Weirdo by Tony Weaver, Jr., illustrated by Jes & Cin Wibowo - ESSENTIAL

Weirdo by Tony Weaver, Jr., illustrated by Jes & Cin Wibowo, 318 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL, First Second (Macmillan), 2024. $23 

Language: G (0 swears) Mature Content: PG (mention of suicide attempt, no specifics) Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

APPEALS TO: MANY 

Tony Weaver is in the 7th grade. His parents moved him to a new school to challenge him. Instead, his teacher thinks he is cheating with his writing and he is bullied by other students because of his love of comic book heroes. Tony wants desperately to fit in but begins to feel like everyone would be better off if he was gone. A traumatic event forces him to find out who he is and that he can become the hero of his story. 

This is an essential read for anyone who feels like they are not accepted for who they are and strive to conform to fit in, but are still the target of bullying. This is a positive story of healing and self-love and a journey to finding that he can fit in and make a difference. This is the author's story and he tells it well without getting into detail about self-harm. The focus is really about recovery and finding inner strength. Tony is black. 

Michelle in the Middle 

Uprooted by Ruth Chan - ADVISABLE

Uprooted by Ruth Chan, 288 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL, Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan), 2024. $15 Language: G (0 swears) Mature Content: G Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

13yo Ruth is moving to Hong Kong from Canada. Her dad got a job in China and she is reluctantly leaving everything she is familiar with. Her mother is excited to be with family, but Ruth feels like she doesn't fit in anywhere. She is not comfortable speaking Cantonese and feels completely uprooted. Her dad tells her his birth story and she learns that both of her parents have felt uprooted as well. 

This is a memoir, so Ruth's voice will resonate with others who don't feel like they fit in. I really like how Ruth ties in the story of her father's birth during the Second Sino-Japanese War. The book is a great message of how courage, perseverance, and patience can help us do hard things. Ruth is Chinese Canadian. 

Michelle in the Middle 

The Road Home by Rex Ogle - OPTIONAL

The Road Home by Rex Ogle, 272 pages. MEMOIR. Norton Young Readers, 2024. $19

Language: R (45 swears, 50 “f”); Mature Content: R (drugs, gay sex talk, body parts); Violence: R (rape lightly described, beating and aftermath)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Now 17yo, Rex is kicked out of his house by his Christian father when his stepsister outs him as gay.  Feeling he has no one else to turn to, Rex heads to New Orleans, following a man he met at the beach recently.  Though the man takes him in and they start a physical relationship, Rex is not comfortable with his new status as part of a gay relationship and eventually finds himself back on the street.

The third of Ogle’s short memoirs follows Rex into close-to-adulthood, into homelessness, into despair. Much darker than his previous books.  Please don’t buy this thinking you need all three in the series.  The content and topics are much more mature than anything in the previous two books. We have some kids who will benefit greatly from this, though.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Continental Drifter by Kathy Macleod - ADVISABLE

Continental Drifter by Kathy Macleod, 

224 pages. BIOGRAPHY, GRAPHIC NOVEL First Second (Macmillan), 2024. $23. 9781250813732

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

11yo Kathy lives in Thailand with her American father, Thai mother and sister.  Every few years the family takes a vacation to Maine to visit with Kathy's father's extended family.  She loves these trips. Kathy doesn't feel like she fits in anywhere. She speaks English and she attends an international school in Thailand, but none of her friends are like her there. In her neighborhood, a boy tells her she isn't American because she doesn't have blue eyes. Although Kathy speaks English with an American accent, she finds she doesn't fit in at summer camp in Maine either.  Where does Kathy belong?

Kathy Macloud's childhood memories make a really good graphic novel.  I love her spunk and attitude, especially when she feels annoyed.  She's a strong kid.  I loved her camp experience. Her cabin mates (unfortunately) act as expected - for American kids, and Kathy feels othered.  She has a great advisor at camp, and some marvelous aunts as well. A great empathy builder as well as a window for my new arrivals.

