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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
An honest, compassionate depiction of struggles with mental health, body image, and sexual orientation alongside more mundane worries like grades and crushes. Empowering friends and caring adults lend support, without veering into "afterschool special" schmaltz.
fast-paced
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Self harm
fatphobia is internalized, not from other characters
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I occasionally enjoy reading young adult graphic novels. This was an interesting exploration of the author’s experience in high school in the early 2000s. I liked the art style, and I appreciated that the zines Winifred and friends made were part of the graphic novels.
I love this story its so impactful. The art style was decent I especially loved the style of the zines but some of the panels just weren't consistent and it threw me off a little, still a very good book.
As someone who was in high school not too far off from the characters in this book, this story was almost too real. The struggles of the teenagers in this book, to find connection and develop healthy relationships with themselves and others, while dealing with some pretty fraught issues, were really well handled. I loved the characters, relationshps, art, and story. It was a relief that the adults and institutions in this book were, overall, very caring and proactive—a very welcome deviation from my own high school experience.
This was an absolutely adorable graphic novel. The art is adorable and I loved the characters. The story felt very realistic and the characters were very real. This is definitely one I often recommend.
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Beautiful graphic novel for a younger audience, about learning to be and accept yourself. Winifred is a Sophomore, her friends have just transferred schools, and she is all alone. So the year is off to bad start. When her art teacher offers her a chance to so an independent study she meets Oscar and April.
Winifred's story is the driving force of the novel, her battles with depression, questioning her sexuality, and self-image. Her friends stories are weaved throughout, and a little teenage love thrown in, but this story is really about the struggles you go through in high school and learning who you are along the way.
Winifred's story is the driving force of the novel, her battles with depression, questioning her sexuality, and self-image. Her friends stories are weaved throughout, and a little teenage love thrown in, but this story is really about the struggles you go through in high school and learning who you are along the way.