Go With the Flow by Lily Williams and Karen Schneemann - ESSENTIAL

Go With the Flow by Lily Williams and Karen Schneemann, 329 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. First Second (Macmillan), 2020. $15. 9781250143174

Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG (menstruation discussed, depicted); Violence: G (verbal bullying)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Not only is Sasha small in stature and new at her school, but her first period comes while she is wearing light colored pants and she doesn’t realize she has  a spreading stain. In swoop friends Abby, Brit, and Christine, taking Sasha under their wing. The girls are incensed that none of the machines have menstrual products in them, and even if they did the products would cost 50 cents. But the admin tells them there is no money for such things, even though the football team gets new uniforms every other year. When Abby goes a bit too far to bring attention to the problem, her friends have to decide whether they support her brand of activism.

I loved Willlaims and Schneeman’s book so much! It accurately shows the talk that girls have among themselves about period – late-starting periods, heavy flows, lack of products and so on. Some people will be uncomfortable because of the drawings of stains and Abby’s depictions of products.  Sasha also looks at a very vaguely drawn illustration of how to insert a tampon. But this is what the 7^th graders at my school talk about in their maturation class, so it is right on target for what they are already discussing.  I anticipate that the girls at any school will recommend this one to each other.  I wouldn’t be surprised if it gets appropriated (stolen), too.

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS