Strong visuals bolster an intriguing mystery.
A teen’s rapid switches in personality lead to greater mystery in this graphic novel translated from French.
New at school, Elle appears cool, stylish, and put together. Standing up to mean girls Justine and Safia, she quickly makes friends with spacey Linotte, steadfast Maëlys, girl-crazy Otis, and wisecracking Farid. But Elle’s stress levels build when her class presentation deadline is moved up two weeks and Otis kisses her, changing their friend dynamic. After a vicious volleyball game, Elle suddenly changes personality, with each facet possessing its own hair color: the mysterious aquamarine narrator, outgoing blond, highly emotional brown, silent green, and goofy purple. While aesthetically pleasing and matching the color scheme, the varied hair colors lessen the impact of Elle’s personality reveal by making inner changes immediately obvious. With help from Maëlys, Elle investigates her childhood and history of strange mood swings. The artistic style fits the tone perfectly, with large expressive faces and soft outlines that match the detailed backgrounds. The atmospheric changes in color palette are subtle but highly effective in depicting Elle’s stress levels, adding to the tension. While Elle’s friends are mostly one-dimensional, their ongoing banter, support, and a fun Polaroid montage successfully sell their strong connection. The mysterious subplot and dramatic cliffhanger are gripping, setting up for the next entry. Elle, Linotte, and Otis present White; queer Farid is cued as Middle Eastern, and Maëlys is Asian.
Strong visuals bolster an intriguing mystery. (Graphic fiction. 12-16)Pub Date: Nov. 15, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-68497-093-3
Page Count: 94
Publisher: Ablaze
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2022
Vail captures the complexity of middle school social challenges, insightfully addressing the issues of friendships and...
Eighth-grader Truly’s foray into popularity spirals into a tempest of deceit and betrayal.
Upon turning 13, Truly is given a measure of technological freedom: a cellphone and access to social media. But this soon evolves into a quagmire of problems for Truly. When former BFF Natasha invites her to join the Popular Table during lunchtime and to collaborate on a school assignment, Truly is surprised but thrilled. However, Natasha’s overtures hide an ulterior motive. In the pursuit of popularity, Truly neglects her friendship with Hazel, who retaliates by plotting revenge utilizing social media. The Truly/Hazel dynamic is just one component of this interwoven story. Vail explores the motivations and private quandaries of the six characters who narrate the tale, from Jack, the quiet advocate for those excluded, to the socially conscious and manipulative Natasha, who yearns to be the most popular. With keen insight, Vail reveals the internal struggles with uncertainty and self-doubt that can plague young teens regardless of popularity status. Natasha’s schemes and Hazel’s misdeeds lead to a relentless barrage of bullying via social media for Truly. While a dramatic moment reveals the extent of Truly’s anguish, Vail concludes the tale with a resolution that is both realistic and hopeful.
Vail captures the complexity of middle school social challenges, insightfully addressing the issues of friendships and integrity. (Fiction. 12-15)Pub Date: Sept. 25, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-670-01307-4
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: July 28, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2014
A charming adaptation.
A miscommunication leaves Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert responsible for a plucky, effusive orphan girl instead of the boy they’d expected to help maintain their farm.
Retold in traditional manga format, with right-to-left panel orientation and detailed black-and-white linework, this adaptation is delightfully faithful to the source text. Larger panels establish the idyllic country landscape while subtle text boxes identify the setting—Prince Edward Island, Canada, in the 1870s. The book follows redheaded Anne Shirley from her arrival at Green Gables at 11 to her achievement of a college scholarship. In the intervening years, Anne finds stability, friendship, personal growth, and ambition in Avonlea and in the strict but well-intentioned Cuthbert siblings’ household. The familiar story is enhanced by the exciting new format and lush illustrations. A variety of panel layouts provides visual freshness, maintaining reader interest. Backmatter includes the floor plan of the Green Gables house, as well as interior and exterior views, and notes about research on the actual location. A description of the process of adapting the novel to this visual format indicates the care that was taken to highlight particular elements of the story as well as to remain faithful to the smallest details. Readers who find the original text challenging will welcome this as an aid to comprehension and Anne’s existing fans will savor a fresh perspective on their beloved story. All characters appear to be White.
A charming adaptation. (Graphic fiction. 12-14)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-947808-18-8
Page Count: 308
Publisher: Manga Classics
Review Posted Online: Aug. 18, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2020
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