Lisa Librarian

Hurdles in the Dark by Elvira K. Gonzalez - OPTIONAL

Hurdles in the Dark by Elvira K. Gonzalez, 314 pages. MEMOIR. Roaring Brook (Macmillan), 2024. $22

Language: R  (30+ swears, 3  “f”); Mature Content: PG-13 (strip search mentioned, mentions a girl pregnant at 15yo); Violence: R (grooming, rape by a trusted adult mentioned)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

At even a young age, Kristy impressed a high school track coach with her speed. Life as a chica in a Texas border town is not easy, however. Tension between Kristy and her Mama can flare badly - once ending in Kristy spending 2 weeks in custody. And her Mama has never recovered from trauma inflicted on her the time she was kidnapped and Kristy had only 24 hours to raise the $40K ransom. Kristy struggles to find coaches who will believe in her and help her fulfil her dreams of riding hurdles events to a college scholarship - and the coach she does find for her final high school years, grooms her for sexual abuse as he also coaches her to success.  The hurdles Kristy’s life has placed in front of her may be more than she can actually surmount.

Compelling, dramatic, I can see students sharing this book with each other. The parts about grooming by her coach and about the other coaches undermining her because of their jealousy are especially valuable to any young person who wants to understand a little more about what dangers might be out in the wide world. I appreciated Ms. Gonzalez’s bravery in exposing her story to the world. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Dear Dad by Jay Jay Patton - ADVISABLE

Dear Dad by Jay Jay Patton, 128 pages. Graphic Memoir Graphix (Scholastic), 2024. $15 

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Jay Jay's dad has been in prison for as long as she can remember. She has tried to stay in touch with letters and an occasional phone call, but it's been difficult. Now her dad is coming home but they have to move. Jay Jay's life is about to change a lot. 

 Since this is a memoir, the feelings are genuine. Even though the situation is difficult, the message is positive. Jay Jay and her father were able to develop Photo Patch-an actual app that helps connect children to incarcerated parents. Jay Jay doesn't dwell on the negative, but focuses on moving on. A good read for kids in a similar situation or to build empathy. Jay Jay and her family are black. 

Michelle in the Middle  

The Lucky Poor by Mazie Lovie - OPTIONAL

The Lucky Poor by Mazie Lovie, 134 pages.  GRAPHIC NOVEL Iron Circus Comics, 2024. $12 

Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G; Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Mazie starts out at age five, describing her journey to her first home at age 13, thanks to a gift from Habitat for Humanity. Based on the author's true story, the home becomes transformative for Mazie. Even though a new home can't fix every problem, it offers a second chance for Mazie, her mom, and her autistic younger brother. 

An honest slice of life memoir that helps build empathy for the struggles of others. Nice themes of family, hope, hard work, and charity. The art is bright and colorful, if a little simplistic. May be a good guide for those considering memoir writing. Race is never specified, but there is a variety of skin tones. 

Michelle in the Middle

I Have Something to Tell You--For Young Adults by Chasten Buttigieg - ADVISABLE

I Have Something to Tell You--For Young Adults by Chasten Buttigieg, 193 pages NON FICTION Atheneum, 2023. $19.

Language: G (1 swear 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG (Brief mentions of kissing and bullying); Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

This memoir from Chasten Buttigeig describes growing up in Traverse City, Michigan, feeling different than everyone else but doing his best to blend in. Once he realized he was gay he kept the fact secret from everyone he knew. Eventually, through his many experiences, such as being a foreign exchange student, acting, and finally finding the right educational path, he learned to be true to himself. Chasten then had the courage to come out to his friends and family. The difficult and sometimes painful lessons he learned growing up, helped him later in life as he supported his husband, Pete Buttigieg, on the presidential campaign trail. 

This is an approachable, readable memoir that addresses Chasten Buttigieg's journey to find acceptance and self-love. His kind and understanding approach will resonate with others on the same journey. Chasten Buttigieg is a white man. 

A. Snow 

Abuela, Don't Forget Me by Rex Ogle - OPTIONAL

Abuela, Don't Forget Me by Rex Ogle, 208 pages. MEMOIR Norton YR. 2022. $19. 

Language: R (0 swears, 3 F); Mature Content: PG13 (teen drug use, kissing); Violence: PG13 (Child abuse - physical, Suicidal thoughts, fighting) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Rex Ogle's mother was physically and emotionally abusive, so he relied a lot on his grandmother. His mother and stepfather were constantly moving the family from one place to another, Rex made few friends, and his only long-term friend lived near Abuela. While he loved her dearly, as a boy he was sometimes embarrassed when his peers would tease him because she had an accent and because he didn't call her grandma. However, her emotional and financial support gave him opportunities he could have never received otherwise. 

