 

While the story focuses on Ham, there are many other interesting characters. There’s a boy who keeps turning into a werewolf, a warthog who has social anxiety, a huge bear who frightens easily and cries, a cute female pig who isn’t afraid to use her sword, and a rat who loves big words. These interesting characters add humor and depth to the story. In the end, the large group of characters works together to defeat an evil chicken, who will be back to rain terror in the second book of the series, Monster Hunter.  

Vampire Hunter is told through full-color panels that are full of humor and action and have unexpected surprises. For example, the villain jumps out of a plane and is falling toward a hungry shark, but instead of being eaten, the villain “hugged his way out of it.” Readers will giggle as the villain clings to the shark. Each page has one to six sentences and many of them use onomatopoeia. The low word count and easy vocabulary make Vampire Hunter an easy read. Plus, readers will love the silly puns and jokes. For example, when Ham sees a group supporting vampires, a rabbit says vampires are just “immortal heartthrobs who are trapped in the bodies of lovesick teens!” 

Full of adventure, humor, visual gags, and interesting characters, Vampire Hunter is sure to entertain readers. There is plenty of sarcasm and suspense to keep readers flipping the pages. Readers looking for a fun read will come to love Ham Helsing and his friends. For another fast-paced graphic novel with an unexpected hero, grab a copy of The Boy Who Crashed to Earth by Judd Winick—but be warned, once you start reading you will want to read the entire series!  

Sexual Content  

  • When a warthog meets Ronin, a female pig, he says, “Hey there, cute thing.”  
  • When the warthog touches Ronin’s arm, she says, “I could be your undertaker. Hands off, vamp.”  

Violence  

  • Ham Helsing’s descendants all met their demise because of reckless behavior. For example, Bernard Helsing and his assistant both died when they jumped off a very tall cliff. Bernard’s plan was to “lather up our long johns with jelly from the Amazonian fling beetle. This will give us maximum zip. We’ll be like living toboggans, sledding past rock and creatures alike.” Their actual death is not illustrated, but their gravestones are shown.  
  • A large mechanical knight (controlled by a chicken) attacks Ham. The knight almost kills a female pig named Ronin who jumps in and takes the knight’s head off with her sword. The scene is illustrated over nine pages.  
  • After being defeated, the evil chicken is upset that “no one appreciates how diabolical I am.” To prove he’s evil, he kicks a squirrel.  
  • Ronin fights slices of bacon that attack her group. When Ronin cuts a piece of bacon, Ham yells, “AH! Watch it. That bacon grease burns. But it does smell good.” The bacon pieces run away.  
  • When a man ends up dead, Ham and his group are told that he was killed by, “Shadow creatures! Those spider-woman’s minions. She got Laurence. She made Laurence go bye-bye.” 
  • Ronin goes after a giant spider. Using her sword, Ronin cuts the spider in half. The spider’s green blood covers the ground. Later, the group finds Ronin cooking the spider and eating it. The attack is illustrated over three pages. 
  • In a multi-chapter battle, the spider-woman attacks Ham and his friends. The spider tries to impale Ham with her leg, but Ham slices it off with a sword. The spider-woman’s minions jump into the fight. During the fight, the warthog is tied up in spiderwebs.  
  • The spider-woman separates the group and ties up all of Ham’s friends. Someone goes into town and brings back reinforcements wearing clogs. The townspeople kill the spiders by stomping on them. The illustrations show two panels with dead spiders’ green blood.  
  • When the villain realizes that the spider-woman and her minions failed to kill Ham, he squishes one of the spiders to prove they are “expendable.”  
  • When the villain flees, the townspeople finish stomping and squishing the spider minions. The spider killing is illustrated over a page. 
  • A doctor creates a monster. When the monster awakens, he beats up the doctor and flees.  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language    

  • Silly exclamations are used throughout the story like “pigeon pellets,” “horse cookies,” and “buffalo bagels.”  
  • One of Ham Helsing’s descendants’ tombstone says, “courage and stupidity—a fine line.” Another descendant’s tombstone reads, “He died as he lived. Like an idiot.” 
  • There is some name calling such as buffoon, knuckleheads, bloodsucker, and losers.  
  • Heck is used once.  

Supernatural 

  • At the story’s end, a doctor makes a Frankenstein monster. 

Spiritual Content  

  • The spider-woman says she is “like God herself. I wield the power to unseat the very hierarchy of the forest.”  

Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong

Charlie is the laid-back captain of the basketball team. Nate is the neurotic, scheming president of the robotics club. The two have been best friends their whole lives until Nate declares war on the cheerleaders and the cheerleaders retaliate by forcing Charlie to run against Nate in the class election. What’s at stake? Student funding which, depending on who wins, will either cover a robotics competition or new cheerleading uniforms.

