Language: PG (3 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (kissing, silhouettes of nude statues (no genitalia visible), gender roles); Violence: PG (name calling)
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
APPEALS TO: SOME
High schooler Meg is excited to return to a Christian summer camp with her old friends, but she is also worried. She is struggling to figure out who she is and where she fits in, especially after she attended a non-Christian school for the first time last year. At camp when Meg and her friends start developing crushes on the boy campers, Meg’s anxiety and self-doubt spikes as she questions the lessons that she has been taught in church. How can she follow the rules and expectations while feeling this way?
The author was very respectful in tackling this tough subject. The graphic novels include gender expectations, such as women having to wear long skirts or dresses, men being the heads of households, and tampons being impure, while letting the main character explore her thoughts, questions, and doubts. Nonetheless, I felt that Meg's self-reflection could have gone further and been more developed. The art style is interesting with flashbacks in all blue tones. It could be an impactful novel for some students, but other graphic novels may reach a broader audience.
Some secondary characters are diverse.
Ms. Megan, HS Librarian

No comments:
Post a Comment