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books_inthewild's review
5.0
“Crunch” by Kayla Miller ☺️
I’ve loved all the graphic novels by Kayla Miller so far- and this one is another HIT!
I’ve loved all the graphic novels by Kayla Miller so far- and this one is another HIT!
ellytheskelly's review
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
YES WE LOVE A STORY THAT INCLUDES A GUIDE FOR WRITING A TO-DO LIST ♥️♥️♥️
yuuto's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
isabelduhreader's review
5.0
Another great Click graphic novel! Loved it. Really nice message about being crunched for time or overworking
finesilkflower's review
4.0
Olive takes on too many commitments and finds herself stretched too thin, with not enough hours in the day to accomplish everything. It's a simple but very relatable problem. With building levels of exhaustion, Olive eventually learns to prioritize, let some things go, and ask for help on the rest. It's a good lesson which can resonate with both children and adults.
As usual, I'm going to fully overanalyze this book for fourth-graders. The stakes are fairly low since there is little consequence of failure. I love a low-stakes book, but in this case, I found myself actually wishing for slightly higher tension since it felt like Olive could have quit almost any of her activities at any time, and that therefore her problems were almost obstinately self-imposed. The background pressure of friends/family/classmates relying on her lent some weight to some of the storylines, but Olive's personal hobbies felt expendable because it wasn't clear to me that they were really meaningful to her. If any of the previous books or any of the preamble in this book had built up the idea that guitar or filmmaking were important to Olive, that would have given them more weight, but it sort of seemed like both of them were easy-come easy-go larks. I think the book intended to teach the lesson that you should make time for your favorite hobby, but it fell flat since it wasn't clear to me what that was.
Random Observations:
I admire the way elements from previous books continue to layer in each book. Willow being her old self from "Camp," Nat being her old self from "Clash," Olive's Student Council comittments from "Act," etc. The series makes good on its promise from the original, "Click," by continually portraying Olive as a person with a lot of different friendships but no one specific best friend or in-group.
The passel of background friends are used well in this book, since there's enough plotlines for them them to play a variety of supporting roles, and you don't really need to remember anything about them from previous books - but if you do, you get the pleasure of seeing them act pleasingly in-character. (Only Bree, Olive's long-distance friend from camp, feels like a superfluous cameo.)
I love how Nat is being used post-Clash. The new status quo where Nat is fully integrated into the sixth grad social scene and she and Olive remain icily cordial reinforces the Clash moral that you don't have to be good friends with every one of your friends' friends. I can see why Olive finds Nat unlikable, but I disagree; I love her and look forward to her scenes. Her spiciness feels like an exciting and important ingredient to an otherwise relentlessly sweet group of characters.
I really hate that Olive's last name is Branche.
These books seems to be beginning to include queer and gender nonconforming characters, though in a sideways, if-you-know-you-know kind of way. A new minor character named AJ could be read as any gender, and there's a fun blink-you-miss-it background meet-cute between Olive's quirky aunt and guitar teacher. Given that these books have never acknowledged queer people before, I might have been concerned that this entirely subtextual romcom was queerbaiting, but luckily I've already read the next book and it's stated outright in the next book that they're girlfriends. Whew! It's very important to me that Aunt Molly be textually queer.
As usual, I'm going to fully overanalyze this book for fourth-graders. The stakes are fairly low since there is little consequence of failure. I love a low-stakes book, but in this case, I found myself actually wishing for slightly higher tension since it felt like Olive could have quit almost any of her activities at any time, and that therefore her problems were almost obstinately self-imposed. The background pressure of friends/family/classmates relying on her lent some weight to some of the storylines, but Olive's personal hobbies felt expendable because it wasn't clear to me that they were really meaningful to her. If any of the previous books or any of the preamble in this book had built up the idea that guitar or filmmaking were important to Olive, that would have given them more weight, but it sort of seemed like both of them were easy-come easy-go larks. I think the book intended to teach the lesson that you should make time for your favorite hobby, but it fell flat since it wasn't clear to me what that was.
Random Observations:
I admire the way elements from previous books continue to layer in each book. Willow being her old self from "Camp," Nat being her old self from "Clash," Olive's Student Council comittments from "Act," etc. The series makes good on its promise from the original, "Click," by continually portraying Olive as a person with a lot of different friendships but no one specific best friend or in-group.
The passel of background friends are used well in this book, since there's enough plotlines for them them to play a variety of supporting roles, and you don't really need to remember anything about them from previous books - but if you do, you get the pleasure of seeing them act pleasingly in-character. (Only Bree, Olive's long-distance friend from camp, feels like a superfluous cameo.)
I love how Nat is being used post-Clash. The new status quo where Nat is fully integrated into the sixth grad social scene and she and Olive remain icily cordial reinforces the Clash moral that you don't have to be good friends with every one of your friends' friends. I can see why Olive finds Nat unlikable, but I disagree; I love her and look forward to her scenes. Her spiciness feels like an exciting and important ingredient to an otherwise relentlessly sweet group of characters.
I really hate that Olive's last name is Branche.
These books seems to be beginning to include queer and gender nonconforming characters, though in a sideways, if-you-know-you-know kind of way. A new minor character named AJ could be read as any gender, and there's a fun blink-you-miss-it background meet-cute between Olive's quirky aunt and guitar teacher. Given that these books have never acknowledged queer people before, I might have been concerned that this entirely subtextual romcom was queerbaiting, but luckily I've already read the next book and it's stated outright in the next book that they're girlfriends. Whew! It's very important to me that Aunt Molly be textually queer.
hidingincorners's review
5.0
This is truly one of my favorite graphic novel series. I could read a million of these.
maryehavens's review
4.0
I liked Olive's gradual realization that she was doing too much, complete with stress dream. Miller's tips at the end about task management were spot on.
Somehow I haven't read the first in this series (?). Will definitely have to find that one as well as Clash.
Somehow I haven't read the first in this series (?). Will definitely have to find that one as well as Clash.
thenextgenlibrarian's review
5.0
The 5th #book in the #Click #series is out now!
⏲️
Olive is back and this time she is overworked! Having committed to too many things on her schedule such as: guitar lessons, dress code committee, their version of Girl Scouts and submitting a movie for a festival she’s overtired and overworked. Between homework and all her commitments, her sleep is also being effected. Something has to give!
⏲️
This #MG series by @kayke is the best. It has such great diversity in characters and experiences, as well as deals with issues important to kids such as the dress code. At the back it even gives tips on how to make a to-do list and manage your time effectively, great for students of this age who are starting to get involved in more things all the time. I loved it.
⏲️
Olive is back and this time she is overworked! Having committed to too many things on her schedule such as: guitar lessons, dress code committee, their version of Girl Scouts and submitting a movie for a festival she’s overtired and overworked. Between homework and all her commitments, her sleep is also being effected. Something has to give!
⏲️
This #MG series by @kayke is the best. It has such great diversity in characters and experiences, as well as deals with issues important to kids such as the dress code. At the back it even gives tips on how to make a to-do list and manage your time effectively, great for students of this age who are starting to get involved in more things all the time. I loved it.