Bad sportsmanship? Sure. Chainsaws? Why not? Running away from home on Thanksgiving to illicitly enter a televised robot deathmatch? Let’s do this!

The drama of high school comes to life in this hilarious graphic novel that focuses on two friends. Readers will love the interplay between Nate and the cheerleaders as they go head to head trying to best each other. The ridiculous student body campaign, the high school drama, and the crazy antics of Nate and Charlie will have readers laughing out loud. At first the characters argue or fight, but Nate’s experiences will ultimately teach the importance of working together, even when people dislike each other.

While a lot of the story’s action comes from humorous situations, Charlie also deals with some difficult family dynamics. His father travels for work, leaving Charlie alone most of the time. Charlie also has a hard time dealing with the trauma of his mother leaving town to live with another man. While this conflict is not developed in detail, Charlie does learn that he cannot ignore the situation and instead must talk to his parents about his emotions.

Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong is a quick read and a fun graphic novel. Each page’s panels have zero to seven sentences that often contain onomatopoeia and interesting banter. A lot of illustrations show characters’ facial expressions; some facial expressions are over the top, but this adds to the humor and makes it easy for readers to understand the characters’ feelings.

Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong focuses on high school drama and uses the typical stereotypes—mean cheerleaders, nerdy robot builders, and a basketball star—to create humor and keep the action moving. To increase the tension, the teens generally behave badly. For instance, one cheerleader uses her parent’s credit card without permission so the kids can sneak off to a battle bot competition. These episodes will appeal to a wide range of teenagers, who will enjoy watching Nate deal with the pressures of high school cliques. Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong will grab readers right from the start and keep them smiling as they experience Charlie’s crazy high school drama.

Sexual Content

  • Someone uses bleach to write on the school’s sports field. The field says, “Nolan loves goats.” Underneath, someone else writes, “Yeah, well, Nate Harding bangs them.”

Violence

  • Nate slams Charlie against the wall and yells at him. Charlie runs and Nate gives chase. Then a cheerleader trips Nate, who falls to the floor. Later, the principal asks, “Mr. Nolan, why were you trying to make Mr. Harding eat your physics book?”
  • During a basketball game, a boy from the other team purposely elbows Charlie in the head, causing him to fall. Charlie is taken to the hospital and has a concussion.
  • One of Nate’s friends gets angry and tries to choke him.
  • While at a battle bot competition, two boys start picking on Joanna, so Charlie grabs one of the boy’s arms and flings him to the ground.

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • Charlie mentions that his father is out of town, so a bunch of kids go to his house to have a party. Nate finds Charlie hiding under his bed. Charlie says he did “not invite half the school to bring over their parents’ cheap alcohol and get drunk on my front lawn.”

Language

  • Profanity is used occasionally. Profanity includes ass, crap, hell, and dammit.
  • Charlie’s friend asks him, “Now you’re older and have since grown a pair, right?”
  • Charlie calls Nate a jackass and then flips him off.
  • Nate calls two boys “a pair of dicks.”
  • Oh God is used as an exclamation a few times.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Page by Paige

New city. New friends. New Paige?

When Paige’s parents move her family from Virginia to New York City, Paige doesn’t know where she fits in anymore. At first, the only thing keeping her company is her notebook, where she pours her worries and observations, and experiments with her secret identity: ARTIST. With the confidence the book brings her, she starts to make friends and shake up her family’s expectations. But is she ready to become the person she draws in her notebook?

Paige tells her own story, which allows readers to understand her insecurities and struggles. Paige is an extremely likable and relatable main character who worries about many typical teenage problems such as making friends, having a boyfriend, and becoming more independent. As Paige matures, she learns to be comfortable in her own skin and she becomes more confident in sharing her artwork.

Throughout the story, Paige’s doubts and insecurities are shown in thought bubbles. When it comes to her art, she questions herself and thinks, “You’re going to fail, so why even try? What if I have nothing to say? No good at all?” Paige’s self-doubts continue when she begins to make friends. Paige thinks, “I’ve always been scared of revealing too much, saying the wrong thing, screwing up. . .” Paige is tired of always feeling “awkward, behind, sheltered,” so she begins a journey of self-growth and starts to stretch herself and be more open.

One of the best parts of Page by Paige is the black and white illustrations which are beautiful and interesting. Instead of just relying on facial expressions, Paige’s emotions come through her own artwork. For instance, when Paige is afraid of expressing herself, the illustration shows Paige’s mouth sewn shut. The imaginative artwork gives Paige’s emotions a life of their own and the pictures will help the reader understand Paige’s inner conflicts.

