Tomboy

A couple of weeks ago, I reviewed Liz Prince's Alone Forever collection and learned she had created an honest to goodness graphic novel. Being a big fan of her earlier works I just had to check it out. Tomboy is a memoir about growing up, feeling weird, and trying to fit in, with a huge focus on gender issues and how they get defined from an early age. The book opens with a pivotal scene that sets the stage for the rest of the book. Liz, age 4, communicates how she hates how she's been dressed and has a meltdown:

 

Her family is very positive about her wants, and they cater to her wishes without making a fuss or being critical or hurtful. They just want her to be happy with who and how she is. As she grows older and interacts with friends in school though, things get tense. The young children and adolescents she encounters in all her schools (elementary, middle, and high) and in her neighborhood are not always the most accepting of her toy, wardrobe, playtime, or pastime choices. And from these points of conflict come a discussion about what's right, who gets to decide what is right, and how people judge one another based on preconceived gender roles.

Looking at what I wrote above, it may seem like this book is somewhat academic, and it is in a few places. But I hope you can see from the excerpts that it more consistently is a book with heart, humor, and very human feelings. There are many laughs, moments of sadness and hurt, glimpses of hope, and lots of opportunities where I felt personally connected with the characters and situations. The storytelling, facial expressions, and pacing are all expertly delineated and make this book a joy to read.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been full of praise. The notoriously tough Kirkus Reviews gave it a starred review and called it "Spectacular; a book to make anyone think seriously about society’s preordained gender role." The School Library Journal's Amanda MacGregor called it "utterly fantastic." For those interested in learning more what's behind this book, Prince talks about her work on Tomboy in this interview with Comic Book Resources.

Going by the tried and true Joe Bob Briggs 3 B's scale, this book has 7 beasts (three bullies, three mean girls, and one crazy "friend"), a few mentions of blood (menstrual), and 3 boobs (in an educational film the girls have to watch in school). It also features some profanity, harsh taunting, and more than a few romantic or sort of sexual situations, so I recommend it for readers mature enough to handle those things.

Tomboy was published by Zest Books, and they offer a preview, reviews, and more here.

Drama

I really enjoyed Raina Telgemeier's last book, the multiple award winning Smile, so I was very much looking forward to reading this book, Drama. It focuses on the goings on in a middle school theater club. The title has at least two meanings, the first being that the story focuses on the technical aspects of putting on a school musical. The main character is Callie, the set designer of the show, and we get to see her several challenges, including working within a budget, making and moving sets, and getting a special effects cannon to work. I was in one musical in high school, and I have to say that I could relate to these aspects of the book.

The second meaning of the title has to do with the interpersonal relationships between cast members and the school at large. Not only do we get to see the politics of a demanding leading lady and how all the other actors have to deal with various obstacles, we also get a look into Callie's relationships and crushes. There are a couple of brothers, Greg and Matt, with whom she has grown up, who clumsily court her. Life gets further complicated when newcomers Justin and Jesse come to this school. Justin comes out as gay to Callie pretty early on, and he is very interested in being a performer in the show. Justin is more reserved and a wildcard, and Callie starts hanging out with him and develops feelings.  I don't mean to make Callie just seem boy crazy, because she is more complex than just that, but she is caught up in the vortex of figuring out how romance works. Overall, I felt that Telgemeier did an excellent job getting at how confusing, awkward, and hopeful middle school relationships (in terms of both romance and friendship) can be.

As you can see from the excerpts above, Telgemeier's art style is very attractive and colorful. I feel that it is deceptively simple looking, as she is able to convey much emotion and action with relatively few lines. Also, she is adept at varying her presentations at times, with some scenes being more large montages and other more focused on specific exchanges. My one quibble really is that at times I felt there was a little too much exposition in the text, but those instances were few.

I understand that some of the personal issues of sexuality that come up in this book have made it  controversial in some places, to the point of it being removed from libraries, but I did not feel that there was anything prurient here and that these situations seemed very realistic and human. I feel more and more issues of sexuality are coming to the fore in young people's lives, and those are better discussed than ignored or shunned. That certainly seems to be the tenor of this group of young people who discussed the book as part of the YALSA Hub Challenge. Eti also has a well detailed defense of the book in this blog post.

Drama has received its share of accolades and was named a Stonewall Honor Book and a Harvey Award Nominee. Ada Calhoun had many positive comments about the story and artwork: "Telgemeier’s momentum-building visual style veers from leisurely montages during rehearsals to dramatic moments like the sharp half-page describing a disaster on show night." Kirkus Reviews gave it a starred review and summed up, "With the clear, stylish art, the strongly appealing characters and just the right pinch of drama, this book will undoubtedly make readers stand up and cheer." Publishers Weekly also gave it a starred review and concluded, "Telgemeier’s manga-infused art has some moments of heartache, but the generally cheerful and affirming story should be eagerly devoured by her many fans."

There is a book trailer and much more info on the author's official page. A preview is available here from the book's publisher, Scholastic.