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z_brarian 's review for:
The Tryout
by Christina Soontornvat
"So many adults forget how much courage it takes to just be a kid." No truer words written by the author. The pressure to be "popular" is enormous in middle school and Christina Soontornvat hits the bullseye with this incredible Graphic Novel. Reflecting on her own experiences Soontornvat focuses not just on the pressures of popularity, but dealing with racism, acceptance and finding their own identity, trying to fit in, while being terrified of losing the one person she can always count on, her best friend. So many "what if" thoughts go through the minds of middle schoolers. While the GN focuses a lot on the pressure of the cheerleading tryouts, that doesn't detract from the story as a whole. The graphics fit perfectly with the storyline. The facial expressions of hurt and confusion and stress come through the pages. This is one GN that will not stay on my shelves once added to the collection.