So many graphic novels this month! I'll buy as many as I can. They are super expensive and fall apart easily. Here are some to consider some for your school library.
April 23, 2024 by Dial Books
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Tyler (shown here) does well in the regional speed cubing championships, but can't afford to go to the national ones with cubers like champion Dirk Speedman, twins Izzy and Lizzy, prodigy Eli Newton, and 60-something almost champ Miles Wizzinski. Wen he is sponsored by Vincent Chan of CubeMania, he and his mother head to Las Vegas. Tyler does well, but at a critical moment, his cube breaks, but he gets help from an unexpected source. Lots of good information about this pursuit in a hybrid notebook novel/graphic novel style. Can't think of any other books on this topic, so I will buy.
April 30th 2024 by Kokila
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Mei Ying Lin lives in a small college town with her professor mother and is friends with Kirra, who is on her soccer team, and who calls her "SparK", a name bestowed by Kirra's grandmother, Coach Gran. When Mei Ying's grandmother visits from Taiwan, the two bond even though they don't speak the same language. The do tai chi, cook, and enjoy each other's company. After her grandmother returns home and the new school year starts, Mei Ying finds that one of her new classmates, Sid, is cruel and racist, but passes everything off as a joke, so her classmates, including Kirra, brush off Mei Ying's concerns. She eventually tells him off, and after a class International Day, he apologizes. I loved the relationship with the grandmother, and the dealings with the classmates are timely.
Wires Crossed
April 30, 2024 by Clarion Books
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Mia has gotten her interest in science and engineering from her grandmother, who lives with the family, and loved being at a tech camp with Tariq. When his family moves to town and he has gotten more social and attractive, Mia worries that with her braces, glasses, and difficult hair, he won't want to hang out with her. When he spends time with the soccer team, and Mia's friend Addy who is hanging with a more popular crowd seems interested in him, Mia is not happy. She does make a new friend in Kinsey, who loves to draw. When the science class starts on a project, Tariq, Mia, Kinsey, and Evan all work on a robotic snake. There are some miscommunications as the children use their creativity and imagination on the project, but in the end, Mia is able to reconnect with Tariq and clear up misunderstandings. The science and the tween drama in this, along with Fantaskey's writing, make this one I will buy.
Shiny Misfits.
April 16, 2024 by Graphix
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Bay Ann enjoys tap dancing, and splits her time between her father, who is a caterer, and her mother, who is a college professor. When her school has a talent show, she arranges a production of a zombie bride dance with good friend Michelle, but popular Alyee Maq takes a video that goes viral in a horrible way. Bay Ann has cerebral palsy, and Alyee paints her as "ill" and someone in need of pity. This rubs her the wrong way and increased their competition, especially over social media likes. This follows events through the school year. Bay Ann is an Arab American Muslim.
April 16, 2024 by Graphix
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Bay Ann enjoys tap dancing, and splits her time between her father, who is a caterer, and her mother, who is a college professor. When her school has a talent show, she arranges a production of a zombie bride dance with good friend Michelle, but popular Alyee Maq takes a video that goes viral in a horrible way. Bay Ann has cerebral palsy, and Alyee paints her as "ill" and someone in need of pity. This rubs her the wrong way and increased their competition, especially over social media likes. This follows events through the school year. Bay Ann is an Arab American Muslim.
April 23, 2024 by HarperAlley
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Claire and Michelle are close as sisters, but when they enter middle school, Michelle cares more about popularity and wants the approval of Jess and her friends. When Claire takes a position as a junior counselor at a Taiwanese cultural summer camp, Michelle is bitter about having to go and spends much of the camp time trying to text Jess before seeing a little of the point of the camp. Sort of a mix of Sweet Valley Twins and Brosgol's Be Prepared and Wang's Summer at Squee.
April 16, 2024 by Rocky Pond Books
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Starting at age ten, we see Pan struggling with all sorts of troubling thoughts about mistakes he might have made and worries that keep him up at night. He has some rituals, like brushing his teeth, that reassure him when they go well, but force him into repetitive behavior when they don't. Some of his friends understand, but as he gets older, the thoughts become more and more intrusive. Interesting memoir showing one struggle with OCD. I was glad to see therapy portrayed, especially the struggles with finding something that helped. Pair this with Sattin and Hickman's Buzzing and Button Pusher for a good portrayal of students trying to find a diagnosis and treatment plan.
These sound great! I read Fake Chinese Sounds and loved the way the author incorporated Chinese and conversations in multiple languages into the story visually. My daughter is learning Chinese, so we had fun looking at it together. I'll have to check out the others you mentioned. Shiny Misfits sounds really cute. :)
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