All's Faire in Middle School by Victoria Jamieson - ESSENTIAL

Jamieson, Victoria  All’s Faire in Middle School, 248 pgs.  GRAPHIC NOVEL  Dial Books for Young Readers, 2017.  $20.99 Content: Language: PG (2 swears); Mature Content: PG; Violence: G.  

Imogene’s family helps run the Renaissance Fair as actors.  Imogene is excited because she is finally old enough to be a squire and get paid.  She is also excited because she is going to middle school, which is a big change from home school.  As Imogene navigates friends and public school, she starts to realize that there’s a whole set of social rules that are confusing and not kind.  With the help of her family and after making a few mistakes, Imogene starts to find where she fits.  

This book is very well done and as entertaining as Roller Girl (also by Jamieson).  The illustrations are great and Imogene deals with many of the hardships all teenagers face with friends.  The mature content is Imogene’s new friends find a romance novel of an older sister and read part of a make out scene where the boy unties the girls halter top.  Imogene is curious about sex, which Imogene’s mom handles, so there is a part about talking about sex.  That included though, made the book more for middle school than upper elementary in my mind.  

EL – OPTIONAL.  MS – ESSENTIAL.  Reviewer, C. Peterson.