Language: PG13 (27 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: G
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Nearly everyone in Ramona’s life has told her – through words and actions – that she and her interests are unimportant, which is part of the reason that Ramona loves cosplay so much. When Ramona pretends to be Rel, she’s more confident – confident enough, even, to leave a poem in her crush’s locker to tell him how much she likes him. Then he responds positively, and Ramona doesn’t want to be Rel anymore; she wants to be herself.
There are a lot of things to like about this book, but, let me tell you, I was in agony watching Ramona vacillate between when, how, and whether to tell Caleb what was going on. The train wreck is visible from page one, and I was braced for the inevitable disaster, even while begging Ramona to make the decision I knew she wouldn’t. The mess is worth it, though, because readers get to internalize the message we beg for Ramona to understand: she, you, we are amazing when we are ourselves. Emrich also throws in lessons about people of color in cosplay and what it means to be supportive in a family. Overall, this is a feel-good story that encourages confidence.
Ramona and her family are Black, and Caleb is half Italian. Characters of various races and ethnicities are described. The mature content rating is for mention of underage drinking and some making out.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen
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