 Rex Ogle's Memoir in verse is a tribute to his grandmother, who was a constant safety net, a number he could call, a place he could live. While Free Lunch was middle grade, the content and age range (from age 4 through graduating from high school) of Abuela Don't Forget Me is more appropriate for a High School audience. Rex's grandmother is Mexican 

Lisa Librarian

Maybe An Artist by Liz Montague - OPTIONAL

Maybe An Artist by Liz Montague, 168 pages, GRAPHIC NOVEL, MEMOIR.  Penguin Random House. 2022. $25.

Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content G; Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Liz tells her story from age five through college.  She touches on her dyslexia, how she navigated a predominantly white New Jersey neighborhood as an African American, and how her dreams of being a track star shifted to art.

This is a different layout than most graphic novels, with more white space per page and far fewer cells.  While Liz’s story resonates with common themes of finding oneself and growing up, its appeal seems more limited and a little self-serving.  Liz is all about social issues, so if that is a point of interest, this may be helpful.

Michelle in the Middle

A Delayed Life: The True Story of the Librarian of Auschwitz by Dita Kraus - OPTIONAL

 

A Delayed Life: The True Story of the Librarian of Auschwitz by Dita Kraus, 340 pages. NON-FICTION Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan), 2020. $25. 

Content: Language: G; Mature Content: R; Violence: PG-13.  

BUYING ADVISORY: HS – OPTIONAL  

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE  

Dita is a young girl when the Nazis start to take over Europe.  She grew up in Prague and had a happy childhood as an only child to a middle-class Jewish family.  As they are moved throughout the war from their home to the ghetto and on to Auschwitz, Dita recounts her memories from that time. By the time the war ended, Dita was sixteen years old, and shortly after that her mother died from complications of being at Auschwitz and Dita was an orphan.  Dita marries and they move to Israel and have a family.  

This memoir encompasses Dita’s whole life with little memories from different times throughout.  It is a slow read and very detailed.  My greatest confusion is that at no time does it mention her as a librarian, which is the subheading.  The Librarian of Auschwitz is based on her life, but this book doesn’t mention anything about it.  The content includes a clinical, yet graphic, explanation of sex.  She comments on her own maturation. There is a gruesome and very graphic explanation of the latrine situation at the labor camp and she describes a bombing victim’s wounds.  

Reviewer, C. Peterson

Rachel Calof’s Story by Rachel Calof - ADVISABLE

Calof, Rachel Rachel Calof’s Story: Jewish homesteader on the Northern Plains, 153 p. NON-FICTION BIOGRAPHY. Indiana University Press 1995. 

Language: G; Content: PG-13. 

MS-OPTIONAL, HS-ADVISABLE

Finally, a memoir students will be willing to read! This book is the heart wrenching story of a young Russian girl named Rachel and her triumph over life’s challenges. Rachel was left a “half orphan” when her mother died, but when her father remarries, Rachel and her siblings are severely mistreated by their wicked step-mother. To save the family name, Rachel leaves the hardships of her native land to come to American to become the “picture bride” to Abraham. Rachel and Abraham “proof” a homestead in the Jewish settlement of Devils Lake, North Dakota. With little money and scant provisions, the young bride sets up housekeeping in a simple, one room, sod structure which they share for part of the year with Abraham’s parents. Together Rachel and Abraham face one trial after another, and yet these resilient immigrants survive both the internal and external struggles of life. 

The book was originally written in Yiddish as a personal account of her life and not meant for public viewing. Each page is full of end-notes and it is a bit distracting to have to keep referring to these notes, but to skip them would lose a part of the story. I would advise reading the Epilogue to gain a better understanding of the Jewish-American social history (although the final essay could be skipped). At the conclusion of this book the reader will have a greater appreciation for those powerful women settlers of this nation. 

Reviewer: Lorna Parkinson, Library-Teacher, HHS.

My Name is Number 4 by Ting-Xing Ye - ESSENTIAL

Ye, Ting-Xing My Name is Number 4: A True Story from the Cultural Revolution, 229 p. NON-FICTION. St. Martin’s Griffin, 2009.

Violence: PG; Language: PG. 

MS, HS – ESSENTIAL

Ting-Xing was born in 1952 and spent six years (ages 16-22) living on a rural prison farm being re-educated in the work of a peasant farmer during China’s Cultural Revolution under Chairman Mao. Though Ye’s parents had both dies when she was young, she and her siblings spent all of their childhoods making up for the sin of their father being a factory owner.

High school social studies teachers should look at this memoir as a powerful addition to their curriculum. There are now just a few books being written by survivor’s of the Cultural revolution and they are welcome additions, whether as novels or biographies.

Cindy, Library-Teacher