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3.67 AVERAGE
3.67 AVERAGE
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
Super cute way to explore queer kids figuring themselves out in a setting where they have to be repressed and find their joy in private. The pages where Charlie was walking through nature alone were illustrated beautifully! While this was cute and probably a good level of identity politics for young kids, it does leave more to be desired. I also wish it at least went to the ceremony they kept talking about and Charlie and Sydney’s plan to stop it.
I've read the webcomic for years, and saw the physical copy at the library and picked it up for fun. It cuts off oddly at the end and doesn't make it clear that the story continues. The art is pretty as always.
I wonder if there should be a separate entry for the physical book from the webcomic? I have no idea how to do that or mention that to anyone. Hmm.
I wonder if there should be a separate entry for the physical book from the webcomic? I have no idea how to do that or mention that to anyone. Hmm.
I think I liked it. It gave me a lot to think about, especially in terms of microaggressions and feminism. The ending doesn't appear to make much sense--supposedly this is Vol. 1 but I don't see a Vol 2. and either way, that editing is rough.
Heartwarming and eye-opening, this story follows Charlie, a queer black teenager, as she attends an all-girls Christian summer camp for the first time. It tactfully calls out white feminism and demonstrates the importance of intersectionality. I especially loved the smooth colored pencil illustrations! I look forward to sharing this book with any future children of mine!
While this is a fascinating story, this book requires a huge caveat: this is book 1 of probably 2 volumes (and the 2nd volume will take a while to arrive).
This isn't the authors fault (probably), but nowhere did the book reveal that what I was reading was only half of the story. And even after I finished, saw that the book ended only partway through Charlie's journey, it was hard to find anything that actually said that there would be a 2nd volume, and this wasn't just cutting off the story weirdly in the middle (I had to add the series to goodreads myself).
This isn't the authors fault (probably), but nowhere did the book reveal that what I was reading was only half of the story. And even after I finished, saw that the book ended only partway through Charlie's journey, it was hard to find anything that actually said that there would be a 2nd volume, and this wasn't just cutting off the story weirdly in the middle (I had to add the series to goodreads myself).
The first time I read this I was obviously confused. I was really enjoying the story, but the abrupt ending left me shocked, and a little angry. At the time, nothing online I could find indicated that there would be a continuation of the story, so I moved on.
However today, a coworker told me that online, there was more to the story! I was excited and quickly reread it on the author's website, only to be even more frustrated.
Yes, there is more of the story - about twenty pages. But it still ends on a cliffhanger, and the author hasn't updated the webcomic in two years.
I understand wanting to publish it and get the word out, but 1, why not finish the story before publication, or 2, why not indicate that there was more to the story, or even more coming? I remember searching high and low when I first read it, and there was NOTHING, not online or on my published copy. It the book had simply said "Volume 1", it would have been fine.
Anyway, it seems like this story is doomed to be forever unfinished, and for that, I am truly sad. I'm sad that we'll be robbed of the end of what has been a wonderful story. But unfortunately, as of right now, this book just leaves a poor taste in my mouth.
However today, a coworker told me that online, there was more to the story! I was excited and quickly reread it on the author's website, only to be even more frustrated.
Yes, there is more of the story - about twenty pages. But it still ends on a cliffhanger, and the author hasn't updated the webcomic in two years.
I understand wanting to publish it and get the word out, but 1, why not finish the story before publication, or 2, why not indicate that there was more to the story, or even more coming? I remember searching high and low when I first read it, and there was NOTHING, not online or on my published copy. It the book had simply said "Volume 1", it would have been fine.
Anyway, it seems like this story is doomed to be forever unfinished, and for that, I am truly sad. I'm sad that we'll be robbed of the end of what has been a wonderful story. But unfortunately, as of right now, this book just leaves a poor taste in my mouth.
This is a beautiful book in the theme and the graphics. The drawings of the landscape are exceptional. I only gave it three stars though because it feels unfinished. It just kind of ends without real closure in my opinion.