Readers can learn a lot about self-acceptance from Paige. At the beginning of each chapter, Paige writes a rule she wants to live by. For example, “Figure out what scares you and DO IT and let yourself FAIL. Don’t take it all so personally.” When Paige allows these rules to guide her behavior, she learns more about herself and begins to overcome her fears. As Paige matures, she realizes, “Bad experiences are like bad drawings. They stay in our sketchbooks. They stay a part of us. You can’t erase your past or who you are. You have to deal with it, I suppose.”

Page by Paige’s format will appeal to even the most reluctant readers. The story includes list and thought bubbles that use simple but expressive vocabulary. Some pages have no words, but allow the illustrations to express Paige’s complex emotions instead. While a few pages are text heavy, most pages have one to eight short sentences. Even though Paige’s struggles are typical, her illustrations elevate the graphic novel’s ability to express emotions.

Page by Paige will appeal to a wide variety of readers because it focuses on issues that most teens face. While the story gives readers a lot of good advice, the story never feels like a lecture. Instead, the graphic novel focuses on Paige’s personal growth. If you’re looking for an engaging graphic novel with interesting artwork, then Page by Paige is the perfect book for you.

Sexual Content

  • When meeting kids at her new school, someone asks Paige, “Are you Irish?” Then the kids tell Paige what their diverse heritage is. Paige says, “Me, I’m just like if all the pale countries got together and had a big orgy.”
  • A boy teasingly tells Paige, “I’ll try not to pop your cherry.”
  • The illustrations show Paige kissing her boyfriend twice. This is her first kiss.

Violence

  • None

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Crap is used four times.
  • Damn is used twice.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

Just Roll With It

As long as Maggie rolls the right number, nothing can go wrong…right?

Maggie just wants to get through her first year of middle school. But between finding the best after-school clubs, trying to make friends, and avoiding the rumored monster on school grounds, she’s having a tough time . . . so she might need a little help from her twenty-sided dice. But what happens if Maggie rolls the wrong number?

Maggie struggles with OCD and feels compelled to roll a dice before she makes any decisions. Soon, Maggie is rolling dice to decide if she should have lunch with a friend, if she should let a friend borrow a book, and other everyday decisions. Maggie’s OCD begins to interfere with her daily life. At the beginning of the story, the reader sees Maggie rolling the dice, but a lack of explanation makes the dice rolling confusing. However, later in the book, OCD is explained in kid-friendly terms that are relatable.

In English class, the students are reading The Crucible, which ties into Maggie’s life. For example, Maggie’s friend, Clara, says, “I think it must be really hard for Sara. She knows she’s not a witch, but when everyone is saying that kind of stuff to you, sometimes it’s hard to remember they are wrong.” Likewise, Maggie wonders if others think she is crazy, because of her OCD.

Maggie’s story unfolds with quick looks at different aspects of her life. While this allows Maggie to be well-developed, the constant change of scene may be confusing for some readers. In addition, part of Maggie’s emotions are shown when she talks to an imaginary dragon. The dragon doesn’t hesitate in making Maggie question her abilities. At one point the dragon tells her, “Every time you forget your homework, or are afraid to ask a question, and even when you’re not sure if you want seconds at dinner? That’s me, reminding you that you’re weak. You’re shy. You’re nothing.”

Just Roll With It has several positive aspects, including Maggie’s relationship with her family and her friend, Clara. Maggie’s sister encourages Maggie that “fear and pain can’t be avoided, no matter how much we try. Coming out to mom and dad was really scary for me. But I’m glad I did it. A lot of the worries I made up in my head ended up not coming true. So I put myself through a lot of heartache for nothing.” With her family’s reassurance, Maggie agrees to see a therapist in order to deal with anxiety. Middle grade readers will relate to Maggie who worries about what other people say about her, forgets to do her homework, and struggles with figuring out what clubs she wants to join.

Maggie’s story comes to life in brightly colored panels. When Maggie is feeling stressed, the pictures use a darker hue to illustrate her anxiety. The illustrations mostly focus on Maggie, her friends, and her family. When Maggie is at school, the students are a diverse group including a girl in a wheelchair and a Muslim. The story also includes Clara’s two moms and Maggie’s sister’s girlfriend. Reluctant readers will enjoy Just Roll With It because it uses easy vocabulary and has a fast pace. Each page has one to seven simple sentences, which make Just Roll With a quick book to read. Readers interested in exploring the theme of anxiety should also read the graphic novel, Guts by Raina Telgemeie.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • A boy shoves Maggie’s friend Clara twice, knocking her to the ground.
  • When a boy goes to hit Clara, Maggie steps in and hits him across the face with a fat book.

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Heck, darn, and OMG are used several times.
  • Crap is used once.
  • There is some name-calling including jerk, snake bait, and babies.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None
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